Blueprint Coalition update
Since publishing the Blueprint document at the end of last year, we have co-hosted with MHCLG* a series of workshops on the different themes covered in the Blueprint such as sustainable transport, housing retrofit and green finance. The workshops have brought policymakers from different government departments together with Blueprint coalition partners and sector experts. They have been really positive conversations with strong engagement from civil servants. We hope they will positively influence imminent key government strategies, and the government’s spending review. The fact that over 130 councils have signed up to the Blueprint initiative has added weight to our arguments.
We have also provided input to the National Audit Office’s review into how effectively central government and local government are working together on net zero carbon, due to be published later this month.
Ahead of the publication of the government’s Net Zero Strategy, which will set out where carbon emissions savings are to be made, we have just published a paper Recognising local authorities as key partners in the Net Zero Strategy. This sets out how local authorities have developed plans and can rapidly scale up actions to meet climate targets, but only if they are supported by central government. The coalition believes that the Net Zero Strategy must include a clear commitment to a mutually agreed central framework to embed local authorities as delivery partners in decarbonisation policies.
As part of London Climate Action Week, on Friday 2nd July London Councils hosted an event with the Minister Eddie Hughes MP to launch our paper. The Minister, who has recently taken up the net zero brief at MHCLG, recognised the “vital work of councils to mobilise their efforts to combat climate change and meet our ambitious net zero targets”. Further details of his speech can be seen in the MHCLG press release. The Blueprint coalition has requested a follow up meeting with the minister, where we will emphasise the need for policies, powers and funding to empower local authorities to deliver at scale. We will keep you informed of our discussions.
If you would like to comment on our paper, or raise any other questions with us, please use the email address [email protected]. If you have already signed up to the Blueprint initiative please do encourage fellow councils to do the same – the greater the number of signatories, the greater influence we have.
The Blueprint Coalition
*Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government