A Learning History of Low Carbon Innovation in Local Authorities

Story Circles

One thing was clear about the Learning History event. Though we had gathered to explore 5 inspirational stories, the participants themselves brought many interesting stories of initiatives in which they had been involved or knew. "Be careful not to iconify those few examples" was a strong message that was fed back when participants were asked on that first evening how they felt about the 5 stories featured. Read about participants reactions to 'inspiring stories' here.

To bring their own stories into the event, participants were gathered into 'story circles' mid-morning. You can read more about 'story circles' on our main project website. There we posed the following question:

Participants were asked to tell a story on this subject

In small groups, participants each told a short story and these stories were taped and have been transcribed. Click on the storytelling category to read some of these inspiring stories.

A storytelling participant in full flow at the workshop

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Participants express mixed feelings about 'iconic' examples.

A learning history combines story with analysis. On the first evening of the Workshop we discussed how working with stories is different. A reader might have all kinds of conflicting thoughts/feelings whilst reading. Different readers will interpret the story in different ways. To prepare participants for this, we presented a brief overview of the 5 inspirational stories that would be featured throughout the event. We then asked for their reactions to those stories and we recorded these on posters.

Don't iconify just these examples, warn participants.

Mixed feelings about the Inspirational Stories presented.

As the posters above show, 'inspirational stories' such as those featured in this research can provoke mixed feelings. Participants saw that the stories were inspiring and clearly a good source of learning. However by putting just a few examples on a pedestal and asking others to learn from them an unintended set of consequences can arise: For example, less well-known but valuable projects in their own right remain unacknowledged when we hone in on just a few examples. Also the courage of those who 'tried and failed' does not appear to be recognised if we stick to the success stories.

Keen to address this, an important part of the Learning History workshop was to invite those present to bring in their own stories of carbon reduction. This they did during story circles. They are also invited via this website to share their ongoing stories of addressing carbon reduction in their own locale.

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Lime Mortar's the wrong colour

This story was told in a story circle at the Learning History workshop in February 2008. 

Read how a Local Authority led a restoration project to show that conservation and carbon reduction can co-exist....well almost.

Lime Mortar's the wrong colour!

Conservation versus carbon reduction in listed buildings

a story from the Incensed by Sustainability story circle

My story is about a single project that we have worked in the city it is quite a few years now. We thought it was quite innovative at the time. One of the things that was quite important was in terms of getting people within the city, and particularly people who had an influence over how things were developed and built here - beginning to change their thinking and mindsets on it. We initiated a project to restore a Georgian-terraced house for private rented housing in a way that did reduce its energy use and carbon and emissions. But also in a way that our Listed buildings architects could survive with. I could put it in those terms not that they loved it, but in the terms that they could live with.

And we set up this project and interestingly we met with quite a lot of resistance in terms of the principle of doing it. A lot of people didn’t see why we as a Local Authority would be involved in the housing project, that was putting money into a scheme that we weren’t going to either own or nominate people to afterwards. It wasn’t a huge amount of money, it was about a £100K grant and our lawyers wanted us to get this small charity who were going to rent it out to indemnify us for £1million for this grant; which is really very sensible and obviously in line with the reality.

So, we manage to find this property that is ideal for our purposes. We worked, we managed to engage a local company who had an interest and knew a lot about the sorts of buildings that we were talking about and had experience with them. And they had a lot of experiences within our own professionals within our own services, which was important to us in terms of then coming with it and alongside it. To enable them to encourage people in the future to do things in a way that was more energy efficient but also something they could actually sign up to.

So after about a year in total of both the development time but also in the building, we managed to get a property which has been emptied for 3 years previously back into use and fully occupied. We have had a program of recording and measuring what happened once people moved in. And we had an opening ceremony which was very good, and we got people coming around and we were just about to sign off when the Listed Buildings architect came up and said:….. “Lime mortar’s the wrong color mate”! (Laughter’s)

Return to the listing of 20 mini stories

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2 Months Later: Participants' reflections?

It's now nearly two months since the Learning History workshop in Bath. We didn't ask for feedback then - one needs time to digest and reflect - something fast-paced organisational life doesn't always allow. But this is live ongoing research - we are as interested 2 months later in facilitating and enabling change as we were back in February. So we are now asking participants to reflect on the event (via a reflection questionnaire sent separately). We are also inviting participants to comment here on any or all of the following questions:

It's two months now since the Learning History Workshop. What reflections do you have now about it?

What do you particularly remember about it?

Have any elements of a Learning History you read or heard about come to mind in the intervening time? If so can you elaborate?

Have you spoken to anyone about the event or some of what you experienced/discussed there?

Have you taken any actions that might in some way have been informed in some way by the Learning History Workshop ?

Has the workshop facilitated any ongoing communication with any of the other participants?

What do you think of using this kind of website as an ongoing form of communication?

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Adrian Hewitt on participating in the research process

Adrian Hewitt, from Merton, was the first interviewee for this research. When we met back in September 2006 the research methodology was just evolving. Since then Adrian has participated in all the different stages of the Learning History research including, for this History, an extensive cylce of 'perspective gathering' from others actors involved in the Merton Rule. At the workshop stage, Adrian, like other protagonists present, could see people working with the story he had told.

Adrian Hewitt - Pictured against Chris Seely's graphical poster of Merton that includes a cartoon of his cat Randolph!

At the workshop I had the opportunity to ask Adrian how, after 18 months, he reflected on his participation in this research. Click on the audio button below to hear me pose this question to Adrian and to hear his response.

".....The value for me is to see someone taking an interest at an academic level in the story rather than just in the outcomes of the Merton Rule at a technical level..."

In the audio clip, Adrian goes on to talk, among other things, about the value in making comparisons with other protagonists from other Learning Histories - in particular Steve from the Nottingham Declaration who was also attending.

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Jessie Marcham on participating at the workshop

Jessie Marcham, campaign co-ordinator, from Derbyshire County Council, was exactly the kind of 3rd party stakeholder that the research (via the workshop) was keen to reach out to . An overall purpose of the research was to amplify awareness about the featured examples. Like a handful of participants present Jessie was not that familiar with the examples featured: so the workshop was playing a part in spreading awareness of what can be achieved. A purpose specific to the workshop itself was to create a collective learning environment in which new conversations and links might be created between participants. Again, like other participants, Jessie did not know many (if any) of the other attendees at the workshop.

Jessie Marcham and others looking at the themes emerging from the group brainstorming exercise

In a short snatched moment between exercises I asked Jessie how she was finding the process. Click on the audio play button below to hear what she said.

I think the process is the most valuable

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The Merton Rule: Headline Responses.

At the workshop active readers recorded the following top of the head reactions in their workbooks just after finishing the Merton Learning History: 

V. powerful – not so much about chance actually – I think what stands out compellingly is the power of informal contacts, networks and friendships and the extensive use of them. 

It is an interesting way of presenting the case. I’d like to see it ‘deepened’ with more perspectives 

It is useful to have time to reflect on the process of change – the ‘art and the science’ of it. 

It feels like a strong narrative precisely because it’s a campaigning, outward-facing narrative which is seeking to persuade others to follow suit

I liked the sense of story direction and drama - I liked reading it, but somehow didn’t quite feel satisfied. I suppose because it’s a real-life piecemeal messy kind of story. 

I saw the importance of informal networks and of holding on to a vision or purpose but allowing it to flex 

You can read a more detailed summary of readers' comments here. 

You can also read about the questions readers had as well as how readers found it relevant to their own experiences. 

The Merton Learning History can be downloaded from the Lowcarbonworks project website here. 

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The Merton Rule: Summary of reader responses

At the workshop active readers recorded thoughts, feelings, and ideas in workbooks just after they had read the Merton Learning History (which can be downloaded from our project website here). Here's a summary of those comments. If you've read the Merton Rule Learning History - add your comments to this thread

The Merton Rule Poster (click to enlarge)

Readers felt engaged by the narrative presented. They recorded that they were excited, inspired and intrigued.

The History documented a process of change that readers could relate to – even if the area of policy wasn’t familiar to all of them. One reader wrote: I am encouraged by how a group of individuals challenged the status quo and how they passed on the “buzz” strength and courage to others . One commented on how it was the ‘threat of embarrassment for the key decision maker’ seemed a more powerful motivator than any promise of glory. As an example of change, readers were left wanting to know more about the nitty-gritty processes that lay behind it: How did they see the opportunities and the places to push and the routes forward? How come they were allowed to go round drumming up support?

Readers thoughts also turned to the role and qualities of a champion in relation to a change inititative. "What are the key ingredients for effective championing & supporting courageous leadership?” wondered one Merton Reader; “What kind of leadership does it take to create innovation?” asked another. There is a real importance to offer people the chance to ‘personalise’ sustainability initiatives reflected another reader. Was Adrian the hero? asked a reader challenging the proposition in the History that this was an example of collaborative, post-heroic leadership. Another reader, assumed that he was at least a ‘rare individual’ and wondered how learning from such individuals might take place:
Are we to be dependent on rare individuals with particular skills sets facing particular opportunity structures? How can new opportunity structures be facilitated/promoted? Can the skills that Adrian/others showed be taught? Read more about how readers relate the History to their own experiences here.

The role of policy as a vehicle for change was of interest. A reader noted that though a champion might create culture change, here that change is being mediated by the rules/policy also being change. Another reader commented that they might not have the patience to go the policy route for change asking “Why is it so slow and complicated!”. The Merton rule is elegant and simple – an idea that can replicate. What was more important: the idea of the Merton Rule itself and the campaign that propagated it. Where did the idea come from? What stimulated it?

There was frustration and puzzlement too with the narrative. Readers wanted to hear more from the characters involved or felt that some parts didn’t ring true to their experiences (‘it felt de-politicised’, or ‘was the environment at Merton really supportive?’). You can read more about these questions here.

The role of chance as presented in the history was discussed by all readers and contested by one. Though it gives it “light and levity” as a story, “chaos and coincidence are given undue attention”. The reader went on to write: “I think what stands out compellingly is the power of informal contacts, networks and friendships and the extensive use of them”. Another reader agreed but saw also the importance of working with chaos: “I saw the importance of informal networks and of holding on to a vision or purpose but allowing it to flex”. Read some more about Luck and Chance as a general theme in this research.

More than other groups, the comments on Merton related not only to the History itself but also the way it was presented in storied form. On the story approach, one reader wrote:

It's useful to have time to reflect on the process of change – the ‘art and the science’ of it. It’s good to allow both elements their rightful place in the whole story. The importance of working with ‘human nature’ in meeting the challenge of sustainability through this method is very interesting & holds potential.

Return to the headline responses to the Merton Rule Learning History.

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Merton Learning History: Readers relate it to their experiences

The commitment and enthusiasm to take every possible route in the Merton Learning History (which can be downloaded from our project website here) reminded one active reader of their own experience of working “as an isolated individual” in Local Authorities “charged with progressing sustainability” . Another reader was reminded of the efforts at their council to push through Merton-type rules and noted how central government is making this more difficult now. Another participant who was less familiar with the policy side found that the Merton Learning History had resonances with a community project in which she’d been involved. She liked how that way of doing things was validated by the history.

The importance of networks and external campaigning came out as a key learning and action point for readers. One participant noted as an action for themselves to: “pursue a campaigning approach!”; another noted the need to “build and maintain networks”.

Return to the summary of readers' comments.

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The Merton Rule: The questions it raises

An excerpt from the Merton Rule Learning History Poster (click to enlarge)

The Merton Rule Learning History has more 3rd party perspectives included than other Histories. However readers nonetheless were left wanting to know more from the characters involved: “I want a richer, more detailed story", wrote one reader, "It’d be interesting to hear more from Nick & Eddy and those early adopters as well as the senior officers" . Readers wanted also to hear more from Adrian himself: e.g What did Adrian say at the conferences – what story did he tell? How come he was allowed to go around drumming up support.

And the story itself caused some readers to question. Readers wondered what might ‘lie’ behind some of the descriptions: Was the “supportive” internal environment subjective? Was there really much excitement internally or was it more around the plan (the UDP) itself? Externally, the Central – Local Government relationship as depicted in the history was interesting though one reader felt that the lack of involvement of politicians in the story “didn’t ring true”.

Read more here about the research dilemma of having just one or two perspectives on each case.

Return to the summary of readers' comments.

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