Environment Strategy 2011 - 2021
1. Our vision
Leicestershire County Council will continue to be one of the best performing County Councils in England on environmental issues. This will be because the authority has:
- An aware and proactive culture on environmental issues amongst staff
- A complete understanding of its environmental risks and impacts
- An environmental management system embedded into the management processes of the authority
- A comprehensive performance management framework for its environmental management
- Engaged with its supply chain to improve its resource efficiency and environmental performance
- Evidence of the positive outcomes that have been achieved for the environment
2. Background
Leicestershire County Council has a continuing commitment to the environment through the authority’s Environment Strategy, originally prepared for 2004 -10. A second strategy was adopted for the period 2009 – 2020. This is a revision of the latter strategy and reflects changes both externally (e.g. central government policy) and internally (greater understanding and progress made between 2009 and 2011).This strategy focuses on the environmental impacts of Leicestershire County Council in delivering services and is not a strategy for Leicestershire. (The strategy for Leicestershire is contained within the Leicestershire Sustainable Community Strategy produced by Leicestershire Together).
3. Why do we need a new environment strategy?
We need an up to date environment strategy to:
- Provide community leadership and to show that we have “our own house in order”
- Support the outcomes of the Leicestershire Sustainable Community Strategy
- Improve our resource efficiency and deliver cost savings wherever possible, particularly in the light of the revised Carbon Reduction Commitment – Energy Efficiency Scheme
- Reflect the wishes of our staff – in 2010 only 70% agreed with the statement “I believe that the Council is doing enough to reduce its impact on the environment”
- Fulfil our commitment as a signatory to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change
- Respond to the Government’s agenda for local authorities to improve their environmental performance and comply with environmental legislation.
- Ensure that the strategy meets the requirements of BS14001 to allow business units to apply for accreditation under the Environmental Management System Standard
4. The current picture
The authority’s main impacts on the environment are set out below.
The following activities have been identified as significant because of their impact on the environment and the frequency with which they occur across the Council’s operations. These are considered to be the corporate impacts of the authority as they are relevant to most of the operations delivered in all Departments. There may be other site or service specific environmental risks and impacts which need to be considered for a complete understanding of each service’s environmental risks and impacts. The table below identifies each of the activities and outlines the associated environmental impacts.
| Activity | Environmental Impacts (Both positive and negative) |
| Energy use in buildings (and street lighting) |
Depletion of natural resources
|
| Use of water |
Carbon emissions increasing the rate of climate change (from energy use in water treatment and supply)
|
|
Transport including: Business mileage Fleet transport Contracted services and Commuting.
|
Depletion of natural resources
|
| Waste as a by-product of County Council functions |
Providing materials for recyclables markets
|
| Land management |
|
| Use of resources e.g. office consumables, natural materials, paints etc |
Potential for pollution from manufacture and disposal
|
5. Leicestershire County Council’s Environment Policy 2009
Leicestershire County Council is committed to protecting and enhancing the environment of Leicestershire and to improving the quality of life for Leicestershire people both now and in the future. By minimising the impacts of our own activities and those of the community where we have duties or responsibilities to control and influence them, Leicestershire County Council will contribute to the improvement of the local and global environment.
Leicestershire County Council aims to:
- Move towards more sustainable use of resources
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate the rate of climate change
- Take action to adapt to climate change
- Reduce the amount of waste produced and minimise its environmental impact by following the waste hierarchy of reduce, reuse, recycle and treat.
- Conserve and enhance the County’s biodiversity and habitats
- Conserve and enhance the character, diversity and local distinctiveness of Leicestershire landscapes and towns, and provide opportunities for public access and enjoyment of green spaces.
- Support action to create a healthy environment, with reduced pollution and contamination
- Lead the community by demonstrating and promoting environmental good practice.
- Take action to reduce the risk, and impact, of floods and droughts
- Increase our use and generation of renewable energy
In support of these aims Leicestershire County Council is committed to:
- Critical examination of the impacts which our policies and programmes have, or could have, on the environment and timely actions to prevent pollution and minimise these impacts
- Integration of environmental best practice in corporate and specific policies where appropriate
- Setting of objectives and targets to support these policy commitments and to deliver continual improvement in our environmental performance
- Measurement against comparable authorities and other benchmarks
- Compliance with the requirements of all environmental legislation, and other environmental commitments to which we subscribe as a minimum
- Raising awareness and encouraging participation among members and employees in environmental matters
- Spreading and sharing knowledge across the Council through Go Green champions in all establishments
- Ensuring purchasing decisions are mindful of environmental impacts
- Working with partners, businesses, LA maintained schools, Academies and other organisations which demonstrate commitment to reducing their own environmental impact
- Increasing understanding of environmental issues, ensuring everyone has access to accurate information, which encourages sustainable lifestyle changes and encourages focussed voluntary action
- Requirement of staff to work to the 7 ways to Go Green
- The Council’s carbon dioxide emissions are reduced
- The authority increases its resilience to the predicted changes in climate
- The amount of waste produced from Leicestershire County Council establishments, services and households is minimised and the percentage of waste recycled is increased
- Residual waste per household is reduced
- Percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling, and composting is increased
- The percentage of recycled aggregates used is increased
- The Council’s procurement of goods, works and services is environmentally sustainable
- The Council demonstrates efficient use of water
- All County Council sites maximise their value for geodiversity/biodiversity
- The Council has reduced polluting emissions from its operations and from the local transport network
- The diversity, local distinctiveness and accessibility of the Leicestershire landscape and towns is respected, conserved and enhanced by County Council operations and development
- Staff, Councillors, partners and members of the community understand the Council’s improved environmental performance and know how they can contribute to the achievement of the targets
Targets
Objective |
Performance Indicator |
Baseline |
2011/12 target |
2012/13 target |
2015/16 target |
2020/21 target |
|
CO2 emissions from local authority operations (formerly NI 185) (Stationary sources plus own fleet)
|
81,200 tonnes CO2 in 2008/2009 | - 14% (on 2008/09 baseline) | -18% (on 2008/09 baseline) | - 30% (on 2008/2009 baseline) by 2013/14 | -34% (on 2008/2009 baseline) |
| a) Energy efficiency | Energy consumption per m2 | 225Kwh/m2 in 2008/09 | - 20% | -22% | - 30% | - 34% |
| b)Renewable Energy | Renewable energy generated on County Council land and properties as % of energy consumed | Establish in 2011/12 | Baseline | 1% | 4% | 10% |
| c) Business travel | Total business miles claimed | 10.985 million miles in 2008/2009 | -10% | -15% | -30% | -40% |
| B The authority increases its resilience to the predicted changes in climate | Planning to adapt to climate change (formerly NI 188) | Level 3 at 31st March 2011 | Level 4 | Level 4 | ||
| C. The amount of waste produced from Leicestershire County Council establishments, services and households is minimised and the percentage of waste recycled is increased |
Tonnes of waste produced from LCC sites |
2010/11 to be used as baseline – figure being calculated 26% in 2009/10 |
Reduce by 3% Recycling rate of 40% |
Reduce by 3.5% Recycling rate of 45% |
Reduce by 5%3 Recycling rate of 60% (by 2016/17) |
Reduce by 10%h3 Recycling rate of 70% |
| D Residual Waste per Household is reduced | Residual waste is any collected household waste that is not sent for reuse, recycling or composting. (Formerly NI 191) | 2009/10 554.7kg | 540kg | Revised Strategy | Revised strategy | Revised Strategy |
| E Percentage of household waste sent for reuse, recycling and composting is increased | The percentage of household waste arisings which have been sent by Local Authorities across Leicestershire for reuse, recycling, composting or anaerobic digestion | 52% in 2010-11 | 53% | 53.5% | 58% by 2017 | |
| F The percentage of recycled aggregates used is increased | % of recycled aggregates in use in Highways and Waste | Audit in 2011-12 to establish baseline980 | Baseline | +1% | +5% | +10% |
|
G. The Council’s procurement of goods, works and services is environmentally sustainable |
Total office paper purchased % of high risk contracts where environmental considerations were included in the contract award (weighting of >15%) Monitoring purposes only |
09/10 23.787 Million A4 sheets 4 in 2009/10 with 15% weighting |
-15% |
-17% |
-20% by 2013/14 |
-30% |
| G. The Council’s procurement of goods, works and services is environmentally sustainable | Tonnes of paper used by LCC for commissioned print | Baseline to be established in 2011/12 | Baseline | -2% | -10% | -20% |
| G. The Council’s procurement of goods, works and services is environmentally sustainable | % of spend through ESPO that is spent on goods identified as “Green” |
30% in 2009-10
|
+1% | +1.5% | +3% | +10% |
| H The Council demonstrates efficient use of water | m3 of potable water consumed per FTE | Establish baseline in 2011/12 | Baseline | -4% | -15% | -25% |
| I All County Council sites maximise their value for geodiversity/biodiversity |
% of land area in SSSIs in our ownership in target condition Local Wildlife Sites and RIGs (Regionally Important Geological sites) in LCC ownership to have a management plan for their long-term survival Green space in our ownership or management to have a statement of aims of how geodiversity/ biodiversity can be enhanced |
95% in 2009/10 59% 40% |
95% 70% 50% |
96% 75% 60% |
100% 100% 90% |
100% 100% (review implementation of all plans) 100%(review implementation of all plans) |
|
J The Council has reduced the polluting emissions from its operations and from the Local Transport Network
|
Air quality - % reduction in NOx and primary PM10 emissions through local authority’s estate and operations (NI 194) |
2008/09 Baselines PM10 = 171 tonnes NOx = 6.9 tonnes
|
-14% on baseline | -18% | -30% | -34% |
| J The Council has reduced the polluting emissions from its operations and from the Local Transport Network |
Emissions from transport (A Roads, Minor roads and other)
|
1171ktCO2 in 2008 | -2% | -3% | -7% | -12% |
|
K The diversity, local distinctiveness and accessibility of the Leicestershire landscape and towns is conserved and enhanced by County Council operations and development
|
Implementation of the Strategic Green Infrastructure Strategy |
Standard for access to Greenspace in Leicestershire | Baseline | +0.25% | +1% | +2% |
| L Staff, Councillors, partners and members of the community understand the Council’s improved environmental performance and know how they can contribute to the achievement of the targets |
Proportion of staff supporting the statement “I believe the Council is doing enough to reduce its impact on the environment”
Proportion of staff agreeing with the statement “I understand how I can contribute to green issues at work” |
58.9% in 2008, 70% in 2010 77.1% in 2008,85% in 2010 |
72% in 2012 87% in 2012 |
No survey in 2012/13 No survey in 2012/13 |
75% in 2014 90% in 2014 |
80% in 2020% 95% in 2020 |
6. How we will deliver the change
The Environment Board will monitor the delivery of the Strategy as set out below. Environmental targets are set out in a range of work streams and the reporting arrangements proposed will ensure that the environmental elements of those work streams are monitored effectively. Overall performance will be reported to the public annually in October.
| WORK AREA | WORK STREAM | REPORTING ARRANGEMENTS TO ENVIRONMENT BOARD |
| Develop, implement and continually improve our environmental management system | Environment Programme | Twice yearly |
| Deliver our carbon management programme |
Carbon Management Plan, Accommodation Strategy,Business Mileage Reduction Project, Work Well, Energy Strategy (includes estate renewables), SCoRE programme, Green ICT Strategy, Choose How You Move |
Quarterly Twice yearly Twice yearly Annually Twice yearly Quarterly
Twice yearly Twice yearly |
| Support improvements in the day to day work practices of staff | Go Green Action Plan | Quarterly |
| Monitor and provide feedback on environmental performance | Environment Action Plan and Environment Performance Programme | Quarterly |
| Improve environmental procurement | Environmental Procurement Programme | Twice yearly |
| Improve biodiversity management | Biodiversity Action Plan | Annually |
| Minimisation of Waste |
County Hall Waste Action Plan Waste Management Strategy
|
Annually Annually
|
| Resilience to climate change | Climate Change Adaptation Strategy | Annually |
| Reduce our usage of water | Water Management Strategy | Annually |
To view the structure of the Environment Branch which will deliver the Environment Strategy see below.
Page Last Updated: 18 January 2012
