The event developed to look at ways of maximising the economic development benefits of climate change legislation and responses throughout Cumbria. 

Some of the topics covered included:

• Improving the energy performance of buildings.
• Developing renewable supply chains.
• promoting "Green Tourism" .

The workshops provided an opportunity for partners to contribute to the discussion on the priorities for action and to look at ways of becoming involved in the implementation of individual projects and to:

• Review the results of the project to define the Economic Implications of Climate Change Legislation for Cumbria
• Obtain feedback on the priority interventions identified
• Discuss and agree how the resulting projects should be implemented

Over 60 people attended the event and provided invaluable feedback which the project team will use to influence and build upon priority actions.

The presentations shown at the event can be found below:

• Cumbria Tourism and the Green Agenda
• Use of Wood as a Fuel
• Environmental Buisness Support
• Sustainable Energy Supply Chain
• R&D and Innovation
• The Economic Implications of Climate Change Legislation for Cumbria

A development programme for local strategic partnerships in the North West

The Centre for Local Government are now recruiting to the nationally developed department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) development programme for local strategic partnerships' performance management and improvement.  They are looking to recruit a further 12 LSPs to take part in two further cohorts of this programme during 2008/09.

The programme aims to develop an LSP change team with shared experiences and knowledge to drive improvement across their own local LSP.  The CLG recommend a team of up to six people drawn from across the LSP attend the programme, with other LSP key players involved at key points during the programme.  The programme gives this team an opportunity to work on live issues (including MAAs and LAAs), with the benefit of dedicated time for reflection and access to good practice from other participants, speakers and facilitators.  The team works alongside five other LSP teams and they are able to share emerging good practice in real time.  Key programme elements include:

• Rigorous and ongoing self-assessment
• A facilitated agenda-setting workshop ('Performance Pact')
• Three two-day workshops over a six month period
• Managed inter-event development activities
• Integration with the regional community of interest for LSPs.

The programme is delivered by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Solace Enterprises as part of the national capacity building programme.

The price to an individual LSP is £8,500 excluding VAT.

Please note that there will be additional venue and travel costs for participating LSPs, although the CLG is looking to minimise these costs through the use of in-house venues and facilities wherever possible.

please contact John Tench at cflg@manchester.ac.uk for further details.