Corn Wall Final Report Now

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Promoting SustainableCommunities in Devon andCornwall : Education and

Training Final ReportBy

Gregory Borne

2010


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Promoting Sustainable Communities in Devon and Cornwall:

Education and Training

By

Gregory Borne

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Executive Summary

Expanding the Agenda

Section 1: Background to the Research

A Sustainable Development Perspective

Sustainable Development Framework

Setting the Context

Section 2: Methodology

Research Areas

Principle Research Phases

Reflexive Review of Practice

The Survey

Survey Delivery

Survey Design

Interview Process

Organisation of Interviews

Interview Schedule

Section 3: Results


Community

Conclusion

Future Opportunities

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Gender

Figure 2: Age

Figure 3: Occupation

Figure 4: Qualifications

Figure 5: Role in Parish

Figure 6: Settlement Type

Figure 7 Participate in Training

Figure 8: Special Skills

Figure 9: Types of Skills Cornwall

Figure 10: Types of Skills Devon

Figure 11: Receive Modular Training in Cornwall

Figure 12: Method of Training and Education

Figure 13: Prepared to fund own training

Figure 14: Travel for Training

Figure 15: Distance to Training

Figure 16: Community Dynamic

Figure 17: Awareness of sustainable development mechanisms

Figure 18: Awareness of sustainable development related issues

Figure 19: Global Warming

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TABLES

Table 1: Indicative Areas of Training

Table 2: Sustainable Development Elements

Table 3: Sustainable Development Perspective

Table 4: Key Statistics Devon and Cornwall

Table 5 Questions and Variables

Table 6: Learning Outputs

Table 7: Future Options

APPENDIX

Appendix 1: Table 6 Learning Outputs

Appendix 2: Table 7 Future Options

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Promoting Sustainable Communities in Devon and Cornwall: Education

and Training

Introduction

This report will outline the findings from the research project Promoting

Sustainable Communities in Devon and Cornwall. The report focuses

specifically on the education and training components of this work withsupporting data relating to sustainable development and global warming.

The conclusion of this report will detail future applications and research

avenues for this work. The report will represent a synthesis of findings from

both Devon and Cornwall and integrate the qualitative and quantitative data

collected. It will provide an overview of the work and the context from within

which it was developed. It will also outline the methodological approach

adopted as well as offering a reflective review of this process. Further, this

report will present the primary areas of education and training that have

been identified and match these with possible routes for supply of this work.

The report will proceed in the following manner. Firstly, overall results from

the work will be presented in the form of an executive summary. This will

include highlighted findings from all aspects of the work, as well as specific

issues relating to indicative training and education. This is followed, in

Section 1 by a discussion that elaborates on the background to this research.

Here, the overall sustainable development perspective is highlighted that

creates a framework within which the work is located. This is followed by

more specifically outlining the areas of study as it relates to town and parish

councils. Section 2highlights the methodology that was utilised in this work.

This includes an outline of procedure as well as a reflexive review. This is

followed by Section 3 that outlines results to the work emphasising the

education and training components as well as issues pertaining to

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community, sustainable development and climate change. The conclusion to

this work will illustrate potential learning outcomes based on the initial

sustainable development framework. Finally, future avenues for this work

are discussed. Initially however, an overview of research findings is

presented.

Executive summary

The following findings highlight broad issues across the spectrum of the

project.

The research revealed that additional training and education is

needed. Interviews revealed that these issues are not generic,

presenting complex and often conflicting opinion on what sort of

training should be available.

Findings indicate that the nature of this education and training is

diverse, but that members of town and parish councils feel that there

are special skill sets needed to operate effectively within their town

and parish councils.

Members of town and parish councils feel that their existing skills are

not always recognised and utilised effectively for the successful

operation of their parish as well as the broader community.

There is an overwhelming feeling that there is a need to encourage

sustainable communities but there is confusion over the action that

should be taken to achieve these goals.

Sustainable development was seen as an important concept but was

not clearly understood. Greater understanding is needed of how

these issues are integrated into the planning system with a particular

reference to sustainable development mechanisms.

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There is a general lack of awareness of the existing mechanisms that

could be employed in the local governance process that would

contribute towards the creation of sustainable communities.

Members of town and parish councils felt that the relationship

between the town and parish councils and the county council was

important and should be strengthened.

There is concern over the effect of global risks such as global

warming, upon local communities, but there is need for further and

effective communication of these issues.

Expanding the Agenda

With the above in mind, this work has striven to move beyond simplistic

presentations of education and training needs, to challenge established

norms and provide fresh insights into the promotion of sustainable

communities. Whilst many interviewees pertained to understand the

community from a holistic perspective there was often a lack of connection

with broader global issues. Where issues such as global warming were

discussed, there was often confusion over basic cause and effect scenarios

which exacerbated anxiety of what action should be taken in the face of

these risks. It is recognised that in order for individuals to change behaviour,

to mitigate or adapt to a particular risk there needs to be an expression of

salience with that risk, and a sense of urgency for change. Whilst there was

an eagerness to enhance communities amongst members of town and

parish councils a salience with abstracted global risks was not present.

Overall, interviewees revealed a complex structure of community identity.

With a focus on sustainable development, the following areas of education

and training are also suggested:

Basic principles of sustainable development

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Expansion on issues of governance

Basic principles of climate change

Understanding of global environmental risk

Clearer understanding of interconnections between global policy and

local implementation

The debates around sustainable development and community enhancement

throw into sharp relief the complex and conflicting nature of the priorities

town and parish councillors feel are necessary to serve their communities

effectively both today and in the future. As a starting point there is a clear

need to increase communication on what may be described as the principle

sustainable development mechanisms. These include the Sustainable

Community Strategy, Local Area Agreements and Comprehensive Area

Assessments. In line with the outlined remit of this work to move beyond

sterile prescriptive comments on how sustainable communities should be

achieved the following statement should be highlighted:

There is not a direct correlation between increased education on an

issue and effective behavioural change or positive response to that

issue.

This statement is magnified exponentially when the concept of sustainable

development is introduced into the equation. Indeed, the relationship

between education and behaviour is interrupted by a number of intervening

variables. This was clearly evident in the corpus of interviews with town andparish councillors. A spectrum of issues exist in parallel with the need for

additional education that directly impinge on the effective development of

sustainable communities that need due consideration in the development of

strategic planning and policy implementation. Briefly these include:

Community identity

Global risk salience

Broader engagement

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Discrepancy between global and local priorities

Local protectionism

Internal political tensions

These issues are evident throughout the interview material for both Devon

and Cornwall. As already stated, this report will focus predominantly on the

education and training component of the research. It is beyond the remit of

this report to expand in any more detail on these issues; it is sufficient at this

stage to recognise that these issues are present and display the realities of

the study areas. Core skills are identified with regard to education and

training that in varying degrees are seen to be essential for operating

successfully as a member of a town and parish council. These are outlined in

Table 1.

Table 1: Indicative Areas of Training

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Table 1 highlights the principle areas of training that town and parish

councillors feel are important to respond to community needs. Whilst there

was a significant difference of opinion expressed within the interview

material, there is a general feeling that delivery of education and training

through short bespoke courses within a group environment was the most

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Identified Area of

Training

Level Potential

Training Provider

Relationship

established or to

be brokered

Sustainable

Development

various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Community

Development


Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Local Government various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Planning various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Environmental

planning


Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Project planning various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Legislation various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth CollegesLocalism Agenda various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Managing

Complaints


Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Health and Safety various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges

Communication various See Mapping and

Scoping

SWLLN/University

Plymouth Colleges


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appropriate method for training delivery. The mapping and scoping

document (available on request) outlines possible supply of these

programmes from three principle organisations, which are the Open

University, Cornwall College and Truro College. The identified courses

within these organisations should be compared with the capacity for in

house training within Devon and Cornwall. The remainder of this report will

outline in more detail the research project as a whole. This will include a

background to the work which details the sustainable development approach

taken, a methodological review and an overview of results. The final section

will point to future avenues for this work.

Section 1: Background to the Research

The general background and rationale for this work has already been

explored in the interim reports for both Devon and Cornwall (see Borne 2008,

2009). These reports emphasised the importance of the notions of

sustainable development and globalisation for local authorities, as global and

local issues converge to alter the way that governance is understood. These

reports further emphasised the role of the recent global economic downturn,

as well as the broader debates that are now in full flow with regard to global

climate change and humanitys influence on the biosphere. The following will

outline a perspective that is capable of encompassing these diverse and

complex issues in a structures and dynamic framework.

A Sustainable Development Perspective

There is continued recognition that the changing context from within which

local government and broader community groups need to operate directly

affect the types of skills, educational needs and general competencies that

are required to operate successfully and efficiently. It is increasingly being

recognised that the types of skills and education that is needed in the 21 st

century are of a qualitatively different nature to those required in the 20 th

century. Stibbe and Luna (2009) succinctly make this point:

Education policy, tends even now, to revolve around twentieth

century skills- skills for commercial innovation, further industrialisation

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of society, economic growth, international competitiveness and

financial prosperity. The further into the twenty first century that we

proceed the more short term these goals seem a temporary bubble of

financial prosperity, existing on paper only, and already partially burst

by the credit crunch, and about to be burst on a much larger scale by

the ecological crunch, the peak oil crunch and the climate change

crunch (2009:12).

Bearing the aforementioned comments in mind this work explores skills and

education from a horizon scanning perspective, responding to the challenge

of incorporating the complexities and uncertainties of future issues. Many of

the issues that challenge humanity for the Twenty First Century have been

encapsulated under the rubric of the increasingly visible term of sustainable

development. The following section will outline what it means to adopt a

sustainable development perspective.

Sustainable Development Framework

A sustainable development lens accommodates the complex issues

involved and creates an evaluative base for this research. Six primary

elements can be said to be included in a sustainable development approach:

Table 2: Sustainable Development Elements

Element Description

Holistic

Perspective

Sustainable development adopts a holistic perspective on

human and environmental interaction with the areas of

environment, economy and society considered together.

These concerns are often referred to as the three

dimensions or pillars of sustainable development. It is a

fundamental premise of adopting a sustainable development

perspective that not considering these areas together has

been the driver for the rise of negative human impact on the

environment.

Time scale of The Bruntland Report defines sustainable development as

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Sustainable

Development

Development that meets the needs of current generations

without compromising the ability of future generations to

meet their needs and aspirations. This definition points to

the challenge of integrating a short- and a long-term time

horizons in decision-making. It is often referred to as the

principle of inter-generational equity. This is a fundamental

principle of sustainable development that offers a

perspective that takes a geological view of time that moves

past the narrow political imperatives that have dominated

over the past 30 years.

Spatial scale

of

sustainable

development

The concept of sustainable development cuts not only

across the ministerial boundaries within governments. It

moreover transcends the different tiers of policy-making,

from the United Nations to the European Union level to local

communities. Climate change, for example, needs to be

addressed at all levels of policy-making. The work outlined

in this report takes a global and local perspective of the

work.

System

dynamics,

Complexity

risk

uncertainties

Sustainable development fundamentally explores systems

that converge at the interface of human and environmental

interactions. The nature of this interaction that has

produced risks on a global and local scale is acknowledged

as being highly complex and as such, underpinned by high

levels of uncertainty. Recognition of this uncertainty is an

important component of the evaluative and research

process.

Values Sustainable development refers to the needs of present and

future generations. Since needs are highly subjective, so is

the entire concept. Consequently, its normative content is

highly controversial. Controversies between different sets of

values become visible in the judgement of economic growth,

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technology, equity issues between North and South. These

values are equally applicable to local and individual scales

as conflicting visions of different risks and general

perceptions of life create barriers to effective implementation

Participation According to Agenda 21 One of the fundamental

prerequisites for the achievement of sustainable

development is broad public participation in decision-

making. Participation is expected to help define the actual

meaning of sustainable development, provide policy-makers

with valuable information, and increase ownership among

stakeholders.

The six areas identified in table 2 sketch out the underlying perspectives of

this work. This perspective can be applied as an explicit framework to many

different contemporary issues. These primary areas will be used in this work

to present a framework of learning outcomes that is presented in table 6.

This table can be seen as a starting point for the development of education

and training programmes based around sustainable development at the

strategic level for town and parish councils. The following discussion will

provide a background narrative for the research presented in this report.

Setting the Context

The World Commission on Environment and Developments (1987) definition

of sustainable development is: Development that meets the needs of the

present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their

own needs (WCED 1987:8). This definition has been the focus of a great

deal of debate, not least as it is ambiguous in nature and offers little insight

into the development of effective policy. However, as was highlighted in the

interim reports, this definition, to varying degrees has filtered through

governance structures at the global and local levels. By highlighting the work

of Dalal Clayton and Bass (2002) it was emphasised that there needs to be a

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move away from a centralised model of planning to one that creates an

enabling environment linking cognate areas that facilitate a holistic approach

to particular issues.

The British Governments national sustainable development strategy

Securing the Future: Delivering the UK SD Programme (HMGOV 2005)

continues this rhetoric by emphasizing the importance of local communities

in promoting a sustainable development. Examples of this may be found in

the integration of sustainable development in Regional Spatial Strategies,

Development Plan Documents and the broad introduction of Sustainability

Appraisals. A notable expansion of this agenda has been the Sustainable

Communities Act, which received Royal Ascent in 2007 and is a conspicuous

demonstration of the increasing importance that is being placed on the local

level for achieving the principles of sustainable development through

community enhancement. Reflecting the definition of national sustainable

development strategies, the act ties together existing mechanisms such as

Local Area Agreements (LAA) with Comprehensive Area Assessments

(CAA) with the need for broader participatory processes (see SDC 2009).

The act creates a responsibility for Local Authorities to produce Sustainable

Community Plans designed to set out a comprehensive vision for the

regional and local sustainable development. All of these processes

represent a significant attempt to coordinate existing mechanisms, as well as

developing new processes and connections in a bid to improve communities

and the lives of those living in them.

Aligning these debates to the study areas, Devon County Council and

Cornwall Council have attempted to integrate the principles of sustainable

development into their governance frameworks with a view to enhancing

their operational efficiency. Table 3 outlines how Devon and Cornwall

County Councils understand sustainable development.

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Table 3: Sustainable Development Perspective

With regard to sustainable communities, a pivotal component of the localgovernment tapestry is the town and parish council layer of local government

which represents the closest level of government to the community. Town

and parish councils represent a significant tier of local government not only in

Devon and Cornwall but also nationally. There are over 10000 parishes in

England, of which 8700 have councils, with approximately 70000 parish

councillors. Initially, and still predominantly a rural phenomenon, in the wake

of the Local Government Act of 1972 parishes are increasingly present in

urban environments. This has been exemplified by recent moves to suggest

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Devon Sustainable Development is about developing an integrated

approach to economic, social and environmental issues to

improve the quality of life for everyone, now and in the future.

(DCC 2009)

Cornwall A dynamic process which enables all people to realise their

potential and improve their quality of life in ways which

simultaneously protect and enhance the earth's life support

systems Cornwall County Council promotes sustainabledevelopment for the benefit of one and all in the management

and delivery of all its services through integrated social,

economic and environmental objectives; seeking to achieve its

vision of a strong and sustainable community for One and All.

(CCC 2009).


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the establishment of parish councils throughout London, as a result of the

Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act (2007). Attempts to

enhance and encourage the role of parish councils can be seen in the

Quality Parish Scheme and through the extended Powers of Wellbeing.

With the above in mind, the following section moves to outline the

methodological approach adopted for this work.

Section 2: Methodology

The research was conducted using a sophisticated multi-methodological

framework, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection

techniques. Initially, the study areas of Devon and Cornwall will be outlined.

Research Areas

As has already been discussed the counties of Devon and Cornwall. Table 4

presents some basic characteristics of these counties

Table 4: Key Statistics Devon and Cornwall

Statistic Devon Cornwall

Population 1141,600 499,114

Areas 670,675 hectares 354,628 hectares

Governance

Structure

Two Tier Unitary

Sub County

Delivery

8 District Councils 19 Network Areas

Parish

Councils

409 213

Principle Research Phases

Once the area of research had been established a five phase approach was

adopted in order to elicit the necessary information on education and

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training. This included the initial consultation, the customising of the

research design, initiation of the survey and interviews, as well as the overall

analysis.

Phase One: Initial Consultation

Initial phase included the identification of the research area. Town and

Parish Councils are the closest level of government to the community and in

a unique leadership role with regard to community enhancement. Local

authorities and associated organisations were contacted in order to establish

an initial need.

Phase Two: Adaption

Phase two involved the adaptation of research design to emphasise Devon

and Cornwalls specific issues in combination with broader global concerns.

This included initial consultations and focus groups with town and parish

councils and interested parties. This also included an examination of

strategic documents including:

Target Operating Manual

Draft Sustainable Communities Strategy

Local Area Agreement Priorities

Phase Three: Survey

The survey was distributed across Devon and Cornwall to all town and parish

councils. Responses were collated and entered into an overall database.

Table 5: Questions and Variables

County Questions Variables

Devon 76 215

Cornwall 79 197

Table 5 shows that there were 76 questions for Devon and 79 questions for

Cornwall these became 215 and 197 variables respectively in the data base

.Phase Four: Interviews

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Based on responses from the initial survey an interview schedule was

developed addressing core and periphery issues. In order to achieve the

broadest geographical spread one interview per town and parish council was

conducted. In Devon 45 Interviews were conducted and in Cornwall 95

interviews were conducted All interviews were recorded and transcribed.

Phase Five: Analysis

Analysis has involved the scrutiny of the data including the survey and the

interviews. Overall the phases detailed above proved highly successful. The

following provides a reflexive review of the research process.

Reflexive Review of Practice

The Survey

The survey was despatched to over 6000 councillors across Devon and

Cornwall, this represents all Devon and Cornwall parish councils numbering

approximately 600. Response rates were high with between 50-70 per cent

of parishes responding to the survey. This is a high response rate,

particularly in light of the length and complexity of the questionnaire. Initial

introductory letters were sent out to all parishes explaining the purpose of thesurvey, as well as outlining the key areas to be covered. In general, the

questionnaire was received well. However, the following points are relevant.

Survey Delivery

The survey was delivered by post. The Devon survey was mailed in two

distinct postings and the Cornwall survey was mailed in one posting.

Respondents were asked to return the questionnaires collectively in a single

prepaid envelope that was held by the parish clerk. Each questionnaire was

numbered individually and a record was kept of where each individual

questionnaire was sent. In the initial design stages of the project there was

some deliberation amongst the research group as to whether it was

beneficial to label questionnaires individually or whether it was only

necessary to code the return envelope. Experience showed that even

though respondents were asked to return their questionnaires collectively

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through their town or parish clerk, this did not always occur. A significant

number of the respondents opted to return the questionnaires individually.

Consequently, numbering individual questionnaires proved to be the most

effective method of delivery. Another significant issue which arose was the

accuracyof delivery addresses for the questionnaire. Two points are worth

highlighting here:

Firstly, postal information was not always available or correct. A small

percentage of the questionnaires were returned as they had been sent

to an incorrect address. On a number of occasions subsequent

investigations had to be made to identify the correct addressee.

Secondly, on a number of occasions a single clerk was responsible for

more than one parish. Records of these situations were not always

accurate or up to date. On these occasions clerks contacted the

research team and requested further questionnaires which were sent

as a matter of urgency.

Finally, due to the overall logistics of the initial Devon survey there was a

three week gap between respondents receiving their initial introductory letter

and the subsequent survey. As a result some respondents were confused

as to the purpose of the survey and needed additional information which was

normally provided through email contact. This was a lesson learned for the

Cornwall survey where there was a shorter time delay between initial letter

and survey.

Survey Design

As outlined in the introduction to this review the overall aims of the research

are multifaceted. As such, the questionnaire required careful construction.

The basic format of the questionnaire design was drawn from previous

experience on research that focused on the integration of sustainable

development into governance frameworks at both the international and the

local and individual levels (Borne 2010). This initial design proved highly

effective in eliciting complex information from respondents in an accessible

format. Modification of the survey to suit the remit of the South West Lifelong

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Learning Network involved a careful and measured synergy between the

elements of training/education, community and sustainable development. To

this end, an extensive programme of employer engagement combined with

consultation with the relevant representative bodies surrounding Devon and

Cornwall parishes helped to identify the essential elements of the survey.

The following discussion will elaborate on challenges that existed in the

interview phase of the research.

Interview Process

Organisation of Interviews

It was originally anticipated that a very structured approach would be taken

to the selection and execution of interviews. These were based around an

even geographical spread of interviewees that would fully represent the

sample areas, Devon and Cornwall. However, due to the following reasons

interviews were conducted on a first come first serve basis:

The substantial number of interviews that needed to be conducted

The response time of interviewees

Logistics of synchronising interview times with the interviewees

This proved successful within the confines of the Devon project. Whilst

lessons are learned from the Devon experience, this first come first serve

approach was not an appropriate transferable methodology for the Cornwall

interview process. The Cornwall interview process was conducted on a

more structured basis. This is primarily a result of the geographical dispersal

of the interviewees throughout Cornwall and the limitation of resources both

human and financial. Interviews for Cornwall were conducted based around

19 newly designated Community Network Areas. It was decided that each

network area would be assigned a number and these areas would be

approached. Numbers were assigned beginning at the furthest point from

research headquarters in Plymouth and ascending as the network areas

moved easterly towards Plymouth. In so doing, the greatest expense was

used in the earlier stages of the project with regard to travelling, and

available resources could be closely monitored. In order to achieve the

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broadest geographical spread at the parish level one interview per parish

within the assigned network area was conducted. The following discussion

examines the interviews themselves.

Interview Schedule

The aim of the interviews was to elicit more in-depth and specific data than

was possible in the questionnaire. This form of triangulation increases the

validity and rigour of data collected. The questions posed in the interviews

were drawn from and expanded upon the questionnaires. As interviews

were conducted the process evolved and responded to the realities of the

interview process. Initially, the following protocols were observed:

Once interviewees were identified a copy of their questionnaire was

sent to the interviewee to refresh their memories on the issues that

were to be addressed in the project.

An interview schedule was developed from the questionnaire which

was designed to respond specifically to the interviewees survey

responses on an individual basis.

However, as the interviews progressed, it was observed that an overly

structured approach stifled the interview process in a number of situations. It

was decided therefore that a set of generic questions on the primary areas of

the research were used. Respondents questionnaires were reviewed by the

interviewer beforehand to inform the whole process. Respondents were

asked if there was anything in particular within the questionnaire that they

would like to elaborate on. This format has proved highly successful with

interview data revealing expected and unexpected outcomes.

The previous section has outlined the overall research methodology adopted

for this work. It has also provided a reflexive review of practice. The

following section will present the pertinent results from the surveys and

interviews of both Devon and Cornwall.

Section 3: Results

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The results presented here focus on the education and training component of

the work, as well as detailing some of the areas that relate to the broader

areas of sustainable communities. The results for Devon and Cornwall are

presented in parallel, where similarities exist and where there is a significant

methodological overlap. The qualitative and quantitative material will also be

presented interchangeably. The evidence section will be presented as

follows. Initially, some basic background results on the research group are

presented. This is followed by elaborating on the education and training

areas of the research. Following this the idea of community is addressed and

this is followed by briefly exploring the areas of sustainable development and

global climate change.

Figure 1: Gender

Members of town and parish councils were asked to indicate if they were

male or female. Figure 1 shows that in Devon 60 per cent of respondents

were male and 37 percent were female. Similarly, in Cornwall 63 per cent of

respondents were male and 35 per cent of respondents were female.

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Figure 2: Age

Respondents were asked to indicate their approximate age. For both Devon

and Cornwall age distribution was very similar. As shown in figure 2, for

Devon 0 per cent of respondents were between 18-25; 1 per cent of

respondents were between 26-32; 6 per cent of respondents were between

33-40; 11 per cent of respondents were between 41-48; 19 per cent of


57-64; 19 per cent of respondents were between 65-72 and 9 per cent ofrespondents were 72+. In Cornwall 0 per cent of respondents were

between 18-25; 1 per cent of respondents were between 26-32; 4 per cent of


41-48; 19 per cent of respondents were between 49-56; 31 per cent of


65-72 and 11 per cent of respondents were 72+.

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Figure 3: Occupation

Members of town and parish councils were asked to identify their occupation.

Figure 3 shows that the occupation of members of town and parish councils

were comparable across Devon and Cornwall. In Devon, 10.5 per cent said

they were tradesmen; 31.5 per cent indicated that they were professionals; 4

per cent said that they were manual workers; no respondents were students;

38 per cent said that they were retired; 3 per cent indicated that they were

housewives or househusbands; 8 per cent said that they were

clerical/administrative. For Cornwall, 9 per cent said they were tradesmen;31 per cent indicated that they were professionals; 4 per cent said that they

were manual workers; no respondents were students; 41 per cent said that

they were retired; 3 per cent indicated that they were housewives or

househusbands; 8 per cent said that they were clerical/administrative and

none of the respondents were unemployed. Interviewees in both Devon and

Cornwall revealed diverse backgrounds either in previous careers or existing

ones. What was highly visible in the corpus of interview material was thatskills, training and experience gained in the working lives of councillors were

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brought to bare in the function of parish councillor. These important life skills

provided the councillors with often unrecognised skills.

Figure 4: Qualifications

Members of town and parish councils were asked to indicate their level of

education. Results for both Devon and Cornwall were comparable. For

Devon, 21 per cent said that they held O levels or General Certificates of

Secondary Education; 14.5 per cent indicated that they held A Levels or

General National Vocational Qualifications; 20 per cent indicated that they

had a Degree; 12 per cent said that they had Post Graduate qualifications;

12 per cent indicated that they had non-conventional qualifications and 13

per cent said that their qualifications were other. For Cornwall, 18 per cent

said that they held O levels or General Certificates of Secondary Education;13 per cent indicated that they held A Levels or General National Vocational

Qualifications; 17.5 per cent indicated that they had a Degree; 13 per cent

said that they had Post Graduate qualifications; 13 per cent indicated that

they had non-conventional qualifications and 19 per cent said that their

qualifications were other.

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Figure 5: Role in Parish

Figure 5 illustrates that for both Devon and Cornwall the majority of

respondents were councillors. In Devon, 73 percent indicated that they were

councillors; 14 per cent indicated their role as clerk; 11.5 per cent said that

they were chairs of their parish council. In Cornwall, 74 per cent of

respondents indicated that they were councillors within local town and parish

councils; 11 per cent indicated that they were clerks; 3 per cent indicated that

they were the employees of their town and parish council. The interviews

also represented this general spread with the majority of interviewee being

councillors.

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Figure 6: Settlement Type

Respondents were asked if they felt their council represented a community

that was urban, rural or mixed. As illustrated in Figure 6, the vast majority of

town and parish council members felt their town and parish council area was

rural. In Devon 85 per cent indicated that they lived in a rural area; 6 per cent

said that they lived in an Urban area; 7 per cent said that their area was both

rural and urban. For Cornwall, 81 per cent said they lived in a rural area; 6

per cent said that they lived in an urban area and 12 per cent indicated that

their settlement type was mixed. Within the interviews there was a strongidentity with rurality and often passionate proclamations about how the

heritage and identity of rural Devon and Cornwall should be preserved. This

is an important issue for understanding the nature of sustainable

communities as an increasingly urban global population fundamentally alters

the rural landscape.

Whilst interviewees described the physical attributes of what constitutes theirrural areas, it also became apparent that the idea of rurality is a subjective

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construct and varies depending upon the perspective of the interviewee.

Often where a councillor was part of a larger village or small town there

would be ambiguity over the nature of the settlement type. The following

extract highlights this point as the interviewee is asked how the area being

discussed is described:

well dont call it a town. They get very upset about that. Its a large

large village and I personally would call it semi rural. The surrounding

places I would say are probably more rural but actually if you look at

how the development of (the parish) sort of spread a bit and I know

there are boundaries that everything is now sort of, I mean I dont

think theres much room for more development in (the parish). The

infrastructure simply cant take it but other places in the parish could

take a bit more. My personal feeling would be sort of semi rural. Its

not sort of you are not looking at the peaks and the lakes but I think

other people probably describe it as rural. (Parish Councillor)

This extract exemplifies the ambiguous nature of settlement within Devon

and Cornwall as the interviewee, whilst not using the term urban does

describe the area as semi-rural. The extract also indicates the strength of

maintaining a rural identity as the interviewee describes other councillors

becoming very upset about describing the area as a town. Indeed, even

when interviewees from the larger conurbations were interviewed their

perspective on the areas remained rural:

I would say its a rural parish. Its not a city parish by any stretch of

the imagination any of them you know. The only difference, the only

problem with this parish is it is so elongated so its very difficult you

know. (parish councillor)

This interviewee reinforces the perception that even the larger parishs retain

a rural identity. This is an identity which is intrinsic within the interview

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material and reflects the nature of community in Devon and Cornwall. There

was also recognition of the changing nature of the landscape and the

potential future urbanisation, as increased population pressures force

authorities to consider housing priorities. For example, the following

councillor was asked if he considered his parish urban or rural:

Well weve always considered ourselves as rural but I think

government now looks at us more as urban, if it goes the way they

want it to go it will certainly be urban because theres plans to build

thousands of houses down there. (Parish Councillor)

The idea of community will be revisited later in this report. With the

background to the research area established the following section will focus

more directly on the education and training areas of the research.


This section will elaborate on those areas that relate specifically to education

and training needs within Devon and Cornwall. This will be a presentation of

survey data from both Devon and Cornwall, as well as selected extracts from

the interview data.

Figure 7: Participate in Training

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Members of town and parish councils were asked to say if they felt that they

would be willing to participate in training. Figure 7 shows that in Devon; 68

per cent said that they would participate in training; 18.5 per cent said that

they would not participate in training and 10.5 per cent said that they did not

know whether they would participate in training. In Cornwall, 66 per cent

indicated that they would participate in training; 5 per cent said that they

would not participate in training and 6 per cent said that they did not know if

they would participate in training.

The interview component of the work supported these findings with

interviewees indicating that they would, on the whole, participate in education

and training if it was offered to them. However, these proclamations were

often tempered with a number of variables that affected whether they felt that

they would be involved in further education and training. Such variablesreflect the very complex nature of motivation and personal choice. What is

evident from the interviews is that actual participation in education or training

programmes would need to be tempered with the salience of these

programmes to the individual, their council and their community at large.

What is more, the desire to participate in training is constantly tempered with

the nature of the parish councillor position, which is on a voluntary basis.

Commenting on whether the following interviewee was aware of existingtraining programmes, the following response was forthcoming:

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Well there is really theres training available for Parish Councillors

and it is there but I think its, in some ways it would be wrong to

perhaps put minimum qualifications on it where people have got to

have a certain amount of education because on the one hand that

gets rid of democracy, thats not democratic, then on the other hand

youve got to have people on who are prepared to contribute

something and to have a view and to have sensible things to put

forward, even daft things to put forward sometimes (parish

Councillor)

To varying degrees the above statement is visible in the corpus of interview

data and highlights the contentious nature of education and training within a

voluntary organisation. The issue of democracy within town and parish

councils extends beyond Devon and Cornwall and goes to the viability of

local government process. Whilst these extended issues are pertinent to the

form that education and training will take in town and parish councils and

contribute to the understanding of promoting sustainable communities, such

extensions are beyond the remit of this report.

Figure 8: Special Skills

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Respondents were asked if they felt that special skills were needed to

operate as a parish councillor. Figure 8 shows that for Devon, 59 per cent

indicated that special skills were necessary; 20 per cent indicated that

special skills were not necessary and 2 per cent did not know whether

special skills were necessary. In Cornwall, 43 per cent indicated that special

training was necessary; 40 per cent indicated that it was not necessary and

13 per cent said that they did not know if special training was necessary.

The interview process revealed many different areas that could be accessed

with regard to education and training. A number of responses indicated that

there was actually no need for additional skills and training. A number of

respondents indicated that their skills which that had been developed over a

lifetime, was infact enough to operate effectively as a town and parish

councillor. The response below represents this:

I dont think you need any, I really dont think you need any, I think

you need a lot of common sense, be able to negotiate, argue and

compromise perhaps because you have 10 people on a PC, you cant

always just, there are certain things that you may feel very passionateabout but you still have to get on with your fellow councillors, but I

dont think you need, I mean we did go to the original training for the

way to behave and conflicts of interest and all this sort of thing, I think

you have to be very careful about your conflicts of interest, but apart

from that I really dont think you need a great deal of training.(Parish

Councillor)

Supporting this observation, another parish councillor indicated that to

operate as a parish councillor you need. A general knowledge about life

and hopefully not having too much bias (Parish Councillor). There was also

a body of evidence that pointed out that there were specific areas of training

that would be beneficial within the town and parish councils context. The

following extract is typical of the corpus of interview material:

Yeah so training, yes general people management I think being able

to communicate, but there are other skills you need on the PC and

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you need the people who will be paper bashers, they might not be

that good in communicating with people but they will get on with

things like the parish plan which were updating now, Im on that

committee but theres the main chap who does it.(Parish councillor)

The above extract highlights a number if themes that emerg within the data

material. The interviewee sees a division of skills sets within the council

dynamic. This division exists between what is described as those with the

ability to communicate and those who are pencil pushers. This is

representative of the diversity of skills necessary to successfully operate

within a town and parish council.

Types of Training and Education

Members of town and parish councils were presented with a number of areas

of training and education that may be considered of importance in their role

within the town or parish.

Figure 9: Types of Skills Cornwall

Members of town and parish councils were asked to indicate what types of

skills they felt were essential to operate as a member of a town or parishcouncil. Figure 9 shows that on aggregate 18 per cent indicated that

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management was an essential skill to operate as a member of a town and

parish council; 20 per cent said that interpersonal skills were essential to

operate as a member of a town/parish council. By the largest majority, 58 per

cent indicated that planning was an essential skill to operate as a member of

a town and parish council; 17.5 per cent indicated that leadership was an

essential skill for a member of a town/parish council; 30 per cent said that

communication was an essential skill for being a member of a town/parish

council; 23 per cent said that project management was an essential skill for

members of town and parish councils; 26 per cent said that financial skills

were essential for being a member of a town and parish council; 43 per cent

indicated that legislation was an essential skill for a member of a town/parish.

For Devon skills presented to respondents were similar but not identical,

these are therefore presented separately.

Figure 10: Types of Skills Devon

Figure 10 shows the types of skills that respondents in Devon felt were

important for being a member of a town and parish council. 40 per cent

indicated that management skills were important; 63 per cent indicated that

interpersonal skills were important; 45 per cent indicated that leadership

skills were important; 83 per cent indicated that communication skills wereimportant; 29 per cent indicated that project management skills were

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important; 38 per cent indicated that financial skills were important. Table 1

of this report has already outlined the generic skills that were identified in the

council survey component of this research. These were echoed to varying

degrees in the interviews. Interviewees identified a number of skills that they

felt were important for the successful operation of a town and parish council.

Figure 11: Receive Particular Types of Training in Cornwall

Respondents were presented with a number of areas of training andeducation that could be presented in a modular form. The members of the

town and parish councils were asked to indicate which of these they felt

would most benefit them and their communities. Figure 11 shows that 24 per

cent specified that they would like to receive a module in health and safety;

37 per cent indicated that they would like to receive a module in legal issues;

36 per cent indicated that they would like to receive training and education in

the area of local government; 19 per cent specified that they would like toreceive training and education in asset management; 11 per cent said that

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they would like to receive a module in equality and diversity; 24 per cent said

that they would like to receive a module on issues concerning the localism

agenda; 15.5 per cent stated that they would like to receive a module in the

use of computers; 16 per cent indicated that they would like a module in

managing complaints and 19 per cent indicated that they would like to

receive a module in codes of conduct.

Figure 12: Method of Training and Education

Members of town and parish councils were asked to indicate what they felt

would be the most appropriate method of training for them. For Devon, 56per cent indicated that they would like to receive training through short

courses; 39.5 per cent indicated that they would like to receive their training

in group sessions; 21 per cent said that they would like to receive training

and education through the medium of the internet and 6 per cent indicated

that they would like to receive their education and training in one to one

sessions. In Cornwall, the majority at 55.5 per cent indicated that they would

like to receive training through short courses; 23 per cent indicated that theywould like to receive their training in group sessions; 25 per cent said that

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they would like to receive training and education through the medium of the

internet and 6.5 per cent indicated that they would like to receive their

education and training in one to one sessions.

I think in groups. I also think one to one when its necessary because

not all of us have computers I dont know that we could do it as

distance learning. If one did do it as distance learning then it would be

important that they met one week in the month or whatever it is. I

mean I think distance learning would probably be more cost effective

but you still need to meet. (Parish Councillor)

The interviews revealed a mixed bag with regard to the form that education

and training should take. There was a consistent reference to limited time

and there were varying degrees of motivation to act on training if it was

actually available. Another issue that should be drawn from the above

extract which does present itself in the corpus of interviews is the access to

and motivation to use information technology. This is a crucial point as a

great deal of information that is available to parish councils on a multitude of

issues is accessible through the internet. If there is a presumption that there

is a universal access to this information source then this in itself can be

counter productive. For example, of the 209 Cornish parish councils, only

74 have websites.

Figure 13: Prepared to Fund Own Training

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Respondents were asked to indicate whether they felt they would be

prepared to fund their own training and education. Figure 13 shows that for

Devon, 16 per cent indicated that they would be prepared to fund their own

training. However, the majority, at 65 per cent said that they would not be

prepared to fund their own education or training; 14 per cent indicated that

they did not know whether they would be prepared to fund their own training

and education. For Cornwall, 14 per cent indicated that they would be

prepared to fund their own training; 64 per cent said that they would not be

prepared to fund their own education or training; 14.5 per cent indicated that

they did not know whether they would be prepared to fund their own training

and education.

Figure 14: Travel for Training

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Members of town and parish councils were asked if they felt that they would

be prepared to travel for training. In Devon, 49 per cent indicated that they

would be prepared to travel for training; 17 per cent indicated that they would

not be prepared to travel for training. In Cornwall, 50 per cent indicated that

they would be prepared to travel for training; 16 per cent indicated that they

would not travel for training and 4.5 per cent did not know if they would travel

for training.

Figure 15: Distance to Training

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Respondents were asked how far they would be willing to travel in order to

receive training and education. Figure 15 shows that in Devon 1 per cent

indicated that they would be prepared to travel between one and five miles; 5

per cent indicated that they would be willing to travel between six to ten

miles; 9 per cent said that they would be willing to travel between eleven and

fifteen miles; 12 per cent said that they would be willing to travel between

sixteen and twenty miles and 24 per cent said that they would be willing to

travel more than twenty miles to receive education and training. For

Cornwall, 4 per cent indicated that they would be prepared to travel between

one and five miles; 9 per cent indicated that they would be willing to travel

between six to ten miles; 11 per cent said that they would be willing to travel

between eleven and fifteen miles; 14 per cent said that they would be willing

to travel between sixteen and twenty miles and 23 per cent said that they

would be willing to travel more than twenty miles to receive education andtraining.

The above discussion has focused primarily on the education and training

elements of the research. The following section will expand this discussion

by exploring results that relate to community, sustainable development and

climate change.

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Community

This section presents results from the part of the survey that examines

sustainable communities. Community is an emotive issue. Policy aimed at

achieving sustainable development and more specifically, sustainable

communities, is becoming increasingly sophisticated at incorporating the

complexities of the issues involved. With this said, however, there is still a

significant lack of understanding of the way that community is perceived and

understood. In the 21st Century, the nature of community has changed

significantly with advancements in technology, particularly transportation and

the increasing speed of global communications. A full exploration of these

issues is beyond the remit of this report. However, the issue of community is

important in relation to the ways that education and training is developed and

delivered. Respondents were therefore asked a number of questions about

their community which were designed to elicit a sense of being, not just to a

single community but to multiple communities that exist in a single

geographical area.

Figure 16: Community Dynamic

Figure 16 highlights responses to questions that were posed with regard to

community. For Devon, 96 percent said that they felt part of a community; 56

per cent indicated that they were part of multiple communities; 6 per centindicated that their community was focused on work; 61 per cent indicated

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that their community was predominantly family and friend; 6 per cent said

that their community as the internet; 7 per cent indicated that their

community was nationwide; 85 per cent said that their community was the

local area. For Cornwall 95 percent said that they felt part of a community;

65 per cent indicated that they were part of multiple communities; 39 per cent

indicated that their community was focused on work; 63 per cent indicated

that their community as predominantly family and friend; 8 per cent said that

their community was the internet; 8 per cent indicated that their community

was nationwide; 89 per cent said that their community was the local area.

Overall, interviews confirmed the findings in the survey. There was a strong

sense of community among members of town and parish councils. This

reflects the nature of the voluntary role of town or parish councillors and the

concern for community. However, whilst this strong identity was present

there was also recognition amongst interviewees of the diverse nature of

community and the multiple forces that interact in a single area. There is

significant scope to expand on these issues from within the existing data set.

The following section will focus more directly on the sustainable development

areas of the research.

Sustainable Development Mechanisms

Respondents were asked to indicate if they were aware of any of the

mechanisms that existed within the local government arena that can be said

to promote sustainable communities and sustainable development.

Figure 17: Awareness of Sustainable Development Mechanisms

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As shown in Figure 17, in Devon 29 per cent were aware of Local Area

Agreements; 10 per cent were aware of Comprehensive Area Assessment.

Devon town and parish councillors were not asked if they had heard of

Sustainable Community Strategies. 60 per cent indicated that they had

heard of the Quality Parish Scheme. In Cornwall, 34 per cent said that they

had heard of Local Area Agreements; 10 per cent said that they had heard of

Comprehensive Area Assessments; 52 per cent said that they were aware of

the Sustainable Community Strategy; 61 per cent indicated that they were

aware of the Quality Parish scheme. On the whole, interviews confirmed the

survey findings. There was an overall low level of understanding of the

mechanisms that could be utilised to promote sustainable development and

sustainable communities more broadly. What was more important was that

whilst there was some awareness of these mechanisms they are not

identified with sustainable communities. The following elaborates moredirectly on sustainable development related issues.

Figure 18: Aware of Sustainable Development Related Issues

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Members of town and parish councils were presented with a list of issues

that related to sustainable development and asked to indicate if they were

aware of a particular issue. Figure 18 shows that for Devon on aggregate 98

per cent said that they had heard of climate change; 85 per cent said that

they had heard of the ozone layer; 40 per cent had heard of Agenda 21; 85

per cent said that they had heard of biodiversity; 98 per cent said that they

had heard of global warming; 90 per cent said that they had heard of carbon

footprint. For Cornwall, 98 per cent said that they had heard of climate

change; 87 per cent said that they had heard of the ozone layer; 35.5 per

cent had heard of Agenda 21; 84.5 per cent said that they had heard of

biodiversity; 98 per cent said that they had heard of global warming; 95.5 per

cent said that they had heard of carbon footprint.

Interviews revealed a significantly variable understanding of theaforementioned issues. Overall, the survey results were confirmed in the

interview data. Climate change was a topic that was highly visible even if the

causes and effects were not clearly understood. The following elaborates on

these issues.

Figure 19: Global Warming

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Respondents were presented with four statements concerning global

warming and asked to indicate to what degree they agreed or disagreed with

these statements. In Devon, 3 per cent agreed that global warming was not

really happening; 8 per cent agreed that global warming was a natural

occurrence; overwhelmingly, 78 per cent agreed that global warming was

made worse by humans; 10 per cent agreed that global warming was all of

humanitys fault. For Cornwall, 4 per cent agreed that global warming was

not really happening; 8 per cent agreed that global warming was a natural

occurrence; overwhelmingly, 80 per cent agreed that global warming was

made worse by humans; 6 per cent agreed that global warming was all of

humanitys fault.

Results from the interviews were very varied as to the cause and effect of

global climate change. Many interviewees agreed it was an important issueand something should be done. The following extract typifies this sort of

response:

After the winter weve just had I wonder, but certainly as far as GW

goes I think it should concern everybody and we should all be trying

to save. I mean I look at council buildings, government buildings and

theyre flooded with lights, in broad daylight, why do they need all thelights on, if they tried to ensure that 50% of the lights were put on and

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50% were switched off, in other words perhaps in a office it may need

rewiring but the point is that if 50% were saved on every government

building how much would you save?(Parish Councillor)

As illustrated in the statement above the interviewee purports to the

importance of climate change indicating that it should be a high priority.

However, the opening of this statement after the winter weve hadpinpoints

the subtle undertones of uncertainty and scepticism. This is a finding echoed

in broader research that looks at public identification with climate change

(Borne 2010; Hulme 2009). With the previous assessment in mind many

interviewees were unclear as to the types of actions that could be taken to

adapt to or mitigate what were often seen as ambiguous effects. There was

a large body of evidence that suggested that the issues that surround climate

change were not pertinent to the work of parish councils. When asked about

thoughts on global warming the sentiment contained in the following

statement was not uncommon:

I dont, quite honestly, I dont understand it. I watched a programme

the other night Im fascinated with polar bears or bears of any sort

(Parish councillor)

The same councillor was asked to indicate whether the community at large

would be concerned about the global warming and responded as follows:

I shouldnt think so no. Its not something Ive ever asked them. Its not

something you would ask somebody, what do you think about global

warming? Yeah right. I dont think they would even know what you

were talking about. I dont know but. (parish councillor)

The interviews revealed an often recognised weakness in survey research.

This is the situation where respondents provide the response that they

perceive as being the right answer as opposed to the answer that they might

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actually want to provide. Overall, the interviews provided unique insights in

the many different areas of sustainable development, climate change and the

way that sustainable development can be utilised to enhance organisational

structure. Returning to the education and training dimensions of this work

and drawing on table 1,table 6 (see appendix 1) identifies some broad

learning outputs as they relate to sustainable development .

Conclusion

This report has outlined the details and findings of the research project

Promoting Sustainable Communities in Devon and Cornwall. There has

been a specific and selective focus on the education and training component

of this work in fulfilment of the remit as outlined for the South West Lifelong

Learning Network. Initially, an executive summary outlined some of the

headline finding that were evident from the survey and the interviews. Areas

of indicative training were outlined and these have been supported by a

mapping and scoping exercise.

This was followed by a contextual discussion on the background to thisresearch emphasising the interaction between education and training,

community and sustainable development. There was a particular emphasis

on the sustainable development approach taken in this research. This was

followed by detailing the methodological approach taken in this work. This

included processes and procedures, as well as a reflexive review of the

overall approach in order to establish a transferable best practice baseline.

The results section interactively presented results from both Devon and

Cornwall. This included qualitative and quantitative data. Areas on

education and training were supplemented by exploring some of the

pertinent data that related to sustainable communities and sustainable

development more broadly.

The complex and multifaceted nature of this work has meant that many

areas exist for interrogation that could build capacity and strengthen

governance structures at the local level. Moreover, there is an ongoing

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opportunity to create policy synergies between the individual, national and

international levels of analysis. This particularly relates to the areas of

sustainable development and climate change. The following will elaborate

on possible avenues for future research as well as opportunities from the

existing work.

Future Opportunities

The results and analysis presented in this report have remained necessarily

focused on the specific areas of education and training with complementary

material from the sustainable development components of this work. There

is significant scope in lieu of further funding to examine other dimensions of

the existing data. This is particularly the case with reference to climate

change and sustainable development. The executive report to this document

highlighted initial findings that related to these areas, further work is required

to expand on these areas. Table 7 (See appendix 2) elaborates on the

various issues that can be developed within this work. For further

clarifications on future work please contact the author

[email protected]

References

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Borne, G., (2008) Understanding Town and Parish Council Needs for a

Sustainable Devon, South West Lifelong Learning Network

http://www.uplace.org.uk:8080/dspace/handle/10293/101

Borne, G., (2009) Understanding Town and Parish Council Needs fro a

Sustainable Cornwall, South West Lifelong Learning Network

http://www.uplace.org.uk:8080/dspace/handle/10293/100

Borne G., (2010) Sustainable Development: The Reflexive Governance of

Risk, Lampeter, Edwin Mellen Press

Cornwall County Council (2009) Definition of Sustainable Development

http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1298

Dalal-Clayton, B., and Bass, S., (2002) Sustainable Development Strategies

a Resource Book, International Institute of Environment and Development

Devon County Council (2009)

http://www.devon.gov.uk/sustainable_development.htm

HMGOV (2005) Securing the Future - UK Government sustainable

development strategy http://www.sustainable-

development.gov.uk/publications/uk-strategy/index.htm, accessed 04/08/06

Hulme, M., (2009) Why We Disagree About Climate Change, Understanding

Controversy, Inaction and Opportunity

Stibbe E., and Luna, H., (2009) Introduction in E. Stibbe The Handbook of

Sustainability Literacy: Skills for a Changing World, Totnes, Green Books

World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). Our Common

Future. Oxford, Oxford University Press

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APPENDIX 1

Table 6: Learning Outputs

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53

Key Concept Values Skills Knowledge

HolisticPerspective

A sensitivity toindividual impacton theenvironment

An appreciation ofthe interactionbetween socialenvironmental

economic legaland politicalissues

Be open andhonest withregard to yourpoliticalobjectives

Reflect critically onone's lifestyle andchoices in the lightofinterdependence.

Evaluation

Discern patterns of

interrelationshipbetweenenvironment anddevelopment topicsand betweenactions andconsequences.

The environment and thehuman condition areinextricably interrelated.

Understanding of theenvironment and societythough direct andmediated sources

Understanding ofecological cycles,

How people continuallyimpact on theenvironment and others,as individuals and as partof wider society, at thelocal to global levels

Understanding oftechnological change andthe role of science insociety

Participation Willingness to actas a responsiblecitizen, learningfrom and working

with others toimprovesituations, withrespect tosustainability

Commitment toengagement andcommunityparticipation

A sense ofresponsibility forpersonal andgroup actions,and an awarenessof their likelyimpact on naturaland humancommunities,both locally andglobally.

Engage in andmanage change atindividual andsocial levels.

Be proactive andlearn from pastmistakes

Mediate withsensitivity anddiplomacy

Find information,

weigh evidence,and presentreasoned argumenton sustainabledevelopmentissues.

Identify barriers toeffectiveparticipation

Express andcommunicatepersonal responsesto social andenvironmentalissues in a varietyof ways

Community action andpartnership is necessaryto promote sustainability.

The connection betweenpersonal values andbeliefs and behaviour.

How the school,community and householdcan managed moresustainably.

The roles and

responsibilities of townand parish council.

Changing role in light ofglobal pressures


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APPENDIX 2

Table 7: Future Opportunities

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56

Primary Areas Sub Categories

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Sustainable Communities: Social

exclusion/inclusion

Sustainable development with a

specific emphasis on identified

Cornish issues

Integrative Approach: Economic,

social, environmental.

Unique perspectives from town and

parish councils closest level of

government to the community

Inform Policy. contribute to strategic

documents.

International recognition of theimportance of local government in

achieving sustainable development

CLIMATE CHANGE Perception of climate risk within

parish and town councils

Opportunities for the development of

effective policies. Creation of

synergies between the local, nationaland international level

Unique and cutting edge information

based on behaviour change

GOVERNANCE Relationship between international,

national and local scales of

governance

Effect of global risk such as climate

change on governance structures

Understanding of the transition from a

two tier to a unitary authority at the

local government scale

ENGAGEMENT Extensive engagement with Town

and Parish Councils

Explore Interaction between town and

parish councils and the Unitary

Authority


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