In this section we look briefly at local authority plans as these are charged with providing local leadership, supporting and guiding the implementation of sustainable development; i.e. development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Sustainable Development is achieved through a balance of social, environmental and economic development, which is underpinned by all sectors working together in co-operation and partnership. Supported community engagement, consultation at all stages of local, regional and national development is essential to ensuring local development is appropriate to meeting the needs of society, and that people are actively encouraged and empowered to be involved as responsible citizens.

The current overriding development plan for Totnes is the Devon County Council’s Community Strategy ; this embraces the following key goals (which are common to most local authority strategic plans):

• Homes for all: building for the future
• Improving the life-chances of children and young people
• Protecting and improving our outstanding environment
• Working for sustainable wealth creation
• Making Devon an even safer place to live
• A County for everyone
• Promoting a healthy and caring Devon

“By 2015 we want Devon to be: A County with safe, healthy and inclusive communities, a strong and diverse economy, and a cherished environment”

Local Governance in Transition

In seeking support for Transition from all levels of local administration, we need to be able to understand what a Local Authority adopting Transition might look like. A useful model is provided by the key recommendations in Descending the Oil Peak: The Report of the City of Portland (US) Peak Oil Task Force 2007

Recommendations: Act Big, Act Now

While all the recommendations are important, achieving a significant reduction in oil and natural gas use is a necessity for easing the transition to an energy-constrained future.

1. Reduce total oil and natural gas consumption by 50% over the next 25 years. Leadership builds the public will, community spirit and institutional capacity needed to implement the ambitious changes. Leadership is needed to build partnerships to address these issues at a regional and statewide level
2. Inform citizens about peak oil and foster community and community-based solutions
3. Engage business, government and community leaders to initiate planning and policy change. Urban Design addresses the challenge at a community scale.
4. Support land use patterns that reduce transportation needs, promote walkability and provide easy access to services and transport options.
5. Design infrastructure to promote transportation options and facilitate efficient movement of freight and prevent infrastructure investments that would not be prudent given fuel shortages and higher prices. Expanded efficiency and conservation programmes shape the many choices made by individual households and businesses.
6. Encourage energy-efficient and renewable transportation choices
7. Expand building energy-efficient programmes and incentives for all new and existing structure. Sustainable economic development fosters the growth of businesses that can supply energy-efficient solutions and provide employment and wealth creation in a new economic context
8. Preserve farmland and expand local food production and processing
9. Identify and promote sustainable business opportunities. Social and economic support systems will be needed to help (Devonians, Totnesians etc) dislocated by the effects of fuel price increases
10. Redesign the safety net and protect vulnerable and marginalised populations. Emergency plans should be in place to respond to sudden price increases or supply interruptions.
11. Prepare emergency plans for sudden and severe shortages

In Totnes and District, we offer this Energy Descent Action Plan as a source for building Transition through bottom-up planning which can be adopted by all sectors wishing to create a future development plan. We have had the benefit and had access to a number of parish plans that have been developed for this district, and hope we have done justice to the ideas and local knowledge they carry. One such plan is The Totnes and District Community Plan

In Totnes, the Totnes and District Strategy Group coordinated the development of a Community Plan for the area in 2003, which was subsequently reviewed and revised in 2005. Through in-depth consultation with local people and organisations, a broad range of desirable projects was identified. The Totnes & District Community Plan can be viewed on the Town Council website www.totnestowncouncil.gov.uk

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