To: Sustainable Development Unit
Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.
Cc: Suffolk County Council
From: East Suffolk Permaculture Group
Author: Nigel Brett
e-mail: nigel.brett@btinternet.com
Subject: Response to "Opportunities for Change" consultation paper on a revised UK strategy for sustainable development.
Our group has the Mission statement "helping each other in the pursuit of more sustainable lifestyles" and we welcome the opportunity that this paper presents.
The "Opportunities for Change" consultation paper was reviewed at the East Suffolk Permaculture group meeting on 15/5/98. People at this meeting live in north-east Suffolk around Halesworth, plus one person from Norwich.
Here is our combined response that I have attempted to put as answers to your set questions, although most could come under several sections.
1) Whereabouts do you live & what kind of things concern you most about the future of your area?
| Many concerns were expressed about Sizewell nuclear reactors, issues include the safety problems, and future decommissioning ie unsustainability in terms of "not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." |
| Disappearing hedges, ditches and wildlife; |
| Lack of water and flooding. |
| Depletion of the soil |
| Loss of small farms. In the last 20 years houses with land have been split. |
| Relatively high cost of public transport compared to local incomes and car ownership. |
| Public transport not integrated. |
| There should be no grand plan for housing, it should be local needs driven, preferably self-build instead of 5 bed, could be anywhere, executive houses for "outsiders". |
| Need to travel for work. |
| Collapse of mental health care in Waveny DC, there are not enough beds, consultants or resources. There is no support for counselling or care in the community |
| 20 minutes to get an ambulance that comes without a doctor. |
2) Looking 10 or 20 years into the future, what things in your area do you hope will still be there, and what things would you hope to see changed or improved?
| Government support to split up big farms. Big farms are seen to be locked in to banks, agribusiness (chemicals, machinery & GMOs) and supermarkets who assume "they know what the consumer wants". |
| Need to support local shops and local distribution, not via London. |
| We like the area for:- Clean unpolluted rivers; trees; quiet roads; wild deer; heathland; watermeadows; coastline; commons; hedgerows & small fields; and wish to keep what remains of these and increase them. There is a need to balance public access and protection of wilderness. |
| There is much local artistic talent especially in relation to the community |
| Community networking is good, eg LETS, Network Diary free newsletter. |
| Preservation of living vernacular towns & villages, conservation of the ordinary housing. |
| Local employment opportunities should be improved. The maintenance of quiet and beautiful places is seen to attract tourism. |
| Increased local recycling and re-use; ECOSKY was given as an example that could produce a wanted commodity, compost, from waste. |
| Improved emergency services, eg a "flying squad" with the ambulance. |
| More holistic healing. |
| More community action, on crime, based on education not prejudice eg rehabilitating offenders, reducing causes. |
| Rural business support, eg research. The EU gives 5b funding, but the UK nothing. Balance rural, town, city & suburb as a partnership; different needs but equal. |
3) What do you feel you and your family can do? Is there anything stopping you doing these things now?
| Discerning shopping - is held back by lack of information; eg labelling GMOs; |
| Local box scheme for delivery of food direct to customers is restricted by a lack of small local organic growers. |
| Local community centre project requires about £3,000 more for the feasibility study. |
| Regeneration schemes subject to local council differences, eg Waveny DC is positive toward agenda 21, Suffolk Coastal DC is felt to be negative. |
| More use of bicycles and horse drawn vehicles on country lanes is discouraged by the speed of cars and large and fast farm machinery, often thought to be in an illegal condition. One person, 14 years old, wanted to be able to ride his motorbike on footpaths. The separation of modes of transport would help safety and aid a move from cars. |
| Renovating derelict or unused buildings, the landowners have no incentive to allow tenets to do them up or to sell them, or disincentive to let them fall down. |
| Home births, currently no support. |
| Stay at home and raise my children if I wish, need social and financial support. |
| Car pooling, a central or regional co-ordination number would help. |
4) How can we encourage more people to be interested & involved in sustainable development?
| Stop lip-service and start doing - eg target setting and monitoring. Include spiritual & moral values, not just things that can be easily measured and which in isolation distort progress. |
| Encourage more self-help, self-build housing/community groups; Local Exchange Trading Schemes; Permaculture groups. |
| Clearly state "what's in it for me", eg community, support, fun. |
| Recognise and support spiritual needs, eg schools to encourage personal growth |
| Encourage the "orthodox" bodies of society, eg CofE and NHS, to have more respect for all. An example was given of a local church hall not allowing yoga to be taught there. |
| Highlight the full cost of products & services, eg food miles; disposal costs |
| Make information visible in libraries, eg sustainability subject category, local copies not just in major libraries. |
| Make information/libraries responsive to local requirements, eg opening hours |
| Why wasn't the consultation document sent to everyone? We only found out late and by chance (I found a reference on The Source - Paul Mobbs' Information Digest - Issue Index http://www.gn.apc.org/pmhp/source/ ) |
| Government/EU advertises meat products, why not vegetarianism? |
| Close down polluters, not just fine them; eg a local farm was quoted as being fined every year, but the fine is less than fixing the problem. |
| Promote whole life cost awareness. Building firms that when they renovate an office just tip everything was cited as an example. |
| Educate people to be aware. It was felt the school curriculum, TV & media did not encourage us to look at ourselves. There was a need to know where and how to look and for social competence, eg talk to neighbours. |
This is just a snapshot of the many ideas and issues that we have explored as a group and individually. We would be very happy to talk with you further if required, and keen to take action help to promote local sustainability. We look forward to your responses.
Nigel Brett 27/5/98
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