North Warwickshire Community Partnership - The Environment

Key priorities:

Maintain the natural and historic environment of the area and maximise opportunities to enhance its biodiversity, natural beauty and character
Decrease the amount of waste that goes to landfill sites (household, green, and business) through waste reduction and improved recycling
Promote cleaner, safer and greener streets and public areas
Consider the impacts of climate change
Raise awareness of and educate people about the historic, built and natural environment
Recognise the design and equality of building schemes, which contribute to the image, character and sustainability of the built environment

Key Facts

North Warwickshire has a rich and diverse natural environment. There are 13 designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and 43 Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINCs). The area is particularly important for ancient woodland, and almost 6.7% of the borough is wooded (above the Warwickshire average of 4.9%). Wetland habitats, over 1/4 of the total for the sub-region, support many species of birds, plants, insects and mammals, including endangered otters and water voles. 2% of the Borough is open water, concentrated mainly around the Tame Valley, and Alvecote on the River Anker. The Tame Valley has been selected as the first major landscape-scale conservation area within Warwickshire, which aims to increase the biodiversity of the Borough and create a robust wildlife corridor in the light of potential impacts of global climate change.

Every year, the households in the Borough each generate over a tonne of waste, a total of over 29,000 tonnes, more than a fifth of which is recycled or composted. Recycling has increased from 9.5% (2003/04) to 21.9% (2004/05).

Average time to clear fly tipping has been reduced to less than one day, and additional staff have been employed to ensure that litter picking is now also undertaken at weekends. Over 70 new litter bins have been installed throughout the Borough.

North Warwickshire has 655 listed buildings and over 1200 known archaeological sites recorded on the County Sites and Monuments Record, including 28 'Scheduled Ancient Monuments'. This database can now be accessed online, giving people wider access to information about their local historic environment.

Volunteer effort has multiplied the value of external funding brought into North Warwickshire. A significant number of volunteers are working in the Borough dedicated to protecting, conserving and promoting heritage sites and attractions. A Heritage Forum exists to support volunteers and aid the delivery of heritage based activities.

£0.5 million has been secured to develop a new 25 mile heritage trail, which focuses on the former textile trade, the wealth of nature resources and early industralists within the area.

Why this is a priority

The Government recognises the importance of a high quality environment and its contribution to a good quality of life. This is reflected in national policies, such as Cleaner Safer Greener Communities, Liveability and Sutainable Communities Initiatives.

The local environment needs to be a cleaner and greener place, so local people can enjoy and benefit from the natural landscape. The local environment is rich in wildlife diversity, which needs to be conserved.

Our environment is under pressure in many ways, including development, increased waste arisings, pollution, litter, vandalism and graffiti. Therefore, we need clear policies to increase recycling, control and locate new development, maintain effective pollution control, decrease our impact on climate change plus other measures to protect valued qualities of the environment.

There also needs to be positive action to conserve and enhance our built and natural heritage.

'The 'Environment Inequality Study' highlights that people in more deprived areas experience a lower quality environment. These findings, alongside partnership events and consultation, have helped shape 'our priorities'.

Our key targets are:

Increase residents satisfaction with the street scene from 67% to 69% by 2007
Increase household waste recycling from 22% to 30% by 2008
Achieve 75% of North Warwickshire actions in the Local Biodiversity Action Play by 2008
Designate five local nature reserves by 2008
Produce a Climate Change Strategy by 2008
Provide 50% of Key Stage 2 pupils with education from sustainable development
Produce, by 2007, a communication strategy to:
- promote access to the natural environment
- increase awareness of environmental issues, services available and how people can make a difference

During 2006/07 we will:

Prepare a Green Space Strategy
Protect the potential nature conservation value of previously developed land
Pioneer the Tame Valley Wetland Project as a landscape scale approach to nature conservation
Hold an environmental educational event for Key Stage II pupils focusing on waste, energy and other sustainability issues
Deliver the 'Heritage Uncovered' project to promote and raise awareness of heritage sites and attractions
Agree a Public Realm Action Plan to improve the local environment
Promote a litter awareness campaign with local schools
Provide a garden waste collection service to every household
Investigate ways to improve and extend kerbside recycling
Commence the North Arden Heritage Trail Project and appoint project staff

Over the next three years we will:

Protect and enhance open space by implementing the Green Space Strategy
Continue to support the implementation of the Local Biodiversity Action Plan for Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull
Actively seek opportunities to create further nature reserves to protect and enhance the natural environment; and to increase the biodiversity value of the Borough
Support land managers in finding sustainable and ecological land use solutions for their businesses
Support the Heritage Forum to co-ordinate activities and best practice
Use the North Warwickshire Civic Award scheme to recognise and encourage high quality building projects
Continue to support volunteers working in the heritage sector, to assist promotion of sites and attractions
Extend the borough-wide kerbside recycling scheme and seek to increase the levels of participation through education and promotion
Investigate the recycling of a wider range of materials
Work towards reaching a recycling target of 40-45%
Work through the Warwickshire Waste Partnership to promote waste minimisation and reuse
Increase the overall levels of cleanliness of streets, roads, alleyways and open spaces
Obtain a street cleaning cleanliness standard of 2% above that of the annual Local Environment Quality Survey of England
Deliver the North Arden Heritage Trail Project
Develop ways of engaging the business community in environmental issues
Produce a climate change strategyu

Further information can be obtained from:

Local Biodiversity Action Plan - Warwickshire, Coventry and Solihull
North Warwickshire Borough Council - Local Plan
Warwickshire's Municipal Waste Management Strategy

Partnerships and organisations responsible for this priority include:

The Environment Theme Group
Atherstone Civic Society
British Waterways
Environment Agency
Forestry Commission
Green Arc Partnership
Natural England
North Warwickshire Borough Council
Public Realm Partnership
Warwickshire County Council
Warwickshire Police
Warwickshire Rural Community Council
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

Update

Funding of £36,500 has been secured from the Heritage Lottery Fund, to promote heritage in North Warwickshire and raise awareness, amongst local people and visitors, about the areas' fascinating past.
A further bid – ‘The North Arden Trail’ is to be submitted in June, which will draw out North Arden history and distinctive landscape via a well-maintained and interpretive 25 mile trail.
A three-day partnership environmental education event will be held in June 2005. 45 schools will attend the event including 11 schools from North Warwickshire will participate in a range of workshops that raise awareness about sustainable development.
State of the Countryside report has been completed. It looks at environment exclusion in North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Coventry

Date of next meeting: 2nd August, 1st November 2005 and 8th February 2006
Policy: documents and information

Web Links:

Eco-Schools

Contact

Lead Officer: Beth Gardner 02476 308976
Email: beth.gardner@wkwt.org.uk

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