Getting started
Like any other project, it is necessary to convene the right stakeholders and find funding.
Initiators, delivery partners and other local stakeholders with a vested interest in CLEP have varying roles at this stage of the process. The initiator of the process needs to have the institutional power to make changes as a result of the CLEP process (e.g. local councils), and local influence to shape the trajectory of the work in the community (e.g. local community organisations). As such, it is beneficial to have a combination of both types of organisation to initiate the process.
Local authorities need to have a core role in the delivery of CLEP due to their understanding of the locality and their role as stewards of place. Different stakeholders – such as community groups or housing associations – can also initiate the work. It is important at this point to bring together the core group of people or organisations which will be implementing the approach.
Initiators
Examples (institutional power)
- Local authority councillors, climate or neighbourhood officers
- Local social housing providers
- Regional government/combined authority
- Net zero hubs
- Distribution network operators
Examples (local influence)
- Community-led housing hubs
- Third sector community connector organisations (e.g. Action Together in Oldham)
- Locally trusted community groups (e.g. a Community Land Trust or local cross-community climate group)
Characteristics
- Have the power to implement or influence changes based on recommendations emerging from the CLEP process
- Can reach and prompt interest from local groups/people and stakeholders
- Are willing to embed the ethos of CLEP in the work
- Are focussed on tackling climate crisis in a place-based way
- Are focussed on addressing local inequalities
- Want to build capacity in lower-income neighbourhoods
Priorities at this stage
- Convening relevant local stakeholders to initiate the work
- Identifying and gaining funding
- Aligning the CLEP process with relevant local priorities, strategies, campaigns and processes (e.g. the delivery of the local authority’s climate action plan or community wealth building action plan; a local area energy planning process)
Delivery partner/s
Examples
- Organisations with expertise in planning and/or energy (e.g. Carbon Co-op and URBED in the Oldham Energy Futures programme)
- Community-based groups with knowledge of the local area
- Groups experienced in delivering facilitation and co-production
Characteristics
- Can deliver the approach based on the CLEP ethos
- Are experienced facilitators who can manage power dynamics and are invested in approaches which empower communities
- Have either expert knowledge of how to engage with communities in a socially and culturally sensitive way or are rooted within those communities
- Have knowledge of the energy transition and how it manifests at the local level
- Have or can develop community-based knowledge to inform the identification of the locality
- Are invested in enabling community ownership of energy transitions solutions
Priorities at this stage
- Working with the initiators to tailor the process based on local priorities
- Upon gaining funding, supporting the identification of an appropriate neighbourhood/neighbourhoods and progressing recruitment and stakeholder engagement
Other local stakeholders
Many of the stakeholders it may be useful to engage with are also recommended as part of the Local Area Energy Planning social process.
Examples
- Anchor institutions
- Local businesses
- Members of other local public sector partnerships or anchor networks
- Regional bodies such as transport authorities (e.g. Transport for Greater Manchester)
Characteristics
- Have a significant influence over local land and property (e.g. housing associations).
- Can provide expertise on local plans relating to the energy transition
- Are willing to work with the community to make change happen
- Care about the place and want to support improvements where possible
Priorities at this stage
- Demonstrating commitment to engaging with the process and taking action based on community feedback
- Contributing funding where possible based on the co-benefits of energy transition (improved health, addressing social inequality etc)
