21 August 2008Steps towards Sustainability
Sevenoaks District Council was quick to take up the Agenda 21 message following the Earth Summit in 2002. The District Council began to examine how it might makes Council policies and services more sustainable. Steps towards Sustainability document shows the list of actions and events undertaken by Sevenoaks District Council since 1994 Steps towards Sustainability (
PDF 183K file details).
The Sustainable Development Action Plan 2002-onwards builds upon the work of a number of publications that have been produced and events organised since 1994. The Council has progressed sustainable development into its policies to ensure that it remains in the forefront of local initiatives.
Local Agenda 21 Strategy & Year 1 Action Plan
The Local Agenda 21 Strategy was developed during 1998 and launched on 1 March 1999 in consultation with the public and interested group such as parish and town councils. It covered topics such as land use, transport, citizenship and social issues, as well as entertainment.
During the week-long launch, hundreds of local people found out about LA21 and how the Council, in partnership with the community, would play its part in achieving a more sustainable future. A touring exhibition visited New Ash Green, Swanley and Edenbridge and Council staff distributed information on energy efficiency, recycling and composting, along with copies of the strategy.
The highlight of the week was a full day of events at the Stag Theatre (now called the Sevenoaks Playhouse). Over 450 local school children visited the theatre to watch Bozo and Zizi the clowns perform an action-packed show designed to raise awareness of the importance of reducing waste and recycling. In the afternoon, students from a local school in took to the catwalk with a fashion show modelling clothes made from bubblewrap, old magazines, bottle tops, leaves and ringpulls. There was also a demonstration of responsible dog ownership.
During the day, 15 different groups displayed how they are putting Local Agenda 21 into action in the District. They included the World Wide Fund for nature, Positive Ageing, BTCV, Kent and the Wider World, Spadework, Women's Institute and Chevening School. Tesco hosted a special display of Fairtrade products organised by Sevenoaks Trade Craft Agency and Sainsbury's highlighted their large range of organic produce.
Other events over the week included organic breakfasts, exhibitions and displays, musical entertainment and training sessions on sustainable development for council staff and Members from Forum for the Future.
LA21 Action Plan - Year 2
The Local Agenda 21 Action Plan 2000-2001 was produced in March 2000. It was an opportunity to consolidate and evaluate the Year 1 actions and to inform the detailed Action Plan for future years. It's sections included:
A Working Group of Council officers from various departments drove and reviewed the Year 2 Action Plan. The external partners' work was also included in this year Plan. Copies of the Year 2 Action Plan were made available at local libraries, town and parish councils, and local offices and distributed to district Councillors, lead partners and interest groups.
Monitoring and evaluation was an ongoing process to ensure targets were met and to identify future action. Progress made on the Year 2 Action Plan was reported to the Committee at half-yearly intervals.
Local Agenda 21 Conference
In October 2000 the Local Agenda 21 Conference was held to bring together people from different backgrounds and professional expertise to discuss and explore the opportunities for future partnership working in sustainable development.
A packed agenda led to stimulating debate and discussion amongst representatives of national and local government, pressure groups, Councillors, businesses, the voluntary sector, local interest groups and representatives of young people across the District.
Three workshops were held on Transport, Health and Waste and aimed at engaging delegates in exploring issues and possible solutions. Delegates were invited to first identify what they would like to see happen for the future of the District over the next ten years and then main obstacles to achieving this vision. They were then asked to identify and prioritise ways in which these barriers can be overcome and who the main partners would be.
The issues identified at the conference were fed into the development of the Sustainable Development Action Plan 2002-onwards where they were assigned as actions to be addressed over the next three years.
Sustainable Development Action Plan 2002-onwards
The Action plan sets out a range of objectives and practical actions that the Council proposes achieve in partnership with local residents, organisations and other agencies to promote sustainability and the Local Agenda 21. The aim of this Action Plan is to address issues which reflect local priorities for improving the quality of life in the area served by Sevenoaks District Council. A copy of the Sustainable Development Action Plan ( PDF 321K file details) can be downloaded.
Whilst it is not possible to cover every issue in the action plan, we hope it will help to address some of the sustainability themes relevant to the district. The Council appreciates that a lot has been achieved but there is still a great deal to do in our aim of improving the long term quality of life for all who live and work in the Sevenoaks District.
This Action Plan builds on previous work carried out under the Council's Local Agenda 21 Strategies and Action Plans prior to 2002. The Action Plan looks at the changes that are needed to improve the lives of the people of Sevenoaks now and for the future. Seven key themes were then identified with specific objectives and actions from 2002 onwards:
1. Corporate action
2. Waste management and pollution
3. Transport
4. Countryside and built heritage
5. Land use planning & sustainable economy
6. Energy
7. Community wellbeing
Following the launch of the Community Plan which incorporates the Sustainable Development Action Plan key objectives, new monitoring methods are being created to ensure that sustainability continues to be a high priority with the Sevenoaks District.
For more information contact:
Simon Davies
Partnership & Projects Coordinator
Call 01732 227374
e-mail sus.dev@sevenoaks.gov.uk
