Green Recovery Board 1: Discovery

Stimulating a Green Recovery

Hounslow is significantly impacted from the pandemic. We have had an immediate impact in terms of people who are losing their jobs. We have seen a 125% increase in UC claimants and out of that number, ca.225% increase in the numbers claiming UC due to worklessness. We are supporting 22500 residents who are "extremely vulnerable" and are shielded. This is about 10% of our adult population.

We had one of the largest economies for any local authority area in the UK (as measured by GDP). Recovering our economy in a genuinely environmentally sustainable way will not only have a positive impact on Hounslow, but London and the UK.

We have stated our ambition to be a vanguard for change in our green recovery work and in our response to support our residents and communities.

First Board Meeting: Discovery

Our first Green Recovery Board met on 23 June 2020 to start to frame our green recovery programme with a great mix of colleagues from across London.

This meeting was full of enthusiasm, of opportunity, of ideas and it started to help us cultivate a programme shaped in practical action.

The conversation was designed to build upon, enhance and accelerate our strong foundations in our response to climate emergency, creating a cleaner and greener borough and maximising our opportunities from green infrastructure and investment.

The initial and emerging themes and reflections from the Board included:

Using data and evidence to inform decision making to demonstrate impactful decisions that support our ambition to be net carbon zero by 2030.

Role of digital infrastructure to support environmental and socially inclusive approaches to recovery.

Harnessing the increased importance that Covid has highlighted for the environment, particularly green spaces and nature.

Importance of collaboration and creating the space for co-production with our communities.

Mobilise our colleagues in the landscape, planning and Urban Design professions to take on and be involved in our green recovery and in designing our future spaces.

Practical ideas and suggestions around bringing the green recovery agenda to life for a household or local business, designing behaviours and outlining practical activities and actions that individuals and communities can take forward.

Opportunities to create demonstrator projects for test our ideas for a low carbon neighbourhood.

Maximising the opportunities from the emerging StreetSpace programme and changes in travel behaviours to create a longer term and strategic change to our network.

Ideas about investment and financial models to support the programme recognising that we need investment beyond the capacity of the public sector.

We are prepared to try new methods and approaches to advance our work. We have designed a concept of an Innovation Hub (iHub) supported by four Innovation Labs (iLabs) to enhance our work. These "spaces for action" are incredibly important for Hounslow as we turn our ambition into practical action.

The next step is to take these early and emerging ideas into our four iLabs to understand the underpinning data and evidence, best practice from across the world and to generate our vision for Hounslow for: low carbon neighbourhoods, a low carbon economy, mobility for 21st century and stimulating green growth. We are committed to being bold and ambitious for Hounslow, for our communities and for our residents and to ensure we recover in a green and environmentally sustainable way. Watch out for further details as our iLabs begin.