Consultation, like charity, begins at home
Pendle – a case study on the power of
collaborative working within the Council
Perhaps the most fundamental skill for the practitioner of sustainable
development is the ability to work collaboratively with and through others.
Consultation, participation, community engagement, and so on, are essential
tools for dealing with the complexity, and conflicting or contradictory priorities, of
sustainable development. The value of working collaboratively with those outside
the organisation through community engagement and partnership is well
recognised. Less well understood is the power of effective collaboration within
the organisation.
There is limited value in ‘community consultation’ if we do not work
collaboratively within the organisation. The authority needs to embed the ends in
the means. This requires genuine dialogue to find joined up solutions to the real
complexities that face local authorities in dealing with the many demands on
them. After all if the organisation itself does not join-up its thinking, planning
and actions there is little hope that it can help others do this externally.
The following case study, based on the preparation of the Sustainability Action
Plan (SAP) in Pendle Borough Council, suggests that a collaborative approach to
sustainable development in local government is an effective way of
mainstreaming sustainability throughout the organisation and of delivering real
change in the way that sustainability is viewed.
Whilst this all sounds like common sense; it seems that is not always common
practice. So if you have recently received an email document for ‘consultation’
from colleagues, with a lengthy draft attached and an impossibly tight deadline,
then please read on.
Pendle – a case study in the power of collaborative working within the
authority
Four years ago sustainability was a marginal activity at Pendle, driven by the
environmental co-coordinator who often felt isolated and struggled to get
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sustainability on the agenda of most of the Service Managers in the authority.
Similarly, the Service Managers saw sustainability as yet another initiative,
unrelated to their core business of delivering services to the people of Pendle. It
was apparent that another approach was needed if sustainability was to become
a mainstream part of the culture and operations of the Council.
Over the past three years, Pendle has made extensive efforts to work internally
to embed sustainable development within the Council. The process of change
began with careful consideration of the purpose of the SAP. It was felt that
there was ‘no quick fix’ and that the SAP should work to a three-year
programme, moving from ‘awareness raising’ to a management-system based
approach to SD. The work has focused on six main areas, as listed below.
1. Secure and communicate commitment from senior officers and
members. The consistent support of the Chief Executive and senior
politicians has been critical in ensuring the momentum of the SAP has
been maintained. In essence, Pendle has been working to shift the
culture of the organisation and the declaration by the leadership of the
organisation of sustainability as ‘the new game’ is a key element of this
change. The understanding of sustainable development has been
strengthened through innovative training programmes and visits to other
authorities with a track record of good practice.
2. A series of collaborative workshops for all directors and senior
managers creating authentic dialogue. The top team has participated
in a series of externally facilitated workshops and discussions. A key
feature of these workshops was to “start where people are”. Many of the
Service Managers were at best luke-warm on sustainability when we
started. They had many more pressing priorities. The process we went
through did not try to convince them of the value of sustainability but
rather started with their aspirations and a discussion of the real problems
they faced. Only then did we begin to introduce some ideas around
sustainability with the question “let’s see if this would be useful for the
problems you have” The use of an independent facilitator encouraged
open dialogue within the group. The key breakthrough in the first
workshop came when managers started to discuss some of the real
complexities and challenges they faced in an open and authentic manner.
This led to recognition of the value of sustainability in helping them
understand that complexity and an acknowledgment of the need to work
in a more joined-up or collaborative way. The events have been designed
to increase understanding of sustainable development but also to identify
barriers to its implementation in the Council.
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3. A commitment to ‘inclusive action planning’. Again, the process
does not try to sell specific ideas or projects to individual service
managers. In contrast to the “I’ve had a great idea for something you
could do” approach managers are encouraged to work collaboratively to
clarify specific actions in each Service Area that the managers in that area
can commit to. This process asks them “given what you are trying to
achieve and the interconnectedness with other services and issues is there
anything else you could or should be doing to make what we are doing
more sustainable?” Again this has highlighted previously unseen
opportunities to work together across service areas.
4. Provide direct support to Service Managers to deepen
commitment and action in all Service Areas. The Policy Officer has
conducted one-to-one interviews with all Service Managers before and
following the facilitated workshops. These interviews have allowed
officers to express concerns and to clarify possible contributions to the
SAP. This approach has ensured everyone feels able to play a part in the
workshops and more significantly has transformed the role of the
Sustainable Development Policy Officer into that of coach and guide,
supporting the Service Managers in making their plans more joined up and
sustainable, rather than a sustainability “cheerleader” or dogs body.
5. Enrol and support a network of committed individuals at all
levels of the organisation. 'Green champions' have been nominated for
each Service Area providing a network of committed individuals across the
Services, whose task is to motivate staff into changing life styles.
Reducing, reusing and recycling paper; recycling cans and plastic bottles;
turning lights and computers off when they are not in use; cycling and
walking to work and using fairly traded food and drink products. Some
green champions also take responsibility for ensuring work is maintained
on the actions in the Plans.
6. Strengthening the processes of review and evaluation. The
Sustainability Action Plan that is adopted annually by the Council. Results
are monitored on a six-monthly basis and an annual review is held with
Service Mangers. Again this review event is externally facilitated and is
designed to ensure that all Service Managers can explore the barriers to
sustainable development in the Council, can air their personal concerns
and can clarify specific actions for the year ahead.
This process has delivered a number of key benefits.
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The Sustainability Policy Officer has become a valuable internal consultant
to the management team rather than being seen as someone with an axe
to grind.
Service managers are more directly involved in developing and delivering
the sustainability action plan
The Sustainability Action Plan is a much more robust, comprehensive and
lively document than it would be if produced by the “sustainability
practitioners” alone.
Although the Sustainability Action Plan is not, as yet, an ‘all singing and
dancing’ super strategy it does line up the ambitions, commitment and
resources of the Service Managers involved.
The process is delivering real and lasting change to the way things are
planned and the way things get done in Pendle.
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