Manchester City Council has been forced to admit that “No specific carbon literacy events have taken place at ward coordination level.” This is despite the fact that the Executive Member for the Environment, Kate Chappell, announced in a public letter on February 28 2014  that she “like[d] the idea of carbon literacy at Ward Coordination level, and think this would be a good way of making goals on carbon reductions meaningful to people.”

The Council has further been forced to admit that there is no target date for ward coordination groups to have carbon literacy events and that not a single one of the eleven officers who are currently responsible for ward coordination (ie: Neighbourhood Managers)  have completed face to face training.
“With regards to the on-line training module on Carbon Literacy, of the 11
Neighbourhood Managers:
2 = Completed Training
4 = In progress
5 = Not yet progressed”

Maybe some of the Neighbourhoods Scrutiny Committee councillors who think that they are doing a good job of scrutinising might like to look into this?

Below you can see the Freedom of Information Act request and the Council’s reply;

Dear Sir/Madam,

On February 28 2014 the Executive Member for the Environment wrote a letter about climate change to a group of citizens.  You can see a copy here.
https://manchesterclimatemonthly.net/2014/03/05/manchester-council-climate-boss-replies-to-open-letter-from-citizens/

In it, she said that she “likes the idea of carbon literacy at Ward
Coordination level, and think this would be a good way of making goals on
carbon reductions meaningful to people.”

I am writing to request the following specific information.  And please, no
generic answers-to-different questions as were given in response to
GAN/A9ZLL8.

Given the Executive Member’s public support I have the following questions.

1. In which of the 32 wards of Manchester have carbon literacy at the “ward
co-ordination level” taken place?  When did these events take place, how
many people attended each (a rough estimate is fine if an actual number
does not exist).

2. What is the target date for all wards to have had carbon literacy events
for both members of the public and ward coordination staff?

3. Of the officers who are responsible for ward co-ordination, how many
have completed all of their carbon literacy training?  How many have
completed only face-to-face training? How many have only completed on-line
training? How many have completed neither?  Please note, I am NOT asking
for the names of individuals, so don’t use the ‘privacy’ line on me.

In response:

1. In which of the 32 wards of Manchester have carbon literacy at the “ward
co-ordination  level”  taken  place?  When did these events take place, how
many  people  attended  each  (a rough estimate is fine if an actual number
does not exist).

No specific carbon literacy events have taken place at ward coordination
level.

2. What is the target date for all wards to have had carbon literacy events
for both members of the public and ward coordination staff?

There is no target date for ward coordination groups to have carbon
literacy events.

3.  Of  the  officers  who are responsible for ward co-ordination, how many
have  completed  all  of  their  carbon  literacy  training?  How many have
completed  only face-to-face training? How many have only completed on-line
training?  How  many  have completed neither?  Please note, I am NOT asking
for the names of individuals, so don’t use the ‘privacy’ line on me.

Of the officers who are currently responsible for ward coordination (ie:
Neighbourhood Managers) none have completed face to face training.
With regards to the on-line training module on Carbon Literacy, of the 11
Neighbourhood Managers:

2 = Completed Training
4 = In progress
5 = Not yet progressed

Please  note if you are not satisfied with this response you may ask for an
internal review. If you wish an internal review to be undertaken you should
contact  the  Democratic Services Legal Team, whose address is, PO Box 532,
Town Hall, Manchester, M60 2LA, email:
informationcompliance@manchester.gov.uk in the first instance. A copy of
the Council’s access to information complaints procedure can be downloaded
from
http://www.manchester.gov.uk/downloads/download/6095/access_to_information_complaints_and_appeal_procedure
. If you do not have internet access and require a paper copy, please let
me know.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review process, you
have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision.