The consultation phase was the final part of the development process for Bracknell Forest’s new climate change strategy. It was designed to make sure that the strategy is of the highest possible quality and reflects the views and needs of residents, local organisations and staff.
The consultation ran from 11 December 2024 to 26 January 2025.
Consultation activities
The tables below show how residents and staff were consulted, and how many responded through each channel:
Responses from residents and local organisations
| Response channel | Number |
|---|---|
| Online survey | 70 responses |
| 5 responses | |
| Online event | 12 attendees |
| Social media | 20 responses |
Those unable to complete the survey online could complete a hard copy in writing at libraries. One hard copy response was received.
Responses from staff
| Response channel | Number |
|---|---|
| Online survey | 6 responses |
| Email and conversation | 2 responses |
| Hybrid event | 34 attendees |
| Session at disability and neurodiversity forum | Unknown |
In order to promote the consultation, we undertook the following activities:
For residents and organisations (external):
- social media advertising, including several posts on Facebook
- press release
- emails to residents on our mailing list
- emails to organisations on our mailing list and Joint Climate Action Board (JCAB) members, asking both for responses and for them to promote the consultation
- information stands run by councillors, including 2 sessions in the town centre and one at a wider council event
- posters in libraries and other venues across the borough
For staff (internal):
- Viva Engage (internal social media) posts
- mention of the consultation in an all staff email
- intranet blog post
- direct emails to staff who have joined the Officer Climate Network
Summary of responses
The majority of responses to both the external and internal consultations were positive. The chart below shows the breakdown of the responses to the online survey (including other written responses):
Those in the “not supportive - disagree with approach” categories had a range of objections to the strategy but weren’t opposed to climate action in general. We addressed many of these through changes to the strategy.
In addition to the written responses, 20 people commented on social media posts advertising the consultation. Half of these suggested that climate change is not happening or that the strategy is unnecessary, with the majority of the rest expressing disagreement on other grounds.
Key themes
The following sections show key themes, and the number of responses which included them, from the responses to the public and staff consultations. They cover survey responses, other written responses, Facebook comments and the staff event.
External consultation
Positive feedback
| Summary of comment | Number |
|---|---|
| The strategy is clear and easy to understand | 49 |
| The aims of the strategy are good | 47 |
| The strategy is fair and inclusive | 21 |
| The just transition principle is particularly important | 9 |
| The principles are good | 9 |
| The strategy is rightly ambitious | 6 |
| The strategy is realistic and practical | 5 |
| The role of the council is appropriate | 5 |
| The strategy is comprehensive | 4 |
Constructive and negative feedback
Comment: The strategy is unnecessary because climate change isn't happening or isn’t a priority (22 responses)
Response: There is clear scientific evidence for the existence of climate change as well as the impacts it will have in Bracknell Forest and around the world; this a key priority for the council.
Comment: More detail is needed on actions, for example, costs, impacts, timelines (16 responses)
Response: This detail is reflected in the delivery plan but will need to evolve over time as circumstances change so an action plan will be created annually.
Comment: The strategy should have more on community engagement or co-production (15 responses)
Response: We will restructure and add to the strategy to reflect this point.
Comment: Local housebuilding and its impacts conflict with the aims of the strategy (12 responses)
Response: The council has to follow national rules on planning and housebuilding, and climate aims need to be balanced against other demands. The council is focused on achieving high-quality development on brownfield sites wherever possible.
Comment: The strategy is unachievable or too idealistic (10 responses)
Response: The council recognises that the strategy is ambitious and that considerable barriers exist to climate action, but believes that as a local leader it needs to make a serious effort to tackle this pressing issue and work with others to overcome these barriers.
Comment: The strategy should include more on climate impacts and the benefits of action (10 responses)
Response: The strategy does discuss these in detail, but we will focus on these further in future communications and materials tailored to the intended audience.
Comment: The strategy is not ambitious enough or more drastic actions are needed (10 responses)
Response: The council faces significant barriers to climate action, including limited capacity for extra spending and lack of control over most local emissions sources, which make it hard to set even more ambitious targets. We will do all we can to accelerate progress going forward.
Comment: The cost of net zero is a barrier for residents and organisations. More support is needed (8 responses)
Response: The council is aware that many climate actions may have an upfront (or overall) cost and will do all we can to support residents and local organisations with these within our own budgetary constraints, including supporting them to find alternative funding routes.
Comment: The strategy should not restrict freedom of choice or is overreaching (6 responses)
Response: The council has no intention of controlling the activities of residents. This strategy sets out our plans to engage with residents openly on the benefits and drawbacks of different choices, to create incentives where appropriate and to make sure council rules and charges reflect the impacts of activities, but residents will remain able to choose their own lifestyle and habits.
Comment: More needs to be done to support electric vehicles, public transport and or active travel (6 responses)
Response: The council has a range of plans in this area, including in the strategy and the Local Transport Plan. We will continue to develop these and to engage with residents.
Comment: The strategy will place an unfair burden on Council Tax payers (5 responses)
Response: The vast majority of council spending is and will be on services it must deliver by law, so the impact of climate change activities will be very marginal. We will look to supplement the limited internal spending on climate change with external funding wherever possible.
Comment: The strategy should not restrict travel or support electric vehicle uptake (5 responses)
Response: The council will not stop residents getting around, but will investigate changes it can make to the local transport system to improve safety and incentivise sustainable modes. Electric vehicles reduce overall emissions and our approach is aligned with national government.
Comment: The council should work closely with other local authorities (5 responses)
Response: The council works with neighbouring authorities and the wider sector on climate action and will intensify this going forward as set out in the strategy.
Comment: The strategy should say more about investment in renewables (5 responses)
Response: Investment in renewables is a key priority for the council. We have already undertaken ambitious schemes such as Solar Together and will look to bring more forward.
Comment: The strategy should set clearer or fewer priorities or more specific targets (4 responses)
Response: Climate change links to a wide range of areas and our research and engagement has identified good reasons to include all areas listed in the strategy. We will prioritise actions based on maximising impact and emissions reductions as well as tackling different areas. We will work to develop detailed roadmaps and targets in the early phases of the strategy.
Comment: The strategy should have good governance and public updates (3 responses)
Response: A robust governance process will be put in place and regular updates will be published to outline our activities, spending, plans and progress.
Comment: The strategy should have more on adaptation (3 responses)
Response: The strategy has a robust adaptation section, but we recognise that more detail is needed which will be provided by climate risk assessments for the council and the borough.
Comment: The council should put in place higher standards for new development (3 responses)
Response: As set out in the strategy, the council will issue guidance for developers and will look to make this mandatory, pending changes to planning rules.
Comment: The strategy needs more on engagement with and support for disadvantaged groups (3 responses)
Response: The council recognises the importance of this and will amend the strategy.
Staff consultation
Positive feedback
Positive feedback included that the:
- strategy is clear
- strategy recognises the council’s important role in leading, enabling and supporting wider action as well as reducing its own emissions
- principles and aims are largely clear and appropriate
- aims of the strategy reflect the council plan
- strategy aims to be fair and inclusive
- strategy’s timescale is ambitious
- strategy creates opportunities to tie in with upcoming work such as the Community Strategy and successfully maximises co-benefits
Constructive feedback
Comment: Staff will need funding, training and support to be able to contribute to strategy delivery.
Response: This point is appreciated and the council will support staff across the council through activities linked to Enabler 1 (organisational capacity and skills).
Comment: The strategy, and the actions it promotes for residents, may not be realistic.
Response: The council believes it has created an ambitious but realistic strategy and will continue to review targets going forward. Engagement with residents will be tailored to reflect their differing situations and means.
Comment: Care will need to be taken during implementation to make sure of inclusivity.
Response: This is noted and understood. The council will make sure that inclusivity runs through its activities in line with principle 1 (making sure the journey to net zero is fair to everyone) and that this is kept under constant review.
Comment: Delivery will need to be supported by consistent communication.
Response: This is noted and the council will aim to deliver a consistent communications programme in line with the delivery plan.
Comment: A clear plan with well-defined targets is needed; the strategy should do more to identify specific priorities.
Response: All aims of the strategy have been identified as important through research and engagement. The delivery plan sets out further activities that will be conducted to improve our plans and target-setting over time.
Comment: “Small changes” that individuals can make in their everyday life might not be easy or possible for everyone, such as for individuals with physical disabilities, but the language used around these may imply everyone can do them.
Response: This point is noted and understood. We will be mindful of the language we use going forward.
Comment: The strategy uses language that is not very accessible for those with learning disabilities.
Response: We will continue to develop comms, including some explaining the strategy, in a wide range of formats and tailored to different audiences including those with learning disabilities.
All public responses
You can download all the public responses below.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| 52 KB |
Changes to the strategy after consultation
Following the consultation, we will be changing the strategy by:
- restructuring content in the various aims and enablers to raise the profile of community engagement, with the new structure being as follows:
- Aim 1: Reduce net council emissions to zero as close to 2030 as possible
- Aim 2: Support the reduction of borough net emissions to zero as close to 2030 as possible
- Aim 3: Engage and empower residents and communities to take climate action
- Aim 4: Prepare for the impacts of climate change
- Aim 5: Support the expansion of the green economy
- Enabler 1: Organisational capacity and skills
- Enabler 2: Funding
- Enabler 3: Partnerships
- Enabler 4: Research and data
- adding an “embedding the principles” section under each aim to set out relevant considerations, especially around making sure of a just transition and co-benefits
- streamlining the actions mentioned in the strategy itself to reflect those which are of the highest priority
- listing under each enabler the key principles it will support
- making the governance section more specific and robust
- realigning the period covered by the strategy to 2025 to 2030
- making a range of other minor changes to reflect specific comments, such as highlighting the Local Plan and the Eco Rewards scheme