Kirsty calls for an end to unfair Green flag charges to schools

12.00.00am GMT Wed 13th Jan 2010

Kirsty Williams AM for Brecon and Radnorshire has expressed her dismay that excessive planning fees, charging schools to display their Green flag awards remain in place.

The Green flag award is part of the International Eco schools project, an international initiative to raise awareness of the environment and sustainable development. The Green Flag, a recognised and respected eco-label, is awarded to schools with high achievement in their programme. Funding for the programme is provided by the Welsh Government.

Kirsty Williams said: "I have been calling upon the Minister to make amendments to the planning fees regulations for some time and am disappointed that there has still been no change.

"The Green flag scheme is an opportunity for schools to positively show their environmental achievements. The eco-schools scheme extends learning beyond the classroom and develops responsible citizenship. It is therefore understandable and indeed positive that schools wish to proudly display their flags to the community after working hard to gain the award. It also allows for greater awareness of the scheme.

"Regulations state that commercial flags must pay a planning fee and eco flags are currently unfairly included in this category. Clearly the eco flag is not for commercial purposes and is rather a display of achievement and of a positive scheme, which the Welsh Government itself describes as "an important key in developing and promoting environmental awareness". The excessive planning fees can therefore be seen as nothing but unreasonable and an obstacle to this scheme.

"The Minister has the powers, to include eco-flags under the number of exceptions where fees are not payable and I am disappointed that she has not done so. At a time when schools are struggling under tight budgets it is unfair that excessive fees of up to £300 are being charged for an award which symbolises a school's environmental achievements.

"Given that WAG provides funding for the scheme it seems inline with current policy to make changes to the regulations, as this would help to further promote the scheme without penaliing schools. I am delighted that the Minister has today committed herself to the idea of making the eco flag an exception but cash strapped schools still await her action."

Notes

• Designed to fit into the curriculum, it's an award scheme that gets everyone in the school community involved in making the school environment better. In Wales it is administered by Keep Wales Tidy. The Eco-Schools International Green Flag, awarded to schools with high achievement in their programme, is a recognised and respected Eco-label for performance in Education for Sustainable Development. The Eco-Schools programme is a long-term activity, with the award being re-assessed and renewed every two years. There are presently over 7000 registered Eco-Schools in 23 European countries including 4000 in the U.K. and over 1500 in Wales. Eco-Schools are distributed throughout all 22 Welsh Local Authorities, and include a broad range of Infants, Primary, Secondary and Special Needs schools.

Green Flag Award winners will have given environmental improvements a high priority within the school. The Eco-Committee will be made up of children, staff and parents and Eco-School activities will be integrated into most aspects of school life and the curriculum. The Green Flag remains valid for two years, but schools can renew their award by showing how their commitment to environmental improvements is being maintained and progressed.

• Under Section 303 (2) (c) TCPA 1990, the Minister has the powers, to make further regulations to set out other circumstances in the Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications and Deemed Applications (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2009, for which no charge or fee is to be paid.

• Kirsty has been campaigning for the display charges to be dropped for some time but the Environment Minister continues to refuse:

WRITTEN ASSEMBLY QUESTION

TABLED ON 01 JUNE 2009

FOR ANSWER BY THE MINISTER FOR

ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY AND HOUSING

ON 08 JUNE 2009

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Minister make a statement on fees for the displaying of Green Flag Awards in National Parks. (WAQ54294)

Jane Davidson:

Securing Green Flag status by schools is a great achievement and I can appreciate that they want to display it for all to see. However, the external display of the Green Flag requires advertisement consent, and therefore a fee is payable to the local planning authority.

Application fees are mandatory, and reflect the resources used for notification and consultation requirements imposed on local planning authorities when determining applications.

In general, an advertisement displayed within a building does not usually require advertisement consent. If the Green Flag is displayed internally within the school it is unlikely to require advertisement consent.