Collaboration Between Local Councils and Community Groups for Green Initiatives

Local Councils and community groups are typically wary of one another. A new project that is being supported by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Local Authorities and the Research Councils’ Initiative (LARCI) with its spotlight on the Scottish region of Fife and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) aims to bring the two entities together for achieving environmental sustainability.

According to Dr Rehema White, leader of the research team, it is a common perception that local councils stand in opposition to green initiatives of community groups. However, the two entities share common goals.

Designed to work out a strategy for facilitating the two groups to work together, the project comprised of a series of seminars addressed by experts in the field of energy, food and transport. The day long seminars and various sessions that facilitated interactions between the groups provided a forum for community groups to showcase their green projects to Fife Council members who in turn spoke about their environmental initiatives such as supplying local heating from methane gas sourced from landfill. A six-point collaborative action plan was put together based on inputs from the participants. The agenda will guide local councils and community groups to work together for the common goal of sustainability.