What can we take forward?

This responds to the need for policy and engagement to be more holistic and consider the issues that affect people regularly

There is a need to bring the gap between councils and households together. Fostering trust, kindness and solidarity is key.

We need to be less afraid of failing in the way we try to tackle net zero.

Participants highlighted the need for more simple information being disseminated to the communities with less technical dialogue.

This responds to the need for ease of entry points for communities to engage with activities that they want to lead or be involved in.

Local authorities need to prove they are committed to supporting communities. This can be through long term funding and incentives, legislation that supports communities which would also allow job opportunities within the communities.

7. A distinction between what should be

There is a need for clarity around what should be community led and what should be community owned. This needs to be explored further between communities and the council.

Participants highlighted a great need for all engagements with communities to be fun and enjoyable. The process needs to be rewarding on a personal and collective basis.

We need to recognise variance in the community and the capacity for self organisation that ranges in wealth, class education, density, transience, language, ability etc

There needs to be realistic timescales for change, recognising that actions could be short, medium or long term.

Whilst the above principles were ones that crossed over scales, there were many other suggestions within the groups such as clarity on the relationship between owners and non owners, a greater need to understand equity, creating space and time for people to think and respond individually, an agreed definition of net zero by council and communities, learning from best practices of other cities.