Action Briefing Dec 2005 - Jan 2006
	The Newsletter of Birmingham Friends of the Earth

Waste no time

Friends of the Earth held a training day on 12th November at the Birmingham Voluntary Services Council (BVSC) premises on Digbeth High Street, Birmingham. The event looked at changes in the planning system and how these could effect waste planning and campaigning.

Although it didn't sound the most inviting way to spend a Saturday, it was attended by local campaigners from all around the country, including me! I was rewarded with an interesting and informative day, which should help our local group to sharpen up and push forward our waste and recycling campaign in Birmingham. Waste planning, like all planning, is inherently complex being influenced at the European, national and local level. Key changes have recently taken place in the regional planning framework. Planning Policy Statements (PPSs) guide the overall planning strategy in England and Wales. They inform the Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS) which now shape how local authorities and Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) determine what to build and where.

The first session of day looked at some of these changes and how we can use them to our advantage. 'PPS1 - Creating Sustainable Communities' refers to sustainable development and addressing the causes of climate change. Environmental concerns must be 'integrated' with economic and social factors. In other words, environmental gains should no longer be a trade off but an integral part of planning. It refers to managing waste in ways that protect the environment and human health including producing less waste and using it as a resource wherever possible. The Waste Strategy 2000 has also changed the waste hierarchy. It now places recovery through recycling higher than energy recovery through incineration [Birmingham City Council take note - Ed].

It is the reality behind these principles that us campaigners must push for when we input into waste strategies and plans. Presentations from two local group campaigners and an afternoon workshop on the Freedom of Information Act and the 'right to know' rounded off a policy packed day!

Overall, it was clear that although you have to run to stand still as far as planning goes, we can gain a distinct advantage if we fully understand some of these changes. Who knows we might even be one step ahead of the planners if we can get our heads around it all!

Kate Nancarrow