Shropshire Council to work with Green Shropshire Xchange on sustainable development
Shropshire Council’s chief executive Clive Wright has agreed to work with the networking organisation Green Shropshire Xchange (GSX) to ensure the council’s operations continue to contribute to sustainable development; a move seen as reassuring by environmental and green groups.
The announcement follows the first in a series of quarterly meetings between GSX and Clive Wright at which a range of concerns and issues were highlighted by GSX – the Shropshire-wide organisation that represents over 30 diverse local organisations.
GSX said it was concerned that the challenging conditions that the council is operating under now meant that parts of the Climate Change Strategy, written only three years ago, was not being implemented. Clive Wright confirmed that some of the key actions of the strategy are no longer relevant. For example, a reduced council will need smaller accommodation to achieve both financial and environmental efficiency, spending money on part-occupied buildings makes no sense, and Shirehall costs £2.6m per year to run. He said he was still very confident that the council would reduce its carbon footprint.
Clive Wright said “An energy-efficient Shropshire should be our goal” – a sentiment welcomed by GSX, as many of its member groups are working on sustainable community energy projects.
Clive added that energy and food security are two strategic issues facing the UK, and that Shropshire is very well placed to provide solutions and at the same time grow our economy sustainably.
Clive Wright agreed that the council’s new leaner model, combined with the lack of a Cabinet member for the environment, was an area for concern. In the interim period he offered to act as a go-between, and GSX will be working closely with him, councillors and other key decision-makers to ensure that during this period of turbulent change to the county’s governance, opportunities are not missed.
David Currant, Chairman of GSX, said:
“This is a positive step forward. Whilst we are disappointed that the previous strategy has been shelved, we are optimistic that through regular contact and pressure the council will not lose sight of its long-term responsibility to Shropshire residents in maintaining and safeguarding our environment.”
According to the CBI the green economy could be worth £20bn to the UK’s GDP by 2015. GSX believes that a significant volume of this additional value could be delivered within Shropshire, given the right conditions. Its members (organisations, individuals and businesses) are already contributing to this, with activities ranging from recycling and upcycling initiatives, to community energy projects, and efforts to promote and create more sustainable local produce.
Green Shropshire Xchange was founded in 2012 and aims to provide an apolitical focal point for environmentally progressive groups, businesses and individuals active in Shropshire. It creates a climate of networking and learning, raising public awareness through events such as 2013’s Big Green Gathering , and providing contacts and opportunities for groups to learn from each other’s key successes.
Representation on the Voluntary and Community Sector Assembly, alongside regular meetings with key decision-makers such as Clive Wright, allow GSX to campaign for and influence decisions that have wide repercussions on Shropshire’s long-term viability, and will ultimately affect positive economic growth across the county.
