News & Events

South Somerset LSP launches Action Plan

A five-year action plan is being developed by the local strategic partnership, South Somerset Together, to help to secure a sustainable future for south Somerset communities.

The seven-point action plan will be incorporated into the draft South Somerset Sustainable Community Plan, ‘Shaping South Somerset’, that is due go out for further consultation in the new year. It deals with a number of key issues, such as creating incentives for people and organisations to reduce waste and carbon emissions, and developing joined-up transport policies and investment in alternatives to road transport.

The action plan emerged from a special workshop on 13 November which brought together representatives from the district and county councils, Avon and Somerset Police, Somerset Primary Care Trust, the Citizens Advice Bureau, South Somerset Voluntary and Community Action, the Environment Agency, Yeovil College, South Somerset Climate Action, the Federation of Small Businesses, Somerset Waste Partnership, Somerset Wildlife Trust and the Somerset Chamber of Commerce.

Paull Robathan, Chairman of South Somerset Together, said; “The plan contains a number of recommendations which we will be seeking to turn into practical actions. These will help the organisations that devise and deliver local services to ensure that south Somerset communities are as sustainable as possible both today and for future generations.”

The seven-point plan includes:

- Local incentives and education to help individuals and organisations reduce energy, waste and carbon emissions.

- Co-ordinated transport policies and investment in alternative transport options and in cycling and walking.

- A target-driven programme to reduce energy and waste.

- Inclusion of key sustainable community strategy goals in the Local Development Framework.

- Investment in the environmental support infrastructure to help businesses to adopt sustainable processes.

- Screening all service and development plans against a sustainability checklist.

- Providing the most up to date IT structure and training throughout the whole community.

Paul Robathan continued; “Our aim is to improve the quality of life for everyone that lives and works in south Somerset, but this can’t be at the expense of others or of the natural environment on which we depend.

“A sustainable community is economically and environmentally sound. It has the shops and services, the transport links, leisure facilities and employment opportunities that people want and, crucially, it has a minimal negative impact on the lives of others and on the environment.

The workshop was led by Sustainability South West, the organisation set up to promote leadership for sustainability and encourage the development of policies and partnerships that deliver action on sustainability.

Information on Shaping South Somerset, the draft South Somerset Community Plan, is available on the local strategic partnership website www.southsomersttogether.org.uk

Created on January 24th 2008

previous page

 

 

Tel: 01458 259077