Working in partnership
City Region
The City Region of Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country came into existence early in 2006. It is a voluntary partnership between the local authorities of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Telford, Walsall and Wolverhampton; the West Midlands Regional Assembly, Advantage West Midlands, the regional Learning and Skills Council, and the business community. It exists to increase levels of personal and business prosperity through aligning policy and funding decisions of a connected, coordinated and cross border basis.
Vision
By 2020 the City Region of Birmingham, Coventry and the Black Country will have high levels of personal prosperity, business success and population growth equal to those in the south east of England with every individual realising his or her full potential. It will be well on the way to achieving carbon neutrality.
Climate Change
Steve Wellings, former Lead Chief Executive on Climate Change presented a report outlining proposals for the development of work in this area in March 2008. The paper builds on previous reports and proposed a way forward to establish what commitments and activity each partner authority is taking in relation to this agenda and identifying opportunities to work collaboratively and promote best practice.
Initial work which involved undertaking of an internal audit to establish the baseline position for each authority and the Region in relation to several key areas, has been completed. This audit included current and planned work on climate change, work with partners, national indicator position including targets and ideas regarding opportunities and added value through collaborative working.
As a result of this initial work, a Climate Change and Sustainability working group is now in place and meets on a bi-monthly basis. The group is now working on clear proposals for future joint work, added value and promoting best practice.
John Polychronakis, Chief Executive of Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, now leads on Climate Change for the City Region.
Walsall Partnership Climate Change Executive Group
This newly-formed group had its inaugural meeting on 29 January 2009. Key aims of the group are to:
- agree joint approaches to environmental issues across organisations operating within the partnership
- reduce the output of CO2 as defined by National Indicator 186
- ensure that Walsall adapts appropriately to climate change as defined by National Indicator 188, but extending this to ensure that key vulnerabilities are identified and impacts mitigated on risk a risk-assessed basis
- agree other environmental targets which the group will address
- seek support and funding for environmental issues, and
- support the Environmental Forum
Initially, the group will hold monthly meetings January- March 2009 after this period, meetings will then be held on a quarterly basis.
Membership of the Climate Change Executive Group consists of representatives from Walsall Partnership, Walsall Council, Walsall College, Walsall Voluntary Action, NHS Walsall, Walsall Housing Group, Walsall Police, Walsall New Horizons, Environment Agency and the University of Wolverhampton.
West Midlands Sustainable Development Officers Network
Walsall Council is represented at West Midlands Sustainable Development Officers Network which meets on a quarterly basis. This network was formally adopted in September 2005 as the West Midlands Regional Assembly’s official officer group for sustainable development policy issues.
West Midlands Climate Impacts and Adaptation Partnership
Walsall Council is also represented at West Midlands Climate Impacts and Adaptation Partnership meetings and looks at cross cutting adaptive capacity in the areas of the built environment, rural affairs, local authority services.
Affordable Warmth Action Group
Walsall's Affordable Warmth Action Group (AWAG) meets bi-monthly and consists of representatives from the council, health, energy consultants, fuel suppliers, housing association partners, voluntary sector organisations, residents and community groups. It is a delivery vehicle for the Affordable Warmth Strategy and its main objective to deliver the key aims of the Strategy. For example, AWAG will consult partner organisations to identify the best way of reaching vulnerable people and groups and the most appropriate format to provide information, work with faith organisations to ensure language and cultural issues are addressed to ensure more isolated groups access information and training, and research whether there is a need to establish an Energy Saving Company (ESCO) in Walsall.
Contact us
Carol Edmondson
Regeneration Officer
Regeneration – Development and Delivery
Walsall Council
Darwall Street
Walsall
WS1 1TP
Telephone 01922 652864
Email edmondsonc@walsall.gov.uk
This page was last updated on 30 January 2012