West Midlands Local Authority Low Carbon Economy Programme

 

Local authorities and their partners are facing unprecedented cost savings measures, rising energy bills and taxes, and shrinking public sector employment, while also trying to capitalise on the emerging opportunities from the low carbon economy.

The West Midlands Local Authority Low Carbon Economy Programme aims to help West Midlands authorities use the low carbon agenda to achieve cost reduction and private and third sector low carbon job creation.

Improvement and Efficiency West Midlands (IEWM) has allocated £500,000 from the Climate Change Skills Fund from the Department of Communities and Local Government to deliver the West Midlands Local Authority Low Carbon Economy Programme. Sustainability West Midlands (SWM) is co-ordinating the delivery of the Programme on behalf of IEWM, supported by partners including the Environment Agency, Energy Saving Trust and Carbon Trust. A further £450,000 of Climate Change Skills Fund has been specifically targeted at reducing energy consumption across local authority estates and is being co-ordinated by West Midlands Property Alliance.

The Programme consists of a range of work strands on different topics.  More information about each of the workstrands, including training presentations, reports and other resources, is available via the links below.  More general information and preparatory reports for the overall Programme are also available. To find out more, please contact Fran Gilbert, Local Authority Programme Manager at Fran.Gilbert@swm.org.uk  tel: 0121 237 5890.

Carbon management

A series of implementation workshops and follow-up one-to-one support delivered by the Carbon Trust.

Training for planners and members

A series of capacity building events to help planning and development management officers and committee members.

Funding opportunities

A series of capacity building events and follow-up one-to-one advice for financial decision makers, lawyers and other officers.

Leadership Summit series

Half-day events for Leaders, Chief Executives and senior decision-makers to share good practice and opportunities for individual and joint actions. Led by Sustainability West Midlands.

Green jobs

A series of events with local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships to co-ordinate and share good practice on how to set up and run a green business club and sources of support for businesses.

Community engagement

A programme of bespoke support to be managed by Marches Energy Agency in partnership with Localise West Midlands.

Schools

Funding has been used to secure additional capacity for West Midlands authorities to participate in the Carbon Trust's 2011/12 Schools Programme.

Procurement

Sharing good practice on 'carbon clauses' for procurement categories to save long term costs and stimulate innovation.

Reduced energy consumption

Funds are available to help local authorities undertake energy audits, manage the implementation of recommendations and make low level hardware investment.
 
 
 
Email: enquiries@swm.org.uk  |   Tel: 0121 237 5890

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