Evaluation of the patnership council in nottingham - Essay Example

Evaluation of the partnership council in Nottingham The Partnership Council is a community assistance group that was formed withthe intention of supporting local people and getting them involved in improving the contemporary Nottingham community expressly in the NG 7 area. The organization has empowered residents to use volunteering, community development, and lobbying to improve the area by getting more people involved in policymaking.Through the NEST (Nottingham Energy Saving Training) project, the "partnership council" has been able to reduce environmental pollution significantly around Nottingham.

It has physically promoted use of environmentally friendly energy and increased the opportunities for local residents to save on energy. The energy squad is on the progress of the Eco house that has been built with expensive technology funded by "partnership council" is demonstrating and teaching cost-effective, environmental DIY (do-it-yourself) (Joaana, 2014; pg. 23). The council offers training on how to save on water metered bills and energy with the aim of reducing household costs and fuel bills in a collective environmental change towards the British Government’s plan of reducing fuel misuse and carbon emission by 80% by 2050.

Additionally, using permaculture techniques, the council has enabled people to grow food in small-recycled containers. The use of the containers help in averting environmental degradation, and the food has significantly improved food security in the GN 7 area. Green grants offered by volunteers have ominously assisted inhabitants of GN 7 to increase their food productivity while contributing to the greater objective of conserving the environment especially the depleted neighborhoods. The council also exists to identify and recognize exclusive programs of brilliance and inspire the replication of model programs that help in fuel saving and/or increase in food production throughout the NG 7 region (Joaana, 2014; pg. 34). It has magnificently used its meager funds, mostly from donations, to support such programs and ensure that the society outstandingly reap from the healthy projects.

It has fostered creativity in services that support a ‘livable community.’Moreover, the council has also participated actively in identifying the shifting needs and preferences of the population. It maintains a good relationship with the residents to identify their worries and hopes and turn the hopes and/or anticipations into veracities. Through initiation of several programs that increase food productivity, the council has made significant changes in the NG 7 area and is maneuvering on improving food production in the area to an apt level, and ensure that all residents can access safe and adequate food (Joaana, 2014; pg. 12). It has also initiated a children’s program, 2004, in which children are given an inordinate opportunity to identify problems and propose solutions as far as food and fuel are concerned.

Through the program, children have had a chance to put a stamp on the local community, and improve the social and economic wellbeing of the society. The healthy school meals that are offered by the council has considerably enriched school life; More children have enrolled to schools.The council understands the importance of a vigorous community in the entire sustainable development process. It is for this fact that the council participates in feeding over 2500 people annually and assisting more others to save on fuel or use friendly fuels (Joaana, 2014; pg. 18). Its various projects that recycle wastes to fuel have significantly helped in cleaning the environment and increase fuel availability and affordability.

However, rampant cases of food poisoning and inadequate funds have been great challenges the council endeavors to ensure people in the GN 7 access healthy fuels and sufficient food.In Nottingham city, there is the Fuel Poverty Scrutiny Review Panel that is entrusted with the obligation of addressing fuel poverty and consequential deleterious outcomes in view of the prevailing recession. It works closely with the council to maximize opportunities in exterminating fuel poverty. While Nottingham strives to attain the national target of eradicating fuel poverty, the various actions being taken are apparently not working.

According to Nottingham City Council, the fuel poverty position of a domiciliary is determined by the interaction of fuel prices paid, income, and energy proficiency. Any household that devotes more than 10% of its earnings on fuel in order to uphold a suitable level of warmth is said to be fuel poor. The fuel costs also include spending on cooking costs, lights, appliance usage, and heating water (Nottingham City Council, 2012; 09). Government departments with the responsibility of handling fuel poverty use this definition to quantify the extent of the problem and improve the urgency and need of the problem to be addressed.

The energy adeptness of households is measured using the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) to determine the efficiency of a household. Households with a rating of less than 35 are perceived to have squat energy efficiency while those that are above 65 are perceived to be highly efficient (Koehler et al., 2012; 117). The rating also assesses the amount of CO2 produced by a household to ascertain the overall effect of using environmentally harmful fuels on climate change. Additionally, the council has provided energy surgeries in the city with an aim of boosting the fuel status of the region and improve the economic and social prosperity of the region.

The council also provides social benefits that are meant to improve the food situation in the NG 7 area. Recent research indicates that 94% of people who benefit from the council spend their benefit on food (Koehler et al., 2012; 128). Being an essential need for human survival, the food situation in the region has apparently been low and the efforts implemented to curb the food poverty have proven to be inefficient. Many households are still striving to obtain food a factor that spells doom for the region and possibly tougher economic times ahead.

In collaboration with the food bank of Nottingham, the council is striving to attain food security and improve the overall community heath (Koehler et al., 2012; 158). The definition of fuel poor household and fuel efficiency held by the Nottingham council is apparently ambiguous. It does not provide clear guidelines of assessing both of the two concepts and leaves uncertainty over the overall fuel security in NG 7. Moreover, despite the council’s effort to attain human security in fuel and food, its efforts and techniques used do not match the global challenge.

The council seems not be fully devoted to attainment of human security a task that it has been obligated to perform. ReferencesJoaana B. (2014). ISSUU - Food for thought by Groundwork Greater Nottingham. Retrieved May 30, 2014, from http://issuu.com/grndgrtrntts/docs/food_for_thoughtKoehler, G., Gasper, D. R., Jolly, R., & M, S. (2012). Human security and the next generation of comprehensive development goals. International Feminist Journal of Politics. Nottingham City Council. (2012).

Report of the Nottingham City Council Fuel Poverty Scrutiny Review Panel. Nottingham University Press.