SEFS – SOUTH EAST FORUM FOR SUSTAINABILITY
SSF is a member of SEFS for an update of what is happening across our region please read below.
UPDATE
CONSULTATIONS
Object by 17th August to the Government’s Planning White Paper – The Government has produced a white paper that will overhaul the current planning system to such an extent that local people will have very little say in major developments such as airports, roads, large waste facilities, nuclear power plants, wind farms, reservoirs and out-of-town supermarkets. Decision making on such plans will be left solely in the control of an “Infrastructure Planning Commission” there is so much concern over the government’s proposals that many environmental organisations have formed a consortium called Planning Disaster visit www.planningdisaster.co.uk for briefings and an on-line action.
Closer to home there is still time to respond to the Regional Economic Strategy Implementation Plan consultation (consultation closes on 24th August) – SEFS has prepared a detailed response and a summary can be found attached. Details of how to respond can be found on the SEEDA website: http://www.seeda.co.uk/res/RES_Implementation_Plan/index.asp for more information about the SEFS response contact Ian Hepburn regional.policy@wtse.org.uk
CHANGES TO REGIONAL STRUCTURE
On July 17th the Government announced plans to overhaul the regional structure and give the Regional Development Agencies (SEEDA in the South East) overall responsibility for producing a single combined Spatial Strategy and Regional Economic Strategy with an over arching objective of improving economic growth. A full briefing about the proposed changes and their implications can be found on the SEFS website, www.sefs.org.uk
SMARTER CHOICES
SEFS has been pursuing the issues of Smarter Choices and soft measures related to changing peoples patterns of behaviour in relation to the way they travel. A full briefing can be found on the SEFS website, www.sefs.org.uk
STATE OF THE SOUTH EAST ENVIRONMENT
The Environment Agency has recently published their State of the South East Environment report. This can be found at: http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk