What is Local Agenda 21?
Local Agenda 21 is an opportunity to improve everyone's quality of life. It is a plan to balance economic, social and environmental well being. This is to ensure that economic progress is not at the cost of the natural environment or society.
We belong to this partnership of businesses, individuals, organisations and local government, working together to improve Cheshire's environment. Contact: Michele Burrow 01244 603125
How did it start?
In 1992, at the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, over 170 world nations signed up to a voluntary agreement called Agenda 21. This document was an agenda for the 21st Century, made up of numerous chapters each detailing the role that different parts of society could play. There are chapters for central government, local government, business and nongovernment and community organisations. The chapter for local government has been translated in the UK into "Local Agenda 21", introduced in 1994 by central government, directing each local authority to have developed a LA21 Strategy by 2000.
Cheshire's Agenda 21
Cheshire has been developing it's Local Agenda 21 programme since 1994. Both Cheshire County Council and the six district authorities in Cheshire have all developed Local Agenda 21 Plans. Cheshire County Council invited over 40 representatives from public, private and community organisations to develop a countywide plan. This partnership is called the Sustainable Cheshire Forum. Cheshire's Agenda 21 Strategy and Action Plan was launched in 1996. Smaller topic groups within the forum were established to focus on particular issues within the overall strategy.
Eight topic groups were developed to focus on:
- Air
- Waste
- Wildlife
- ECO Audit
- Energy
- Water
- Land
- Transport
Each group is chaired by a representative from an independent organisation and facilitated by a member of staff in the County Council. Each group developed Action Plans to focus on these issues and help deliver Cheshire's Agenda 21 Strategy. These action plans have short, medium and long term targets and are reviewed annually by the Sustainable Cheshire Forum.
Between 1997-99 membership of the Sustainable Cheshire Forum expanded to include representation from socioeconomic organisations. The original strategy was expanded to 16 themes of sustainable development.
Cheshire County Council's Environmental Management
As part of our Local Agenda 21 programme, Cheshire County Council is also putting it's own house in order and improving it's own environmental performance.
Cheshire's Community Strategy
In 2000, UK government introduced legislation to direct local authorities to develop Local Strategic Partnerships and Community Plans. These were to establish economic, social and environmental well being in each local authority area. Effectively, this made the voluntary activity of Local Agenda 21 a legal requirement of all local government. In Cheshire, the Cheshire Partnership was established as the Local Strategic Partnership and a Community Strategy has been developed. Much of this work has built upon the successes of Cheshire's Agenda 21 Strategy and Action Plan and the Sustainable Cheshire Forum. Each of the 6 Cheshire District Authorities is also formulating a Community Plan, working with Cheshire County Council to ensure that the right issues are tackled at the right level.
The Future of Cheshire's Agenda 21
The introduction of the Community Strategy has shifted the emphasis for sustainable development in Cheshire. However, the Sustainable Cheshire Forum will be retained as a specialist environmental forum. This will focus on environmental issues affecting Cheshire and continue to monitor progress of the Community Strategy. The Topic Groups will continue to develop their Action Plans which will be launched as Cheshire's Environmental Action Plan by the end of the year.
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