Open Space Feedback

 

SKILL SHARING

Discussion concluded:

1. Need a "bank" of skills- include wants and offers. Skills include simple tasks that people don't always appreciate are skills that others would be interested in e.g. sewing repairs, up to more complicated skills like carpentry. Could include knowledge based skills like how to complain successfully.

2. Would be good to link with other established groups e.g. DASH, Yarner, Churches, Schools etc, for skills they already offer or who might be interested in being involved in hosting a skill share.

3. Make use of web links to advertise skills in the area, events etc

4. Produce publications on skills

5. Need coordinators.

A group of people agreed to form a group to discuss and coordinate the ideas further.

Contact: Dee Ross

 

CYCLE PATH TO EXETER

NEED:

• Carbon-free and safe transport to our local city

• For vulnerable groups and young people

• Enjoyment

• Confidence

• Health and fitness

HOW

• Petitions at Pubs

• Ride Bike Shed Crediton to Bike Shed Exeter

• Sponsor a route - Sustrans scheme + support of pubs

• Cycling for Health - Community Commissioning Groups + Upstream.

• Cycle to school together groups

• Cycle maintenance workshops

ACCIDENTS

• Debris on road + traffic.

USE

• Country lanes

• Pavements where they exist

• Local knowledge - How Sandford did it.

JOINED UP TRANSPORT

• Bikes and Bike racks on Buses

• Boris Bikes at Bus stops

• Community buses, Ring and Ride buses.

QUESTION

• Will Tiverton help / detract from Boniface Trail?

Contacts: Laura Conyngham, Sue, Elle, Kate P, Richard D, Lynne, Anita

 

FRACKING

1.  Eco-tricity is apparently the only energy company that guarantees non-fracking energy.

2. An excellent article appeared in last weeks courier regarding fracking.

3. We need to consider what fracking means in terms of our national remit and develop our understanding and perhaps group policy on the issue. Talk about it a the AGM

4. Invite Simon Titherleigh to talk to us - apparently he is well informed (Paula said she may know how to contact him)

5. What is Low- Cost Energy in terms of the wider cost to the environment?

6. Is fracking cleaner than coal?

7. In other parts of the country, the fracking debate has galvanized community activity and protest.

8. Why not go for Community localized energy instead? Energy that may be useful for developing more regenerative action and involvement.

9. How will we meet future energy demands sustainably ?

10. How do you galvanize people to express their opinions at an early stage?

11. Charles and Dominic have said they would be willing to question Mel Stride on the issue either by email or at the next opportunity.

 

CREDITON COMMUNITY ENERGY COMPANY

SC Energy Group has started work on this project. Planning to begin with PV on large roofs eg businesses at Lords Meadow. [brief outline of what's envisaged available]

Planning visits to other up-and-running community energy schemes, very aware of similar project in Exeter. Will hold public meeting in early April.

Discussion of other forms of electricity generation and pros and cons:

• Anaerobic digestion- needs biomass to go with slurry or sewage; not good if this takes up land which could be growing food, but could use garden waste; methane also produced and can be stored; heat and power possibility.

• Wind energy a problem but more acceptable if community owned? Could research sites that would be acceptable and good for wind - put in local plan.

• PV in fields not popular either but idea that PV could be put on Tesco and Morrisons car parks with cars parked underneath [worth exploring].

• Water power not feasible on large scale here.

• PV on large roofs owned by businesses simplest to start with and other possibilities could be looked at in longer term once company set up. Schools and public buildings could be included.

• Need good research and advice re latest technology and potential for storing electricity.

Contact: Linda Lever

 

COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE

Example: CSA Chagford

Skillshare

Favelas Cuba

• Land share

• What do we want CSA to look like?

• Lots of models on the web - educate ourselves

• Has to work for our locality

• Links with local farmers/engage/borrow some land

• Need to know focus

• Right scale

• Existing local producers struggle

Affordable good local food

Connection with production

Food bank

Stuff happening already, fragmented

DASH

Shared allotments

Community composting

Financial viability

Cooperatively

Working outside with other people

Engagement - awareness of local food

Incredible Edible

Guerilla gardening - Started, build on it

Livelstock may be easier than veg

Contacts: Claire Duthie, Ian Doswell, Jo Belcher, Dave Dann

 

LOCAL TRADE INITIATIVE

Focus on buying local - not just from shops/High Street but throughout the whole supply chain including services.

Key Question: There is already lots of focus on food but what else is needed?

Challenges:

How to compete with online traders such as Amazon?

Accept the internet is here to stay and use it!

 

How to compete with big organisations such as Tescos?

Provide abetter(but not necessarily cheaper) local service. Key maybe in focusing on convenience - saving time for busy people.

 

How to work with local council and Chamber of Commerce?

Work with them but don't wait for them.

Ideas:

•  Buy local campaign

• Co-operative to share resources and services e.g.:

  • Crediton loyalty scheme/card and/or local "currency"

  • Collective home delivery service with shared van/bike

  • Directory/website with a complete list of services, trades and facilities (as well as shops)

  • Pannier market

  • Branded paper bags (made locally!)

• Improve the High Street:

  • Improve safety for pedestrians

  • Extend late night shopping

  • Provide free car parking

  • Encourage arangeof shops & services in close proximity (e.g. market, hair-dressers, postal services etc)

• Improve tourism:

  • Encourage hotel/B&Bs in/near the town

  • Regular participation in national initiatives (e.g. "Britain in Bloom")

  • Encourage specialist shops

  • Create a USP (Unique Selling Point) e.g. cheese

  • Publicise Crediton as a "foodies" destination

• Agricultural trading:

  • Keep the farming support services in the region (e.g. abattoirs)

  • Encourage food processing industries which add value (e.g. making lamb burgers)

• Help new/emerging businesses:

  • Provide incubator kitchens (see www.resilience.org - "connecting underutilized kitchens throughout the community")

  • Encourage growth/usage of industrial estate

  • Encouragepaidjob creation (rather than unpaid volunteers)

  • Provide advice on funding & grants

• Help surrounding villages (e.g. Eggesford, Lapford):

  • Support village shops

  • Encourage mini-markets

  • Link them up - hubs within hubs

• Provide mechanisms for bartering

• Continue Community Markets

Contacts: Sarah Green, Karin Moffett, Dave Dann, Ian Doswell

 

FUEL POVERTY

We met to discuss how we can eliminate fuel poverty in Crediton and area. Fuel poverty in Devon is above the national average, with 1 in 5 rural households classed as fuel poor in the county. What can we do about it? These are the points that were raised:

• How big is the problem?

• Air source heat pumps were found to be much cheaper than oil for one couple

• One person has a solar hot water collector made over 15 years ago from recycled materials - is this an idea for a local start-up company?

• We could lobby for changes to the Green Deal and the ECO programme, which are failing us

• Community buying scheme for materials and services

• Education, education, education

• We need to seek partnership with local government

• We need knowledgeable assessors - can we expand the Energy Tracers project?

I would like to hear from anyone interested in working on this. To begin, I will be gathering information on the scale and nature of the problem in our area. Anyone who can contribute research or anecdotal information would be welcome.

Contact: Rob Rickey