The Role of Community Engagement in Delivering Community Benefits
Session A8 | Day 2, Wed 26 Oct, 16.15-17.30 | Exchange Auditorium, Ground Floor
This session explores recent experiences of community engagement across the UK and addressing a number of the significant challenges that now face the industry. In light of increasing interest in the localism agenda across all political parties and a likely increase in the use of local referendums, this session is essential for all those seeking local support for their development proposals.
• Chair: Mick Bates, Independent Renewable Energy Advisor
• Matt Young, GrantScape
• Jon Priddy, Community Energy Scotland
• Rachel Anderson, RES
• Gerry Gunster, Goddard Partners Global
| Chair: Mick Bates, Independent Renewable Energy Advisor Local farmer and father of two, Mick Bates started his career as a science teacher, which he left to campaign on behalf of rural communities. In 1994 he became involved in local politics as a Liberal Democrat County Councillor and in 1999 was elected to the National Assembly for Wales as the Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Montgomeryshire. During his time at the Assembly, Mick was the Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs, Chair and founder member of the Cross Party National Assembly Sustainable Energy Group, Chair of the National Assembly Sustainability Scrutiny Committee, as well as a member of the Rural Development Committee. Mick retired from the National Assembly in 2011 but continues to be actively involved in environmental campaigning. |
| Speaker: Matt Young, Grant Director, GrantScape Community Benefit Provision – Learning from the Landfill Communities Fund Community Benefit provision is in the early stages of its development. But other, similar, provisions that enhance local communities have existed for some time. The Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) has donated over £1 billion to communities throughout the UK since 1996. The principles of the LCF and wind energy community benefit provision are similar, as both normally benefit communities which are greatest affected by the development. What lessons, in terms of community engagement, can be learnt to ensure that the community benefit provision maximises its impact? How does the wind energy sector see benefit provision developing in the future? Matt has worked for GrantScape for ten years, with over five of these in a senior management role. He has extensive experience of designing and implementing Corporate Benefit Funds for private and public sector clients. These have ranged from small grant programmes focused on the needs of local communities, to large specialised programmes operating across England and Wales. Matt has also successfully overseen the delivery of a £20m portfolio of research-led technical projects linked to sustainability and the environment. Matt is a Director of ADEB, the representative body for practitioners within the Landfill Communities Fund. |
| Speaker: Jon Priddy, Development Manager, Community Energy Scotland Community Energy in Scotland – An Overview of Where We Are and Where We Are Going The presentation will include an overview of Community Energy Scotland’s practical support and our instrumental role in the success to date in Scotland. Details of larger scale community energy projects – from the 7MW installed to the 179MW in development – where we are and where we are heading. A look at the 500MW of community energy targets within the 2020 Routemap for Renewables Energy in Scotland and the feed out benefits of community awareness, demand side management and reduction of energy use that will result in a far greater overall effect. Jon is a Development Manager for Community Energy Scotland currently seconded to the company’s trading arm to develop a portfolio of revenue generating projects aimed at sustaining the company and its activities for the foreseeable future. He has been involved in community energy since 2002 when he was one of the first employees in the sector in Scotland joining the then Community Energy Unit within Highlands and Islands Enterprise. His background prior to this was forestry and conservation spanning private, public and voluntary sectors and his involvement in establishing a biomass boiler in a community owned swimming pool was what led him into the field of community energy. |
| Speaker: Rachel Anderson, Community Relations Manager, RES Presentation summary coming soon. Rachel Anderson is a Community Relations Manager for RES, one of the world’s leading renewable energy developers. Rachel manages the community liaison, media relations and public affairs for RES’s onshore wind farms in Scotland. She is responsible for setting up RES’s community benefit schemes and works with communities throughout the project lifecycle - development, construction and operation. |
Speaker: Gerry Gunster, Partner, Goddard Partners Global Presentation summary coming soon. Gerry Gunster manages international, national and state advocacy issues, directs statewide ballot measure campaigns and provides strategic counsel for Goddard Claussen. He is the recipient of an excellence award for “Best Public Affairs Campaign of the Year” and is a frequent speaker at industry trade conferences discussing trends related to advocacy advertising, new media and grassroots management.Gerry has a broad range of public affairs experience from both the private and public sectors. He was a Capitol Hill staffer for two members of Congress and has been a government affairs manager for Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Universal Studios amongst others. |