Members of the Task Group identified Green Living Chorley community group as one of the key groups they wished to speak with during the inquiry.
Representatives of the group, Rachelle Bell and Emma Kilburn will be attending the meeting.
Minutes:
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and introduced Rachelle Bell and Emma Kilburn, representatives from the Green Living Chorley Community Group.
Members of the Task Group were provided with background information on the Green Living Chorley Community Group. The group met once a month to discuss different ways in which residents can make greener lifestyle choices. 30-40 people from various age groups and backgrounds attended these meetings each month. The group also had an online Membership of over 800 people on their Facebook Group. Representatives recognised how council endorsement could help expand the group further.
1. Reducing landfill
2. Lack of education on recycling
3. Need for responsible housing
With regards to reducing landfill, Rachelle Bell informed the Task Group of the Surfers Against Sewage campaign to help certify plastic free towns. In order to achieve this, Green Living Chorley would need to get the local council involved, get 3 schools on board and 12 businesses to make 3 single-use swaps. Plastic free posters would be displayed is business premises/windows, and an award would be given to the business that made the most changes.
Further suggestions to reduce landfill from Green Living Chorley included:
· Recycling/compost bins around the town centre; Members advised that this had been trialed previously but was unsuccessful due to cross contamination. It was proposed by Members that the Council consider re-introducing them. Advertising space could also be provided on bins to help income generation.
· Food waste collection; officers advised that the council used to collect food waste from residents until 2015. It was agreed that the Task Group write to LCC to confirm why there were no longer food collections and to encourage that this be reconsidered.
· Cloth nappy incentive e.g. some councils were providing vouchers to buy to encourage greener nappy alternatives.
· Greater choice to buy green; Green Living Chorley had looked into opening a community plastic free shop selling unpackaged, locally sourced food however, advised on barriers such as rents and business rates. It was agreed that the council could look to progressing this.
· Use of allotments; including those at Primrose Gardens and link with Chorley in Bloom.
The second main concern was the lack of education on recycling. Following discussion both Green Living Chorley representatives and Members of the Task Group agreed on the importance of more education on recycling, especially following the changes to recycling implemented on 1 October. It was agreed that the current recycling guidance was not clear enough, and therefore the Task Group would write to the Executive Member responsible and to LCC to ensure that greater clarity be provided on recycling, advising further on what can be recycled and how.
The final main concern was responsible housing and the need for a strict green build criteria, such as electric charging points to be included in each new build development. Community housing incentives such as shared gardens were also suggested. Members advised of government guidelines that provided some restrictions to Chorley Council, however climate change would be considered in the new Central Lancashire Local Plan which was currently out for public consultation.
Green Living Chorley members also raised concerns with regards to Transport, however recognised the restrictions Chorley Council faced in regards to this. It was agreed that further work would be undertaken to look at improving transport.
The Chair thanked Rachelle Bell, Emma Kilburn and Chorley Green Living for their contribution to the inquiry.