Runnymede Borough Council constantly strives to manage and improve its approach towards the integration of social, economic, environmental and resource issues (collectively known as 'sustainable development') into the activities it directly controls and the activities it influences. Working in a coherent and inclusive manner - it seeks not only to minimize environmental damage but also to actively promote enhancement to the quality of life provided by the Borough.

The above approach contributes to the Council's overall Vision Aims contained within the Draft Leader's Position Statement 2004-05, which is:

"Ensuring we play an effective role in enhancing the quality of life for all our residents and visitors and to provide an attractive environment for those who conduct their business in the Borough."

Historically, the Council has a long regard to how it integrates environmental policy in to its main stream policy, with the first 'Environmental Policy Statement' being formally adopting on the 27 February 1991 (one year before the Rio Summit in 1992 which gave rise to Agenda 21), which has since been bi-annually reviewed.

Whilst, the Local Agenda 21 initiative was never formally adopted by Runnymede Borough Council, it has opted for the position that is best summed up within a committee item for the POLICY AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE on 25 March 1998 in that it stated:

"It is also necessary to form a view about the Government's proposals for all local authorities to adopt Local Agenda 21 Strategies by the year 2000. The Council's current policy is that this should not become a separate issue, but should be taken into account in conjunction with planning policies and decisions. If the Council's policy needs to change, it will be necessary to identify measurable targets against which the performance of any Local Agenda 21 strategies can be judged, rather than adopt a strategy which is strong on rhetoric, but weak on objectives.".

This above mentioned position in relation to Local Agenda 21 and sustainable development can be seen reflected in the following time-line examples:

• April 2001 - The EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE item 813 (TENTH ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE COUNCIL'S ENVIRONMENTAL POLICIES) resolved that "…relevant sections of Local Agenda 21 (LA21) had been taken into account in the Council's Environmental Policies and LA2I would receive further consideration in the forthcoming Community Strategy."
• September 2000 - Members Bulletin item commenting on the 10th Annual Local Agenda 21 (LA21) and Environmental Co-ordinator's Forum that took place from 17 to 19 July 2000, it noted that: "95% of local authorities will meet the Prime Minister's target to produce a sustainability strategy by December 2000. (Runnymede is implementing projects working towards sustainable development, but not currently developing a sustainability strategy)."
• August 1999 - Council informed of the Governments strategy "A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE - A STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE UK (BESO)"
• January 1999 - the Council in its response to two Government consultation reports: RESOLVED that -

  i) a copy of the Agenda report be forwarded to the DETR as the Council's formal response on the consultation paper 'Sustainability Counts', November 1998; and

  ii) a section on sustainable development and potential environmental implications, be included in appropriate planning application reports of the development proposals referred to this Committee.

• November 1998 - PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE item 387: AIMS AND TARGETS 1998/99 - INTERIM REPORT. The Committee resolved that in the future, all main Committee application reports would address Local Agenda 21 issues.

Currently, the Council is in the process of reviewing the Environmental Policy Statement. This will result in the generation and collation of robust baseline data, managed through a new interdepartmental DataStore, from which a State of Runnymede Environment Report will be drawn annually that will inform the Runnymede Environmental Policy Statement. In parallel to these developments, a Sustainable Development Steering Group has been established to oversee the development and review of a 'Core Set of Sustainable Development Objectives and associated indicators' for Runnymede Borough Council. It is intended for both the Sustainable Development Objectives and Indicators accurately reflect the specific nature and conditions of present within the Borough, a concept based on the noted 'Think Global Act Local' in effect, Sustainable Development Management.

Taken as whole, the longstanding position on both the general overarching issue of Sustainable Development, the specific issue of Agenda 21 and the environmental policy review process currently being undertaking, RBC is placed favourably for the challenges it and the residents of Runnymede face over the coming years.