Local Agenda 21 - Communities in Action: Croydon

EARTH SUMMIT+5
Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise
the Implementation of Agenda 21
New York, 23-27 June 1997

SUCCESS STORIES FROM UNITED KINGDOM

Communities in Action: Croydon

Location Croydon, UK.

Responsible organization(s) Local Councils and five Project Groups (voluntary groups, businesses and other groups).

Description Croydon is a large borough on the south side of London with a wide range of social conditions and its LA21 has been rooted in the Councils' on going activities.
Project Groups met regularly to identify key issues of concern and set up a range of projects. They worked closely with staff to produce the up-coming "Croydon Environmental Audit for 1995". This will not be a full audit in the normal sense but will cover most aspect of the state of the local environment, including sections on transport, jobs and economy. It is designed to be a readable and accessible document that will fuel the next stage of the process.
The Council's own newspaper, delivered free to every household, covers LA21, as has ethnic minority newsletters. The staff involved prepared exhibitions and gave talks, but the central focus for the next year is to widen in many innovative ways the community ownership of the process. A partnership with business is central to the "Croydon environmental Challenge", whereby local businesses will set challenges for local schools and provide support for those schools in carrying them out.

Issues addressed Local Agenda 21 implementation.

Objectives Building on corporate commitment.

Results achieved A large public meeting launched several initiatives and opened the second, public phase of LA21:
* a new Borough environment policy, updating one produced in 1991 and linked to an action plan for the Council;
* launch of LA 21 video prepared by local technicians working on a voluntary basis;
* British Gas asked local schools to study the environmental impact of its own use of transport and to suggest ways in which it can make improvements. Technical support for this project will come both from Council and from British Gas.

Lessons learned Croydon did not rush into broad public participation, and as a result has been able to plan it carefully. However, the process has been transparent and well publicised so that any organization wishing to take part has been able to find out about the process with no difficulty.
One problem common to many Councils using the "working group" approach is to make sure that groups talk to one another. Croydon did not set up any mechanism for this and feel, in retrospect, that this should have been a priority. There have been overlaps between the groups in issues such as Energy, transport and the Economy.

Contact Barbara Wilcox, Local Agenda 21 Officer,
Croydon, UK.
Tel. 0181 760 5791

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Last updated 1 November 1997

	Communities in Action: Croydon
	Location	Croydon, UK.
	Responsible organization(s)	Local Councils and five Project Groups (voluntary groups, businesses and other groups).
	Description	Croydon is a large borough on the south side of London with a wide range of social conditions and its LA21 has been rooted in the Councils' on going activities. Project Groups met regularly to identify key issues of concern and set up a range of projects. They worked closely with staff to produce the up-coming "Croydon Environmental Audit for 1995". This will not be a full audit in the normal sense but will cover most aspect of the state of the local environment, including sections on transport, jobs and economy. It is designed to be a readable and accessible document that will fuel the next stage of the process. The Council's own newspaper, delivered free to every household, covers LA21, as has ethnic minority newsletters. The staff involved prepared exhibitions and gave talks, but the central focus for the next year is to widen in many innovative ways the community ownership of the process. A partnership with business is central to the "Croydon environmental Challenge", whereby local businesses will set challenges for local schools and provide support for those schools in carrying them out.
	Issues addressed	Local Agenda 21 implementation.
	Objectives	Building on corporate commitment.
	Results achieved	A large public meeting launched several initiatives and opened the second, public phase of LA21: * a new Borough environment policy, updating one produced in 1991 and linked to an action plan for the Council; * launch of LA 21 video prepared by local technicians working on a voluntary basis; * British Gas asked local schools to study the environmental impact of its own use of transport and to suggest ways in which it can make improvements. Technical support for this project will come both from Council and from British Gas.
	Lessons learned	Croydon did not rush into broad public participation, and as a result has been able to plan it carefully. However, the process has been transparent and well publicised so that any organization wishing to take part has been able to find out about the process with no difficulty. One problem common to many Councils using the "working group" approach is to make sure that groups talk to one another. Croydon did not set up any mechanism for this and feel, in retrospect, that this should have been a priority. There have been overlaps between the groups in issues such as Energy, transport and the Economy.
	Contact	Barbara Wilcox, Local Agenda 21 Officer, Croydon, UK. Tel. 0181 760 5791