Highways & Neighbourhoods Cabinet Member – Minutes – 28 February 2013

 

42              (39) NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL ANNUAL ENERGY REPORT 2011-12 The Director of Places submitted a report presenting an Annual Energy Report for the financial year 2011-2012, and reporting on the results of the 2011-2012 Display Energy Certificate renewals in the council’s buildings.

One of the recommendations of the Greening the Workplace (Revisit Report of the Economic Development and Corporate Issues Scrutiny Panel 2010) was for the production of an annual energy report.

The council agreed its Carbon Management Plan (CMP) in 2009. This committed the council to reduce carbon emissions by 33% by 2014.  Establishing such targets necessitated the need for a reporting mechanism detailing the authority’s annual energy consumption data.

Since 2010/2011, the council had fallen under the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC). Under this scheme, the council was now required to provide the Environment Agency (EA) with a full carbon footprint report. The council was charged £12 for each tonne of CO2 emitted. In December 2012, the government announced changes to phase 2 of the scheme. Phase 2 (2014/15) of the CRC would not include schools. Other changes were listed in Appendix A to the report.

The report also stated that in 2012, the council achieved the Carbon Masters Standard. The council was scored against a set of qualitative criteria including carbon management strategies. Consumption data and energy savings had been externally verified and brought in line with the Green House Gas Protocol. The council could be scored against a wider scope in order to achieve the higher level ‘Gold Standard’.  Waste, water and business travel data would have to be submitted for external verification.

Appendix A to the report provided the annual energy and carbon data for the financial year 2011/2012. It also included two preceding year’s data. 2008/2009 was the base year for the Carbon Management Plan.

The report gave further information on the council’s energy consumption.

Resolved – (a) That the Annual Energy Report for the financial year 2011-2012 be noted and approved, and (b) that the council should seek the Carbon Masters Gold Standard and include water and business mileage within its remit.

43                (40)  ISO14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT REVIEW – The Director of Places submitted a report seeking approval for the Manual, Audits and Action Plan appended to the ISO14001 Environmental Management Review.

The ISO14001 Standard (the standard) assessed the council’s environmental impacts, helped to measure our consumption and reduce waste. The main principle of the standard was to reduce, reuse and recycle.

In delivering this principle the council made real cost savings, reduced environmental impact and improved environmental standing. B M Trada audited the council twice during the year against the standard.  To maintain the standard the council had to undertake a management review every year. Each management review required the following information to be presented:

·           Details of the external auditors findings

·           Results of Environmental and legal audits

·          An action plan to address issues identified within the external and internal audits and by the steering group

Throughout the next year, internal audits would be completed in the following areas:

·     Finance

·      Construction

·      Audit

·      School Catering and Cleaning

·      Normanby Hall

·      Normanby Hall and Kingsway Golf Courses

·      20-21

·      North Lincolnshire Museum

·       IT

·       The Pods

·       Ancholme Leisure Centre

·       Riddings Pool

·       Baysgarth Pool

·       Safer Roads

·       Building Control

·       Property Services

·       Housing/Home Improvement

·       Bereavement Services

·       Refuse

·       Trading Standards

The report and accompanying appendices gave further details of the review, and included an Action Plan and Manual.

Resolved – That the Manual, Audits and Action Plan of the ISO14001 Environmental Management Review be approved.

44              (41)  CONSULTATION ON INTEGRATED TRANSPORT BLOCK FUNDING – The Director of Places submitted a report informing the Cabinet Member of the response to the consultation document regarding options for changing the formula for allocation on the Integrated Transport Block Funding for the Local Transport Plan.

Transport capital expenditure was secured through the Local TransportPlan (LTP) process. The council was required to submit a LTP submission to the Department for Transport.  This plan set out transport priorities for the council over a 15-year period.

As part of the LTP submission, council’s were required to produce a three-year delivery plan.  This plan set out the programme of themes and expected outcomes to be achieved.  There were two funding streams within the LTP award: Integrated Transport and Highway Maintenance. The allocations for the current year including carry forwards were as follows:

·         Integrated Transport £ 1,108,000

·         Highway Maintenance £ 4,257,330

The focus of the consultation document was on the future distribution of the Integrated Transport Block (IT Block) funding. The IT Block formula was created in 2005.  Along with the Highways Maintenance Formula, it was used to determine the Local Capital Transport Settlement from 2006 onwards.

IT Block Funding was intended for small transport improvement projects such as road safety schemes, bus priority schemes, walking and cycling schemes and transport information schemes. However, the funding was not ring-fenced and local authorities could spend their allocation according to their priorities.  This funding was currently allocated according to a needs formula based on six elements: deprivation, road safety, public transport, air quality, congestion and accessibility.

The report gave full details of the options available to the council as part of the consultation and the preferred option.

Resolved – (a) That the consultation comments set out in Appendix 1 to the report, supporting the Option 2 of needs based funding, be approved, and (b) that the submission of the consultation response before the due deadline of 6 March 2013 be approved.

45              (42)  HIGHWAYS LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN PROGRAMME UPDATE – The Director of Places submitted a report updating the Cabinet Member on the progress of delivering the current Local Transport Plan and Capital budget programmes.

Transport capital expenditure was secured through the Local Transport Plan (LTP) process.  The council was required to submit a LTP submission to the Department for Transport.  The plan set out transport priorities for the council.  This year had seen the start of the third generation of the plans, which now covered a 15 year period.

As part of the LTP submission, councils were required to produce a three-year Delivery Plan.  The plan set out the programme of themes and expected outcomes for the plan.

There were two funding streams within the LTP award. These were Integrated Transport and Highway Maintenance. The allocations for the current year including carry forwards were as follows:

·         Integrated Transport £ 1,108,000

·         Highway Maintenance £ 4,257,330

All funding received through the LTP process was assessed by professionally qualified officers, considering transport priorities and performance targets. The breakdown into programmes of work was assessed using agreed policies and criteria.

Highway maintenance schemes were prioritised using nationally recognised highway condition assessment criteria within a prioritisation framework. Where appropriate, maintenance schemes also included measures to improve road safety (particularly for vulnerable road users), increase personal security, reduce crime and enhance the street scene.

Resolved – That the progress of the delivery of the programme be noted.

 

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