Environment Capital Partnership
Terms of Reference
1. Mission
To deliver the third priority within the Community Strategy, transforming Peterborough into the Environment Capital
2. Purpose
To ensure strategic commitment and joint working to achieve the mission
3. Aims
- To monitor the Environment Capital Manifesto’s on‐going implementation
- To support development of the Environment Capital
- To ensure the environment agenda is positively embraced with the working of all GPP working groups
- To stimulate new partnerships and more effective joined‐up working to achieve creative action on the environment theme
- To support the co‐ordination of Peterborough’s environmental events and activities
4. Principles
In pursuing these activities, the Environment Capital Partnership will, at all times, be guided by the following principles:
EQUALITY ‐ addressing the needs of all sectors of society and seeking outcomes that promote genuine equality of opportunity for all.
SUSTAINABILITY ‐ ensuring that all aspects of Greater Peterborough’s transformation are considered holistically and in line with the overall ‘quality of life’ objective
COHESION ‐ ensuring that the people and communities of our region have, without exception, a sense of ownership of and engagement with the transformation process
OUTCOMES ‐ ensuring that the Board’s agenda and decision making focus on adding value and tangible progress towards the vision
5. Objectives and Performance Management
The work of the Environment Capital Partnership will be determined by the priorities set out in the Community Strategy, Local Area Agreement and Local Public Service Agreement and the Environment Capital Manifesto. The Environment Capital
Partnership will ensure it works to achieve priorities that cross cut the Community Strategy. As such we will contribute to the other priorities in the Community Strategy:
- Creating Opportunities, Tackling Inequalities
- Creating strong and cohesive communities
- Delivering growth
This work will concentrate upon providing a strategic lead to ensure that these objectives are achieved successfully through partnership working and the appropriate allocation of resources through a clear performance management framework.
6. Partnership Structure
The Environment Capital Partnership is established as an integrated Partnership Board which integrates the functions of a range of Environment related groups, organisations and companies operating within the Greater Peterborough Area.
The Environment Capital Partnership may receive reports from, and may submit recommendations or advice to, any of its participant organisations.
The Board’s partners each retain their own executive authority, but the Board provides a forum through which partners may agree shared aims and priorities to which the participant organisation’s resources can be directed.
The Environment Capital Partnership will elect their own Chairman and Vice Chairman on an annual basis; neither may serve for more than three years. The Chairman will sit on the Greater Peterborough Partnership (GPP) Board and the Greater Peterborough Partnership Executive Group. The Chairman and or Vice Chairman will be responsible for presenting the Environment Capital Partnership’s performance management report to the GPP Board on a quarterly basis. This report will include progress towards the Partnership’s break through goals and objectives within the Community Strategy, highlighting any strategic obstacles to delivery, the latest status of projects and the dependencies with other GPP partnerships for the successful achievement of these outcomes.
The Partnership will manage the delivery of its work programme in conjunction with the following groups:
- Rural Working Group – designed to increase participation of rural communities in the development ofPeterborough. An important aspect of the work the RWG is undertaking concerns the environment. ECSG should be aware of this on‐going work. Any alignment of projects would benefit both parties.
- Natural Networks Partnership – recent amalgamation of the Peterborough Natural Environment Specialist Working Group and the Green Grid Partnership has resulted in the NNP. The NNP will be focusing on the delivery of a sustainable green infrastructure for the city. As such input to the ECSG will be invaluable.
- Environment Cluster Project Group – representative of project work undertaken by the environment cluster of businesses in Peterborough. Opportunity Peterborough guides this group. It is important the ECSG is aware of these projects.
- Short Term Working Groups – Representative of any relevant environment events or projects. The lead officer will be requested to sit on the ECSG. If there are no appropriate projects then this position will be left vacant.
- Transport Group –To look at all aspects of transport in Peterborough and form working groups to meet aspects of the Community Strategy. To be responsible for outcome four of the Environment Capital Manifesto.
Each of these associated groups has its own Terms of Reference and works to a clear action plan. The Partnership has delegated the responsibility for the delivery of the Strategies highlighted to these groups.
Therefore, these associated groups are responsible for the achievement of the relevant local, regional and national targets and objectives and will provide a strategic performance report to the Partnership. This report will outline any recommendations from the groups about areas of under performance and any additional resources required to deliver targets/priorities, which cannot be addressed within the membership of the associated group. An end of year summary will also be presented to the Partnership in January each year highlighting the key performance areas and strategic actions undertaken by the Boards. To ensure that this strategic performance management framework operates effectively, the Chairman of each associated group will be full members of the Partnership.
7. Membership
One representative:
- Natural Networks Partnership
- Rural Working Group
- Short Term Working Groups
- Environment Cluster Project Group
- Transport Group
Automatic membership:
- UKCEED
- Peterborough City Council
- Legal representative – Peterborough City Council
- Environment Agency
- Natural England
- Centre for Sustainable Engineering
- Cross Keys Homes
- Savills
- Frenbury Properties
- Peterborough Environment City Trust
- Greater Peterborough Partnership
- Opportunity Peterborough
- Wildlife Trusts
- Two private sector representatives
- O&H Hampton
- Two VCS representatives
- Youth Council
- Peterborough Evening Telegraph
- Cabinet Member for environment + one other non‐executive councillor
8. Nature and frequency of partnership meetings
The Partnership will meet quarterly.
The quorum for the Partnership will be 5 members.
9. Administration
Peterborough City Council has the duty to ensure that the Environment Capital Partnership is established and maintained. (The City Council’s Democratic Services Section) or (The GPP Secretariat) will provide administrative support to the working of the Partnership. Agendas and supporting documents will be issued at least one working week before the meeting and no late reports will be permitted. Minutes will be produced and circulated within ten working days of the meeting. The minutes will be public documents and will be posted on the GPP’s website.
10. Accountability
The Partnership is also accountable to the people of Greater Peterborough. It will at all times seek to ensure that it is representative of and understands the priorities of the area and its people and is responding to their views and interests in relation to the development of the Environment Capital initiative. Each participant Partnership member remains accountable to his or her parent organisation. All meetings of the Environment Capital Partnership will be open to members of the public. The Partnership will report on an annual basis to the people of Greater Peterborough, Peterborough, both through an annual public meeting (GPP Forum) and through a written review of progress against objectives.