Accreditation frequently asked questions
©National Trust Images / James Dobson
Getting started
How do I get started?
We suggest taking some time to digest the full accreditation criteria. Think about your ambition and existing work in this area, who is currently involved and who you may want to bring into the conversation from within and beyond your organisation. There are tools to help assess your readiness for delivering ambitious change. The self-evaluation tool offers a detailed perspective on your place’s strengths and areas for improvement. The tool introduces metrics, enablers and a framework for a reflective session to explore the town or city’s priorities. You may also choose to use the accreditation workbook to assess your current work against the criteria.
How does the self-evaluation tool work?
By means of self-evaluation, the tool offers a detailed perspective on your place’s strengths and areas of improvement. The tool should also be useful in guiding group conversations between departments and across partnerships. Self-evaluation is organised into three main sections:
- Metrics introduce you to a few open data sources to start to better understand your current baseline and think about environmental justice in your place. The list of metrics is guidance and should be supplemented with local knowledge and community/public engagement. This data can provide a snapshot of the current picture in your urban area.
- Enablers help you assess the holistic capacity of your town or city to plan and deliver ambitious, transformational change.
- Reflections is focused on exploring your town or city’s priorities after reflecting on the results of sections one and two.
You might consider re-doing the evaluation in the future to measure the progress you have made.
How do I apply?
You can apply using the form on the website, at www.naturetownsandcities.org.uk/accreditation. Make sure you have had a conversation with your partner organisations as they will need to be listed on your application. We require one application per place, so decide who will be the lead applicant – responsible to submitting the application and uploading the evidence, and make sure you’ve got the relevant local authority involved as a partner. The application form can be viewed in full before applying, and we recommend using the accreditation workbook to prepare your application.
What kinds of partner organisations should we be speaking to?
Think about who can contribute to the transformation in your place. Think broadly about partners from across different sectors, themes and types of organisation e.g. health, transport, economic regeneration, universities, youth skills and employability, climate, ecology, wildlife trusts, community groups, businesses etc. A partnership toolkit is in development which may help guide your thinking.
What do you mean by a senior sponsor bought into the vision?
We are looking for evidence that you have some senior buy-in and support for the vision you have set for your place. This will likely involve getting their support right at the beginning, before you go out to co-design the vision, keeping them updated throughout its development, seeking their input, and getting their formal support when it is finalised. Evidence of senior sponsorship may be in the form of a written statement within the vision itself, a piece to camera, a blog post etc. We are looking for evidence that you have gained the buy-in of senior sponsors both within and outside of the relevant local authority e.g. the Leader of the council, the mayor if applicable, Chief Executives of local trusts and other voluntary sector organisations, heads of other public sector bodies e.g. health, transport, police, universities.
Support
What is the link between the Nature Towns and Cities grant and the accreditation?
Accreditation is not a condition of the grant and is open to all. With that said, the accreditation and grant schemes are purposefully well-aligned. The grant can be used to help a place complete the activities and tasks that are required to become accredited. The accreditation criteria may provide a useful checklist to consider when thinking about work if awarded a grant. However, with the extra support available through the programme, accreditation is within reach for places, with or without a grant.
How does this fit with existing policies, strategies, workplans, project plans and delivery?
The accreditation should provide a helpful framework to review existing policies, strategies, workplans, project plans and delivery. For example, if a place has existing green infrastructure strategies, this might prompt a place to review, update and add supplementary material before submitting it for accreditation. The key activities suggested will help those new to this agenda and hopefully act as a guide for those already underway. Delivery is encouraged to continue alongside this work (if a community group is delivering neighbourhood greening or activities, this should continue). The accreditation is about fitting existing work together into one coherent bigger picture, having the headspace and the guidance to think more strategically about the place’s future vision and build on existing partnerships and delivery.
How does the Natural England Green Infrastructure Framework fit into this?
The Green Infrastructure Framework features in the accreditation as the standards of best practice. The framework, standards and principles can be particularly helpful when developing your green infrastructure strategy and for providing evidence of this being developed in an evidence-led way. Applications will be assessed on how the strategy has been developed e.g. evidence of community involvement, partnership working, co-design and thinking holistically about cross-sector delivery mechanisms and outcomes.
What support will be available for places going through the accreditation?
There are many opportunities to receive support in doing the work required for accreditation from the capacity building grant to learning resources, case studies, expert advice and peer-to-peer mentoring, all via the Nature Towns and Cities programme. There will also be a series of monthly accreditation support sessions held online for those going through the accreditation process to seek support and guidance from the programme and each other. Sign up for the newsletter for all the latest information.
Eligibility
Who can apply for accreditation?
Applications can be made by place-based partnerships made up of the local authority, VCSE organisations, private sector, and other public sector stakeholders. Each organisation that makes up the partnership will need to sign and return the terms and conditions. The application does not have to be led by the local authority, but they do need to be involved so that senior support and sign-off can be achieved and plans can be embedded at the town, city or borough scale. The partnership will need to nominate a lead applicant, who will be responsible for coordinating the collation and submission of the application and procuring the signature of the other partners. Licensing agreements will be made individually between the programme and organisations wishing to display the accreditation mark.
Can local authorities under special measures (e.g. S114) apply?
Yes, there are no restrictions on applying if a local authority is under special measures.
What counts as a town or city?
There is no defined geography or population size, so long as the place is an urban area. Over 80% of the UK population live in urban areas. Bringing nature to every neighbourhood will have the biggest social, environmental and economic impact. Places can work as individual urban areas, with neighbouring towns, cities or boroughs or across combined authorities. Partnership working is encouraged but you must have one main applicant as places can only submit one application per town or city.
Can places in Wales, Scotland and Ireland apply for accreditation?
The accreditation has launched as a pilot in England only. The founding partners are in conversations with government agencies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland regarding making it a full UK offer. The rest of the Nature Towns and Cities programme is open to all.
Can combined authorities apply?
The accreditation criteria is applicable to different scales, from small towns up to combined authorities. We do accept applications from combined authorities, however we would suggest starting small and building up. Individual towns or cities may be better equipped to apply first as it may be easier to do the work required at a smaller scale, and then it will be possible to scale-up to the regional level, joining together multiple towns and cities under shared visions and operating models. However, if you are used to operating at the regional scale and are in a good position to apply as a combined authority, we would encourage that as well.
Can we put in a joint application with a neighbouring place?
Similar to the above, we would suggest starting small and building up, as it’s easier to gain consensus at the smaller scale, however, if you wish to partner with a neighbouring town, city or borough and write shared visions, strategies and create a large partnership, then that would be encouraged. After all, we are striving for widespread, ambitious transformation of urban areas to achieve the desired benefits for people, place, nature and climate.
Can London boroughs apply?
Yes, the accreditation criteria can be applied to a London borough. In this case, the borough would receive accreditation with the wording “X, a Nature Borough”. We also encourage London boroughs to apply together if possible.
Duration of application and award
When can places apply for accreditation?
Applications are now open for accreditation level one: Foundation. You can apply here. Accreditation level two: Advanced will be coming soon.
How long will it take to become accredited?
This will vary. Some places will have the right things in place to quickly gain level one Foundation accreditation and move on to level two Advanced. Others may need longer and more support to establish strong partnerships, set their vision and develop their green infrastructure strategy and reach the level one milestones. The self-evaluation tool can help with a place’s understanding of their current position from which some gap analysis can be done.
What are the resource implications of applying for accreditation?
There is no fee to apply, it just requires people’s time.
How long is accreditation awarded for?
The accreditation is awarded to a place for three years. A place will receive reminders to evidence progress as part of light touch annual reviews during this time. After three years, there will be a more formal process of re-accreditation which may include peer review.
Is there a time limitation on applying?
No, there is no time limit. We are open to applications now from places in England and will run regular decision-making panels throughout the year so we can get back to you promptly with the decision and feedback.