Greetings to colleagues in Ecoproject and thanks for the opportunity to discuss our experiences with you.
Nottingham's LA21 initiative 'Changing Times in Nottingham' began in 1997 as a joint project between Nottingham City Council and Nottingham Green Partnership, the multi-sector sustainability forum set up in 1991/2.
Following a detailed consultation process, using various participative techniques, an agenda for a more sustainable Nottingham gradually emerged, with a number of key issues to tackle and a series of key groups to engage. An organic process has since evolved which helps link together statutory programmes of work by public bodies (like the City Council) with efforts by voluntary groups, schools, businesses, households and others. We have tried to capture and express this in our LA21 Plan, 'Changing Our City, Changing Ourselves' (available at www.nottingham-green.org.uk).
Like most places, I think it is fair to say that we have done very well in some areas (eg. transport) and have struggled on others (eg. waste recycling). Outside the areas where the City Council has a statutory responsibility, I think we have also done well, eg. education for sustainability, where we have a number of innovative projects underway.
Perhaps our major challange is the effective integration between all the dynamic social, environmental and economic systems that make up a city.
Nottingham is a prosperous city with a growing economy, but many of its citizens are disadvantaged by poverty, lack of education, skills or experience. Many of the available jobs are done by people who live in wealthier areas outside the city and who commute in to work by car. Our dual challenge is to improve the quality of life for the most disadvantaged and to make the city more attractive to more affluent people, in order to create more mixed communities with good local facilities, like schools.
Mike Peverill
Local Agenda 21 Coordinator
Nottingham City Council
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