cittaslow What is Cittaslow?

 Derives from the Italian for ‘Slow Cities’

 A network of towns that have adopted common principles and objectives to enhance their quality of life

 Founded in 4 small Italian town in 1999

 Originally grew from the movement Cittaslow today

 An international network of over 132 towns in 20 countries from and to

 Over a dozen active national networks

 A growing UK network of 9 towns in , Scotland and Wales Cittaslow UK network

 England - Aylsham, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Cockermouth, Diss, Ludlow, Sturminster Newton

 Scotland – Linlithgow and Perth

 Wales – Mold Cittaslow towns aim to:  Involve the whole community in a gradual process of improvement

 Work for a more sustainable local environment

 Encourage diversity  Promote healthy living

 Support and develop local producers, their products, and local businesses

 Encourage local culture and traditions

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Cittaslow membership

 For towns of less than 50,000

 Over 50 different membership criteria (Cittaslow goals) that applicant towns must address

 Accreditation process before towns are admitted into Cittaslow membership

 Local steering group needed to manage the application

New goals from 2011

 Existing goals are over 10 years old

 To be more ambitious in what we achieve in the Cittaslow movement

 Common International standard  Environmental

 Infrastructure

 Urban fabric

 Local products

 Hospitality

 Promoting Cittaslow Cittaslow goals Environmental goals

 Air and water quality

 Reducing light pollution

 Energy conservation Environmental goals

 Composting and recycling

 Integrated traffic management strategies

 Support of wildlife & wildlife sites

Environmental Mold Going Carbon Neutral

 North Wales Energy Advice Centre (Energy Saving Trust)

 Stage 1 – survey 4,500 households for baseline data

 Stage 2 – one-to-one advice on energy conservation measures and promote ‘special offers’

 Stage 3 – renewables

 Stage 4 – survey again Infrastructure  Pedestrian and cycle

goals access and public transport

 Good, free public toilets

 Well-kept green spaces and play areas

 Notice boards in key locations

Urban fabric goals

 Protection of the built heritage

 Good street furniture

 Flower displays

 Promote eco-friendly architecture Urban fabric goals

 Control of litter

 Attract local independent retailers Quality of Urban fabric

 Mold & District Civic Society

 Flintshire County Council

 Mold 2000 (business group)

 Cadwyn Clwyd

 Sense of Place study, £30,000 Rural Development award aim to build on Mold’s local distinctiveness and identifying how the Town may be developed to the greater benefit of residents, businesses and visitors

Local products goals

 Increase awareness of healthy eating and good diet

 Encourage local schools, hospitals, councils etc to use local produce

 Develop training in traditional skills

 Preserve local culture and heritage

Encouragement of Local produce and products • Mold Food & Drink Festival • Flintshire County Council • Cadwyn Clwyd

• £20,000 study through European Agriculture Fund for Rural Development to ascertain the future opportunities for the encouragement of local food products in Mold and its hinterland Hospitality goals

 Clear signage

 Good car parking

 Tourist information centre & library

 Information packs to new residents

 Tourist routes and walks

 Supporting initiatives for disadvantaged groups Hospitality Mold Spring Clean

 Keep Wales Tidy

 Flintshire County Council

 Tidy Towns, Welsh Assembly Government, £3,500 award for 4 day clean-up across the Town involving over 650 community volunteers. Also painting benches, litter bins, planters and columns; new planting and weeding

Promoting Cittaslow goals

 The promotion of local producers

through a directory

 A Cittaslow website

 Use of the Cittaslow logo by council

 Encouraging local people, and businesses, to help work towards improving performance on these policy headings Why do towns join Cittaslow?

 Involves the whole community in developing the town, including local businesses

 Commits the Town Council and its partners to working towards a An effective sustainable future and regeneration and builds on the positive promotional tool work already carried out

Why join Cittaslow?

 Towns become members of an established, respected network

 Independent external quality endorsement

 Opportunities to learn from and link with others – nationally and internationally

 Opens new markets for local businesses through networks

 Accreditation process is a town audit

What we hope to see

 GDH

 Towns empowered to take the lead in determining their own futures

 Greater funding opportunities

 Towns, including their businesses, adopting good environmental practices

 Local products and produce on sale and being promoted in Cittaslow towns

 Preservation and promotion of culture and heritage

More information?

Cittaslow UK conference in Perth, Scotland Friday 26 November 2010 www.cittaslow.org.uk www.cittaslowmold.co.uk