Secure Support

A crucial lesson, drawn from the experience of local authorities that have undertaken work on climate change, is that an Action Plan is unlikely to be effectively delivered unless it has the support of the council's executive cabinet and senior managers. A wide range of council activities need to address adaptation and mitigation. Therefore it is preferable to develop cross council support and structures from the start. As a general rule, time spent in building support before an Action Plan is in development can be invaluable in delivering successful outcomes.

We suggest:

• Steps to take if you your executive cabinet and senior managers are ready to support the development of a climate change action plan

• What to try if councillors and senior managers are not yet convinced of the need for action on climate change

Steps in securing the support of your executive cabinet and senior management

1. If there is a lead or champion for climate change, energy or sustainable development among executive cabinet members or the corporate management team, meet with them to discuss the best approach

2. Ensure that the development of a Climate Change Action Plan is discussed and agreed at an early stage by:

• The executive cabinet

• The corporate management team

3. Prepare a briefing for circulation before any meetings and / or a presentation for the meeting. The briefing or presentation might include:-

• The evidence for climate change and why it is happening
• What is likely to happen to the UK climate
• The national policies that are driving local authority action
• The council's commitment to prepare an action plan by signing the Nottingham Declaration
• The benefits of preparing an action plan
• The council's priorities - should the action plan cover both adaptation and mitigation and all 3 roles, or should it initially focus on just one or two of these?
• The need for a cross-departmental team to develop and implement the plan

Example briefings and presentation are available for download below. They can be modified to suit your own circumstances.

4. Once the executive cabinet and corporate management have agreed to develop an action plan, ask the Council Leader and/or Chief Executive to alert all relevant departmental managers and to stress its importance.

What to try if councillors and senior managers are not yet convinced of the need for an action plan

1. Arrange mentoring or a visit from or to one of the Beacon councils for Tackling Climate Change or Sustainable Energy or to another council that already has a Climate Change Action Plan. (See the links to councils' climate change action plans and strategies.)

2. During or after the visits remind executive cabinet members and senior managers that by signing the Nottingham Declaration that they made a commitment to develop a Climate Change Action Plan

3. Engage and involve staff across the council who may then influence their own managers.

Resources

1. Powerpoint presentation on Why we need a Climate Change Action Plan

2. Briefing on Why we need a Climate Change Action Plan [download]

3. Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes - Local Authority Energy Day Toolkit

4. The Carbon Trust's Creating an Awareness Campaign guide provides ideas and resources to motivate individuals within an organisation to save energy.