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Consider working with a wider partnership

If it is intended to encompass the council's role as a community leader in the Action Plan, it is advisable to involve the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) and get their agreement to either prepare a joint Action Plan or to contribute to the local authority's Plan. Alternatively you might choose to work with another cross-sector partnership that already exists, such as an energy partnership or a Local Agenda 21 Forum.

The steps for engaging the partnership are broadly similar to those for securing support from the council's executive cabinet and senior management:-

Prepare a briefing and / or make a presentation to a LSP Board meeting or relevant sub-group

Speak in advance with a climate change champion on the LSP

Liaise with lead officers on climate change in partner organisations so that they can brief their representative on the LSP

Ask LSP members to inform key staff within their organisation about the development of an Action Plan and to stress its importance.

Case studies

The London Borough of Islington has established a Climate Change Partnership with 57 organisations across the Borough which have pledged to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by at least 15 per cent by 2010.

The Cornwall Sustainable Energy Partnership involves all councils in Cornwall and has brought together over 80 organisations to develop sustainable energy programmes. In 2004 they published the UK's first sub-regional energy strategy.

Be Birmingham (the Birmingham LSP) and Worcestershire developed partnership climate change strategies.

Nottinghamshire County Council worked with the Nottinghamshire Agenda 21 Partnership to produce a community climate change strategy.
The Leeds Initiative (the LSP) established a climate change strategy group with eight sub-groups. This made it possible for almost 100 organisations to contribute to the development of the draft climate change strategy.

Once you have obtained agreement to develop a partnership Action Plan, follow the same steps as for a council plan, i.e.:-