30Jun25 Introduction to Climate Action Planning
Meeting Notes:
THE GREAT COLLABORATION
Rolling notes from town & parish council team meetings
30 th September 2025 PRESENT: Andrew Maliphant, Jonathan Newman, Joolz Thompson, Michelle Salazar, Stuart Whithington, Robert Simmons, Jo Hazlewood, Paul Bonner, Nicola Hatton, Charlene Slade
Apologies for absence were received from Laila Azure-Marxen, Sue Peace, Jan Speechley, Donna Tristram, Chris Pointon, Jan Stobart, Nicky Joshua, Jo Hazlewood, Kirstin Rayner, Marilyn Strand, Sally Longmate, Sue Lake and Graham Stoddart-Stones
Summary The meeting began with discussions about housing developments and environmental features, including concerns about solar panel installations and new building regulations for electric vehicle charging points. The group then explored various biodiversity initiatives and community energy projects, sharing successful models and funding opportunities across different regions in East Anglia. The conversation ended with discussions about local government reforms, including unitary authorities and climate change responsibilities, along with an introduction of new resources for energy efficiency and biodiversity monitoring.
Next steps Andrew to share details of the November 5th regional meeting with all attendees. Andrew to forward the October 8th Cambridgeshire network meeting invite to Nicola Hatton. Andrew to update the BioBlitz link in the model biodiversity policy document. Joolz to share Essex County Council's Power Programme details with Charlene for distribution to Essex parish councils. Stuart to follow up on the solar PV installation for Foakes Hall after his meeting. Joolz to connect with Stuart regarding Phoenix Energy Community Fund joining the Essex steering group for community renewable energy. Great Collaboration team to recruit beta testers for the new climate action dashboard app. Great Collaboration team to continue developing county-based networks in Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Cambridgeshire.
Local Nature Recovery Strategy Discussion Stuart highlighted the recently published Essex Local Nature Recovery Strategy as a resource for others. Joolz shared insights from their successful parish clustering model in Suffolk, which has expanded from three to ten parishes and includes various community groups. The group discussed the importance of creating biodiversity policies at the local level, with Joolz emphasizing that parish councils can act independently and adapt a provided model biodiversity policy to suit their needs, rather than waiting for county-level strategies. His parish had carried out a biodiversity audit a couple of years ago in conjunction with Suffolk Wildlife Trust and will publish the results on the Great Collaboration knowledgebase in terms of measuring and recording, with a variety of small steps due to take place in response to the audit. Joolz also shared information about Norwich's Nature City program, which offers funding for local projects and wildlife corridors
Community Energy Initiatives The group learned about Community Energy GO, a new initiative offering free support and advice for town and parish councils. Joolz described Essex County Council's Power programme, which provides funding and workshops for community renewable energy projects. Charlene expressed interest in sharing this information with her membership. Finally, Stuart mentioned that Sustainable Uttlesford has formed a community interest company to manage future projects.
The group discussed the Phoenix Energy Community Fund, a new initiative providing funding for parish and town councils, with Joolz inquiring about Great Dunmow's participation and seeking contact details. They also discussed a potential investment in Thrive's photovoltaic setup. Joolz explained his work in facilitating a steering group for community renewable energy in Essex, aiming to support existing groups and explore funding and governance options. The conversation concluded with an update on Stuart's progress with rooftop solar for Great Dunmow town hall (Foakes Hall), noting delays due to local issues but highlighting available funding opportunities for energy audits and retrofits through the Energy Resilience Fund.
The group discussed various funding options for community energy projects, including Community Municipal Investment Bonds and Community Shares. They explored the possibility of installing solar PV on Great Dunmow town hall and sharing the electricity with the adjacent property. Joolz explained different options for energy supply, including direct supply and sleeving agreements, and mentioned the potential for smart energy microgrids. The conversation also touched on challenges and opportunities for installing renewable energy technologies on listed buildings, with examples of successful projects and ongoing research into solar tiles for traditional roof types.
Historic Building Retrofit Challenges The meeting discussed the challenges and opportunities related to energy efficiency and retrofitting in historic buildings, particularly Grade 2 listed structures like the Cross Keys in Redgrave. Andrew discussed the complexities of navigating local planning authorities and the importance of aligning with national guidance from Historic England.
County Networks Andrew gave an update on the development of county-based networks: Essex o Stanway parish clerk acting as volunteer meeting convenor o Cross-sector meetings have begun taking place online o A funding bid for a paid county advisor has gone in from Essex Rural Community Council Suffolk o There is an existing service Sustainable Suffolk, to which we might add: Networking / clustering for town and parish councils A forum to exchange good practice / request advice Support for joint funding bids
A paid county advisor to be hosted by Suffolk ALC advisor
Norfolk o Norfolk ALC is supportive of a county-wide environmental network o A first in-person meeting for interested parties is being planned for November 7th Cambridgeshire o A first online meeting to discuss possibilities will take place on October 8th
Andrew also touched on the Great Collaboration website's knowledge base and a new app under development to streamline information sharing, which Joolz offered to demonstrate.
Climate Action Dashboard App Joolz presented a new dashboard app that will consolidate various climate action tools and resources, including actions for energy, housing, food, transport, and biodiversity, with options to filter and sort by difficulty. The platform will include a community map, a forum using Hylo software, and a knowledge base with best practice guidelines. Joolz invited volunteers for beta testing, content curation, and forum moderation. Andrew highlighted the goal of making climate action information accessible within three clicks and mentioned ongoing efforts to map survey responses from East Anglia parishes. Charlene praised the app's uniqueness in the climate toolkit space, and Andrew discussed the potential to integrate biodiversity data through the National Biodiversity Network.
Local Government Reform and Authorities The meeting discussed the expected local government reforms, particularly the development of unitary authorities and the potential reduction in parish council influence. Andrew explained that counties are submitting multiple unitary options, with a public consultation expected around Christmas, and parish councils appear to be overlooked in the government's current plans. The group discussed the emergence of Local Area Committees as an alternative to parish councils, with examples from Surrey and Bristol. Andrew also shared information about a Local Government Association survey on climate change responsibilities, noting that while local authorities support statutory duties, central government is hesitant to provide additional funding.
Meeting Mergers and App Demo The group discussed merging two meetings - the town and parish councils meeting and the East Anglia all-sectors meeting scheduled for November 5th. They agreed to explore this change to make meetings more efficient, with everyone invited to the November 5 th meeting, while county- based meetings in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Essex would continue as planned.
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