INTRODUCTION TO THE GREAT COLLABORATION
There is a great deal of climate action already happening at parish and town council level, and by community groups, but the good practice needs to be shared more widely.
Three things can help us with this:
- Framework – an easily-searched data base of actions that can happen at the local level (sometimes referred to as “making the climate jungle more navigable”!)
- Network – exchanging good practice and requests for guidance amongst and between local councils and their local action groups.
- Joined-up work – effective partnership working not just horizontally at local level but also vertically from local places up through higher-tier local authorities to Government.
Our starting point is the Great Collaboration website www.greatcollaboration.uk that allows people to choose from 60 climate actions and register by postcode their involvement or intentions. The website also allows local councils to gather information based on those postcodes to have an idea of what is or isn’t happening in their council area.
This process has been piloted successfully for over two years by the Herefordshire Green Network who have developed the website and have been supporting a network officer to give talks to Herefordshire parishes. The Place-Based Initiative Ltd has taken over the website and we will extend its use nationally while adding in the collective actions open to councils and community groups. There will also be a digital map of what is already happening by parish area.
Communication is the key to the next steps, and our aim is to:
- gather information from local councils and groups as to their information requirements.
- develop a county-based network for sharing good practice locally and nationally.
- incorporate these elements in a web-based portal that enables two-way exchanges.
- contact national bodies and funders to advise and support the initiative going forwards.
We have started this process by organising free weekly sessions with speakers on special topics followed by a wider discussion, and everyone is welcome! You can join these sessions via this link https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcpcu2urjMvGdJH09t0GQ72fBJSFr9zzIDj.
Please contact us via office@greatcollaboration.uk if you would like to:
- help us to develop new guidance and case studies, maybe sharing your own good practice.
- offer to be a point of contact for a particular type of action or expertise – whether climate or environmental action, nature recovery or supporting biodiversity
- support regular communication between ourselves and local communities.
Dealing with climate change to improve the future of our families and communities is now more important than ever. Let us work on this together – we look forward to hearing from you!
GREAT COLLABORATION EAST ANGLIA PILOT
Due to begin Spring 2024
Purpose
The purpose of the Great Collaboration pilot is to develop and implement plans for connecting and increasing climate action in East Anglia that continue into the future.
Deliverables
- Local introductory events
- Training events in climate action, including “Train the Trainer”.
- New climate action plans and projects by parish
- New climate emergency centres
- New and extended climate networks.
- New climate adviser posts.
- Increased interface with the Great Collaboration as the go-to resource for town and parish councils and the community groups in their area to both share and gain information about how to deliver local climate action.
Activities
The pilot team will:
- hold regular meetings, either in person or via Zoom
- gather professional advice and information on good climate action practice.
- liaise with professionals and service providers as required.
- make common cause with partner organisations.
- gather funding information to inform both pilot and local funding bids.
- agree and implement a communication and engagement strategy for involving local parishes and their communities.
- actively support and promote the development of new networks, advisers, and climate emergency centres.
- annually request, collect and review data on carbon savings from each council, community and sports group who have engaged with pilot.
Location
The Great Collaboration pilot will operate within the counties of:
- Cambridgeshire with Peterborough (combined authority)
- Essex
- Norfolk
- Suffolk