A citizens' assembly brings together a randomly selected group of people who broadly represent the entire community. The people who attend learn about issues, discuss them with one another, and then make recommendations about what should happen and how things should change.
Herefordshire Citizens' Climate Assembly
In January 2022, the Herefordshire Citizens' Climate Assembly was held to discuss:
'How should Herefordshire meet the challenges of climate change?'
The assembly heard from expert speakers, discussed the issues involved and decided what steps should be taken. Recommendations were developed within the themes of buildings; transport; and food, farming and land-use. These are being used to influence council policy and spending priorities to help Herefordshire become a zero-carbon, nature-rich county by 2030.
Illustrations by Sandra Howgate
More about the Citizens' Climate Assembly
Participants were chosen from 14,400 households invited to register their interest. From those, 48 people were selected by an independent organisation called The Sortition Foundation, who made sure the final group represented the diversity of Herefordshire's population. A full report on the selection process is available on the Sortition Foundation website.
You can watch the recordings of the sessions.
In total, 35 recommendations were developed within the themes of buildings; transport; and food, farming and land-use. Individual assembly members then voted on the recommendations to form a priority ranking.
Herefordshire Citizens' Climate Assembly privacy notice
Projects
To address the priorities identified by Assembly members, there are currently 10 projects underway or completed.
1. Active travel - walking
To promote and support increased walking activities.
- Walk to School support is provided by Stride Active who have delivered assemblies, workshops and Walk to School week packs to Herefordshire schools.
- Free led Nordic walking courses have been delivered across the market towns and continue to be delivered in Hereford city.
2. Development of decarbonisation plan for all corporate buildings
Fourteen corporate buildings now have a heat decarbonisation plan.
3. Home energy efficiency audits and grants to support residents unable to access means tested support (Home Energy Savers)
UK Shared Prosperity Fund is being utilised to provide the revenue funding for this project including operation and surveys, while the reserve is used to provide grants to homeowners who install efficiency measures in their homes. There is currently a pipeline of 92 homeowners moving through the scheme. The scheme can provide surveys for up to 250 households.
4. Greener Footprints Conference
Three business events focused on carbon reduction have been organised with a total of over 250 attendees.
A new part-time Greener Footprints Projects and Promotions Officer started in May 2023 and is contracted until May 2025 to support this work, including development of the zerocarbon.herefordshire.gov.uk website.
5. School travel plan support
A Travel Plan Officer on a fixed term contract until 2026 started in November 2023 to support schools in the implementation of their travel plans and climate action plans.
6. Farm carbon audits
Farm carbon assessments have been produced for 46 farms with follow up audits scheduled in 2026. Workshops to support these farmers are ongoing.
7. Renewables survey
A study to create a live and dynamic map of renewable energy potential across Herefordshire has been completed. The map will go live on this website in autumn 2024.
8. Business energy audits (30 for 2030)
Offer closed end January 2024 with the Marches Energy Grant (MEG) now providing decarbonisation reviews. 41 business energy audits were completed out of funding for an initial 60.
9. Adaptation - updating the Local Climate Impacts Profile (LCIP) for Herefordshire
We have a new climate change adaptation plan, which includes a climate change risk assessment summarising the risks and opportunities that climate change presents in Herefordshire.
10. Supporting the development of the retrofit supply chain through PAS 2035 skills training
A retrofit strategy is complete and supported the bid for external grant funding. The current programmes of retrofit include Home Energy Savers and Home Upgrade Grant 2.