Sustainable Development Transition and Transformation
Sustainable Development Transition and Transformation - Embedding sustainable development principles into future regional arrangements
Shaping a sustainable future post SNR - Final report now available
During 2008 and Spring 2009, Sustainability South West led a project funded by Defra and the South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) and supported by the SW Regional Assembly and Government Office for the South West under the ‘Sustainable Development Transition and Transformation Fund’ to consider how to embed sustainable development principles into future regional arrangements. This work looked at areas such as:
• The South West ‘Single Regional Strategy’ process
• SW Regional Challenge and Scrutiny - independent SD expertise
• SW Local Authority capacity / expertise on Sustainable Development (SD)
• The SW Regional Funding Allocation (RFA) criteria
• The RDA Tasking Framework and monitoring for the SW
Sustainability South West engaged with stakeholders from different sectors right across the region (through individual workshops and a widely available consultation form), to feed in to a consultation looking at the above themes. A set of draft recommendations came out of this work which were available for comment until 17 April 2009 (see draft recommendations for the region). The final report, containing 17 recommendations, is now available - click here for the Final Recommendations and Report.
Downloads:
For the set of final recommendations for the South West on how to ensure sustainable development is embedded in the new regional arrangements, click here.
For the set of draft recommendations, click here.
For an introductory presentation to the consultation, click here.
For the consultation form used to inform the set of draft recommendations, click here.
Key questions considered:
1. New Single Regional Strategy (SRS) – How can the region build on any existing regional frameworks concerned with embedding SD principles to inform the SRS?
2. Effective SD Challenge- How can the region ensure there is capability and expertise for independent and effective challenge – which integrates social, economic & environmental priorities by embedding SD principles – rather than focussing on individual stakeholder themes?
3. Sustainability Appraisal - How can independent sustainability appraisal be strengthened?
4. Regional Champion Body (RCB) / SSW – Government believes that RCBs “have an important role in delivering SD in the regions”- how should SSW’s role be maximised to support the region under the new arrangements to ensure it is fit for purpose?
5. How can local authorities (LA) / Local Strategic Partnerships / any new LA Leaders Forum be supported to build their own capacity on SD given their new role in the proposed new regional arrangements?
6. How can SD principles be integrated into criteria for the Regional Funding Allocation process? (Economic Development, Housing, Transport)
7. How can SD principles be better embedded into SWRDA’s Tasking Framework/ monitoring?
8. Do the SW SD principles capture your stakeholder group priorities and how can the approach taken to delivering your priorities also support the wider set of principles to contribute to an integrated approach for a sustainable future?
What are the Opportunities for Transport and Access?
SSW recent stakeholder event looking at the ‘Opportunities and Challenges to better Embed Sustainability in Transport and Access in New Regional Arrangements’ brought over 40 regional representatives together to look at what the new regional make up will mean for transport and access. The event focused on the new integrated regional strategy, which gives responsibility for regional planning to SWRDA and its partner body of local authority representatives - combining the Regional Economic Strategy, Regional Spatial Strategy, capacity, funding and the new regional bodies.
A number of stakeholders questioned whether the new arrangements would have any significant impact arguing that central government has not relinquished meaningful power to the regions (exemplified by Secretary of State recent changes to Regional Spatial Strategy – a document that had been endorsed by the region after extensive consultation); the new arrangements do not change this status quo. There was also much discussion of the credibility gap, that contradictions and inconsistencies in government thinking and policy at national level create a muddy vision – which does not support clear and credible regional thinking on transport, access and sustainability.
A number of workshops identified the lack of requirement for regional and national sustainability principles to be applied to strategy and funding criteria, and that the growth agenda is in danger of creating a ‘business as usual approach’.
The key recommendations that came out of the days workshops have formed part of SSW's Sustainable Development Transition and Transformation Fund - Embedding sustainable development principles into future regional arrangements work.
Transport and Access event presentations
Sub National Review and the Emerging Regional Make Up, Ian Shergold: Sustainability South West
Low Carbon Transport, Glenn Lyons: Centre for Transport and Society UWE
Transport and Health, Adrian Davis: Public Health Consultant, SW Observatory of Public Health
© 2007 Sustainability South West - UK registered charity, no. 1106125 - info@sustainabilitysouthwest.org.uk.