RCCF Priority Activities
Various regional officer sub-groups have been established and are meeting to:
- Support better alignment between climate adaptation and resilience and consider the development of a regional climate risk assessment. This group also includes representation from NHS partners.
- Explore the widest range of opportunities to bring in funding for retrofit activity, through an agreed action plan and approach.
- Share best practice and approaches on effective public communication and behaviour
- Consider more efficient and effective ways to deliver sustainable and joint procurement solutions.
- The table below sets out the Forum’s priority areas of activity and the desired outcomes, the work of which is supported by dedicated sub-groups:
| No. | Priority Activity | Outcome |
| 1. | Act as a ‘switchboard’ to facilitate the sharing of intelligence, requests, best practice, resources and opportunities | · Authorities are better placed to achieve their aims due to greater information sharing with their peers.
· Achieve awareness and buy in to the strategic aims and objectives of the work of the RCCF from LAs and partners. |
| 2. | Explore opportunities for regional green inward investment and produce promotional collateral | · To achieve inward investment and green economic growth in the East of England.
· To position the East of England as the region leading the ‘green industrial revolution’. |
| 3. | Share regional sustainable development best practice guidance for LA’s Local Plans | · Share good practice across the region
· Avoid developers “picking off” different councils if they have higher standards. · Avoid building regulations and national planning regulations being seen as good practice. |
| 4. | Enable LA members to explore the widest range of opportunities to bring in funding for retrofit activity | · Local authorities have the required funding to carry out retrofit activity on their own stock, housing association stock and have mechanisms to support the private rented/owned sector.
· The market of retrofit suppliers in the region is adequate to carry out the work required. |
| 5. | Share best practice on resilience planning and organise regional joint emergency planning for extreme
weather events |
· Utilise existing information avoiding duplication of effort to build capacity, share best practice/resources/knowledge to strengthen future climate change impact resilience. |
| 6. | Act as a regional hub to facilitate exploring of opportunities for joint procurement and support the sharing of sustainable procurement best practice | · Joint ownership of best practice guidance by procurement and sustainability professionals.
· Cost effective consultancy that avoids duplication, enables collaboration and gives access to the best consultants at a managed quality and price. |
| 7. | Share best practice and approaches on positive communication and engagement experiences | · Saturation and reinforcement of public and media attention towards the messages in behaviour change comms and encourage peer pressure towards behaviour change. |
| 8. | Carry out lobbying and advocacy on
behalf of the regions’ LAs regarding climate change activity. |
· Government policy and funding is influenced thus achieving positive outcomes for local authority activity and the region as a whole. |
Progress to Date
Regional ‘switchboard’ (priority activity 1)
An RCCF Knowledge Hub platform has been established and populated with content to facilitate the sharing of information and opportunities. Requests from interested stakeholders outside of the Forum’s membership to join this platform have been accepted, demonstrating the value of this regional approach to collaborative information sharing.
Green economy (priority activity 2)
EELGA has commissioned a regional economic analysis to assist with exploring ‘green’ inward investment. The resulting report is due end March/early April 2024 and the findings will inform the core project group’s next steps to attract inward investment and achieve regional green economic growth.
Sustainable procurement (priority activity 6)
Specialist support and expertise has been commissioned via EELGA to deliver a responsible procurement project across the region, through the use of an innovative diagnostic tool. 13 councils took part in this exciting initiative to achieve the following key benefits:
- Understand where they are now and where they want to be as an authority, enabling them to determine how best to engage with the RCCF.
- Participate in a project that will help to set the future agenda for responsible procurement for the region and beyond.
- Increase capacity for change by sharing knowledge and collaborating with other authorities so priorities are delivered more efficiently and cost effectively.
- The project went live on 22nd January 2024 and the Forum will use the findings to develop an action plan to better understand and recommend region-wide improvements in sustainable procurement practice.
Please click here for further information about this collaborative responsible procurement project.
The Forum continues to develop its Advocacy Action Plan, to lead government lobbying and advocacy on aspects considered most important within the region. Current work includes incorporating what as a regional Forum it can do in this space, as a powerful group with a strong voice, and reflect on any key messages missing and/or opportunities to maximise the region’s voice.