On Saturday 7th November various representatives of all the Transition groups through Taunton Deane and the ‘green champions’ in Taunton Deane Borough Council got together for a workshop on what we need to do to reduce our carbon emissions and find alternatives to oil. The workshops were based around themed discussions on housing, awareness raising, local food production, reduction of waste, ‘greening’ the schools, public transport, promoting local economy, and energy production.

Housing

A proposal was made that TDBC leads the way on greening private housing stock, by introducing a one stop shop for advice. This will be taken forward and developed. Other ideas floated were a Council supported community self-build, that TDBC planners visit the 1st class sustainable and socially cohesive developments, revisiting housing standards so that new builds are fit for purpose, and more mixed development.

Awareness Raising and Communication

Offer community groups specific awareness raising resources e.g. climate change/visioning workshops, energy/oil vulnerability audits, waste audits, renewable potential audits AND train people (paid/volunteers) to do the above. Actions to be taken forward was to analyse what people best respond to and encouraging a ‘green’ corner in the Gazette.

Helping Taunton to Feed Itself and Waste

TDBC to release some of their own land for food production by community volunteer groups/land schemes. These sites to be shown on a publicly accessible map. TDBC to lead by example, and then encourage private land owners to join in. The first action will be to produce a map showing land available for food production and encouraging people to use it. Also pursued was a re-think of the rules of the Wellington Basin allotments to enable the sale/distribution of surplus food. Other ideas included TDBC Park Services and Taunton In Bloom to produce edible displays, creating an abundance scheme, setting up a community supported agriculture scheme and promote, and support local farmers markets.

Making Schools Greener

Transition Town talks about peak oil and climate change will be given to schools. This is to be pursued and group has been formed. Other ideas include planting food producing trees in schools, encouraging an eco-team in every school, encouraging schools to think of renewable energy and lobbying the county council to make a budget for green school initiatives.

Making Public Transport a Real Option

It was suggested that making transport affordable was a priority. Electric car points throughout the town would be made important and would be incorporated into Project Taunton development. Other ideas suggested was car clubs, cycle network and canal/river transport.

Energy and Funding

Encourage funding of Wiveliscombe dairy/pig farm/sewage plant site to be used as a pilot for an anaerobic digester. It was suggested that if TDBC were to create a post to research available funding then the anaerobic digester would be the first priority.

Collaborative Economy

Create a new economic model that rewards delivery of the TDBC 2026 Vision “Towards a Sustainable Taunton Deane – 375 voices:1 story”, based on sustainable profits rather than being turnover driven. It was suggested that a workshop be held on green economy/economic reform to find out who is doing what and to help business and organisations to collaborate better.