Climate change information by local councils in the South East

Introduction
This article looks at the actions local councils are taking in response to climate change, (as of July 2005) and in particular what information they provide for the ordinary concerned citizen. The scope of this enquiry has been limited to council websites. Similar surveys could be undertaken for other regions of the UK. Some notes on the method used are given at the end of the article.

The overall picture
Of 74 councils in the South East, 18, (approx. 24%, or just about a quarter) are listed as having some information for ordinary concerned citizens. The best examples provide several web pages of information with further references or have developed strategies to address climate change. According to Worthing Borough Council the government has challenged all local authorities across the UK to develop climate change strategies. Some councils mention the South East Climate Change Partnership, but unfortunately it is difficult to see what if anything this has to offer the ordinary concerned citizen, or community groups who though very keen to take action on climate change may not be in a position to afford membership fees.

Berkshire
(-)

Buckinghamshire

 * Buckinghamshire County Council - Climate Change (section under construction)
 * Milton Keynes Council - Climate change page, (part of Parks & Open Spaces)
 * Wycombe District Council - Agenda 21 page on climate change

East Sussex

 * Brighton & Hove City Council - Climate Change webpage
 * Lewes District Council - Action in Changing Climate - Lewes District Council's Climate Change Strategy available via the following LDC web page
 * Rother District Council - Energy & Climate Change (dates given suggest this may not be a recent article)

Hampshire

 * Gosport Borough Council - Report on student film competition
 * Hampshire County Council - Climate change web pages
 * Southampton City Council - Climate Change webpage

Isle of Wight

 * Isle of Wight Council - Adressing the impacts of climate change, Executive 12 February 2002

Kent

 * Maidstone Borough Council - Draft Climate Change strategy

Oxfordshire

 * South Oxfordshire District Council - Climate change webpage

Surrey

 * Surrey County Council - Climate change webpage
 * Woking Borough Council - Climate Change Strategy

West Sussex

 * Chichester District Council - Climate Change Strategy
 * Crawley Borough Council - Climate change webpage
 * West Sussex County Council - Climate change webpages
 * Worthing Borough Council - Climate change webpage

Notes on method
A simple search for 'climate change' was carried out on each local council website. Links identified were restricted to web pages specifically about climate change or evidence of climate change strategies, that could reasonably easily be found by ordinary concerned citizens. PDF and word processor documents have not been included unless these can be accessed from a dedicated climate change page. One or two websites may have been temporarily unavailable at the time of a search, in which case no information has been recorded.

Reference Local councils in South East England, Directgov