Councils 'should be rewarded' for sustainable actions
Local authorities across the UK should be rewarded for promoting sustainable growth, according to a leading regional council body.
Government proposals to change the planning system should be amended to offer greater benefits for councils that aim to promote sustainable development, argued the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU).
In a statement, the LGIU claimed that the changes suggested by the government as part of its Planning Policy Statement Four do not go far enough in terms of integrating economic development with sustainability.
Doctor Andy Johnson, head of the LGIU's Centre for Local Sustainability, said: "Government should use legislation to reward the local authorities that perform well on the environment and help to unleash the power of enterprise to achieve sustainable development.
"Local authorities can achieve a win/win by attracting the new industries that will thrive in a low carbon future," he added.
A survey carried out by ComRes on behalf of the LGIU revealed that more than eight out of ten councillors think their authority should be assessed on its environmental performance, with 92 per cent of those believing they should be rewarded for achieving a high level of sustainability.
Article Date: 02 January 2008
News Archive
To view articles in our archive please click here.
