Government Business Volume 17.11

www.governmentbusiness.co.uk | VOLUME 17.11

MONEY MATTERS

Investment strategy for local authorities plus Public sector pensions reform

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

CONFERENCES & EVENTS

HEALTH & SAFETY

PARKING – how to achieve success in the parking arena PLUS MORE INSIDE

WHEN THERE IS ONLY A GLOVE....

BETWEEN YOUR HANDS AND A NEEDLE

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Government Business | Volume 17.11

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Dear Reader,

www.governmen

tbusiness.co.uk

It’s not long now until the announcement of the government spending review, and surely all different sectors, as well as individuals, are curious about how it will affect them. Who will lose out, and who will be the winners (if anyone)? 22 October is the date – have you marked it in your diary?

moNeY mATTeRS

Investment stra plus Public sect tegy for local authorities or pensions refo rm

It is likely that all local authorities and government departments will have to deliver more for less, whilst also improving services.

Outsourcing presents an opportunity to achieve this, according to the National Outsourcing Association, whose chairman discusses the possibilities on page 20.

With all this talk about money and reduced funds, we mustn’t forget the government’s sustainability drive and carbon emissions reduction targets. With the registration period for the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme now over (ended 30 September) organisations are turning their attention to data collection. For advice on how to fulfil your obligation to submit footprint and annual reports by the end of July next year, please turn to page 29.

| Volume 17.1 1

BuIlT eNVIRoNmeNT

PARKING – how to achieve

CoNFeReNCeS & eVeNTS

success in the par

king arena

Enjoy the issue.

HeAlTH & SAFeTY

PluS moRe INS IDe

Sofie Lidefjard, Editor editorial@psigroupltd.co.uk

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE If you would like to receive 12 issues of Government Business magazine for £95 a year, please contact Public Sector Information, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055, Fax: 020 8532 0066, or visit the Government Business website at: P NEWS P FEATURES P PROFILES P CASE STUDIES P EVENTS P AND MORE

8 www.governmentbusiness.co.uk PUBLISHED BY PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LIMITED 226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 EDITOR Sofie Lidefjard ASSISTANT EDITOR Angela Pisanu PRODUCTION EDITOR Karl O’Sullivan PRODUCTION DESIGN Jacqueline Grist PRODUCTION CONTROL Reiss Malone

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CONTENTS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS 17.11

7 NEWS 11 MONEY MATTERS The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy gives advice on investment strategy for local authorities Prepaid cards can provide citizens with access to a sophisticated payment system at minimal cost to the state The National Association of Pension Funds takes a look at the proposed reform of public sector pensions In times of severe spending cuts, has there ever been a better time to be involved in outsourcing, asks the National Outsourcing Association

23 BUILT ENVIRONMENT The Environment Agency takes a look at Cumbria, one year on from the floods Flooding and flood risk management are becoming increasingly important issues, says BRE How can you improve data collection for the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme?

The Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment addresses the opportunities that organisations need to survive and thrive The National Insulation Association sets out plans to insulate the UK’s solid wall housing stock in support of the government’s climate change targets Discover how Islington Council has reduced carbon emissions and increased recycling rates A combination of committed leadership and investment will ensure the UK is at the forefront of a low carbon future, says Climate Change Solutions

41 FACILITIES MANAGEMENT The Furniture Industry Research Association advises public sector buyers on ethical purchasing

45 HEALTH & SAFETY It is vital that those at the top lead the way in promoting health and safety, urges the Health and Safety Executive We explain why Firex North is a mustattend event for fire safety professionals

55 CONFERENCES & EVENTS What makes London truly remarkable as a conference destination?

Universities are continually investing in their venues, accommodation and event services to offer unique conference packages

83 HR & TRAINING We preview the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, the leading HR event in the UK

89 PARKING The British Parking Association explains its Master Plan for Parking

95 LANDSCAPING & GROUNDSCARE We preview IOG Scotsturf, a onestop-shop event for those involved in open space management

97 EMERGENCY SERVICES The Emergency Services Show is the only event for Emergency Planning, Response and Recovery professionals

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Liverpool residents see benefits of green initiatives wo thirds of local people have seen an improvement in Liverpool’s green environment over the past decade, a recent survey shows.

More than 65 per cent of residents remarked on the increase in woodlands, street trees and other habitats in a poll

by The Mersey Forest, which is launching a supporter drive to ensure that the greening of the local area continues to go from strength to strength.

Liverpool City Council’s cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Tim Moore, said: “We’re delighted all the hard work which goes into making our neighbourhoods as green as possible has been recognised by local people.

And things can only get greener in the future as the young trees and woodlands

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mature and more are planted, the benefits for people, wildlife and the economy will become even greater.”

The survey follows this summer’s grand opening of West Derby’s Mab Lane Community Woodland, a site transformed from an overgrown and under-used quagmire into a popular local woodland that local residents and schools helped to design.

Paul Nolan, director of The Mersey Forest, said: “More than 90 per cent of people support having a Community Forest in their area, and we want to harness this so we can keep greening our towns and cities.

To make this happen we’re asking people to sign up as a supporter of The Mersey Forest – it’s free and the more supporters we have, the more trees we can plant.”

NEWSINBRIEF Study reveals depth of fuel poverty in rural households

A new study from the Rural Services Network (RSN) for the Commission for Rural Communities (CRC) highlights difficulties rural households could face when keeping warm this winter.

The study targeted three rural communities facing high levels of fuel poverty from across Durham, East Riding and Shropshire. The results show a link between fuel poverty and the health and wellbeing of the residents surveyed, with more of the fuel poor rural households suffering from cold related illnesses such as asthma and respiratory disease than non-fuel poor rural households.

The survey results also showed that over 60 per cent of the rural fuel poor households that do not have a mains gas connection and use oil to heat their homes found it difficult to afford heating their homes, with that figure rising to over 72 per cent for households with children.

The report recommends that government fuel poverty and energy efficiency policy and programmes should include specific targets to improve the energy performance of off gas and solid wall homes.

Call for councils to put spending online Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has called for all councils to publish their spending over £500 online, reminding them that their January deadline is drawing closer. A map and timeline illustrating when and where councils have published their £500 spend has also been launched to illustrate what areas are lagging behind.

So far less than 70 councils have been brave enough to face public scrutiny and now the clock is ticking for councils to open their files so the public can see where their money is being spent.

Mr Pickles added: “I’ve called for a new era of transparency where all councils publish their spending over £500 online. I commend those councils that have been brave enough to face public scrutiny so far.

“The public have a right to see how their council tax is being spent so they know they are getting value for money and the best possible frontline services.”

Welsh tyre amnesty success recent Tyre Amnesty event undertaken jointly between Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend County Borough Councils has been hailed a huge success.

Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr.

Ali Thomas, said: “Fly-tipped tyres are a huge problem across Wales and this was an excellent initiative by both councils to combat this. At present, there are around 55,000 incidents of fly-tipping in Wales every year, with the resultant annual cleanup cost to the taxpayer of around £3m.”

This venture was the second joint crossboundary initiative of its kind in Wales, the first being carried out by NPTCBC in partnership with City & County of Swansea last March and has resulted in over 1,160 tyres being recovered.

All recovered tyres will be sent for

A

recycling. The aim of the event was to focus joint efforts in assisting residents to dispose of their unwanted tyres.

The event was made possible by funding through the Welsh Assembly Government’s Tidy Towns Grant Scheme, a Local Environmental Quality Initiative.

Plans for council housing deal outlined Housing Minister Grant Shapps has committed to giving councils the financial freedom they need to offer a better deal to the four million people living in council housing in England.

Describing the current system of council house financing as “no longer fit for purpose”, Mr Shapps set out plans to replace it with a new, more transparent system that devolves greater power to councils to better meet the housing needs of their local communities.

Under the proposed new rules, rather than the current Housing Revenue Account subsidy system councils would instead keep all the rents and sales receipts they collect. In return, some councils would take on additional housing debt but no council will take on a level of debt that is not sustainable for the long term.

Details of the new system will be announced as part of the Spending Review and will be introduced as part of the Localism Bill being introduced this autumn.

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Government Business | Volume 17.11

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Local authorities “missing out” on CCTV benefits ocal authorities are failing to take full advantage of the latest BS8418 CCTV solutions to protect their facilities from criminal attack, according to a recent survey conducted by the British Security Industry Association (BSIA).

First introduced in 2003, BS8418 is the British Standard for remotely monitored, detector-activated CCTV systems. As the standard has just gone through a process of revision, the BSIA’s survey aimed to assess installer and manufacturer attitudes towards the popularity and value of BS8418 systems and their uptake in key industry sectors such as local authorities.

Pauline Norstrom, Chairman of the BSIA’s CCTV Section, commented: “Across the board, usage of BS8418 solutions has risen by 22 per cent over the past year. However, sadly local authorities were highlighted as one of the sectors least likely to use BS8418

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technology to help secure their facilities.

Pauline continued: “The crime stopping capability of BS8418 solutions is clearly what makes them more and more popular amongst other sectors. BS8418 solutions enable users to take a more proactive approach to reducing crime and ensuring the security of their premises.”

Review of Welsh service delivery announced ales’ Minister for Social Justice and Local Government, Carl Sargeant, has announced a review that will look at the delivery of a range of services currently provided by local authorities.

“Across Wales we have 22 local authorities all delivering the same services. We need to consider whether they have the capacity to do this and whether in the current financial climate some services could be delivered need to

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provide some services could be delivered on a wider scale,” said Mr Sargeant.

“My review will consider where local authorities should be collaborating with their neighbours, or whether services should be delivered at a regional level or possibly through a single national organisation.”

Representatives of service deliverers, SOLACE and the WLGA will be invited to take invited to take part in the review which is due to report back around Christmas.

Solar-powered council houses in Midlothian he six first floor flats and six semidetached houses at Midlothian Council’s new affordable housing development in Cuiken Terrace, Penicuik all have solar water heating systems installed.

Councillor Adam Montgomery said: “The incorporation of a solar water heating system in these properties is a first for Midlothian Council. Embracing this technology reduces the quantity of CO2 households produce and saves energy. The system also reduces the average household heating bill, which reduces costs for our tenants.”

Solar water heating panels are efficient even in a typical Scottish climate. Because they work on the principle of light absorption, rather than needing heat or direct sunlight, they can deliver significant energy savings even on cloudy days.

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NEWSINBRIEF New licence allows easier re-use of government information The National Archives has launched the first UK Open Government Licence, making it faster and easier than ever before to freely re-use public sector information.

Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web and a member of the Public Sector Transparency Board, said: “The Open Government Licence is one element of the UK’s position at the forefront of the worldwide open data revolution. It’s great to see a simple and straightforward licence for people to re-use government data in any way they want. It will enable inventive people to build innovative new applications and websites which help people in their everyday lives.”

The UK Open Government Licence is applicable across the entire public sector, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as local authorities and other public bodies wishing to make their data more accessible to taxpayers.

£14m for affordable homes in Essex The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) has confirmed £14.8m funding to provide approximately 390 new homes in Essex. Funding will come from the National Affordable Housing Programme (NAHP).

Some of the schemes that will receive funding are located within the Thames Gateway regeneration area of Basildon, Southend and Thurrock, with a total investment of £7.6m. The rest are spread across the county and in total will provide homes for 1.387 people on the housing needs list.

Naisha Polaine, head of Area for the HCA in the East of England, said: “This is positive news for both local residents and our partners. The £14m over the next three years will enable new homes to be built which in turn will address the local housing needs of Essex.”

Road safety spending guidance issued Leading road safety organisations have issued a briefing document to local authority chief executives to help them set spending priorities that will protect their communities.

The ‘Making it Count’ guidance sets out a variety of issues that local authorities should consider when making decisions about scaling-back road safety funding. The total value of prevention of reported road accidents in 2009 has been estimated to be £15.8bn, with a broad illustrative figure taking the value to around £30bn when accidents not reported to the police are included.

The document was produced by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), Road Safety Great Britain, the Institute of Road Safety Officers (IRSO), the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT), the GreenSafe Foundation, TRL (Transport Research Laboratory) and Chris Lines Consulting.

Councillor Adam Montgomery

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MONEY MATTERS

STRENGTHENING LOCAL AUTHORITY INVESTMENT Mandy Bretherton, treasury management expert at the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, advises on investment strategy in the wake of the collapse of the Icelandic banks LOCAL AUTHORITY TREASURY management is big business in the UK. At the end of March 2009 English local authorities had £53.6bn of long term borrowing and £26.8bn of investments. Of the outstanding borrowing 98 per cent was longer term and of this 76 per cent was with the Public Works Loans Board (PWLB).

Prior to the fall in interest rates external interest was an important source of income for many authorities, with £1.9bn being received in 2008/09. That said, the regulatory guidance has always stressed that security and liquidity of funds should be considered prior to yield.

COLLAPSE OF THE ICELANDIC BANKS Local authorities were placed in the spotlight following the collapse of the Icelandic banks, with 127 English local authorities having £954m invested. The Risk and Return report from the Audit Commission and also the report on Local Authority Investments from the Communities and Local Government Select Committee both reviewed the framework in place at the time.

Neither report identified significant difficulties with the existing regulatory framework, but did identify areas which could be strengthened.

A key element of the regulatory framework is the CIPFA Treasury Management Code (the Code). A revised Code was published in November 2009 incorporating those elements highlighted in the reviews as areas requiring strengthening. One key element related to the role of those charged with governance, namely elected members in local authorities.

The Code makes it clear that responsibility for treasury management cannot be placed outside the organisation. For operational reasons the function can be delegated to an officer, typically the responsible finance officer, however, ultimately members must be fully aware of the risks that they are exposed to. The Code also highlighted a requirement that an authority’s treasury management strategies receive appropriate scrutiny and requires the body responsible for the scrutiny of treasury management to be named.

THE RIGHT SKILLS An essential element of the Code is that those responsible for treasury management have the necessary skills and experience in order to undertake their roles. The revised Code also covers the requirement that those charged with

governance have access to appropriate training in order for them to effectively undertake their responsibilities. The CIPFA Treasury Management Panel produce regular newsletters and Bulletins and the December 2009 Bulletin identified the key skills requirements for those responsible for treasury management. These included elected members, those responsible for scrutiny, the responsible finance officer, treasury manager and treasury officer and detailed the skills expectations for each.

Questions were asked in the reviews about why local authorities had such large investments at the same time as large borrowings. Local authorities are legally able to borrow to finance their capital programme in advance of when the funds are actually required called “borrowing in advance of need”.

They are not, however, allowed to borrow to invest. There are instances where this approach best fits local circumstances. Following its recent review of the Prudential Code (the framework for financing capital expenditure) the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) now requires local authorities that wish to borrow in advance to be explicit about this in their annual strategy. They are also required to consider carefully whether they can demonstrate value for money in borrowing in advance of need and can ensure the security of such funds.

CONSIDERING SECURITY The Department for Communities and Local Government also took the opportunity to review their guidance on local authority investments.

They strengthened the existing requirement for local authorities to consider security ahead of liquidity and yield. A local authority’s initial investment strategy (which must be approved by full council before the start of the financial year) should now also state the following: • how credit ratings are to be used and monitored and what other information is also to be used • the use made of treasury management advisors and how the quality of that service is maintained • how officers’ training needs are to be met.

In order to assist with enhancing the knowledge and expertise of local authority treasury officers, CIPFA, in conjunction with the Association of Corporate Treasurers, have launched a treasury management qualification aimed at the public

Mandy Bretherton

sector. The course, which is web based with optional tuition and revision sessions runs every six months, and covers the main areas of corporate treasury. Whilst some of the topics may not be familiar or appear directly relevant to those who work the public sector treasury management, a knowledge of them helps to put the public finance aspects of the course into context and enhance understanding of treasury in the public finance world.

The Select Committee criticised the role of the Treasury Management Advisors and that of the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The TM Panel Bulletin issued in March 2010 clarified the regulatory regime covering TMAs and provided a list of typical services provided by them.

THE CURRENT SITUATION The strengthening of the guidance and regulations have reinforced the need for local authorities to be clear about how they manage their treasury management risk.

They are required to explicitly state their appetite for risk, that elected members are fully aware of this and its implications and that it is subject to appropriate scrutiny.

In order to support local authorities in this the CIPFA Treasury Management Network in association with the Treasury Management Panel are undertaking a risk study which will measure the quantum of treasury risk being faced by individual local authorities and also reveal for the first time the broader picture across local government in England and Wales.

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MONEY MATTERS

By completing a short questionnaire, all respondents will get a risk report on their specific treasury portfolios which will be presented against the national average, to provide further context. Using market analytics, the outputs of the study will highlight the following risks: • counterparty default risk • volatility of future investment returns • debt refinancing risk • volatility of net interest income on the general fund.

To complement the Risk Management Study a Risk Management Toolkit publication is being developed by the Treasury Management Panel in conjunction with the Treasury Management Network. The publication will provide a Toolkit of techniques and reports that local authorities can use to identify, benchmark and manage their treasury risks.

The Toolkit proposes the following risk management methodology for treasury decision making: 1. establish the organisation’s risk appetite 2. establish quantified risk benchmarks which represent the agreed risk appetite, against which to measure the level of risk in the portfolio 3. take treasury decisions and manage the portfolio, relative to the agreed risk benchmarks 4. review outcomes and performance relative to the risk benchmarks.

DEBT MANAGEMENT OFFICE In the immediate aftermath of the Icelandic bank collapse many local authorities made a flight to safety in the approach to the amount of credit risk that they were willing to accept on investments. This meant that some authorities only invested in the Debt Management Office (DMO). Being part of government the security of investment was of the highest quality, however, this was at the expense of yield, a price that many authorities were prepared to pay.

Prior to 2008-09 local authorities in England made very minor use of the DMO. By the end of March 2009 11 per cent or £2.9bn was invested with them and investments in banks and building societies reduced by £6.3bn. Overall in 2008-09 investments dropped by £3.3bn. This was coupled with a reduction in the amount of new borrowing in the year as demonstrated in table 1.

Hence 2008-09 saw the largest reduction in net borrowing for over five years. The credit risk concerns, coupled with lower yields than previously received meant that many authorities were delaying their long term borrowings and borrowing internally. Whilst this reduced credit risk through lower investments it does lead to an interest rate exposure where interest rates may have increased when it is time to borrow.

The Treasury Management Panel December 2009 newsletter gave authorities more information on the type of information that

TABLE 1 2004-05 £m

2005-06 £m

2006-07 £m

2007-08 £m

2008-09 £m

Change in borrowing

2,472

5,961

2,538

3,790

1,190

Change in investment

1,740

2,380

2,356

4,268

(3,283)

Net change

732

3,581

182

(478)

(2,093)

is available in the market place to support a local authority’s assessment of a counterparty’s credit worthiness. This was so that local authorities would not solely rely on credit ratings in assessing their credit worthiness.

Local authorities have also been working hard to ensure that those responsible for treasury management possess the required skills and knowledge. Of the 83 who took the joint CIPFA/ ACT qualification 65 people passed, giving a pass rate of 78 per cent. Authorities are also running training sessions for elected members.

MOVING FORWARD So where do local authorities go from here?

It is essential that the key elements of the regulations are adhered to, especially the security, liquidity and then yield consideration.

The enhanced focus on credit worthiness and fall out from the credit crunch have meant that counter party lists have been shrinking, reducing a local authority’s ability to diversify.

In any market situation such as this the market will respond by bringing out new

products which it perceives meets market requirements. For example a money market fund that has a high credit rating, may provide immediate diversification for a local authority and a yield comparable to the market.

Local authorities should consider new products in the light of their treasury management strategy and their appetite for risk. Where a product fits with this appetite an authority should consider investing in accordance with their investment strategy.

In conclusion, the framework for local authority investments was reviewed post Iceland and certain elements were strengthened. The need for those responsible for treasury management within local authorities to have the knowledge and skills required to be informed investors in a complex and changing market place is greater than ever.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.cipfa.org.uk

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MONEY MATTERS

THE POWER OF LEASING With widespread funding cuts expected and a 2.5 per cent VAT increase on the horizon, belts are being tightened right across the public sector. But as Alex Brown, head of Asset Finance at Barclays, points out, leasing provides a simple and flexible way to acquire assets in an cost-effective way OPERATING LEASES There is currently a joint project between the IASB and the FASB to introduce a new accounting treatment for operating leases; the discussion period is from 17 August 2010 to 15 December 2010. We would expect the formal standard to come into effect at Q3 2011 based on the current IASB work plan. This could mean alternative funding methods may open up new opportunities for the public sector, making now the ideal time to review leasing options.

Alex Brown, head of Asset Finance, Barclays Corporate

AS THE PUBLIC SECTOR enters a heightened period of financial austerity, local government faces the difficult task of continuing to deliver valuable public services while operating on much tighter budgets. And, due to the new 20 per cent VAT level coming in January 2011, they will also be paying more for goods and services.

As procurement departments and finance offices pore over the figures and juggle the books, leasing is proving to be an optimum way to manage budgets, deliver cost-savings and still make those necessary investments.

Although there are many sources of leasing, including banks and specialist leasing companies, it was actually the Barclays Group that introduced the concept to the UK in the late 1960s and today we work directly with local authorities to understand their needs and provide flexible, tailored solutions.

Vital new IT systems, commercial vehicles and plant machinery, or even new equipment for high streets and parks, are ideal for leasing as they are costly to buy outright and need regular maintenance.

WIDE-RANGING BENEFITS An operating lease is one of the most popular leasing products as it allows organisations to acquire assets like those mentioned, off the balance sheet. That means what would normally be capital expenditure can be paid through the authority’s revenue account – rather than the capital account. This allows authorities to maintain their crucial cashflow and stretch budgets much further.

One of the other key advantages of leasing is that it allows a local authority to defer the VAT payment. Normally, when you purchase a new van or suite of computers and pay upfront, you also pay the VAT upfront –

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making a significant dent in cashflow.

With leasing, the cost is net of VAT, which is spread over the term of the lease, rather than paid for upfront. This VAT deferment provides tremendous financial advantages – particularly with the standard rate of VAT set to increase.

SAVING MONEY, MAINTAINING STANDARDS Cost savings are one of the biggest attractions of leasing. For example, we could expect to deliver cost savings of around 20 per cent over three years on IT equipment by using sophisticated asset management systems.

These can efficiently monitor and track the life and standard of the equipment, as well as outsource the risk in the future value of the equipment to the financier.

As the equipment and vehicles you use age and need more maintenance, leasing provides you with the flexibility to simply update your assets easily and cost-effectively. This is particularly important when there is likely to be considerably more scrutiny in the coming months over whether the public sector is managing its money properly and whether taxpayers are getting value.

The ability to maintain excellent standards of equipment across departments will help ensure greater efficiencies and smoother running of services. In turn, this should make life easier for your employees to deliver an excellent standard of services to the public.

RECYCLING AND REUSING As equipment reaches the end of its lease, we often get asked what happens to it. We understand that the disposal of equipment and the public sector’s green credentials are under careful scrutiny. That’s why the leasing and updating of all equipment

is strictly regulated and monitored.

Because most organisations wish to update their assets long before they fall apart, they can rest assured that by working with Barclays, equipment still in relatively good working order is recycled and resold, often to developing countries or regions.

Many organisations are also becoming increasingly aware of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive and want to ensure they are meeting the latest environmental legislation and improving their green credentials. It’s important, therefore, to check that your leasing company – like Barclays – complies with WEEE standards when it comes to recycling.

A VALUABLE OPTION Whatever happens to the economy in coming months, it’s clear the public sector faces very tough times and difficult decisions when it comes to maintaining the highest possible level of services. That means careful budgeting and financial management.

As we have explored, leasing is a sensible and flexible way to access additional sources of financing that saves money, spreads costs and makes upgrading valuable equipment easy.

There are many leasing options out there and by talking to financial experts like Barclays, you have access to excellent funding alternatives, which could really benefit your organisation.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Find out about how leasing could help your organisation. Call Barclays on 0800 015 1874 or visit www.barclayscorporate.com

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MONEY MATTERS

SAVING TIME, SAVING MONEY Payments – where building more efficient government does mean delivering better services means that government is increasingly able to draw on a wide range of products that can give the unbanked access to electronic payments and other secure financial services.

Chief amongst these products is the prepaid card, a simple payment card that acts like a debit card, but can never go overdrawn. The impact of the prepaid card on government business and the citizen could be enormous, not least because prepaid could reduce the bottom line for public sector bodies at the same time as providing a better service to clients.

This isn’t a mealy mouthed improvement either. Citizens without a bank account are likely to spend around £480 more per annum for basic goods and services than their banked counterparts. Prepaid cards can provide our poorest and most vulnerable citizens with access to a fully-functioning and sophisticated payment system at minimal cost to the state.

ACCORDING TO TICON’S OWN research, local councils in the UK issue more than eight million cheques per year. Urging councils and other government agencies to stop writing cheques looks exactly like the sort of initiative that needs to be delivered as we attempt to reduce the deficit. However, the cheque remains stubbornly engrained in public life.

In truth, councils and other public sector bodies have tried extremely hard to rid themselves of cheques, but the laws and state of the financial services market is very much against them. Commonly referred to as unbanked, there are an estimated 3.7m unbanked citizens in the UK, and UK banking law does not mandate the provision of a bank service for all citizens. The challenge of extending banking services is also less of a priority than recapitalising vulnerable banks. Understandably, any attempt by regulators to encourage banks to extend services to the poor leads to a chorus of accusations that government wants to give with one hand and take with another.

DEALING WITH UNBANKED CITIZENS Unbanked citizens may have a bad credit history, lack a viable address or may simply not trust the banks; many are immigrants and some suffer from mental or social illnesses that prevent them from managing a bank account. So when the public sector works with the unbanked, they must resort to issuing

cheques, cash or even vouchers. All of which are costly and inefficient, and because their clients are vulnerable they must absorb these costs as part of their duty of care to a client.

If that wasn’t enough, public bodies are also hidebound by data protection and privacy rules. Councils can’t demand that a client provides bank details even if they do have a bank account. This means that government agencies are forced to continue to issue cheques, often unnecessarily, further adding to government costs and inefficiency.

LACK OF SUPPORT So, when the Payments Council announced in December 2009 that they planned to stop processing cheque payments in the UK, you might expect our politicians to provide vigorous support for their plan. Instead, the Treasury Committee mounted a barbed attack on the plan and on the motives of the Payments Council and their members. Progress, it seems, will have to be delivered from the ground up, rather from the top down.

The good news is that progress is happening already. Today a number of government bodies are already issuing prepaid cards to citizens instead of using cheques or vouchers.

Financial Services companies are investing heavily in products that are specifically tailored to helping public sector bodies deliver payments to citizens more efficiently and effectively and without the use of paper. This

EFFICIENCY SAVINGS We have looked at the business case for using prepaid cards in over 25 public sector bodies. At the top end of benefits we have seen a 62 per cent time saving on officer time, going down to a 12 per cent saving at the bottom end.

Cards can also be developed so that transactions can be monitored and approved or rejected at point of sale according to a complex array of factors, including the retailer’s profile, the terminal being used, the transaction value, the number of transactions undertaken and even the postcode where the transaction is taking place. Cards can be used as a method for confirming cardholder activity, for example, a zero value transaction can be undertaken at any point of sale to confirm that a cardholder had attended a specific event, which could be useful for jobseekers’ training or those working with offenders on probation.

There are few occasions where governments can deliver dramatic cost reductions whilst providing improved services to their clients.

Through increased knowledge of what is spent where, by reducing the cost of processing payments and by managing their client relationships better, prepaid can deliver significant savings to government.

By monitoring and recording activity and by controlling spend, government can provide funds in a more effective matter, but most important of all, prepaid can be used to help the poorest in society to bridge the poverty that being unbanked exposes so cruelly.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 020 78361999 E-mail: ian.makg@ticon.co.uk

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Written by Manish Kohli, EMEA Wholesale Cards Head, Citi

MONEY MATTERS

PRE-PAID CARDS: THE BENEFITS Using prepaid cards to reduce costs and improve public services IN MANY COUNTRIES, the public sector is one of the largest purchasers, employers and payments distributors and therefore is uniquely positioned to champion new efficiency opportunities.

Furthermore, government agencies and local authorities have an obligation to taxpayers and voters to manage their activities efficiently, to avoid waste and ensure that cash is channelled into public services. Payment processes are an important area in which efficiency enhancements can bring major advantages in terms of reduced risk, increased security and better services to customers. Consequently, we are witnessing considerably higher adoption of electronic payment methods, such as credit transfers, credit cards, debit cards and increasingly, prepaid cards.

While public sector entities have become familiar with making payments using electronic credit transfers, and increasingly accept credit and debit card payments, prepaid cards bring significant additional opportunities, both in terms of the benefit that they offer to the payer and payee, and because they can help public sector entities to meet a broad range of policy goals. For example, by using prepaid cards to make payroll or benefits payments, they can reduce administrative burden and payment processing costs, while meeting financial inclusion targets by helping payees without bank accounts (whether staff or beneficiaries) to gain experience with modern banking products and reduce their reliance on cash.

BENEFITS OF PREPAID CARDS Prepaid cards bring significant advantages for both external benefit payments and employee payments – such as staff payroll, pensions, petty cash and expenses – to meet a broad array of government needs. These could include: • Reduction in back-office and transaction costs • The ability to pool budgets • Audit trails for individual transactions • Better support for budget planning with increased access to data • Improved administrative efficiency e.g. eliminating the need for weekly mailings of cheques or vouchers • Guarantee payment, better payments information and communication, improviding predictability and visibility over cash flow • Reputational advantage through adoption of efficient technology and improved service delivery.

Once a card has been issued to a payee, regular payments can be made onto the card electronically.

To do this, the paying organisation sends a regular payment file to its bank, in the same way as initiating a cheque run, and the issuing bank then recharges the card automatically, enabling the recipient to access funds up to the amount specified by the paying organisation. As

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PREPAID CARDS: KEY FEATURES A prepaid card is a payment card issued by a bank. The paying organisation, such as a local authority, central government department or a private sector company, advises the issuing bank of the value to be loaded onto the card and provides it to a payee. Without funds being loaded onto the card by the issuing bank on behalf of the paying organisation, it has no value. Prepaid cards may be re-loadable and therefore topped up for continuous use, such as for benefit payments or payroll. Alternatively, they may be for one-time use, such as a tax refund. There is no ability for cardholders to exceed the loaded balance or draw on credit. Like a debit card, prepaid cards are typically Visa or Maestro-branded and the payee can typically withdraw cash at an ATM, make purchases or utility payments with the card as they would a credit or debit card, or transfer funds to a bank account.

Areas in which public sector entities can benefit from using prepaid cards include:

BENEFIT PAYMENTS Many benefit payments, such as housing benefit or winter fuel payments, are still made by cheque, which typically cost £3-£8 to process. By distributing regular benefits using prepaid cards, costs are reduced and convenience and security for beneficiaries enhanced, particularly for infirm or disabled beneficiaries who find

it difficult to pay cheques into the bank, and therefore may not be able to take advantage of the funds for some time.

PAYROLL PAYMENTS Many public sector employee salaries and/ or expenses are paid by cash or cheque.

Prepaid cards reduce the risk of theft, loss or fraud, and improves efficiency and auditability for the paying organisation.

Employees gain immediate benefit of funds, as opposed to waiting for cheques to clear, and benefit from convenient payments.

LOCAL TAX REFUNDS Tax refunds are frequently paid by cheque, even in countries with high adoption of electronic payments such as the UK. Many taxpayers are uncomfortable with sending bank details and tax authorities holding such information could suffer significant reputational damage in the event of a security breach. Using prepaid cards enables refunds to be made efficiently, and payments in subsequent years can be made by topping up the card.

In addition, students, small businesses, voluntary sector organisations and others who qualify for financial assistance from the local or central government can be paid efficiently. Compensation payments to local residents or businesses are also more convenient for both payer and payee.

CASE STUDY – LONDON BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM The London Borough of Lewisham is an inner-city district of South East London. It has a population of 258,000 and the Council is striving to improve its efficiency and service delivery.

The Council pays a weekly allowance to 18-year-olds leaving its care to help them continue in education or to look for employment. Until recently, recipients had to visit council offices once a week to collect their allowance in cash. This exposed both staff and recipients to the risk of theft and loss, required complex administrative and cash management procedures, and discouraged responsible budgeting by recipients.

Citi worked with Lewisham Council to implement a prepaid card solution to enable recipients, most of whom do not have bank accounts, to receive their money via a secure and convenient prepaid Visa card, which can be used to make payments in-store, or using the internet or telephone. They can also use the cards to withdraw cash from ATMs. Recipients no longer have to travel to council offices as cards are remotely

re-loaded. “This is much safer for them,” says Peter King, team manager, Leaving Care Service, Lewisham Council. “In addition, being able to withdraw only small amounts at a time, as well as making purchases in shops, enables young people to practice budgeting skills.” Unlike the previous cash payments, cards can be cancelled and reissued in the event that it is lost or stolen.

For Lewisham Council, prepaid cards are simple to set up, administer and re-load. The council has better control over payments, and has better insights into how recipients are managing their cash, enabling them to provide specific support where appropriate. The scheme is expected to reduce Lewisham’s payment processing costs in this area by 62 per cent.

Prepaid cards will also contribute to the way that Lewisham achieves a number of key national targets, including reducing risk by having less cash on-site and less movement of money between sites. “Citi’s prepaid card is both secure and flexible for council clients,” says Kevin Alcock, head of cashiering services at Lewisham.

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MONEY MATTERS

well as being cheaper than cheque production and distribution, prepaid cards reduce other paper-intensive administrative processes, such as cheque reconciliation and addressing queries from beneficiaries, therefore helping public sector entities to comply with e-government initiatives to eliminate paper and improve process efficiency. For example, cheques and vouchers can easily be lost or stolen, whereas once a card has been delivered, future payments automatically get routed to the card account and card usage is restricted to the cardholder through use of a PIN in the same way as credit or debit cards. Similarly, in the event that a card is lost or stolen, the card can be cancelled, the funds remain secure, and a replacement card is simply mailed to the beneficiary.

BENEFITS FOR PAYEES Prepaid cards are highly convenient for beneficiaries, whether or not they hold a bank account. Unbanked individuals can make payments and withdraw funds in the same flexible, convenient and secure way as debit card holders with bank accounts. Furthermore, they avoid charges on cashing cheques. By introducing the use of card facilities and online banking services such as statement reporting, transaction data and domestic funds transfer, prepaid cards provide unbanked users with a stepping stone to opening a normal bank account. Beneficiaries can manage their budgets more easily by using funds for specific purposes as opposed to having to cash the full value of cheques or vouchers at once. For those who already have bank accounts, prepaid cards avoid the inconvenience of paying in cheques and waiting for funds to clear, and share the benefits of increased security and control over cash flow.

Prepaid cards provide a unique opportunity for public sector entities challenged with the daunting task of reducing costs and increasing efficiency whilst improving service delivery. With huge volumes of payments each year to a wide spectrum of beneficiaries, prepaid cards offer convenience and security without the security hazards of requesting and storing bank account details for electronic credit transfers, which may be inappropriate in the case of one-off payments and impossible for unbanked individuals. While cheques will continue to play a role in many organisations for the foreseeable future, the advantages of prepaid cards to payers and payees alike are compelling, and we would expect to see them play a greater role in the future.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To learn about how prepaid cards can help your organisation please contact: Simone Leevey, Public Sector Cards – Sales Citi Prepaid Services E-mail: simone.leevey@citi.com Tel: +44 207 986 4515 James W. Conway, market manager – Europe, Middle East & Africa Citi Prepaid Services E-mail: james.w.conway@citi.com Tel: +353 162 26692

Manish Kohli

Prepaid cards provide a unique opportunity for public sector entities challenged with the daunting task of reducing costs and increasing efficiency whilst improving service delivery. With huge volumes of payments each year to a wide spectrum of beneficiaries, prepaid cards offer convenience and security without the security hazards of requesting and storing bank account details for electronic credit transfers THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

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UserGroup International

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MONEY MATTERS

PENSIONS NEED GOVERNMENT ATTENTION FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE Joanne Segars, chief executive at the National Association of Pension Funds, discusses the call to reform public sector pensions THE REFORM OF PUBLIC SECTOR pensions has recently been dominating the news headlines and the government is right to put it on its agenda.

A reform in public sector pensions is needed to overcome the challenges that they are facing.

These include increased longevity and lower investment return over the last decade, which are both making pensions more expensive to provide and are creating a burden on taxpayers.

SAVE TO AVOID POVERTY It is vital that this reform is handled properly.

The UK is already suffering a serious lack of pension saving, with 53 per cent of workers not saving into a workplace pension. This means that millions of people face poverty when they reach old age, with over half of all pensioners predicted to be reliant on means-tested benefits by 2050.

Public sector workers are one of the few groups that are making proper retirement savings, thanks to the pensions arrangements currently available in the public sector.

The government needs to ensure that the reform does not make this savings crisis worse. Significant reductions in public sector pensions could result in a higher level of pensioner poverty and higher costs from means-tested benefits and care services, which would ultimately defeat the overall purpose of the reform.

The government also needs to pay attention to the diversity of the schemes existing within the public sector. Public sector pensions are often discussed as if they are one homogenous group, but there is a wide range of different schemes with different rules, benefit structures and costs. For example, the pension schemes offered by local government are very different to those available in the NHS and Civil Service.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT PENSION SCHEMES (LGPS) is the largest public sector scheme with 1.7 million active members in 2009 and 1.1 million deferred members. In contrast with the other schemes, LGPS is the only funded public sector scheme. This means it has all the liabilities fully funded.

As a funded scheme, LGPS presents numerous advantages over unfunded public sector schemes. For instance, it is transparent about its costs, with independent actuarial evaluation and scrutiny through governance committees, making the size of any possible deficit within the scheme clear. It’s a different story for unfunded schemes.

GUIDING THE CHANGES The Independent Public Service Pension’s Commission that the government has tasked to deal with the reform needs to take all these differences into account when formulating its recommendations. To help the Commission, the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has published seven core principles that should guide the changes to public sector pensions. These are: • Fit for purpose: public sector pensions should be an integral part of pay and reward and support the recruitment and retention of staff needed to deliver vital public services.

• Adequacy: public sector pensions should not be “dumbed down”, but must continue to provide a good standard of living in retirement.

• Affordability: public sector pensions must be affordable in the long term. The schemes should be designed to meet changing circumstances and ensure intergenerational equity.

• Transparency: the costs of public sector pensions must be clear and transparent.

• Shared responsibility and risk: the employer

and employee should share the burden of contributions and the risks of costs increasing.

• Quality and efficiency: public sector schemes should demonstrate efficient and high quality administration and governance.

• Mobility: public sector pensions should not put up barriers between the public and private sector workforces, preventing the UK workforce from becoming less flexible.

The public sector pension schemes are clearly going to have to change to meet the challenges of rising costs and longer life expectancies. We also need to address the increasing gap between the quality of public and private sector pensions.

In doing so, the government needs to ensure that it will not end up worsening our pension savings crisis. Ultimately, what our country needs are better, not worse pensions.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 020 76011700 Fax: 020 76011799 Web: www.napf.co.uk

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Government Business | Volume 17.11

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MONEY MATTERS

WHY AUSTERITY MEANS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUTSOURCING In times of severe spending cuts, there’s a real opportunity for outsourcing to revitalise the public sector and play a leading role in improving efficiency, argues Martyn Hart, Chairman of the National Outsourcing Association HAS THERE EVER BEEN A BETTER TIME to be involved in outsourcing? Although many have greeted the government’s decision earlier this year to slash costs in the public sector with derision, it’s becoming increasingly clear that it presents a real opportunity for those with a vested interest in outsourcing services in both the UK and across Europe to flourish.

The cuts have been introduced against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, with analysts speculating that a double dip recession is nigh, and big spending government departments scurrying for cover as they start to feel the pinch. Indeed, cost-cutting initiatives such as the G-Cloud plan have already been well publicised, and we’ve seen much wailing and gnashing of teeth from experts who have predicted that the

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only consequence will be a poorer level of service, and an increased number of inefficiencies. But how fair is this assessment?

SAVING POTENTIAL When the government announced the G-Cloud initiative, it was amidst claims from the Treasury’s Operational Efficiency Programme that it could save the government £3.2bn of its annual £16bn IT budget by 2013/14. By encouraging government departments to share resources and by replacing the existing government network of department-hosted systems with a dozen dedicated secure data centres, costing £250m each, the plan has been to reduce costs gradually, over a sustained period of time.

But what will this initiative mean for

outsourcing suppliers? Although there were some initial fears that it would have a negative impact on suppliers, with the number of traditional private sector IT contracts reduced in favour of shared services, it’s become clear that the G-Cloud could provide a very real opportunity for outsourcers everywhere, in addition to the muchvaunted cost-efficiencies. It’s worth remembering that the G-Cloud itself could well support a variety of functions, including everything from pooled application libraries to a communal e-mail solution, and collaboration tools – but who, exactly, is going to manage these new services?

OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUTSOURCING It’s clear that there’s a real opening for providers of IT outsourcing to change the way public sector IT projects are managed.

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After all, the G-Cloud will need to be constructed and then maintained, while software for all of its applications will need to be delivered – all of which could prove fertile ground for outsourcing service providers. It’s no exaggeration to say that the way individual contracts to deliver these services are managed, as well as the willingness of suppliers to change the way they deliver services, could play a big part in defining the role of IT outsourcing services in the public sector for years to come.

However, it’s clear that the government’s austerity measures are not confined to the realms of IT services. Supply-chain management, finance, procurement services, facilities management and human resources, are all areas where government will be looking to make deep cuts. It would be wrong for outsourcing service providers, however, to become complacent and for them to expect to see new public sector contracts falling into their laps with large profit margins.

Although some contracts in the past may have seen the public sector paying more than the market rates for services, it’s important to recognise that under new streamlined procurement processes, these inefficiencies and poor management processes will most likely be squeezed out – with many procurement functions outsourced to the private sector themselves – a move which could help to achieve more competitive quotes from prospective bidders.

UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC SECTOR NEEDS Today, it’s estimated that 14 per cent of all public services are outsourced, with analysts forecasting that this figure will increase exponentially over the next five years, as the government looks to ensure that central government provision of services is replaced with high quality providers from the private sector.

However, it’s also true that public sector bodies have very stringent tendering and contract procedures, and prospective suppliers from the private sector service providers will need to understand the way the public sector operates if they are to succeed. In order to successfully negotiate the bid process, service providers should expect strict KPIs, as well as being able to demonstrate a strong track record in their areas of extertise.

They may also need to add a greater deal of flexibility to their approach, and look to provide shorter term contracts, rather than the long-term deals they have been used to. A performance-based approach is much more likely to mean that longterm fixed deals are a thing of the past, as bodies will require the option to re-shape services at relatively short notice to react to changes in the way they operate.

Outsourcing firms will also find that they

The cuts have been introduced against a backdrop of economic uncertainty, with analysts speculating that a double dip recession is nigh, and big spending government departments scurrying for cover as they start to feel the pinch need to be adequately capitalised in order to take full advantage of these new opportunities.

With the pressure and focus on whether companies are adequately resourced to provide the services they are offering, the inevitable scrutiny and political backlash surrounding any difficulties or failures is sure to intensify.

GREATER RESOURCES It’s clear that cost is not the only reason that outsourcing holds such a strong appeal for the public sector. It’s worth remembering that by outsourcing services, the public sector can call on much greater resources, which is something that the public sector outsourcing naysayers would do well to note.

Indeed, organisations in the private sector are structured to be able to effectively deliver some of the larger supply chain requests necessary when dealing with a large, national contract.

For example, it was recently reported that the NHS had a requirement to source 47 million cotton wool balls for the health service.

It’s extremely doubtful that the order could have been delivered through the public sector at all – and certainly could not have been delivered as quickly as they eventually were, by international logistics group DHL, to which the NHS had outsourced its supply chain.

The fact that cost savings in excess of £200

million were achieved was an added bonus.

Of course, as with any deal, if outsourcing is truly to thrive in the public sector, then it will be necessary to ensure that that due diligence has been undertaken. If the public sector rushes into outsourcing, looking for a quick fix, without first ensuring that their service providers are a good cultural fit, or that they can deliver an improved service, then it’s inevitable that problems will arise.

Clearly, there is a danger that public sector departments could look to outsource cheaply, at the cost of improved service – although it’s worth pointing out that by initiating a project of any description based on cost alone, it’s likely to end in failure. If performed correctly, however, and for the right reasons, it’s clear that outsourcing can achieve real results for the public sector.

Although the government’s plans to slash public spending have been greeted with widespread pessimism, there’s no doubt that there’s a real opportunity for outsourcing to revitalise the sector and play a leading role in improving the efficiency of government – not to mention the profitability of business.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.noa.co.uk

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

PICKING UP THE PIECES & HEADING TOWARDS A SECURE FUTURE Phil Rothwell, head of Flood Strategy at the Environment Agency, looks at Cumbria’s recovery, one year on from the floods ALMOST A YEAR AGO, the Lake District experienced the perfect storm – relentless heavy rain combined with saturated ground and full rivers – resulting in unprecedented flooding. Thursday 19 November 2009 was the UK’s wettest day on record. Torrential rain falling on sodden ground lead to flooding of over 1,500 properties, 200 people being evacuated, six bridges collapsing and the tragic death of PC Bill Barker.

The one year anniversary of these devastating floods is an opportunity to look back, not only at what has been achieved to aid recovery since the floods, but also to look at what we have learned and, in looking to the future, what needs to be done to prepare ourselves for more extreme weather as a result of climate change.

RECOVERING FROM TRADGEDY The work of the Environment Agency does not stop when the flood waters recede.

The damage and devastation caused by the flooding in Cockermouth, Keswick, Workington, Ulverston, Eamont Bridge and Kendal has cost millions of pounds and will influence the local communities for many years to come.

The recovery has been a joint effort between the local community, Flood Action Groups, Cumbria County Council, the Highways Agency and the Environment Agency. Whilst the impacts of the flooding are still visible on the landscape, we’ve done a lot in the past year to help people recover and to help reduce the impact of any future flooding.

The Environment Agency has worked hard to support the effort to get people back into their homes and businesses back on their feet.

We assisted local authorities to give support and information to local people. We also worked with Natural England to contact over 150 farms affected by the flooding to advise on reinstatement and stabilisation works.

Local Flood Action Groups have been a valuable way of communicating with local people, helping us to understand their concerns and to help them consider ways to reduce the damage of future flooding. Before the 2009 floods 18 Flood Action Groups existed in the affected region – now the Environment Agency has identified 68 community groups that could work with us to prepare for any future flood events in Cumbria. Such community cohesion in the face of growing risk is vital as society comes to terms with the inevitable consequences of climate change.

Following the floods the Environment Agency quickly repaired and rebuilt flood defences

damaged during the flooding to reinstate the level of flood protection that existed before the floods. However, we did not stop there.

STUDYING STANDARDS We are undertaking a detailed study into the current standards of flood protection and the possible options to reduce future flood risk in Cockermouth. We have also worked in partnership with the Cockermouth Flood Action Group to devise a new flood defence scheme for the Gote Road area of the town. These defences will reduce flood risk to 42 homes. Preliminary works started 13 September following £50,000 funding from the Cumbrian Community Foundation which was secured by the Cockermouth Flood Action Group. The aim is to have the £500,000 scheme in place in time for this winter.

In Keswick, we have also completed a programme to strengthen existing flood

infrastructure, 2,400 schools and 2,400 doctors’ surgeries in England are situated in flood risk areas, along with some 4,000 km of roads and 2,500 km of railway.

The expected annual cost of damage to residential and commercial property from flooding in England, as well as the cost of further disruption, damage to infrastructure and loss of business, is estimated at some £2.5 billion.

INVESTING IN FLOOD DEFENCES The Cumbrian floods further demonstrated the importance of flood prevention, warning and response.

Since summer 2007, the Environment Agency has completed 158 flood defence schemes, providing increased protection to over 128,000 properties. By 2015, planned flood defence schemes will reduce the flood risk for an additional 200,000 homes across England and

In England 2.4 million properties are currently at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea – 490,000 of which have a significant chance of flooding. An additional 2.8 million properties are currently at risk of flooding from surface water defence walls in the High Hill area at a cost of approximately £700,000. The construction of the Thacka Beck flood alleviation scheme in Penrith is also progressing well and a month ahead of schedule with works due to be completed by the end of 2010.

THE NATIONAL PICTURE While the events in Cumbria last November were extreme, such flood risk is not confined to the Lake District, as we have seen in recent years. A study in 2009 showed that one in six homes in England is at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, or from surface water where drains can’t cope with severe rainfall.

In England 2.4 million properties are currently at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea – 490,000 of which have a significant chance of flooding. An additional 2.8 million properties are currently at risk of flooding from surface water.

It is not just homes that are under threat from flooding, but also crucial public infrastructure.

55 per cent of water treatment works and pumping stations, 14 per cent of electricity

Wales. Over the past ten years, more than 250,000 additional households have benefited from investment in new or improve defences.

During last year’s floods the effectiveness of flood defences was demonstrated by the nearly completed Carlisle flood alleviation scheme. Carlisle was worst hit during the January 2005 flooding in Cumbria – two people lost their lives, 78 were seriously injured and more than 1,800 properties were flooded.

Last November, the Carlisle flood defence scheme was 80 per cent complete. Contractors were taken off planned construction work and temporarily filled incomplete sections of the defence in readiness for the high river levels predicted. They also installed temporary pumps in the Little Caldew pumping station.

These temporary measures held, with the peak river level coming within 50mm of the top of temporary defences. Flood waters remained some 550mm below the top of the new permanent defences through the city.

Had the Carlisle defence scheme not already been underway, 800 of the properties flooded

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in 2005 would have suffered again. The temporary defences erected by Environment Agency, contractors and local authority staff protected an additional 400 properties.

Now complete, the defences opened in June 2010, having been delivered a year ahead of schedule. The scheme has significantly reduced the risk of flooding in Carlisle and is designed to protect 1,940 homes and businesses.

HELPING PEOPLE PREPARE Continued investment in flood defences is only part of the solution to reduce flood risk. Financial support needs to be complimented by increased cooperation between organisations and communities involved in flood prevention. A key finding of the Pitt Review into the summer 2007 floods was how much better all our preparations could be if every organisation involved in flood and coastal risk management properly understood their roles, that the public also had confidence in knowing who was responsible and that all concerned openly shared data.

One result of these proposals has been the establishment of the Flood Forecasting Centre, a joint initiative between the Environment Agency and the Met Office. This partnership approach ensures we are thoroughly prepared and enabled us to predict the Cumbrian floods four days before they hit. The Environment Agency is also embracing new technology in flood prediction and mapping.

With climate change bringing more intense and frequent flooding, better community understanding, greater financial support and increased cooperation between agencies will help ensure England and Wales are better prepared.

FLOOD PRODUCT TEST CENTRE In February 2010, the Environment Agency opened the first flood product test centre in the country. This cutting-edge simulator recreates the devastating effects of a flood in order to test products designed to defend homes and businesses from flooding. It features a replica living room inside a massive tank, about half the size of a football pitch.

Products which successfully pass a series of tests are accredited with the BSI Kitemark, giving householders and organisations greater confidence in flood products. The National Flood Forum’s ‘Blue Pages’ is an independent source of information on these products.

The Environment Agency also has a nationwide programme to raise awareness of flooding. Free flood warnings and information packs are available from our website.

THE ROLE OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES On 8 April 2010 the Flood and Water Management Bill received Royal Assent making it an Act of Parliament. This was a very positive step towards updating ageing flood, coastal erosion and reservoir safety

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Appleby resident installing a flood gate to a doorway

legislation, providing clarity on the roles and responsibilities for the Environment Agency, local authorities and others who manage flood and coastal risks in England and Wales.

Under the Act, the Environment Agency has a new duty to develop a National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England, which would apply to other operating authorities. We will report periodically to Parliament on the state of flood and coastal erosion risk management in England and have new powers to carry out, and raise local levies for, coastal erosion works.

There are also changes to our current flood and coastal risk management functions, for example we will continue to regulate through works directly impacting on flooding from main rivers and the sea. However, we will no longer undertake these functions on ordinary watercourses, with responsibility transferring to Lead Local Flood Authorities.

Under the new legislation Lead Local Flood Authorities, unitary authorities or county councils, have a duty to develop, maintain, apply and act consistently with a local flood risk management strategy consistent with the National Strategy. Lead Local Authorities also have a responsibility to issue guidance relating to the application of the Strategy, investigate whether it is necessary and appropriate, and approve new sustainable drainage systems in its area.

The provisions of the Act will not reduce the risk of natural events that may give rise to flooding. However, it will improve the ability of emergency responders to plan ahead as well as respond and provide clearer roles and responsibilities for those who manage flooding.

These new legal developments, alongside ongoing work to prepare people for flooding and investment in flood defences, mark a significant shift in the way we manage flooding. In just one year, we have not only

Cockermouth midflood, with rescue helicopter above.

Image provided by Cumbrian Newspapers Ltd

been working closely with people affected by flooding. We are working on all fronts to protect England and Wales from flooding and will continue to work closely with the government and local authorities to mitigate against the impact of climate change.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Find out if you can sign up to our free flood warning service at www. environment-agency.gov.uk/flood or by calling the Environment Agency’s Floodline on 08459 881188.

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PREPARING FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODS Three years after the 2007 floods, flood risk remains a key issue for local authorities and residents, says Landmark Information Group THE ISSUE OF FLOOD RISK and how to tackle it remains high on the agenda. In the three years that have followed the 2007 floods, flooding has been the subject of extensive political comment and debate. Sir Michael Pitt’s report into the response to the 2007 flooding contained wide ranging recommendations regarding how issues arising from flood risk should be addressed in the future. Prominent among these recommendations was the suggestion that local authorities should take a lead role in managing flood risk in their area.

MANAGING THE RISK The government’s response to the Pitt Review endorsed this conclusion and the Flood Water & Management Bill 2010 set out how the recommendations may be implemented.

The Bill proposed that local authorities be given a leadership role over local flood risk management. In particular local authorities would be responsible for ensuring that flood risk from all sources of flooding, including surface run-off and groundwater, is identified and managed. In addition, the draft Bill proposed a number of steps to increase knowledge and understanding of flood risk and this included proposals for the use of risk maps, awareness campaigns, and flood warnings.

RAISING AWARENESS In support of the recommendations Landmark Information Group, the UK’s leading provider of flood data, has teamed up with the National Flood Forum (NFF) to produce a free Flood Guide for councils to distribute

to their residents. As part of Landmark’s ongoing ‘Know Your Flood Risk’ campaign to raise awareness of flood risk and the impact of flooding, the guide offers practical guidance and advice, including what to do in the event of a flood and useful contacts.

Landmark has worked in association with the NFF for the past two years and produced the Flood Guide as a tool for councils to offer information and guidance for residents and businesses. The guide demonstrates a recognition that local authorities have a crucial role to play in tackling flooding.

It is vital that they have the information, resources and skills required to meet the increased demands of any new legislation.

By working closely with the NFF and local councils, Landmark aims to roll the Flood Guide out across the UK. Many commentators suggest that climate change will cause increased severe rainfall in the future and bring with it an increased risk of surface water flooding. Therefore it is vital that property owners have an awareness of how to gain an understanding of the flood risk associated with their property and the steps that could be taken to address potential problems.

THE FLOOD GUIDE INCLUDES: • an explanation of what happened during the summer 2007 floods and why • an emergency guide providing practical advice

in the event of future floods • information about the ongoing flood recovery operation • how to establish whether a property is at risk from flooding and how to protect it.

To receive a PDF version or to find out more on how we can support you in rolling out printed copies to your residents, please e-mail flood@homecheck.co.uk PRACTICAL GUIDANCE The Flood Guide forms part of the ‘Know Your Flood Risk’ campaign, which was launched in partnership with the NFF. The initiative aims to provide practical guidance and support to help protect homeowners and property professionals against the risk of flooding. As a collective voice, ‘Know Your Flood Risk’ and its members aim to raise the profile of flooding and ensure consumers are not only aware of the risks they face, but also how to mitigate them. The campaign has already attracted membership from both the public and private sectors and encourages local authorities to sign up to show their support. Over 200 members have signed up – have you? Visit www.knowyourfloodrisk.co.uk today for more details and to join the campaign.

In addition, Landmark produces comprehensive property specific flood risk assessment reports for both residential and commercial properties.

These allow property owners and property professionals to gain a clear understanding of the flood risk associated with their property.

These market leading reports contain data relating to surface water flooding, river and coastal flooding, insurance claims and information relating to groundwater flooding, and can be purchased via a legal professional or direct.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information please visit www.homecheckflood.co.uk or e-mail flood@homecheck.co.uk.

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FLOOD RESILIENT BUILDINGS Dr Stephen L Garvin, construction director at BRE, writes about how new and existing developments can be protected from the severity of flooding THE RECENT FLOOD EVENTS in Pakistan have highlighted the destruction that floods can cause. The following extract is from a BBC news report and gives an indication of the scale of the destruction caused: “Over half-a-million people have been ordered to evacuate their homes in Pakistan’s southern province of Sindh. Three more towns are now threatened by floodwaters, and there is concern about the fate of Pakistan’s sixth largest city – Hyderabad. From the air, the threat to Hyderabad is clear. A flood defence system called the Kotri Barrage stands between the city and disaster. The Indus River has swollen to 10 times its normal size here. If the water breaks through, about two million people are at risk. But the barrage is holding – for now.”

MANAGING FLOOD RISK Over the years, flooding and flood risk management have become increasingly important issues. The impacts of severe events will be felt by an increasing number of the population and therefore the cost of associated damage increases dramatically.

The cost of flooding cannot only be measured in monetary terms as the human costs are often impossible to calculate. Between 2000 and 2004, floods killed 185 people within the EU and affected half a million.

In the United Kingdom such a scale and severity of flooding has been relatively rare, but it is still is the most significant natural catastrophe for the built environment and citizens. The floods that affected Cumbria in late 2009 disrupted infrastructure and caused damage to buildings and property. However, it is not only such large scale events, but also smaller scale urban flooding and flash floods that cause disruption and damage.

Climate change will exacerbate the problems of flooding and result in more frequent occurrences with greater life and property losses being experienced. If this wasn’t enough then increasing urbanisation, the creation of more hard surfaced areas, antiquated sewer infrastructure and coastal erosion are all increasing the problems of floods.

LESSONS LEARNED The Pitt Report (June 2008) highlights the lessons learned from the summer 2007 floods and the need to develop guidance and build capacity in the stakeholders involved. Pitt recommended that building regulations be developed for new and existing buildings relevant to flood resilience.

Although further research is required in this area, there is also a need for more proactive voluntary developments.

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The planning legislative framework under which various agencies in the UK involved in urban flood risk management operates is complex. Separate pieces of legislation govern the activities of the environment agencies, sewage undertakers, planners and the construction industry responsible for resilience measures. Development control and planning policy is fundamental to flood risk management and the government has sought to strengthen planning guidance on flood risk in Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25) for England & Wales and Planning Policy Guidance 7 for Scotland and its accompanying good practice guide. PPS25 promotes a strategic approach, ensuring that flood risk is considered at all stages of the planning process and strengthening the importance of flood risk assessments in supporting that analysis.

Historically, flood risk management has mainly concentrated on river and coastal flooding. Pluvial flooding is primarily the result of run-off exceeding the drainage capacity during short, intense periods of heavy rainfall, typically summer thunderstorms.

Estimates suggest that around 40 per cent of flood damage, and associated economic losses, are attributable to pluvial flooding.

EFFICIENT PROCEDURES There have been a number of publications produced with regard to the repair of buildings post flooding such as the British Research Establishment’s ‘Repairing flooded buildings’ (BRE, 2006) and CIRIA’s ‘Standard for the repair of buildings following flooding’ which have helped to raise awareness of key issues involved with flooding and to suggest and encourage best practice.

However, with regard to the reinstatement of flood damaged properties, current practice appears to be less effective than it could be.

Major flood events have revealed that the general standard of repair is not satisfactory and although guidance for reinstating flood damaged properties has been published, including the development of new benchmark standards, there remains some doubt as to what lessons have been learned from these previous major inundations.

Flood water will cause damage to buildings and building materials in a variety of ways, as follows: • Direct deterioration of building materials susceptible to water.

• Longer term deterioration or effects due to higher levels of moisture than acceptable for durability.

• Secondary deterioration due to freeze

thaw damage or efflorescence.

• Physical damage caused by weight of water or flowing water.

As well as physical damage there is potential contamination from sewage, fuels, chemicals and other matter, as well as silts and muds that can cause damage.

ADVICE FOR DEVELOPERS In 2007 the government produced guidance for development of new buildings in flood risk areas. The aim of the guidance was to provide advice to developers and designers on how to improve the resilience of new properties in low or residual flood risk areas by the use of suitable materials and construction details.

These approaches are appropriate for areas where the probability of flooding is low (e.g. flood zone 1 as defined by PPS 25) or areas where flood risk management or mitigation

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Over the years, flooding and flood risk management are becoming increasingly important issues. The impacts of severe events will be felt by an increasing number of the population and therefore the cost of associated damage increases dramatically measures have been put in place. Specifically the guidance document provides the following: • practical and easy-to-use guidance on the design and specification of new buildings (primarily housing) in low or residual flood risk areas in order to reduce the impacts of flooding • recommendations for the construction of flood resistant and resilient buildings.

Government policies in the UK do not advocate the building of dwellings in areas with a significant risk of flooding. However, where development is, exceptionally, necessary in such areas, national flood risk management policy requires that such developments are safe, do not increase

flood risk elsewhere and, where possible, reduce flood risk overall. It is critical that new buildings in these areas are designed appropriately to cope with floodwaters and minimise the time for re-occupation after a flooding event. Time to reoccupy properties is a principal consequence of flooding which can have a profound impact on the health and livelihoods of those affected.

A major challenge to the government, local authorities and developers is to achieve a healthy balance between proper management of flood risk, whilst still ensuring that economic development and social cohesion can occur in areas at flood risk. Research is required to support government policy in this area.

HELPING HANDBOOK Recent research at BRE has addressed sustainable development in flood risk areas, the LifE Project. The LifE project resulted in a handbook that aims to help manage and reduce unacceptable levels of flood risk by raising awareness and aiding delivery of more sustainable development. It is intended to be used by decision makers, designers and developers before and during the early stages of design. The general principles of the approach can be used on all sites, but three illustrated examples and case studies focus on sites near rivers and coasts.

BRE is also coordinating a major international project on the protection of the built environment from flooding. It seeks to develop and test innovative flood resilience products for developments. The project will result in new approaches to the use of flood protection products which have become more common in the UK in recent years.

Training and education of professionals in the built environment and the flood risk area is also vital. It is necessary to translate recent research into the context of current policy and practice for professionals. As such BRE has developed a two day course in order to guide delegates through legislation, planning requirements, building standards, new build issues and repair of existing buildings to increase resilience. The course includes interactive presentation sessions and group working through set exercises. At the end of the course delegates will be able to identify the key issues, have knowledge of planning and building standards requirements for flood resilience, be able to articulate the main issues regarding new buildings and existing buildings and have awareness of emerging issues.

References Communities and Local Government (2006) ‘Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk’, DCLG: London.

Communities and Local Government (2007) Flood Resilient Construction, DCLG, London.

Scottish Executive (2004) ‘Scottish Planning Policy 7 (SPP7): Planning and Flooding’, Development Department, Scottish Executive.

Scottish Executive (2006) ‘Planning Advice Note 79 (PAN79): Water and Drainage’, Development Department, Scottish Executive.

BRE (2009) The LifE handbook - Long-term initiatives for flood-risk environments. BRE and Baca Architects, BRE Press, Watford.

BRE (2006) Repairing flooded buildings: an insurance industry guide to investigation and repair of flood damage to housing and small businesses, BRE Press.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Flood Resilient Planning and Building Course – Details are available on: Tel: 01923 664829 E-mail: train@bre.co.uk Web: www.bre.co.uk/training

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HAVE YOU TAKEN CRC ACTION? Glen Wilkinson of Carbon Saver, accredited assessors for The Carbon Trust Standard, discusses improving data collection for the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme WITH THE REGISTRATION period for CRC now over (ended 30 September) organisations are turning their attention to data collection.

The footprint and annual reports need to be submitted by the end of July next year.

For many organisations this means implementing AMR metering (Voluntary Automatic Meter Reading).

This is for four reasons: 1. Estimated energy consumption is increased by 10 per cent within the CRC (to compensate for potential errors). Regular meter readings take away the need for estimating consumption.

2. There are fines and penalties for inaccurate data (£40 a tonne of CO2).

3. Having accurate half hourly data has been shown to reduce energy consumption. Studies have shown 10-20 per cent savings can be achieved through data analysis and taking action to address abnormal energy consumption.

4. Qualifies for 50 per cent of the Early Action Metric (the other 50 per cent is for achieving one of the four approved Carbon Reduction Standards).

FINANCIAL BENEFIT The Early Action Metric provides significant financial benefit to help justify the business case for investing in AMR. During the introductory phase the Early Action Metric (EAM) is worth up to 48 per cent of a years recycle payments: • Year 1 (2010/11) EAM weight = 100 per cent, penalty/bonus = +/- 10 per cent, value at risk = 20 per cent • Year 2 (2011/12) EAM weight = 40 per cent, penalty/bonus = +/- 20 per cent, value at risk = 16 per cent • Year 3 (2012/13) EAM weight = 20 per cent, penalty/bonus = +/- 30 per cent, value at risk = 12 per cent

What does this mean in numbers? For an organisation spending £2m on energy their annual allowances will be in the region of £160,000 (depending on the price they pay for energy and the split between gas and electricity, etc).

Over the introductory phase the potential value at risk from the Early Action Metric is 48 per cent = £76,800. This is the difference between being at the top and the bottom of the league table.

DATA SOLUTIONS So, what can organisations do? Well, most of the energy suppliers are now providing data solutions as part of their services. Usually this involves installing smart meters and an online tool with access to half hourly data. Your first point of contact should be your existing supplier to find out what they can do for you. If you’re tied into an energy supply contract for a period of time you can shop around and compare products and services from other providers.

There is also a framework agreement on the buying solutions website (www.buyingsolutions. gov.uk) which is a useful starting point.

It’s worth noting that the Environment Agency clarified the guidance on AMR earlier this year.

Many participants thought that as long as they had installed AMR by the end March 2011 they would qualify for the Early Action Metric. This is not the case. The metric is calculated based on how much annual energy consumption is actually measured through AMR. This means that to obtain the maximum benefit AMR would have to be installed and operational on 1 April 2010.

Our experience talking to CRC participants suggests that many are in the early stages of AMR implementation and will therefore lose out on most of the EAM benefits.

CARBON REDUCTION STANDARDS There is some good news. The rules are different for the other Early Action Metric, obtaining one of the four approved Carbon Reduction Standards: • Carbon Saver GOLD Standard: 0800 1075175, www.carbonsaver.org • Carbon Trust Standard: 0800 0191443, www.carbontruststandard.com • CEMARS: 01235 820813, www.achilles.com • Energy Verification Reduction Kitemark: 0845 0809000, www.bsigroup.com Provided an organisation holds a valid certificate from either of the schemes on 31 March each year they qualify. This means it’s not too late to improve your recycle payments for the first three years of the scheme.

In summary, with significant sums at risk it’s important for organisations to take action now. The benefits from implementing AMR are reducing every day so if it’s on the to-do list, bring it to the top! Also, seriously consider applying for an approved carbon reduction standard. Not only will it provide financial benefits, it will also provide reputational benefits for your stakeholders. It’s not too late. Apply today.

About the author Glenn Wilkinson MBA FRSA FCMI is the managing director for Carbon Saver, which provides one of the four approved Early Action Standards.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01204 843484 Freephone: 0800 1075175 E-mail: glenn@carbonsaver.org Web: www.carbonsaver.org

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ENVIRONMENT AND BUSINESS – CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Katrina Pierce of the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment, discusses ways to transform business, and the environmental opportunities and competitive advantage available AS THE UK STARTS TO EMERGE from recession, the business and economic profile is very different to what it was before the financial crisis. Given this new more responsible age where stakeholders are more aware of profit, loss and profile than ever before, what opportunities are available to business through meeting stakeholder expectations, sustainability measures, and environmental competitiveness?

It is clear that inclination towards unrealistic capital and financial risk within government and business is not a sustainable approach of running the economy. The sub-prime mortgage fallout in the USA, the Icelandic investment crash, and over-arching global financial crisis has led to some tough times, job losses, businesses folding, not to mention the Spending Review’s predicted 40 per cent cuts to publicly funded schemes.

BUSINESS FOCUS Taking this message, and in something of a firebrand speech during the Liberal Democrat’s September conference in Liverpool, the coalition’s Business Secretary Vince Cable derided the modern City culture of “spivs and gamblers” as well as Labour’s “financial lunancies” urging for a more responsible and sustainable age of government, banking and business. Although this speech has in itself been criticised for its over-emotive language and candid attacks, it is perhaps in line with the view that many people now take; that public funds and privately invested money should not and can not be put at risk. It can be argued that this attitude is demonstrable of stakeholders now favouring ethical reputation and responsible operations over massive market success.

The media maelstrom around the recession, banker’s bonuses and the sleaze surrounding the MP’s expenses has allowed the public – all of whom are stakeholders in public funds and governmental issues – and those with a vested interest in the private sector to now demand that organisations conduct themselves in a more responsible and ethical manner. It seems that sustainability, something of a corporate double entendre term encompassing environmental conservation and a long term business focus, is now key to survival and a sound reputation.

Interestingly, the very word sustainability is currently under debate, with factions of industry and government assessing what it actually means to them. But while discussions whether it is really about environmental or economic survival go on, we can perhaps assume that

they are mutually exclusive and that one can not exist without the other’s presence; a guiding principle that both government and business would benefit from adhering to.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY How businesses in particular choose to express their current attitude to sustainability can usually be found online in a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or Sustainability Report, sometimes including details of the corporate environmental policy. In these environmentally conscious and financially responsible times, many stakeholders expect organisations to have a positive, comprehensive environmental policy freely available to view.

Such documents should demonstrate an attitude of resource efficiency, efforts towards green based cost savings and an overarching dedication to a low carbon future for all.

Sustainability and the environment featuring at strategic/board level and in corporate communication materials like a CSR statement illustrates an intention of environmental commitment as well as business sustainability, but is that enough? Perhaps simply having the right products, services, schemes and incentives – the tangible stuff – is what really achieves stakeholder buy-in, both figuratively and literally.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES This topic is the focus of an industry conference in November. ‘Environment and Business: The challenge and the opportunity’ is a flagship event arranged and hosted by the Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment (IEMA), as part of their mission to place the environmental practitioner at the heart of change and decision making in business and government. Taking place 1-2 November at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London, the first day will focus on ‘Environmental Challenge – Shaping the UK’s Infrastructure and Economy’ and the second will address the topic of ‘Transforming Business – Environmental Opportunities and Competitive Advantage’.

Central to the conference theme is the doctrine of sustainable business. One of the conference keynote speakers in particular has experienced huge success in developing and maintaining a sustainable business within a very recognisable British brand. Mike Barry, head of Sustainable Business at Marks and Spencer, was instrumental in developing the now eponymous Plan A which, through its

180 commitments towards combating climate change, reducing waste, using sustainable raw materials, trading ethically and encouraging healthier lifestyles, has transformed M&S’s reputation and placed the 125 year-old retailer as a leader in the sustainable business arena. His presentation ‘Developing a Sustainable Business’ will reveal just what it takes to create such a plan and achieve recognition for its values.

“The product and service experience is key to the customer but now all environmental and social considerations will have to be managed in a smooth, integrated manner,” Mike says.

CITIZEN TRUST As established, the environmental/sustainability opportunities presented to business and government can enhance reputations and achieve that priceless sense of trust from customers, clients and stakeholders but it is people, through their role as member of staff or customer, that are at the core of sustainable business and any success a scheme may experience. Jan Chmiel, CEO of IEMA and Chair of the event believes that there are huge opportunities for organisations that choose to follow a sustainable business route to transform their fortunes, but attests that it is the environmental and sustainability practitioner, either an in-house environmental manager or outsourced consultant, that can bring about such change.

“There are increasing opportunities for forward-thinking organisations to establish competitive advantage by leading in the environmental arena,” says Chimel. “For that to happen more widely environmental professionals will need to be more effective at creating and managing change in their organisations. This will mean getting into the fabric of senior level decision making in a much more effective and significant way.”

Over 300 of these environmental and sustainability professionals will meet along with consultants, planners, local authority decision-makers and business leaders to hear the views of leading names as they address how environment can bring about competitive advantage and why environmental professionals should be making their way into senior management.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01522 540069 Web: www.iema.net/events

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

INSULATING BRITAIN’S HOUSING STOCK The National Insulation Association (NIA) and Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) are setting out a robust delivery plan to insulate the UK’s solid wall housing stock in support of the government’s climate change targets AT A HIGH LEVEL INSULATION industry event held in August and attended by leading wall insulation companies and the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the National Insulation Association (NIA) and Solid Wall Insulation Guarantee Agency (SWIGA) set out their plans to work together and with their members in transforming the residential Solid Wall Insulation (SWI) market in support of the achievement of the government’s climate change and fuel poverty targets.

The NIA is the leading trade association for insulation including external and internal wall insulation, cavity wall insulation, loft insulation and draught proofing and its members include the major external and internal wall insulation companies. SWIGA has been established to develop associated industry quality and standards infrastructure for external and internal wall insulation, and a new independent guarantee for householders

that will protect consumers when making the decision to fit SWI measures, which can be a major home improvement purchase.

THE UK’S HOUSING STOCK The UK’s housing stock is estimated at approximately 24.5 million dwellings and of that, approximately 36 per cent are noncavity wall construction – solid brick, solid stone, pre-1944 timber frame and nontraditional (i.e. concrete construction).

There are currently around seven million properties in the UK with solid walls which require either external (EWI) or internal wall insulation (IWI).

A senior official from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) who attended the event explained that around two million of these properties may need to be insulated by 2020 to meet the governments carbon emissions reduction

target and that DECC was keen to work with the NIA and SWIGA to achieve this. He also explained how the government’s new Green Deal will make it easier for people to buy EWI and IWI by spreading the cost of the measures over a period of time.

Neil Marshall, chief executive of the National Insulation Association said that there would need to be around a tenfold increase in the amount of EWI and IWI currently being undertaken to achieve this level. He explained that the industry was ready, willing and able to take up the challenge and that the NIA and SWIGA would be working with its members, government and other key stakeholders to significantly increase the industry capacity whilst ensuring that quality and standards are maintained. This includes the establishment of a new NIA/SWIGA/Stakeholder SWI Working Group to develop a coordinated delivery plan to transform the market.

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Our plans will give a huge boost to the insulation industry during the economic recovery as we pave the way for the start of the Green Deal. This groundbreaking legislation will allow us to offer consumers the ability to install energy efficiency measures in their homes without any upfront costs or payments. These would be paid back over time through savings on energy bills A BOOST FOR THE INDUSTRY Derek Herrick’s, SWI representative from the NIA and SWIGA, commented: “The way forward for the industry is to consider both external and internal SWI when assessing a property as both solutions may be required for a whole house approach to insulation. This in itself is in line with the long term targets set by government.”

Greg Barker, Minister for Energy and Climate Change, said: “Our plans will give a huge boost to the insulation industry during the economic recovery as we pave the way for the start of the Green Deal. This groundbreaking

legislation will allow us to offer consumers the ability to install energy efficiency measures in their homes without any upfront costs or payments. These would be paid back over time through savings on energy bills.”

As well as environmental benefits, the government’s Green Deal could support a quarter of a million jobs over the next 20 years, Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne has said.

Were all 26 million households to take up the Green Deal over the next 20 years, employment in the sector would rise from its current level of 27,000 to something approaching 250,000,

working all around the country to make our housing stock fit for a low carbon world.

Chris Huhne said: “The Green Deal is a massive new business opportunity which has the potential to support up to a quarter of a million jobs as part of our third industrial revolution. Insulation installers and the supply chain all stand to benefit from this long overdue energy makeover.

“Energy efficiency is a no brainer. We need to tap in to this huge market to save people money on fuel bills, save carbon and help the economic recovery.”

ABOUT THE NATIONAL INSULATION ASSOCIATION The National Insulation Association represents over 90 per cent of the UK’s home insulation industry, including installers and manufacturers.

The NIA and its members are committed to providing a high quality, value for money service to householders, housing managers and developers. All of its members abide by the NIA Code of Professional Practice.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit: www.nationalinsulationassociation. org.uk or call 01525 383 313

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Make sense of the energy debate Am I affected?

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The IEMA backed Acorn initiative is a staged approach to the ultimate implementation of an Environmental Management System to a recognised standard such as ISO 14001. The scheme is broken down into five manageable phases, which are outlined in BS8555. Each stage is recognised by certification, providing a clear indication of your environmental credentials.

VCA is an independent inspection body and can help you to take the first step so get in touch to find out more.

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

LEADING LONDON’S SUSTAINABLE REVOLUTION Islington Council has embarked upon a successful drive to become more environmentally friendly BUSINESSES AND ORGANISATIONS of all shapes and sizes are constantly striving to be more sustainable. It’s not just about ticking boxes; it’s about ensuring that all business and operational processes are designed with the environment at their heart.

Local and national government departments are at the forefront of this drive.

Over recent years, Islington Council in north London has led a very successful sustainability drive and was one of the first local authorities in the country to set a target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The council set up an Environmental Sustainability division that aims to improve the environmental performance of council buildings and the borough as a whole.

SETTING A TARGET Islington Council is responsible for a large and diverse portfolio of over 170 buildings and their associated carbon emissions. With this in mind, the council set itself a target to reduce its carbon emissions by 15 per cent by 2010 (compared to 2005 levels). In 2007, its total annual CO2 emissions were already 4,929 tonnes down on the 2006 figure.

Islington initiated a £1.5m programme of investment to improve its energy performance, focusing on reducing both carbon emissions and energy costs over the short and long term.

The programme concentrated on improving heating and ventilation controls, lighting upgrades, replacing older inefficient boilers and improving insulation levels. In addition to this, the council made a number of renewable energy installations at dedicated sites across the region. These include a biomass boiler, five solar thermal (hot water) systems and eight solar PV (electricity producing) arrays.

ENERGY HEALTH-CHECKS The team also carries out regular energy health-checks throughout the council’s sites, prioritising them according to their energy consumption and emissions. These checks involve optimising building control settings, obtaining data, highlighting any required repairs and potential investments, and undertaking follow-up visits. As well as physical investments, Islington also undertakes energy campaigns to reduce energy use through influencing behavior, one of which resulted in a reduction of over 5 per cent in electricity consumption at participating buildings.

By the end of 2009, over 480 tonnes of carbon dioxide had been saved from these initiatives. To further help meet the carbon reduction target for the borough, a unique

partnership was formed of businesses, charities and public sector organisations that are committed to tackling climate change.

BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP This Islington Climate Change Partnership was launched in March 2007. Signatories, which include Royal Mail, Linklaters, Arsenal FC and Scope, committed to reducing their CO2 emissions by 15 per cent by 2010. By 2009 the ICCP had registered more than 150 members, who have collectively saved over 7,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The council was keen to ensure that all sites adopted renewable energy technology wherever possible. To combat concerns over the initial investment costs, it initiated the Climate Change Fund to back the installation of renewable energy technologies in public buildings, social housing, voluntary organisations and private homes.

By the end of 2009, over 50 renewable technologies had been installed in buildings

Islington Town Hall

Over recent years, Islington Council in north London has led a very successful sustainability drive and was one of the first local authorities in the country to set a target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions across the council, saving around 500 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. Islington also developed ‘Energy Doctor in the Community’ and ‘Energy Doctor in the Home’ – outreach and home-visit programmes encouraging residents to save energy wherever possible.

The council has also embarked on large scale cavity wall insulation work on council homes throughout the borough and in a small measures scheme in the EC1 area.

WASTE MANAGEMENT Islington also focused closely on of the issue of waste management, increasing its recycling rate from 8 per cent in 2003 to 30 per cent in 2009. The average household waste per person has reduced by nearly 20 per cent, and the amount of waste sent to landfill has fallen by over 10 per cent.

Sustainability is about far more than just turning lights off; the council recognised that if it was going to commit to a full sustainability programme it had to tackle less well-known issue, such as food. The council committed £1 million to support

the development of growing projects on estates, and schools across the borough.

Within the council, Islington appointed 90 Green Liaison Officers who run campaigns to encourage council staff to be more environmentally friendly. Campaigns include ‘Switch Off’ to switch off lights and office equipment, waste reduction including setting all printers to double-sided mode and providing recycling bins and composting bins for waste food, as well as ‘Cool It’ campaigns to help staff keep cool in summer without having to switch on air conditioning.

The successful programme adopted by Islington Council was recognised by the London Energy Solutions Expo which runs The Innovation & Sustainability Awards (ISA), offering organisation the chance to promote their innovative and sustainable projects that support the effective and efficient management of a workplace. Last year, the council was named the Energy Solutions Expo’s Workplace of the Year, which it was awarded in acknowledgment of its efforts to promote sustainability throughout the organisation.

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Telephone 01707 278666 email heating@meuk.mee.com or visit www.mitsubishielectric.co.uk/domesticheating

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BUILT ENVIRONMENT

WHEN THE WIND BLOWS Tony McNally of Climate Change Solutions, takes a look at innovation and investment for a low carbon future NO, THE WORLD DID NOT STOP on Monday 13 September 2010, but significantly the National Grid recorded the spinning turbines generated 10 per cent of UK electricity off the Kent coast. Yes, it was in windy weather conditions while demand was lower than normal and other sources not being fully used. However, this marked the milestone in UK energy use.

In case you missed another milestone, on 23 September, Chris Huhne, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change launched the largest off shore wind farm off the Isle of Thanet, East with more to come. Unfortunately these turbines – standing two and a half times higher than Nelsons Column – were not produced or erected by a UK workforce.

This highlights the missed opportunity that needs rectifying if we are to have a double benefit from progressing the low carbon economy, i.e. reducing our carbon emissions and stimulating a new clean technology industry with green jobs growth.

AT THE CENTRE OF SOCIETY It emphasises the case for placing the low carbon transition at the centre of our economy recovery – a socially and environmentally sustainable contribution. While there is a policy consensus within the coalition government and labour opposition, the long-standing credibility gap is highlighted by the lack of investment to stimulate innovation, production and market There is no mystery to China’s acceleration in production to become the world’s leader in solar power, and soon to be in wind turbines and other green technologies – it’s a combination of committed leadership and investment.

With this comes economy of scale that makes them cutting edge competitors in this rapidly

expanding global market. In his Review Lord Stern presented the compelling financial facts and opportunities of investing in the low carbon future. Furthermore he also identified how it will cost us more if we don’t do it.

A COMPETITIVE EDGE Charles Hendry, Minister for Energy and Climate Change in his Chatham house speech in June 2010 stated: “Embracing a low carbon economy will be as momentous as the previous industrial revolutions as the shift from coal to oil did. And the shift from gas light to electric light. It has the potential to give us the competitive edge in the new global economy.

The scale of the challenge is extraordinary.

We will need to reinvent the way in which we live our lives, the way our world works.”

The low carbon market is worth £112 billion per year, an increase of £5 billion per year since 2008, and is set to rise by £48 billion per year by 2015. We export more goods in this sector than we import and our biggest export markets in this sector are China, Spain, South Korea, Malaysia, and India – countries where energy demand is set to increase dramatically.

The government is determined to secure those low carbon jobs for Britain. Just under a million people work in the low carbon sector (910,000). Encouraging low carbon skills to help green jobs grow will be crucial. To remain competitive globally, British businesses will need skilled employees to match the pace.

PARLIAMENTARY CONSENSUES We need a united parliamentary party consensus translated into a Low Carbon Innovative Investment Action Plan to transform rhetoric into deliverables to meet and go beyond our 2020-2050 targets. The

scale and urgency of the climate change challenge identified by overwhelming scientific evidence and 200 countries in the United Nations demands corresponding action.

DESERTEC, a European (EU) Middle East (ME) and North Africa (NA) partnership initiative, represents the world’s biggest renewable energy project that can generate and deliver 100 per cent of their electricity by 2050. It will include a smart grid that links the most productive sources from Iceland’s geothermal springs to North Africa’s vast solar deserts as well as European coastal wind, tidal and wave power.

It’s more than a vision which is represented in a report by Price Waterhouse Coopers.

STIMULATING INNOVATION This requires a green stimulus new deal that can rebuild the manufacturing base of Britain with the innovative clean smart technologies of the 21st century. It can reduce our energy imports and drive new export as a double or triple whammy. Retrofitting our buildings – home, commercial and public sectors – can be a major part of this. This is even more true when capitalising on the feed-in tariff this year and promised Renewable Heat Incentive next year.

Our energy companies can be major capital investors in large scale renewable projects such as schools, hospitals, local authority estate and housing associations or business parks.

The key is with economy of scale in procurement and productive delivery. The energy companies or other investors from private equity to public organisations can be partners in ESCOs (Energy Services Companies) with beneficial payback for both. Typically this could feature combined heat and power with a range of options for decentralised renewable sources and local smart grid. With supportive appropriate inductive training the white van man/woman can become the green army for installing and servicing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.climate-change-solutions.co.uk

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

DRIVING BETTER PROCUREMENT Phil Reynolds, FIRA International’s technical manager, explains two important initiatives for sustainable furniture that buyers should bear in mind GREEN ISSUES CONTINUE TO BECOME more and more important in all walks of life, and furniture is no exception. However, there are a plethora of different schemes and requirements in the market place that can make ethical purchasing confusing. In this article FIRA International’s technical manager, Phil Reynolds, highlights two important initiatives for sustainable furniture. The first – the Government Buying Standard for furniture, effective from 1 October – looks at the environmental impact of furniture products, whilst the second – the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme (FISP) – looks at ensuring that manufacturers and suppliers have an ethical and environmentallyfriendly approach to business.

GOVERNMENT BUYING STANDARDS Defra was tasked with developing the Government Buying Standards. These are mandatory buying requirements for central government purchasers, and they are designed to ensure that products and services purchased by government meet minimum environmental/ sustainability requirements. There is also a desire for these guidelines to be seen as best practice and rolled out to local government and business in general. The new standards will impose additional requirements on companies dealing with government and this is the reason a three month grace period has been allowed, so that manufacturers can adapt to the changes.

The new buying standard focuses heavily on the materials used in the product, which means: • requirements to minimise the amount of harmful and hazardous substances in the base materials • requirements to minimise the amount of harmful and hazardous substances in surface finishes • requirements to minimise the amount of harmful and hazardous substances in adhesives • requirements to minimise the amount of substances that do not biodegrade effectively • performance requirements for furniture (it should be remembered that a product with a long life is essentially much more environmentally friendly than a product that fails and needs replacing regularly) • requirements for timber to be purchased from legal and sustainable sources – effectively meaning that suppliers need to have a suitably

endorsed chain of custody scheme in place for timber based products (e.g. certification to FSC or PEFC chain of custody schemes) • where possible products should be designed for reuse/remanufacture or recycling • in addition there will be a push for purchasers to look at buying reused/remanufactured products to stimulate this market.

The standard is heavily based around two EU initiatives – the Green Public Procurement plan, and the Ecolabel scheme. However, these have been modified to reflect the requirements of the UK industry, specifically to allow the types of fire retardants we need to meet UK National Standards, and to allow for formaldehyde levels in chipboard and MDF to be at levels that are low enough to be safe, but are commercially available without significant cost to the industry.

Whilst the Government Buying Standards look closely at the products and the materials used in the product, due to purchasing law they do not evaluate the supplier and his manufacturing techniques. This is obviously a major omission, as the environmental impact of a product is as

community issues. When a furniture manufacturer signs up as FISP member they have to commit to two core criteria; they must have, and implement, a suitable environmental policy, and they must comply with all legal requirements regarding environmental and health and safety legislation.

ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL NEEDS In addition they must have systems in place to tackle a number of other key environmental and social topics including: Environmental requirements: • Environmental management systems • Waste management • Energy management • Packaging • Transport • Procurement policies • Sustainable timber purchasing • Emissions • End of life Social and economic requirements: • Nuisance issues • Community relations and charity work

By selecting a supplier who is a member of FISP, a specifier can have the confidence that they are buying from a responsible, caring supplier at the forefront of sustainable manufacturing/sourcing in the UK much due to manufacturing and its processes as it is the materials that go into the product.

When evaluating a supplier there are many features that need to be assessed to verify that they are a responsible, sustainable manufacturer. Sourcing all this information, and verifying it, can be an expensive and time consuming process.

SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMME Launched in 2006, the Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme (FISP) was developed by the furniture industry to demonstrate, in one easy-to-understand scheme, that a furniture manufacturer is a responsible manufacturer. Membership of the FISP scheme is therefore an ideal tool for specifiers to use when evaluating their suppliers.

FISP is a true sustainability programme, focusing on not just environmental issues, but also purchasing, end of product life, social and

• Education and training • Employment • Ethical issues • Competitiveness The manufacturer’s claims are then verified by an independent audit by a sustainability expert, with the audit process being repeated every two years to ensure ongoing compliance.

By selecting a supplier that is a member of FISP, a specifier can have the confidence that they are buying from a responsible, caring supplier at the forefront of sustainable manufacturing/sourcing in the UK. More details regarding FISP, and current FISP members, can be found at the FIRA website www.fira.co.uk/consultancy/environment/fisp.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01438 777700 Web: www.fira.co.uk

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FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

HOW TO CUT COSTS AND REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT Every year in the UK, office chairs worth millions of pounds are dumped, adding directly to landfill. Most can be refurbished and reused to look and function as good as new, extending their useful life for many more years, at minimal cost OFFICE CHAIR refurbishment specialists Waldron Office Furniture are working hard to help enlightened organisations turn this inexcusable waste of money into substantial cost savings that help to stretch their budget while reducing their carbon footprint. Each year Waldron refurbish about 26,000 chairs for both their large and small private and public sector customers, who include such well-known names as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Lloyds, the Health Protection Agency, Channel 5 and Wandsworth Borough Council. Regular customers include schools and universities, police and fire services, local and central government offices, and the NHS. In essence, refurbishment is a practical, cost effective and sustainable way to get ‘more for less’ from your seating.

ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY Refurbishing and reusing your damaged and worn office chairs makes sound environmental sense. Save about 90 per cent of the carbon footprint against purchasing a new replacement, according to a recent report produced for DEFRA by The Centre for Remanufacturing and Reuse. The benefits of refurbishment are especially relevant for the public sector, which is in the front line of the government’s commitment to cut carbon emissions – 34 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050.

Waldrons calculate they save organisations across the UK about 2.1 million Kg of CO2e per year. For organisations refurbishment is a very visible, yet cost effective, method to demonstrate support of their ISO 14000 environmental policy and that they are already ahead of the proposed new DEFRA public sector buying standard. This standard will lean heavily on the environmental impact of office furniture and will require items to be capable of remanufacture and reuse.

UP TO 80 PER CENT SAVINGS But the bottom line (if you’ll forgive the pun) is that refurbishment can save as much as 80 per cent of the cost of a new seat. And it’s relatively effortless, because Waldron will visit you to assess your faulty chairs, advise on their viability to refurbish and provide a full costing before you proceed. If acceptable they will remove the chairs, carry out the refurbishment and return them. This can usually be done within just five to seven working days, because Waldron hold a wide variety of replacement components and fabrics in stock.

These replacements meet the same British and European standards the manufacturers work to.

We saved over £500,000 refurbishing our chairs with Waldron’s rather than purchasing new – PricewaterhouseCoopers Waldron’s have unparalleled experience (established 28 years) and have earned a high reputation for doing a very thorough and durable job. They are confident about the quality of their work and back it up with a one-year parts and workmanship warranty.

Many customers set up a regular programme of refurbishment, and in fact, the company recently re-refurbished some chairs that they had first refurbished twenty years ago.

HEALTH & SAFETY BENEFITS Refurbishment is a good way to tackle health and safety or infection control issues. A chair with torn fabric doesn’t need to be dumped – instead, it can be repaired or re-covered in a suitable healthcare fabric at a fraction of the cost of buying new. In many cases Waldron’s can give advice and guidance on how to make them easier to clean.

The personal element should not be forgotten, apart from the positive environmental impact studies have shown that investment in an individual’s personal work environment can increase morale, commitment and reassurance (with the knock on effect of increasing productivity by up to five per cent).

People often become very attached to their chair. Refurbishment and reuse gives them back their familiar chair, looking as good as new, with the gas lift working properly or

with new foam or fabric, for as little as 20 per cent of the cost of a new replacement.

WHY DO CHAIRS GET DUMPED? It seems crazy for organisations to dump chairs that could easily be refurbished for a fraction of the cost of buying new. Seating represents a significant investment in staff and customer’s well being. It does not make good business sense to dump them because of a minor, easily fixed, fault.

Organisations that want to save money and reduce their carbon footprint are simply not aware that refurbishment and reuse is an option for their existing chairs. But once they realise the scale of the direct and indirect cost savings (frees up capital budget, 100 per cent tax deductable), the concept becomes even more appealing.

And of course, refurbishment ticks all the right boxes for sustainable procurement, costeffectiveness, environment-friendliness, hygiene and infection control and corporate image.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To find out more or for a free no obligation quotation please contact Waldron Office Furniture Ltd. Tel: 0118 9455500 E-mail: office@waldronfurniture.co.uk Web: www.waldronfurniture.co.uk

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Health Safety and Environment...in one box CSTS are a specialist provider of Health and Safety Education, Equipment and Advice, with expertise in providing solutions for High Risk and Hazardous Environments, to the public and private sectors across the UK. By providing high standards of training and assessments, you can be confident that your people are doing the right thing at the right time. All training courses are competency based, following the standards set by the HSE and Awarding Body Guidelines. Deliverance of courses can be at either our own centres located around the UK or On Site.

CSTS can advise on a consultancy basis as well as offering practical support and advice on safety critical tasks. CSTS offer a full range of safety equipment from a wide range of manufacturers and have the in-house ability to provide the required maintenance schedules for the equipment. For short to mid term projects, CSTS can offer a hire service of safety equipment.

Other services offered by CSTS include Cylinder Testing, Air Quality Testing and as a MRHA Approved Licensed Supplier of Medical Oxygen we can provide a supply, maintenance and refill service of Oxygen Cylinders and Resuscitators.

Telephone: 01925 244144 Fax: 01925 244544 Email: info@csts.co.uk Web: www.csts.co.uk

Specialists in Air Sampling Technologies

Book now for the SKC One-Day Practical Training Course in Air Sampling!

We offer a choice of training options which will provide you with the knowledge and ongoing support to get you started on an effective and efficient sampling regime.

Our courses, held throughout the year, are ideally suited to beginners or as a refresher course.

FINAL course for 2010 will be held on November 16th in Blandford Forum, Dorset.

SKC Limited, 11 Sunrise Business Park, Higher Shaftesbury Road, Blandford Forum, Dorset DT11 8ST Tel: 01258 480 188 Fax: 01258 480 184 W: www.skcltd.com E: enquiries@skcltd.com

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HEALTH & SAFETY

LEADING ON HEALTH AND SAFETY ACROSS LOCAL GOVERNMENT Local government must demonstrate leadership in delivering effective health and safety, both as employers and commissioners of services, writes the HSE THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES for local government. Councils face significant cuts in their budgets for delivering public services − cuts which have already begun to take effect.

This is, in any case, a period of rapid change in local government as councils seek innovations in service delivery in order to do more with less. There is also a trend towards local decision making, with councils being given greater responsibility for setting their own priorities.

There is a danger that, amid all these challenges and concerns, the health, safety and welfare of the workforce will be pushed down the agenda. And yet, as Steve Sumner of Local Government Employers (LGE) has pointed out, the starting point for any local authority in these testing times “is a safe, healthy, well motivated and productive workforce.”

Furthermore, the available statistics for injury trends within local government give little cause for complacency. The total number of injuries to local government employees reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has plateaued, with little change over time. While there has been a significant decrease in reported injuries for construction and maintenance workers employed by local authorities − possibly because this type of work is increasingly being contracted out – this has been offset by rises in reported injuries to those in other services such as education and refuse collection.

STRONG LEADERSHIP One way of raising health and safety standards is to encourage strong leadership within organisations – a key theme of HSE’s health and safety strategy for Great Britain. It is vital that those ‘at the top of the shop’ lead the way in promoting the importance of health and safety, while at the same time understanding that a sensible and proportionate approach must be taken. This applies just as much to councils as it does to commercial companies and other organisations. HSE, working with LGE, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (CoSLA), arranged a workshop on this topic earlier in the year. It brought together elected members, senior managers and health and safety managers from a number of authorities to identify risk management priorities and to explore ways of ensuring that local government demonstrates leadership in delivering a coherent health and safety strategy, both as employers and commissioners of services.

HSE’s Chair, Judith Hackitt, gave the keynote speech, focusing on the need to demonstrate

It is vital that those ‘at the top of the shop’ lead the way in promoting the importance of health and safety, while at the same time understanding that a sensible and proportionate approach must be taken

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ITS NOT JUST YOU IT AFFECTS.

If you don’t adhere to the standards set by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, not only could you be prosecuted with fines and increased insurance premiums, but think about how an accident impacts on colleagues, friends, and family…

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HEALTH & SAFETY

The council went back to the slips risk assessment to see what else could be done; the review revealed that protective non-slip footwear (PPE) for all at-risk staff might be the answer.

Before making any significant purchases, the council carried out extensive research into the different types of anti-slip footwear available, taking into account the environment the footwear was to be used in, the range of surfaces it would encounter, ease of cleaning, turnover of staff and the cost. As a result a non-slip overshoe was sourced and given to 50 mobile catering staff that worked within a number of different kitchens with a variety of floor surfaces and a footwear trial conducted. The trial lasted two months; during that time there were no slips to the employees that wore the overshoe.

a commonsense approach to risk in the public sector, and identifying a key role for leaders in separating “real risks from trivia”. She emphasised that effective leadership sets the tone for a positive health and safety culture.

The workshop touched on other key issues, such as the role of local authorities as exemplars for the wider community, the importance of elected members in demonstrating a balanced and informed approach to health and safety issues, and practical ways for chief executives and senior managers to demonstrate effective leadership.

When the delegates were asked to identify those issues that mattered most to them, some common themes emerged, such as the importance of health and safety in procurement and partnership working, competence in knowing and acting on the right standards, and ensuring that strategic decision makers recognise the importance of real health and safety.

WORKING TOGETHER The LGE and WLGA have seized the opportunity to work with HSE and develop a strategy delivery framework for councils across England and Wales. This is being progressed through a working group set up by the LGE National Health and Safety Practitioners Panel.

The framework will be sufficiently flexible to incorporate priorities and enable initiatives at a national, regional and individual local authority level. It is expected to comprise a high-level vision and statement of principles from local government and HSE. This is supplemented by an annual strategy theme, beginning with ‘effective leadership’.

National initiatives are planned under the current theme but individual LAs or regional

groups can focus on those priorities that particularly matter to them and on developing local initiatives to meet those needs.

Sharing good practice and developing toolkits and case studies will be the keys to success for this strategy. So will selfevaluation, which will take into account a series of leading and lagging indicators, including accident and ill health data and implementation of policy initiatives. However, the aim is to go beyond those to try to capture best practice in embedding an effective risk management culture in local authorities.

CASE STUDY A council was having problems with slips.

Over a four year period 317 slip incidents had been recorded, 26 of which resulted in employees receiving a major injury or being off work for over three days. In an attempt to reduce the number of accidents in the kitchen and catering areas the council introduced various solutions over a five-year period: • Improved management of spillages and the cleaning regimes • Enforcement of sensible shoe policy • Improved housekeeping • Effective training, supervision and induction • Treatment of floor with a non-slip screed where repeated slip incidents occurred But, despite these good control measures, slips were still happening and the impact of these accidents was far reaching. As well as the personal impact on employees from having an injury at work, the council found itself not only having to find staff to cover absences, but having to find money to cover the ever increasing personal injury claims submitted; in excess of £20,000 had been paid out just to settle five claims.

POSITIVE FEEDBACK Feedback was gathered from staff on the overshoe slip resistant qualities, comfort when being worn, general fit and ease of use.

Some of the quotes from staff included: • “Comfortable and easy to wear, the shoes stopped me when I expected to slip” • “These shoes offered protection against slipping” • “You don’t know they’re on” • “I would not like to work in the kitchen without them now” Following the success of the trial, a policy was formulated making it compulsory for all staff to wear the overshoes whilst at work. The policy also extended to other personnel visiting and working in kitchens.

The overshoes were distributed at a total cost of around £18,000. In the nine months, prior to their introduction there had been four reportable slip incidents and 21 non-reportable slips incidents. In the six months following their introduction, there were no reportable slip incidents, the first time since recording slip statistics began eight years previously. There was also a big impact on non-reportable slip incidents, the figure reduced from 21 to 10, a 52 per cent reduction. An investigation revealed that in eight of these incidents individuals had not been wearing overshoes at the time of the accident, due to not having received delivery or having to order an alternative size.

The council was pleased to be finally making significant improvements in managing slip risk within kitchens and felt that the reduction in incidents would be maintained by the ongoing use of the non-slip overshoes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Further details of the workshop are available at www.hse.gov.uk/services/ localgovernment/index.htm If you wish to share your success with your approaches please go to www.hse.gov.uk/strategy/pledge.htm

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You need

BAFE If you specify fire alarms, portable fire extinguishers or emergency lighting you should be looking for BAFE registered companies.

Why.....? Because BAFE is the independent 3rd party approvals organisation, which ensures quality for the fire protection industry and provides the vital reassurance that the services being bought or specified are effective, reliable and competently maintained.

It also means you can be sure that your clients meet their obligations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.

BAFE.... Promoting Quality in Fire Safety Fire Service College, Bridges 2, London Road, Moreton in Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 0RH

Tel: 0844 3350897 • Fax: 01608 653359 • Email: info@bafe.org.uk

www.bafe.org.uk

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HEALTH & SAFETY

A WORLD OF FIRE SAFETY UNDER A SINGLE ROOF Featuring the latest products and services from over 60 exhibitors and an impressive line up of free seminar sessions, Firex North is the event for fire safety professionals FIREX NORTH, the second instalment of UBM Live’s 2010 Firex Roadshows, is moving from Harrogate to its new home at Manchester Central 1 from 27-28 October.

This will be the last opportunity for the UK fire industry to get together in 2010.

Firex North is set to continue the success of Firex South where 1,353 industry professionals attended – a 16 per cent increase from 2008.

With an extensive exhibition, containing the very best manufacturers and distributors of fire safety products and services in the UK, visitors will undoubtedly be able to address all their fire prevention, protection and detection needs.

More than 60 industry renowned exhibitors are already confirmed for Firex North 2010, including Apollo Fire Detectors, C-TEC, Kentec Electronics and Warrington Certification. Full details can be found at www.info4fire.com/firexroadshows

EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITIES There will be several exclusive opportunities available for Firex North attendees. Visitors to the Ventcroft stand will have the chance to win £500 worth of its NoBurn fire cable. The electronic product and cable manufacturer will be giving away the prize to the person who can strip down the cable in the shortest amount of time – an activity that Ventcroft hopes will demonstrate how easy it is to disassemble the product.

At the Draeger stand, visitors will be able to examine Flame 5000 – the colour imagingbased CCTV flame detector that can process live video images. They can also see the DraegerSensor IR – the company’s latest product integrating infra-red gas detection technology.

Furthermore, the event will be packed with hours of free educational content in the Info4fire Learning Zone, sponsored by Morley-IAS, to ensure everyone leaves the event completely up-to-date with the latest industry developments and fire regulations.

The Institute of Fire Engineers (IFE) has accredited the two-day programme of educational seminars as the equivalent of 6.5 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activity.

Visitors will be able to benefit from a wealth of knowledge and experience. Speaker Simon Ince, Manager of Personnel Certification Schemes of Warrington Certification Limited (WCL), will talk about ‘Accreditation of fire risk assessors’. Simon is the perfect speaker to discuss this topic. His current role involves developing new competence schemes in the fire safety sector and promotion of independent

WEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER 2010 Time

Session Title Developments on accreditation of fire risk assessment companies Stephen Adams, General Manager, BAFE

10.30 - 12.00

Accreditation of fire risk assessors Simon Ince, Manager, Personnel Certification Schemes, Warrington Certification Fire risk assessors’ competency

12.15 - 13.00

New fire safety solutions for HMOs C-TEC (Computionics) Ltd

13.15 - 14.15

Who cares? Fire safety in care homes David Vallender, National Association for Safety and Health in Care Services

14.30 - 15.15

Solutions for networked fire systems Mark Taylor, Technical Support Engineer, Advanced Electronics

15.30 - 16.15

Multicoloured nightmares? The fire risk of multilayer paints Dave Haythornthwaite, Consultant, Salamander Fire Risk Analysis

THURSDAY 28 OCTOBER 2010 Time 10.30 - 12.00

Session Title See you in court? Legal and enforcement proceedings Hilary Ross, Partner, Bond Pearce solicitors Richard Stott, Fire Investigation and Enforcement Policy Manager, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Colin Todd, Principal, CSTodd and Associates

12.15 - 13.00

Built-in fire protection – apathy ignorance or denial?

Wilf Butcher, chief executive, ASFP

13.15 - 14.00

Getting your house in (fire safety) order Richard Price, National Landlords Association

14.15 - 15.00

The regulatory reform order: Comply or pay the penalty Keith Minster, Morley-IAS

THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR GOVERNMENT

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have confidence in your fire alarm system Ensure you are properly protected by using an NSI approved company.

They adhere to strict industry standards and fire authority requirements.

We are specialists in providing Pressure and Blast Relief Venting, Gas and Smoke Extract and Venting Systems as well as Motorised and Fusible link Fire Dampers. With 20 years experience in the fire protection market we have unique knowledge of the requirements of all types of applications.

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find out more at

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HEALTH & SAFETY

With a vast array of leading companies already signed up to exhibit and an exciting, free-of-charge educational programme on offer, this is an event not to be missed by any fire safety professional third party certification for consumer protection.

He also sits on the Competence Council, which has been tasked by Communities and Local Government to produce a national standard, identifying the competences professional fire risk assessor should possess.

Another seminar highlight is Richard Stott, Fire Investigation and Enforcement Policy Manager for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, who will discuss ‘See you in court? Legal and Enforcement Proceedings’.

Richard has been involved in more than 20 successful prosecutions under the RRO (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and is responsible for Enforcement policy within the Service.

James Blue, portfolio director – Fire & Security at UBM Live, organisers of Firex North, said: “We are extremely excited to bring Firex North to Manchester Central 1 and are confident the event will provide unique trading opportunities

to both our visitors and exhibitors. With a vast array of leading companies already signed up to exhibit and an exciting, free-of-charge educational programme on offer, this is an event not to be missed by any fire safety professional.”

Visitors unable to attend Firex North may be interested in hearing more about International Firex. This event takes place at the NEC Birmingham from 16-19 May 2011 and is the UK’s largest dedicated fire safety event, designed for any business involved in fire protection, prevention and detection. Like Firex North, it provides organisations and individuals with the opportunity to meet fire safety professionals, gain qualified leads and build profitable, long-term relationships.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information, please visit www.info4fire.com/firexroadshows

Life safety solutions from Emergi-Lite MERGI-LITE is a leading life safety solutions provider, delivering state-ofthe-art emergency lighting and fire safety solutions.

From stylish and cost efficient LED downlighters and exit signs such as the Serenga and Horizon brands, through to analogue addressable and conventional fire detection systems such as the Eurofire and Firetec, EmergiLite’s product range is easy to use and provides a versatile and cost effective choice of safety solutions.

Emergi-Lite’s Central Power Supply Systems division also provides a choice of reliable and high quality products that are designed to meet the relevant standards and specification for both AC/AC and AC/DC applications.

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Our customer services network includes project consultation, certified technical design and lighting conversions, plus after sales support services including maintenance and servicing to British Standards.

Whether planning, installing, managing or renewing Emergency Lighting and Fire Detection Systems – your projects are in safe hands with Emergi-Lite.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Thomas & Betts Limited Emergi-Lite Safety Systems Bruntcliffe Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS27 9LL. Tel: +44 (0)113 281 0600 Fax: +44 (0)113 281 0601 E-mail: emergi-lite. sales@tnb.com Web: www.emergi-lite.co.uk

Safety footwear is mandatory – discomfort doesn’t need to be INCE ITS LAUNCH in March this year the Bootmate Safety Boot Sock has hit the ground running!

A common and longstanding feature of the all-important steel toe cap boot is that the wearer chooses a bigger size than is required, because they need more space in their footwear to be comfortable or, worse still, the protective footwear is not worn at all, because discomfort levels are too high.

That problem has gone – it’s been sorted by Bootmate. The innovative design incorporating high quality medical grade gel pads just where the toecap cuts in meets this issue completely.

Add to this feature high quality materials and innovative design, additional padding on the heel and ball of the foot, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properities in the weave and you have a work sock that delivers the comfort you expect to

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enjoy in your leisure footwear.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Canonbury Products Ltd 2 St James Road Brackley Northants NN13 7XY Tel: 01280 706661 Mobile: 07753 814425 Fax: 01280 706671 E-mail: barryw@canonbury.com Trade site: canonbury.com Consumer site: simplyfeet.co.uk

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Is fire safety one of your responsibilities?

If it is, a visit to Firex North will allow you to meet the leading solution providers in fire protection, prevention and detection and stay up-to-date with current fire safety legislation.

Plus... the info4fire.com learning zone hosts a series of free seminars demonstrating successful case studies and current fire safety legislation.

Meet over 70 suppliers specialising in:

Control panels Detectors Emergency lighting and signs Fire risk assessments Passive fire protection

Portable extinguishers companies Specialist alarm and communications systems Voice alarm/public address systems Wireless systems

Find out more and register for free entry at www.info4fire.com/firexroadshows

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

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New fire industry player, Providing reassurance new detection protocol for fire protection EHIND THE NEW NAME, Eurotech Fire Systems Ltd, is one of the most experienced teams in the fire industry. Their stated aim is to save lives and property by changing the way fire detection products are designed, manufactured and procured.

Traditionally, the choices available to industry were either through a closed or open protocol. Eurotech has developed the MESH, Making Every System Happen, protocol offering reassurance to independent or in-house installers of fullyapproved technology under a single brand, but without being tied to the manufacturer for all system components or maintenance contracts.

Since launch, Eurotech has introduced industry-leading, patented technology. For example, the Optical Detector with in-built Sounder offers a unique, patented design combining optical detection

B

with an in-built sounder. The company has also developed a range of detection systems that offer up to 254 addresses per loop for detectors and/or modules or sounders, the highest per-loop address volume in the industry.

Hampshire-based Eurotech Fire Systems Ltd was established by former Apollo sales and marketing director Michelle Agius, who has put together arguably the most experienced team in the fire detection industry, including export sales manager Tim Williams, UK sales manager Phil Walford, Vincent Agius sales manager, Fiona McGregor office manager, operations manager Terry Huppler and design manager Alan CapaldiTallon with some 10 individual US and UK fire patents to his name.

AFE IS THE INDEPENDENT, third party certification approvals body for the fire protection industry.

For all those who specify and purchase fire protection for their premises, there is the significant requirement to ensure that the responsible person for the premises has carried out all of their obligations under the Regulatory Reform (Fire) Order.

You will need to ensure that any supplier of fire alarms, emergency lighting or maintaining portable fire extinguishers meets all the requirements of national standards – and that they are regularly checked.

This is where BAFE registration provides you with criteria for tenders and purchasing, with over 600 companies that have been

B

certificated by UKAS accredited certification bodies. In difficult financial times, it is too easy just to look for the cheapest suppliers of services, but where these are as important as fire protection with significant legal, insurance and safety implications for staff and premises, initial cost can be highly deceptive. Alarms are of no use unless they work at all times. Extinguishers must perform to standard when you need them. Emergency lighting that fails when the power cuts out is worse than useless.

FOR MORE INFORMATION So be sure – select a BAFE registered company from our website listings at www.bafe.org.uk

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 020 31410999 E-mail: enquiry@ eurotechfire.com

The world’s first double action pressure vent S THE LEADER IN ITS MARKET, AFP Air Technologies is known as the number one for product development, quality and customer service. It has been designing and manufacturing reliable and highquality solutions for over 18 years.

AFP Air Technologies is proud to announce the launch of the world’s first dual action pressure vent. This unique product is designed to provide affective pressure venting of fire fighting gas such as FM200 and NOVEC clean agents. Its unique Patent Pending action allows for negative and positive pressures to be vented from risks protected by these gases.

AFP is still the only pressure vent manufacturer to have third party verification on the performance of its vents which was carried out by The Building Research Establishment (BRE).

A continuous programme of research, development and testing

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Have confidence in your fire alarm system HE NATIONAL SECURITY INSPECTORATE (NSI) is the leading approvals and certification body that provides inspection services for the UK’s fire and security industries. Approved companies are regularly inspected to ensure they comply with the appropriate British and European Standards and NSI Codes of Practice.

NSI has provided certification services for nearly 40 years, making a major contribution in raising standards in the interest of the customer. Throughout its history, NSI has adapted and developed its services to keep pace

T

is maintained to ensure that the company can deliver the best product to the latest specification, on time and to budget.

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information please contact Paul Coxon on 01732 746611 or 07884 097938, or visit our website www.afpairtech.co.uk.

with new technologies, relevant legislation and ever-increasing needs and expectations.

Today, NSI’s owl brand is widely recognised as the benchmark of quality in the fire and security sectors and is a symbol that buyers and specifiers can trust. NSI approval is widely recognised as being the toughest in the sector and approval is only given to companies that are able to consistently meet our exacting standards.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01628 637512 Web: www.nsi-fire.org.uk

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

WHY CHOOSE LONDON FOR CONFERENCES? As London celebrates winning the C&IT Best Conference Destination for the fourth year in a row – beating cities such as Barcelona and Liverpool – Government Business looks at why the UK’s capital has all the very best ingredients to make any conference a huge success WHAT MAKES LONDON TRULY remarkable as a conference destination?

When it comes to answers, you’re as spoilt for choice as you are for venues and activities.

As an organiser, where else in the world could you open the iconic Tower Bridge whilst sailing along the River Thames before closing the Tower of London during the Ceremony of the Keys? Which other city could teach delegates the perfect royal curtsey at Kensington Palace before transporting them back into history to explore life within the Tudor Court of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace. Only in London can you find these and many, many more once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Only in London can you create extraordinary itineraries against a cityscape where everything is possible.

MAKING IT WORK FOR YOUR BUDGET London has long been a world-class business and leisure destination offering exceptional value for money. So before you even start

The London Eye

to plan your next conference why don’t you get some free, unbiased planning assistance that’s available from Visit London’s Event Solutions team? No one knows London better than they do and they work hard to make sure every conference, convention, incentive or meeting is a memorable success.

According to the Lonely Planet guide, London’s accommodation and restaurant prices are between one third and one half cheaper than a few years ago, but it’s not just favorable exchange rates that are making London such an

affordable destination. Fantastic deals offered by an incredible choice of events venues, and London’s business hotels offering competitive prices on both room rates and day delegate rates, make the UK capital a number one choice for a range of events and incentives.

From 2011, the UK’s tax allowances mean that companies may be able to claim up to 20 per cent back on the price of accommodation, meeting facilities and other auxiliary items in London. Visit www.brvat.com for more information. Special group discounts on

Fantastic deals offered by an incredible choice of events venues, and London’s business hotels offering competitive prices on both room rates and day delegate rates, make the UK capital a number one choice for a range of events and incentives

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arySumner House

a char ming venue for any occasion Victoria Room

Helena Room

Mary Sumner Room

If you're looking for versatile conference facilities with a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, Mary Sumner House is an ideal choice.

Alexandra Room

Centrally located in Westminster, London we offer a choice of eight meeting rooms. All our rooms offer flexible seating arrangements and audio visual equipment to suit a wide range of business and social events. Capacity from 2 to 120 and prices from as little as ÂŁ127.

Trying to keep costs down? We won't tie you into in-house caterers. Use your own preferred caterer – or we are happy to offer a choice of specially selected caterers

Elizabeth Room

recommended by our clients. We do provide a refreshment package.

If you are a registered charity we can also offer you a 25% discount.

Beatrice Room

To make a booking or for further information contact Amy at: conference@themothersunion.org or phone: 020 7222 5533 or visit our website: www.muenterprises.co.uk

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

British Museum

With more than 1,000 truly unique events venues, an £11billion investment in city-wide projects in the lead up to 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, London offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can’t be found anywhere else travel and hotels are also available along with affordable accommodation offered by London’s university campuses over the summer months.

Business visitors find London easily accessible, cosmopolitan, cultural and cutting-edge. It has five international airports, with direct flights to and from more than 160 cities worldwide plus the Eurostar, arriving into St Pancras International from Paris and Brussels.

Once your group has arrived, visitors can make use of the city’s safe, extensive public transport network and access reduced fares by pre-ordering the Oyster travel smartcard or using the network of new Barclay’s Bike scheme, which is a great way for business visitors to explore the city in their down-time.

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT? London is a vibrant and multi-cultural city that’s easy to meet in and impossible to forget.

With green and lush park spaces that cover 30 per cent of the city and a culture, rich in diversity, heritage and culinary delights, there is something to suit every taste and requirement.

With more than 1,000 truly unique events venues, an £11 billion investment in city-wide projects in the lead up to 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, London offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can’t be found anywhere else. There are more than 40,000 shops including Europe’s largest retail complex Westfield in West London and its sister Westfield Stratford which is to open in 2011 and will be the largest indoor shopping centre in Europe.

London also has 48 Michelin-starred restaurants, more than 6,000 restaurants offering menus from 70 major country cuisines, 300 museums and galleries (17 of which offer free entry), 150 theatres, 147 parks, more than

Forman’s Fish Island interior

Canary Wharf – Terrace View

ICC London ExCel

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CRYSTAL PALACE NATIONAL SPORTS CENTRE Crystal Palace National Sports Centre is an iconic venue located within 200 acres of beautiful parkland in South London.

The centre has played host to some of the worlds top sporting and non sporting events and is well equipped to accommodate any variety of event. From small meeting rooms through to large scale conferences and exhibitions in our 1,340sqm arena which can hold up to 1,600 seated delegates. Our in-house catering team can provide for any size of group and we can offer accommodation if required.

The National Sports Centre has parking for over 500 vehicles and is accessible by mainline rail just 25 minutes from Central London. Please contact the Bookings and Events Team to find out more.

Crystal Palace National Sports Centre Ledrington Road Upper Norwood London SE19 2BB Tel: 020 8778 0131 Web: www.gll.org Email: crystalpalacenationalsportscentre@gll.org or the.lodge@gll.org GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited) Middlegate House Woolwich Arsenal London SE18 6SX IPS 27793R Inland Revenue Charity Number XR43398 VAT Number 626592225

Coin Street neighbourhood centre Contemporary purpose-built conference and meeting spaces situated on London’s dynamic South Bank with excellent transport links.

• Range of large and small flexible spaces • Minutes from Waterloo station and the London Eye • Views of the London skyline • Floor to ceiling natural daylight • Roof terrace with views to Oxo Tower Wharf, London Eye and National Theatre • High spec AV equipment • Contemporary designer furniture • Environmentally sustainable features • Special rates for government bodies Coin Street neighbourhood centre is owned and managed by Coin Street Community Builders, a social enterprise and development trust.

Coin Street neighbourhood centre 108 Stamford Street South Bank London SE1 9NH 020 7021 1650 conferences@coinstreet.org www.coinstreet.org

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10,000 bars and clubs and four World Heritage sites (Tower of London, Kew Gardens, Maritime Greenwich and the Houses of Parliament).

NEW FOR 2010 New conference space includes an additional 5,000-seat arena and 17 meeting rooms as part of the expansion of ExCeL London, which opened 1 May. The privately-funded £165m expansion has seen the Docklands venue renamed as ICC London ExCeL which is London’s first International Convention Centre.

By 2012, there will also be 13,300 new hotel rooms available, giving the UK capital a total of 123,000 bedrooms. Recently opened properties include London’s largest new hotel, the 15-storey Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, and offering 2,500sqm of meetings space. Located near the South Bank and directly opposite the Houses of Parliament, this 1,021-room hotel has been built to the highest green standards.

Other flagship hotel openings include the Renaissance St Pancras London – a five-star property offering 244 rooms alongside the Eurostar terminal – and Starwood’s luxury W brand, which makes its UK debut in Leicester Square, and boasts 194 rooms and four meeting spaces. In the next two years, London’s landscape will change dramatically with the addition of architectural highlights such as the

The V&A

Tower of London – White Tower

London also offers countless inspirational and unique venues for social functions and takes real pride in the warmth of its welcome, extended to both national and international delegates

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ILEC CONFERENCE CENTRE IBIS LONDON EARLS COURT Simply a unique event solution !

One of the largest hotel venue in London 1260sqm of flexible event floor 6 syndicates rooms 3* hotel with 504 guestrooms “La Table” Restaurant ”George and Dragon” Pub Undergound car park

New conference Hall Autumn 2011

Tel: 020 7666 8470, Fax: 020 7666 8552, Email: h5623-sb@accor.com 47 Lillie road, London SW6 1UD ; www.ibishotel.com

HOUSE

ORT

HOUSE

ORT House Conference Centre A spacious conference and meeting facility in the heart of London Facilities include:

ORT House is the perfect location for your conferences and meetings.

n air-conditioning in all rooms

Situated in Camden, North London, ORT House offers a range of rooms and services that can easily accommodate conferences of up to 120 delegates, boardroom meetings, interviews, seminars and training courses.

Reader offer Quote GOV10 to recieve 10% off your total booking.

This offer is valid until 31 January 2011*

For a full price list and delegate rates, please contact Natalie Campbell:

Tel: 020 7485 5847

E V SA 10%

ORT

Email: ort@pavpub.com

n a fully equipped IT suite with 12 state-of-the-art workstations n the latest in audiovisual equipment n creative catering n experienced conference staff on site and a dedicated business manager n full disabled access.

Web: orthouse.co.uk

*10% discount is not valid with any other offer. The offer is only valid on new bookings and is subject to availability

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The UK possesses some of the most experienced and creative events industry professionals in the world, with the majority plying their trade in London. So it’s small wonder that so many world beating events are staged in the capital each year and make for a fantastic addition to any group itinerary on a conference

Park Plaza Westminster Bridge

Museum of London

Shard of Glass (the new London Bridge Tower), containing a six-star 195-room Shangri-La hotel and the Heron Tower in the City, which is set to provide breathtaking views from its rooftop.

SOCIAL VENUES London also offers countless inspirational and unique venues for social functions and takes real pride in the warmth of its welcome, extended to both national and international delegates.

Hiring a cultural, contemporary or historical backdrop for a reception, banquet or accompanying partner event will provide visitors with a true insight into the UK capital’s past, present or future.

Almost all major landmarks, including the Tower of London, Natural History Museum, Merlin Entertainments London Eye and the Royal Albert Hall are available as aweinspiring event settings, along with a range of glamorous hotel ballrooms, roof-top function rooms with fantastic views over the city or one of many bespoke experiences to ensure guests fully explore London’s diverse and unforgettable cityscape.

In 2010, new venues equipped to handle your events business include The Museum of London’s new galleries, the Waldorf Astroia hotel in Syon Park, and an outdoor space with views over the Olympic Stadium located at Forman’s Fish Island.

Restaurants such as Galvin at Windows on the 28th floor of the London Hilton on Park Lane, or Aqua in the heart of the West End, offer exceptional vistas across the UK capital, whilst world-class caterers working within high-end cultural venues such as the Saatchi Gallery, Wallace Collection and Tate Modern will ensure your function is a resounding success.

Meantime Brewery at Greenwich

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Whatever your requirements, budget or theme, London’s impressive portfolio of venues and suppliers are sure to satisfy.

London is also a capital of cool bars and restaurants. Recent additions to the night-life scene have included Circus, a unique restaurant in Covent Garden with a main catwalk dining table featuring nightly performances, the capital’s very-own Supperclub, which is opening in December in Notting Hill, and Shaka Zulu, a heavily themed African restaurant in Camden.

Shaka Zulu is London’s largest South African restaurant to open its wooden doors and is a truly authentic destination. The vibrant décor includes marble bars, 60ft carved wooden murals, beaded seats and a bronze statue presiding over the entrance.

This stunning £5.5m two-storied venue located in the heart of Stables Market Camden, features the best in African cuisine.

ICC London ExCel

ICC London ExCel

LOOKING TOWARDS 2011 There will also be a number of new events venues for conferences – the re-opening of the Cutty Sark in spring 2011, a new wing to the popular art gallery Tate Modern, in time for the Olympic Games, and the launch of the Meantime Brewery in Greenwich early next year – all of which will make great venues for events and receptions.

The UK possesses some of the most experienced and creative events industry professionals in the world, with the majority plying their trade in London. So it’s small wonder that so many world beating events are staged in the capital each year and

Forman’s Fish Island

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St Pancras Station

With more than 1,000 truly unique events venues, an £11billion investment in city-wide projects in the lead up to 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, London offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences that can’t be found anywhere else make for a fantastic addition to any group itinerary on a conference. For example, only in London can you sample dishes from more than 40 top restaurants in one sitting, whilst soaking up the sun in Regent’s Park at the annual Taste of London food festival.

And only in London can you sit under the stars to watch a movie in Somerset House’s beautiful outdoor courtyard in the summer and then return in the winter to ice-skate in the shadow of a giant Christmas tree.

Somerset House is just one of many temporary ice-rinks that appear across the capital between November and January. Others can be found at the Natural History Museum, The O2 and Canary Wharf. For the ultimate Christmas festival, head to Hyde Park for the annual Winter Wonderland event, complete with ice-rink, fun-fair rides, a German food market and of course, Santa’s grotto.

PARKS AND FASHION During the summer months, London’s Royal Parks are a hive of event activity. Hyde Park is the location for a series of concerts, which kick-off with Hard Rock Calling and include all the latest rock and pop bands performing to 80,000 people spread out across the park. For classical music fans, the series of BBC Proms are an integral part of British culture and take place from July until September at the iconic Royal Albert Hall.

London Fashion Week takes place in September, with catwalk shows and parties occurring across the capital to celebrate London’s style. A new addition to the festival calendar is the London Restaurant Festival, which debuted in 2009 and now has more than 250 restaurants offering festival menus, as well as a host of foodrelated bespoke events such as gourmet

Tower of London

Natural History Museum

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VERSATILE RIVERSIDE VENUE With its central riverside location, close to the political heart of London, Southbank Centre offers an ideal venue for your next event, whether it’s a meeting for 20 or a conference for 2000. www.southbankcentre.co.uk/venuehire events@southbankcentre.co.uk Telephone 020 7921 0702

DAY DELEGATE RATES FROM £30 PER PERSON Photo © Morley von Sternberg

Make savings when you plan your next meeting in the capital. From Heathrow to Kensington, Marriott hotels are offering reduced government day delegates rates from £30 per person*.

Call our London Sales Office at 0207 012 7525 to check availability:London Marriott Hotel Maida Vale London Marriott Hotel Marble Arch London Marriott Hotel Kensington London Marriott Hotel Twickenham London Heathrow Marriott Hotel Heathrow/Windsor Marriott Hotel

Marriott.co.uk/Gov *Subject to availabilty

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Tower Bridge is simply one of the most unique venues in London for weddings, private and corporate events. The most famous bridge in the world houses four stunning venue areas, each one a unique and memorable setting for celebrations of every kind.

020 7616 8329

• Day and Evening Events - Capacity 10-120

www.vsc.co.uk/events

• Stunning views of the London Riverscape • Licensed for Weddings • Fully inclusive packages from £50 per person

020 7616 8305 events@vsc.co.uk 63-79 Seymour Street, London W2 2HF

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• West End Location (Oxford Street / Marble Arch) • Small meeting rooms, training, seminars and conferences for 10-300 people • Competitive prices and bespoke packages • Hospitality Assured Venue for every event • Superb value for money Christmas Packages

Special government rates and residential packages available

30/9/10 13:12:53

Call Fizz for an information pack and personalised quote 0870 443 5004 or events@ fizz.uk.com

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

The 02

tours and celebrity chef dining packages on the London Eye. For the very best in live entertainment, London has the most popular live music venue in the world in the form of The O2, located on the Greenwich Peninsula. Here, you can dine at a choice of restaurants before seeing a show in the main 20,000-capacity O2 Arena, or catch a gig in the more intimate 2,350-capacity indigO2.

As well as the events space, bars and restaurants, The O2 also has an 11-screen cinema complex, a 2,500-capacity nightclub called Matter and an exhibition area which is currently home to the British Music Experience. To reach the entertainment complex, why not take delegates on The O2 Express Thames Clipper service, which will transport your guests from a choice of piers in Central London in around 20 minutes.

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY Other events to look out for, taking place annually in London include the Virgin London Marathon, the Regent’s Street and Oxford Street Festivals plus other regular activity, much of which is staged in Trafalgar Square to celebrate London’s diverse cultures and the 300 languages spoken amongst its 7.5 million population.

Visit London’s website is an excellent resource for keeping up with all the goings-on and one-off events staged each month in the capital.

We guarantee that there will always be something happening to keep even the most regular visitor to London, enthralled and amazed.

“The amount of investment reflects a long-term confidence in a city that can be experienced by business visitors and events organisers in the run up to, during and after the Olympic Games,” concludes Tracy Halliwell, director of Business Tourism at Visit London.

“London really does offer businesses a perfect space for conferences and meetings plus it gives you guests and delegates a memorable and unique experience and most of all, a warm welcome.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 020 72345833 E-mail: eventsolutions@visitlondon.com Web: www.visitlondon.com/businessca

Kensingtonrooms Hotel and Events Venue

Kensingtonrooms is a contemporary hotel and dynamic events venue all under one roof. With its atmospheric interiors, attentive staff and stateof-the-art facilities, everything is in place to meet your needs. Comprising 88 bedrooms and 6 meeting rooms of varying sizes, it offers a range of possibilities for accommodation and events requirements.

Whether you are staying in one of our modern bedrooms, planning a conference or a drinks party, our personal, versatile approach means we can arrange things just as you want them. You’ll find all the ingredients for business or pleasure.

From fun, informal gatherings to business presentations and training sessions, Kensingtonrooms has the space and resources to make your event run smoothly. Designed for the high expectations of the fashion, music and media industries, our facilities include state-of-the-art screening and audio-visual equipment as well as a versatile layout of rooms, which can be tailored to your needs. So whether you’re hosting a drinks party, arranging a creative brainstorm or a new product launch, or a training seminar, we can help you do it in comfort and style.

Kensingtonrooms 131-137 Cromwell Road, London SW7 4DU Tel: 0207 5987979, Fax: 0207 5987981 Website: www.kensingtonrooms.co.uk Reservations: book@kensingtonrooms.co.uk Events: events@kensingtonrooms.co.uk Events Tel: 0207 3417908

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to small meetings

We’ve got a suitable venue for you Our dedicated event management team, full conference support service and inhouse AV team will make sure your event goes like clockwork.

Our huge variety of venues, from a single university meeting room to our dedicated conference centre and hotel, means we have options for every budget so for your next event try The University of Manchester.

To request our brochure telephone 0161 306 4100 or email: meeting@manchester.ac.uk

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GIVE YOUR CONFERENCE AN ACADEMIC EDGE Universities are continually investing in their venues, accommodation and event services to offer a unique package for conference organisers, writes Kirsty Hay, marketing manager, Edinburgh First at the University of Edinburgh BETTER THAN MOST, academic venues understand the elements necessary for a good debate or educated discussion. The UK has some of the most prestigious and world renowned universities; their character, contemporary and often historic nature offers event organisers not only a unique setting for meetings and events but an unparalleled amount of choice of both modern and traditional venues – there are as many different types of venue as there are reasons to hold a meeting, gather or entertain colleagues, clients and guests.

In addition to meeting facilities and services academic venues typically offer accommodation.

During summer vacation many universities have a vast amount of bedrooms available, and some offer accommodation all year round; from refurbished student blocks to purpose-built hotels. This vast range of accommodation options, that are typically located near the venues, within a campus setting, make academic venues a viable options for residential conferences, and gives organisers the ability to offer a variety of options for delegates with differing budgets.

MYTHBUSTING Gone are the days when universities could only offer a classroom with student accommodation.

Many academic venues have iconic and historic buildings offering a special setting for smaller meetings and larger conferences and events.

Academic venues are continuingly investing in their facilities and increasing service standards to rival and compete with hotels and conference centres.

Typically, you’ll find lecture theatres and venues equipped with modern AV equipment and comfortable furniture and fittings. The

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15 venues 1000 theatre style 500 reception 2000+ bedrooms 400 flats 6 kitchens From prestigious and iconic University of Edinburgh venues to our state-of-the-art John McIntyre Conference Centre; Edinburgh First offers an incomparable range of venues, accommodation and catering options. We deliver great service at good value and recognise that flexibility is key to delivering successful events.

Contact our team on

0131 651 2189, edinburghfirst.co.uk

8031 Government Business Ad:Layout 1 12/07/2010 14:34 Page 1

Many Happy Returns Celebrating 25 years of conferencing excellence We’ve grown our reputation by keeping our customers coming back for more and with 50% of our customers placing repeat business last year, we really can promise many happy returns.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2010, the East Midlands Conference Centre continues to deliver peace of mind for conference organisers. With over 2 million delegates passing through the doors since its opening, it’s perfectly placed for your next event.

And as part of the Nottingham Conferences portfolio of conference venues, our customers can be assured of a wide range of choice, all year round, backed by a wealth of experience to deal with a variety of requests.

To discover more, visit

nottinghamconferences.co.uk or call us now on

EMCC • Jubilee Campus • University Park • Sutton Bonington

0115 846 8000

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Abden House drawing room

Rich in heritage and culture, combined with the traditional Scottish zeal for hospitality, helps make Edinburgh an outstanding location for any occasion, from a conference for 1,000 delegates or a day meeting for ten same quality standards are evident in the kitchen too; catering options are often prepared by award-winning chefs, creating innovative menus with a passion for local produce, healthy eating and sustainable working practices. The commitment is the same front of house as well, service staff are professionally trained and have a sincere commitment to customer service.

Clients and agents are utilising university venues more and more as positive experiences generate an increase in confidence from the market. Alongside good communications programmes and the industry pulling

together changes in perceptions are starting to happen – the days of chalkboards and curly sandwiches are a thing of the past!

VALUE FOR MONEY Operating in the current economic climate has forced organisers and delegates to cut costs. This change in market behaviour has given academic venues an advantage as they can be flexible and suitable whilst giving the value for money that is so important.

The same increase in popularity is also evident from governmental departments with

organisers opting for academic venues more and more as they face increasing scrutiny to be more transparent with their spending. In addition to their great facilities universities are also a valuable source of speakers and support material for any event, often linking with research that is being undertaken by students and staff. Profits generated from commercial activities are reinvested into universities, supporting future generations of students in their studies and contributing to better facilities.

These profits contribute to refurbishing student accommodation and common areas and can provide a boost to research programmes and learning facilities. All these activities enhance the experiences that our students have while they’re at university, and in turn help attract future students to study in the UK. AN INSPIRING CAPITAL I maybe somewhat bias as Edinburgh is my home town but you can’t go far wrong with Scotland’s capital as a setting for conferences and events. Edinburgh comfortably competes

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T: 0116 271 9933 E: conferences@le.ac.uk W: www.leicesterconferences.co.uk

For all your conference, meeting and event needs – central to you Leicester Conferences is the dedicated award winning conference and events team within the University of Leicester; one of Leicester and East Midlands’ most versatile conference, meeting and accommodation venues.

• Excellent value for money

• Free internet access

• Quality in-house catering

• Free parking

• Accessibility for wheelchair users

• Beautiful surroundings including a 16 acre botanic garden

CONTACT US TO DISCUSS HOW WE CAN HELP MAKE YOUR NEXT EVENT A GREAT SUCCESS All inclusive delegate rates start from £22.50 (ex. VAT) so give us a call to check our availability now!

Quote our promotional code LC0810 to take advantage of our special offers and discounts

*

Winne ‘Best V r alu for Mo e ney Confer enc Venue’ e in the U K *

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with the biggest and best conference destinations in the world – and it only takes one visit to understand why the city ranks in the global top ten of such locations. Rich in heritage and culture, combined with the traditional Scottish zeal for hospitality, helps make Edinburgh an outstanding location for any occasion, from a conference for 1,000 delegates or a day meeting for ten. The city is accessible; it’s easy to reach by air, road and rail. It’s truly an inspiring setting for any debate and there are plenty of cultural activities to indulge in, after business has been concluded!

EDINBURGH FIRST AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH Edinburgh First at the University of Edinburgh can open the doors to some of Edinburgh’s most iconic and modern venues. Over twenty years experience and a firm customer focus have helped us to build a strong reputation in the fields of venue, accommodation and catering services provision. We pride ourselves on our flexible approach and affordable rates which attract a wide range of customers – from higher and further education institutions and private and public sector companies and organisations to families and individuals.

Contemporary or classical, all Edinburgh First venues are fit for purpose and offer the flexibility required to create truly personalised events. As well as highspecification conferencing facilities, lecture theatres and boardrooms, Edinburgh First venues feature comfortable breakout areas and relaxing lounges where delegates can unwind. Our spaces at Pollock Halls look onto Arthur’s Seat, while our centrally located venues offer windows onto some of Edinburgh’s most spectacular views.

To complement our wide variety of venues, we offer a similarly broad range of accommodation, dining facilities and catering options. To maintain the momentum of events we can offer an extensive range of on-site services; with bedrooms, private-dining rooms, restaurants, bars and cafés – as well as all of Edinburgh’s attractions nearby – opportunities are abound for team-building and networking!

A CASE STUDY Our new conference centre the John McIntyre Conference Centre was recently host to a Scottish Government national event run by the Drugs Policy Unit. The recently extended and refurbished venue is centrally located on our Pollock Halls campus, close to the city centre.

Delegates entered at ground-floor level and took the scenic glass lift, or stairs, to the first-floor foyer. This open area was used for registration, then guests made their way through to Centro; our spacious lounge where they helped themselves to tea and coffee. Centro was used throughout the day as an additional breakout space and delegates were able to enjoy the open-air

John McIntyre Conference Centre restaurant

Salisbury Green Hotel

Dining facility at Reading University

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Experience tells you what to do, con fide nce allo ws you to

do it.

In comparison to some venues, we focus all our energy on collaboration, creativity and caring for everything you need for a successful conference, with no distractions. That’s why with us you can confidently focus all your experience and energy on achieving great things for your business. Discover how we can add value to your next conference and why we’ve just picked up four golds at this year’s M&IT awards.

Visit us at www.warwickconferences.com or call 024 7652 3222.

Conference with Confidence

A meetin f

www.warwickconferences.com

www.aber.ac.uk/visitors

A meeting place for high fliers Unique venue for all your conference, meeting, event and exhibition requirements Impressive coastal location with stunning views

Host your event at the University of Wales, Newport for a professional, personalised and friendly service from our dedicated and experienced team.

Our picturesque campus grounds and rural setting make Caerleon a superb location for any event.

• Residential conferences • Meeting rooms • Dedicated conference suite • Training rooms • Fully equipped lecture theatres • Family celebrations • Event management • Sports Centre and Fitness Suite

01633 432991 conferencentre@newport.ac.uk www.conference.newport.ac.uk

Overnight accommodation during summer vacation Free on-site parking Excellent catering options using fresh local produce (Winners of True Taste of Wales Award 2008/2009) Competitive day and residential delegate rates First class sports and leisure facilities Easily accessible from both North and South Wales and direct routes by road and train from major cities in the UK

Conference Office Aberystwyth University Penbryn Aberystwyth SY23 3BY Contact: 01970 621960 for bookings Email: conferences@aber.ac.uk

Conference facilities all year round

290909 - 13037

Experience the University of Wales, Newport

Wide range of meeting rooms and lecture theatres with state of the art AV equipment

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terrace with great views across Arthur’s Seat.

The main plenary session was held in the Pentland suite, our largest-capacity room that can accommodate 350 delegates in theatre style. The space can also be divided and used as two separate rooms. The Boardrooms next door were also used for workshops and have the same flexibility. All four additional rooms were used throughout the day for breakout sessions, with a variety of seating formats.

Dining in our stylish self-service ground-floor restaurant, delegates enjoyed fine local and

global fare from a range of menus designed to suit the organiser’s budget. There is a great range on offer from hot-buffet options to an extensive salad bar, desserts and fruit and to drink a range of fruit juices, tea and coffee.

A PROFILE OF AN EVENT ORGANISER From turning a banqueting suite into a series of sand-filled desert islands for a swimwear launch to organising some of the largest academic conferences in the country, Sarah Jane Johnston can certainly turn her hand to

The UK has some of the most prestigious and world renowned universities; their character, contemporary and often historic nature offers event organisers not only a unique setting for meetings and events but an unparalleled amount of choice of both modern and traditional venues

Old College, Playfair Library

John McIntyre Conference Centre

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A Smart Academic Venue Choice

smart spaces, service and value

3

www.imperial.ac.uk/conferenceandevents conferenceandevents@imperial.ac.uk - T: +44 (0)20 7594 9494

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Conferences | Exhibitions | Meetings & Seminars | Private Dinners | Receptions | Bedrooms

We’ll take the stress out of organising your event.

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Your delegates will love Leeds Visit www.meetinleeds.co.uk for details t: 0113 343 6100 e: enquiries@meetinleeds.co.uk

Training Meetings Conferences T: 020 7631 8306 E: conference@pccc.co.uk W: www.pccc.co.uk

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

Salisbury Green Hotel

Operating in the current economic climate has forced organisers and delegates to cut costs. This change in market behaviour has given academic venues an advantage as they can be flexible and suitable whilst giving the value for money that is so important anything the events world can throw at her.

The 37 year old is conference and events manager for Edinburgh First, the commercial division of the University of Edinburgh’s Accommodation Services. The organisation opened its brand new £9 million John McIntyre Conference Centre in September 2009 – a state-of-the-art facility that has seen over 50,000 delegates though its doors and aims to bring even more top-level seminars and functions to the Scottish capital.

Sarah-Jane heads up a team of eight at Edinburgh First and oversees the delivery of over 2,000 events every year ranging from training courses and meetings for small groups to conferences for up to 1,000 delegates.

For Sarah-Jane, the new John McIntyre Centre at Edinburgh First is the icing on the cake and she is excited about the possibilities the facility brings for her job and a career

that she would wholeheartedly recommend.

Originally from Nottingham in the East Midlands, Sarah Jane left school in 1990 after completing her GCSEs and started work in the reception and communications department of the town’s Further Education College. At the same time, she completed a number of evening classes in subjects she felt would help her develop her career, from Microsoft Office to web design and even Chinese Mandarin.

Her ultimate goal was to move into event management – her dream job so she started working for eight hours a week organising events on a voluntary basis for the British Red Cross to gain experience. This helped her to take her first steps on the event management career ladder – a dedicated events officer’s job at East Midlands Conference Centre.

Six years ago, Sarah Jane and her husband Peter visited Scotland on holiday, fell in

love with the country and decided to relocate. An events role at the University soon followed with Sarah-Jane heading up a team of three. She has now helped to build a conference and events arm that deals with between 38 and 65 pieces of business every week and is a central part of Edinburgh University’s commercial activities.

Sarah-Jane said: “This is a great job but you do need to pay attention to every little detail and have a very positive approach to your role. Having a “can-do” attitude may sound like a bit of a cliché, but in this job it’s really important. You need to present clients with ideas and solutions and have to become as excited about their event as they are.”

Passion for her role is something that’s obvious with Sarah-Jane. As well as her full-time job, she has also teaches event management in the evenings to students at Edinburgh’s Telford College.

As for her spare time, Sarah-Jane works hard for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust – organising fundraising events, of course!

FOR MORE INFORMATION For more information on events and conferences at the Edinburgh University, call Sarah-Jane on 0131 2111 or visit www.edinburghfirst.co.uk

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Set in the beautiful Lickey Hills on the outskirts of Birmingham, Hillscourt offers a unique venue for weddings, functions or conferences. We offer: • Superb catering at affordable prices • 25 acres of attractive grounds • Fully licensed bar • 58 en-suite bedrooms • 100 seat Restaurant • 9 conference rooms • Ample secure free car parking

Egrove Park, Oxford Egrove Park is Saïd Business School’s purpose-built executive education centre situated in 37 acres of parkland two miles from Oxford city centre. Service, flexibility and personal attention are the keynotes at Egrove Park.

Facilities include:

THE OBVIOUS CHOICE OF CONFERENCE VENUE For further information and enquires call on:

Tel: (0121) 457 6100 Fax: (0121) 457 6111 Hillscourt Conference Centre, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8RS.

UNIVERSITY OF WALES INSTITUTE, CARDIFF

ATHROFA PRIFYSGOL CYMRU, CAERDYDD

CONFERENCE SERVICES

Meetings Training Conferences

Looking for a Venue?

Can we help?

Located within easy reach of Cardiff city centre, UWIC offers an excellent variety of facilities and services.

Brand new facilities opened for business Autumn 2010

• Wide range of meetings rooms – from a lecture theatre seating 112 to smaller syndicate rooms for break-out sessions • The latest high-tech and multimedia facilities and full IT/AV support from our Microsoft Certified Technicians • 63-en-suite study bedrooms • On-site gym, sauna, squash courts, an all-weather tennis court, a croquet lawn and a snooker room • Award-winning food and drink • Easy accessibility by road or rail with plenty of free, secure parking To find out more call Jill Grieveson on 01865 422757, email conference.egrove@sbs.ox.ac.uk or visit www.sbs.oxford.edu/conferencing

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Modern cost-effective conferencing at QMU UEEN MARGARET UNIVERSITY is situated to the east of Edinburgh city centre,

by Musselburgh.

Set in 35 acres of beautiful landscaped grounds with superb transport links, QMU is designed to exceed current environmental standards and not only sets a new benchmark in sustainable design but is regarded as one of Scotland’s most sustainable building projects.

The campus offers a fantastic range of modern conference, meeting and event spaces for between 2 and 250 people.

With up to 35 different seminar rooms, 4 lecture theatres, various specialised labs, drama studios, performance theatre and vast outdoor spaces available to hire, we can accommodate all your event needs.

All our rooms are fitted with state of the art electronic

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The University of Nottingham keeps on building meeting space HE UNIVERSITY OF NOTTINGHAM continues to progress several building projects on its main University Park campus to improve its range of facilities for both students and conference delegates. Current ongoing building work totalling over £10 million is a combination of brand new teaching buildings and extensions to existing facilities, and will provide a new 380-seat tiered curved theatre and a number of small meeting rooms. With work due to be completed for summer 2011, these additional meeting spaces will further strengthen the range currently provided by Nottingham Conferences on University Park.

The flagship venue of Nottingham Conferences, the East Midlands Conference Centre, continues to offer the benefits of its £350,000 kitchen extension, launched in December 2009 which more than doubled the size of its existing catering facilities. Just in time for its 25th anniversary in November

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SMARTboards with AV support in-house, and we have a dedicated events team who will work with you from start to finish.

We also have 800 en-suite bedrooms on campus and can accommodate residential conferences in June to August only. Non-residential conferences and events can be accommodated all year round.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 0131 4740000 (Say “events” when prompted by our automated system) E-mail: events@qmu.ac.uk Web: www.qmu.ac.uk

New conference and event facilities at UWIC SPECTACULAR new building opened for business at UWIC Llandaff Campus in Autumn 2010.

Built around a central atrium with a garden terrace and views of Llandaff Cathedral the venue comprises more than 20 seminar and meeting rooms, five tiered lecture theatres and a purpose built hospitality and events suite.

All seminar rooms and lecture theatres are equipped with the latest audio visual equipment along with sound systems in larger rooms and Wi-Fi access available throughout the building.

An extensive ground floor area will accommodate exhibitions and catering for large scale conferences. The Hospitality and Events Suite is a contemporary and flexible suite of rooms furnished to a very high specification suitable for corporate events, meetings, training and presentations.

Available to hire for private functions the Hospitality and Events Suite has a restaurant and a comfortably furnished lounge bar area. With formal and informal

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2010, the EMCC has been able to increase efficiency when hosting larger events, in addition to serving food for up to three simultaneous meetings or events.

Opened in 1985, the East Midlands Conference Centre celebrates a quarter of a century in 2010 of exceptional facilities and a dedicated support team and has provided a wide range of conferences, meetings and events to over two million delegates during this time.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Kirstie Danzey Tel: 0115 8467718 E-mail: kirstie.danzey@ nottingham.ac.uk

World class conference and events facilities HE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, under its brand MEETINLEEDS, offers a comprehensive range of facilities and value for money meetings solutions in these challenging times, and not just during vacation.

Of course, in common with most universities, Leeds is indeed able to accommodate large-scale conferences during vacation time, with dozens of meeting rooms and thousands of bedrooms, and from the summer of 2011 they will be operating their new Storm Jameson Court, a hotel-style residence providing 460 en suite bedrooms at the centre of the campus.

This development is complemented by a cuttingedge swimming pool and fitness complex open entirely free to delegates. But impressive though they are, MEETINLEEDS gives access to much more than these large-scale residential facilities.

Day meetings and seminars of all sizes can be accommodated

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dining options and a licensed bar available, the venue will be perfect for family celebrations and memorable occasions.

Easily accessible from the M4 and close to Cardiff City Centre, this prestigious new facility will be an ideal venue for a variety of corporate events and private functions. Whatever your requirements, our dedicated conference team will be available to assist in all aspects of your event.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 029 20416181 E-mail: conferenceservices @uwic.ac.uk Web: www.uwic. ac.uk/conferences

throughout the year, both on the main campus site and at several outlying sites, offering the opportunity to site your meeting in an Oxbridge-type setting, or surrounded by green fields for the perfect awayday.

As for cost, a day delegate rate of only £27.50 excluding VAT will give your delegates a top quality meeting experience, leaving less of a dent on your budget than many other city venues.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.meetinleeds.co.uk

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COMMUNICATION AND SECURITY Commend UK explains a recent project installing an intercom system for Public Sector Information THE HEAD OFFICE OF PUBLIC SECTOR INFORMATION LTD, publishers and event organisers for many industry titles in government, education, healthcare and transport required a new access control system for their building.

The project type was a simple one-to-one Intercom system to increase security of the building and to simplify staff access with a PIN code entry for approximately 50 staff.

WHAT WAS THE PROBLEM? The incumbent intercom product for access into the Public Sector Information building was not working adequately, either acoustically or securely. The caller at the door was often drowned out by external traffic noise and the administrator who answered the call was unable to hear or be heard by the caller.

The system worked as an intercom to handset solution, with the handset wall mounted behind the administration desk.

When a call was received it was problematic to answer as the administrator had to leave their desk, go to where the handset was mounted and answer the call. Many times, due to poor sound quality, the administrator let the caller in, even when they were unable to identify them.

Originally, staff used a separate card entry system to gain access. However, many cards were lost or forgotten, and as staff turnover is relatively high in this fast-paced sales environment, there was a real need for a more secure solution with a clearer sounding voice application.

THE SOLUTION The intercom solution provided a simple PIN entry access control module to give better security (PIN can be changed easily and securely), an intercom at the front door (Slave), and a Master Station on the administrator‘s desk to answer calls and open the door. The system is expandable, so that more Master and Slave stations can be added at a later date when required and different sites can be networked together.

Phil Harris, electronics engineer from Electronic Projects Ltd in Crayford who installed the Commend solution, commented: “I have never installed a Commend Intercom before, and was pleased by how straight forward the equipment is to put in and get working.“ Charlotte Casey, administration manager at PSI, highlighted how much better the Intercom solution is in comparison to the previous telephone entry system: “The Intercom is very clear, now we hear who is at the door and are confident about who we let in to the building.

“Previously, if there were loud noises outside,

We were looking for a reliable, high performing door entry system and we found Commend to be the best solution for the job. Our High Street is extremely noisy, with high traffic usage, roadworks and shoppers. We needed a communication solution that would not be affected by the adverse noise pollution outside. We are extremely happy with our choice in Intercom equipment – Gavin Devoto, managing director, Pubic Sector Information Ltd such as very heavy traffic, we couldn’t hear anything, now, even with roadworks going on outside, both the person who is calling up and whoever answers the call can hear perfectly.”

INSTALLED TECHNOLOGY: WS 800P, New Wall Mount Intercom station with Mono-LCD display – A multifunctional Master Station for indoor and outdoor use (IP 65 rated). In addition to voice communication the station allows for the control of other systems. In an in-house training room for example: a projector can be switched on, lights switched on and off and blinds opened and closed – all via the wallmount station.

GE 200 Intercom Server – A compact Intercom Server, suitable for networking intercom systems where small manageable units are combined to form a network. For example: networking offices in different locations back to one reception area.

EE 811 Master Station – A dynamic, timeless

design which fits perfectly into any modern office environment. The Master Station provides a central point to which all Intercom Stations call and a facility to open and close doors allowing access to a building.

FUTURE PROOF The GE 200 Intercom Server allows for PSI to add additional stations to their system and network their offices back to one central location in the future. Ensuring that the PIN code entry is changed on a regular basis will heighten security for the publishers, making sure that access is only granted to authorised personnel.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Commend UK Ltd Tel: 01279 457 510 E-mail: sales@commend.co.uk Web: www.commend.co.uk

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HR/TRAINING

THE ROAD AHEAD FOR PEOPLE MANAGEMENT The CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, taking place 9-11 November at Manchester Central, is the leading HR event in the UK THOUSANDS OF HR AND DEVELOPMENT practitioners will be heading to Manchester next month to pick up on latest thinking in the profession, get practical tips and advice, and explore innovative tools and resources from leading HR suppliers.

The CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, will provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the profession.

LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS The conference programme is based around ten key areas of HR, delivered through a variety of different formats. Keynote sessions, masterclasses, workshops, organisation and strategic insights, and expert-led practical sessons give delegates plenty of choice. HR themes include performance and reward, employee engagement, learning and talent development and employee relations.

The opening keynote address will be given

by Dr Ram Charan, business adviser and best-selling author, who will be looking at the talent management challenges that lie ahead. He will also demonstrate HR’s central role in ensuring organisations have the best people in place to take forward the business.

Employment minister Chris Grayling will also be speaking at the conference. He is taking part in the closing keynote session, a panel debate chaired by Krishnan Guru-Murthy of Channel 4 News. Other panel members will be Lucy Adams, BBC’s director of people, Gail Cartmail, assistant general secretary of Unite and Dr John Philpott, chief economic adviser, CIPD.

With details of the government’s Spending Review announced in October, the debate will provide a timely opportunity for delegates to hear panelists’ views on the challenges facing the country, the economy and the implications for employers, employees and the HR function.

The audience will also hear the government’s vision for enterprise and growth, and reflections on the CIPD’s own labour market surveys.

CONFERENCE SESSIONS The 2010 conference will feature over 65 sessions, running over three full days. In a seminar entitled ‘Public Sector Performance Management: a new reality’, Jonathan Evans, director, civilian personnel at the Ministry of Defence, will bring his private sector experiences as founder of Orange, to explore that he believes the MOD needs to do to meet its performance challenges.

‘Driving Business Performance through Engagement’ is the theme of a seminar at which speakers from the New Charter Housing Trust

The CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, will provide valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing the profession

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Steve Head Inspirational Speaker, Trainer & Coach

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Delivering More With Less – Staff Performance Under Recession Pressure

As the budget begins to bite, visit this interactive showcase at the CIPD Annual Exhibition & Conference 2010 for practical ideas that will re-energise your staff and colleagues

During the showcase the audience will experience a fast pace interactive and practical session

n The focus is on personal and staff motivation under pressure n The message: build on strengths and talents to build self esteem and confidence in yourself and your workforce, raise your self awareness and understand the impact you have on others

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Catherine Tausney, Head of HR, AVIVA

To find out how we can help you, come and see us on stand B150 at the CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition, 9-11 November, Manchester Central.

To make an appointment to meet one of our sales team please email giovanni.giacobbe@transversal.com

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HR/TRAINING

sustainable organisational performance.

The conference will provide a picture of latest CIPD research and developments, including its major research projects on ‘Shaping the Future’ and ‘Next Generation HR’.

Jackie Orme, CIPD chief executive, comments: “I am delighted that our Annual Conference and Exhibition will again take place in Manchester this November, building on our successful experience from last year.

It will provide valuable opportunities to explore key and differing HR perspectives, and a chance to gain practical support from an array of experts in the field.

“We are all working towards sustainable organisation performance and, as such, we hope to offer a platform for sharing ideas and the opportunity to learn from good practice examples.”

and B&Q share their engagement strategies.

With efficiency savings high on the agenda, a session on ‘Driving down the Cost of Absence’ provides organisation insights from Liz Cook, HR director, Sega Europe and Judith Whitaker, head of human resources and estates director, DVLA. Delegates can also hear chief executives’

views of the HR function in a Question Timestyle panel session called ‘The View from the Top’. Joe Slavin, CEO, fish4, Barbara Spicer, chief executive, Salford City Council and Vicky Wright, director, consultancy services, Towers Watson (and CIPD president) will discuss how their own HR departments are helping to deliver

Delivering more with less – staff performance under financial pressure TEVE HEAD is a full time speaker, inspirational trainer, coach and author of ‘How to Avoid a Near Life Experience’. He works with over 110 audiences per year and is currently one of the most sought after speakers/trainers/ performance coaches in the UK As the budget begins to bite, Steve can give practical ideas that will re-energise your staff and colleagues.

Audiences will experience a fast pace interactive and practical session where the focus is on personal and staff motivation under pressure. The message is: build on strengths and talents to build self esteem and confidence in yourself and your workforce, raise your self awareness and understand the impact you have on others.

Steve has worked with NHS managerial and clinical staff, Academy for Chief Executives, Institute of Sales

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& Marketing Management, Haringey Council, Vodafone, University of Strathyclyde, pharmaceutical companies, and schools among others.

“A master class in motivating people to achieve their potential,” commented Roger Thomas, Cymru Welsh Water.

“Superb stand up comedy with a subliminal business focus, which energized all who heard Steve speak,” said Rosie Salked, communications manager, Thrive Homes.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01635 523540 E-mail: steve@headstart-uk.com Web: www.stevehead.co.uk

PEOPLE MANAGEMENT AWARDS The event is also the venue for the annual CIPD People Management Awards, which celebrate, recognise and reward outstanding practice in the management and development of people. The winners will be announced at a special black-tie awards dinner during the conference. They will be chosen from a shortlist of finalists in six categories, reflecting

AskHR – the online human resources advisor SKHR is an intelligent online HR advisor that is proven to answer 85 per cent of employee questions automatically; significantly reducing their need to contact their HR department.

Developed by Transversal, the UK’s leading developer of intelligent self service solutions, AskHR utilises the same technology as used by the BBC, Royal Mail and Barclays Bank to automatically answer customer queries.

With AskHR, employees can ask a question in any way they choose.

AskHR understands the language context using its patented Memory Engine and returns the best contextual answers from its knowledgebase. The content is provided by your own HR advisors so the information always accurately reflects your own HR policies, but in more employee friendly question and answer style.

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Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Outplacement that works from A4e S THE UK’S LARGEST provider of employment and skills services, most of which are funded through public money, A4e has a unique insight into the challenges ahead for the public sector.

Namely the challenge of doing more for less and the pressure to provide real value in everything you do – including your Outplacement Programme.

Tomorrow from A4e is committed to delivering the very best service at the very best value in the marketplace. Not only do we offer world class coaching, but we also have true focus on results – utilising our 1,000+ recruiters, 200 offices and network of 100,000+ employers to find opportunities for our candidates.

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9-11 November 2010 CIPD Annual Conference & Exhibition 2010 - Please visit us on Stand A80

ARVAL COMPUTING LTD has been helping organisations develop streamlined and accurate HR and payroll processes through the innovative use of technology since 1986.

Our functionality rich yet costeffective solutions are relied upon by organisations throughout the UK in both the private and public sector, including local authorities, housing associations and ALMOs. Carval’s flexible and easy-to-use HR Unity software range is one of the only truly integrated HR, payroll, time & attendance and employee self-service solutions available on the market today.

The system is packed with tools to automate processes, drive workflow, reduce administration and provide you with unrivalled acrossfunction reporting opportunity.

Our sector-specific functionality includes tools to manage better balance and flexible working arrangements, including TOIL, flexitime and compacted hours; competencies & objectives; risk

they need to find their new career.

We also have unrivalled access to government funded skills and employment programmes which will always be used when available to enhance support.

With over 20 years of delivering employment solutions focused on improving people’s lives, A4e is a transitions partner with a difference – real jobs, real results and real value for your organisation and your people.

assessments; multi-posts; spinal column points; capability and conduct; continuous service; Local Government Pension Schemes plus much more.

With well over 20 years experience and qualified professional staff Carval understand your business needs and work with you to deliver a solution that’s right for you, whether you have 100 employees or 5,000. Bureau and hosting options available. From initial consultancy to implementation and beyond we support you all the way.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01525 863869 E-mail: sales@carval.co.uk Web: www.carval.co.uk

JMP – appreciation can go a long way MP IS A PROVIDER of Reward and Recognition services. We work with organisations to create programmes of engagement that are linked to corporate direction and growth.

In the current economic climate it is more important than ever to ensure that your workforce is engaged. Pay cuts and redundancies can be demoralising and the ripple effect of these can be widely felt across an organisation. Low morale, reduced productivity and high levels of absence are all signs that a workforce is disengaged.

At this years CIPD Conference and Exhibition we will be discussing the ways in which we can support organisations in tackling the challenging issues caused by a disengaged workforce.

In addition to this, we are proud to sponsor the Performance and Reward Category of the 2010

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CIPD People Management Awards.

This particular Award category recognises organisations that add value through the successful implementation of Reward and Recognition programmes which help cement relationships between employers and employees.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Visit us in Manchester at this years CIPD Annual Conference and Exhibition at stand F56 to discuss with our team the ways JMP can support you in creating the right Reward and Recognition service.

Alternatively contact us on 0854 262 1111 or visit our website www.jmpresentations.com To find out more about the Performance and Reward category of the CIPD People Management Awards 2010 visit our website at www. jmpresentations.com/sponsorship

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HR/TRAINING

EXHIBITION OPENING TIMES Tuesday 9 November – 10:00-18:00 Wednesday 10 November – 10:00-17:00 Thursday 11 November – 10:00-16:00 different areas of HR excellence: HR impact on business success; employee engagement; organisational learning; talent attraction and management; excellence through technology; and performance and reward. The coveted overall 2010 CIPD People Management Award will be presented to the company whose achievement transcends the individual categories. Last year’s winning organisation, Pace, features in a conference session on ‘Managing Holistic Change’.

The CIPD has also introduced a brand new award: The Michael Kelly Outstanding Student Award, which recognises the contribution made by individuals who are studying or have just completed their CIPD-approved postgraduate-level qualification.

EXCHANGING IDEAS As well as attending seminars, conference participants have the chance to meet up with fellow professionals and exchange ideas. This year’s conference features a social programme and a series of networking opportunities so that delegates can more easily share experience and learn from each other.

Leading providers of HR products and services will be showcasing their latest developments at the CIPD Exhibition, giving people management and development professionals plenty of practical solutions to their HR challenges and a chance to try out lots of different tools and resources at first hand.

Running alongside the conference in the iconic Manchester Central Hall, the exhibition will be feature a broad spectrum of solutions under one roof. Employee benefits and reward, talent management, change and OD, employment law, and learning and development are just some of the areas represented at the show, reflecting the range of activities that come within the role of the people management and development practitioner.

While the exhibition will feature plenty of on-stand activities, product previews and one-to-one discussions between visitors and service providers, a free programme of showcases, running throughout the three days of the show, will give a further opportunity to pick up on many of the topics high on the HR and development agenda. The Exhibitor Exchange Theatre will feature over 25 supplier presentations, providing ideas to improve organisational performance. A Personal Development Zone will help people to brush up their professional skills and learn about behaviours that successful HR professionals need to demonstrate.

A new interactive zone in the exhibition hall is designed to facilitate informal discussions and experience sharing. It will feature speed networking sessions, ‘How to’ sessions from the experts on getting the most from social media tools, and the chance to discuss latest research and thinking with members of the CIPD HR practice team.

People management and development professionals visiting the exhibition will be able to assess plenty of practical solutions at first hand and gain some valuable insights that they can translate into practice within their own organisations.

You can pre-register for a free exhibition ticket at www.cipd. co.uk/ace/prereg. Visitors will receive a fast-track entry badge, a newsletter and vouchers featuring event-only competitions and offers, as well as a free show guide at the event.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is Europe’s largest HR and development professional body with over 135,000 members, supporting and developing those responsible for the management and development of people within organisations.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Web: www.cipd.co.uk/ace/exhibition

Everatt – the specialists in equality issues PECIALISTS IN EQUALITY issues, including equal pay and reward, our employment & HR Team provides the full range of services required by employers of all sizes and from all sectors to reduce the risk of employment claims, successfully handle such claims when they do arise and develop and implement innovative and business-focused HR strategies to help our clients reach their strategic goals. We work: • with you to understand your business, your goals and priorities • with your people to help them to perform their roles better • as a team so that there is always someone on the end of a phone who knows you, your business and your issues • internally across traditional HR/ employment law boundaries to provide you with solutions that are legally sound as well as

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being practical and achievable • together as solicitors and barristers so that, if litigation proves to be the only option, your case and your organisation are fully prepared.

Experience has taught us that by working together we can provide highly effective, often innovative and always affordable solutions to the full range of employment and HR challenges.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Please visit us on Stand A80.

Contact us on 0845 4812160 or at employersupport@ everatt.co.uk

Flexible training for the public sector HE WORKPLACE TRAINING COMPANY prides itself in delivering demandled and flexible training within the public sector. We have successfully been running a management programme for both county council and NHS staff since 2007, and have provided the training at a time and place suitable for the needs of these busy staff.

We are a small company established in 2006 and are able to support staff to achieve work-based qualifications in management, business and administration, IT and customer service NVQs. We have a team of dedicated teachers and assessors who are able to meet candidates at work whenever is suitable. We have had the pleasure to see our candidates achieve and gain formal recognition for the valuable and skilled work they perform.

“At the beginning, doing the NVQ was a very scary thought so long after I left school.

There were lots of things I

T

didn’t know but with the help from my assessor from the Workplace Training Company I really got my claws into it.

“It made me feel more confident and there were lots of things I was learning other than the NVQ – things about myself – things I didn’t know I could do. I felt very satisfied when it was complete and I felt very proud when we’d all done it,” comments participant Janice Vass, Housekeeping Team Leader, the Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust, NVQ Level 3 in Management.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Catherine Sweet Tel: 0118 9462881 E-mail: cath@ workplacetraining.org

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In an ever more demanding world, Variable Message Signs Limited combines innovation, experience and technology in strategic and urban driver information. Our road traffic product range covers applications in the strategic , urban, and traffic management equipment sectors.

We offer a full range of services to suit individual client requirements from design, manufacture, supply, installation and commissioning of LED driver information systems, including fully UTMC compliant systems and all for clients, which include the Highways Agency, Transport for London, Local Authorities, Local Health Authorities, Hospitals and others.

We have supplied and installed a number of hospital sites which use our Safewatch range of vehicle activated signs for road & patients safety, by advising and reinforcing the speed limits and other hazards, such as pedestrian crossings, side roads and car park entrances and exits, etc;

Our range of car park guidance and information signs advise drivers where the car parks are on site and the number of spaces left within each, providing information and choice for drivers entering the site, and via our TRAMS car park management software package, the hospital / customer has control over all the listed car parks, the number of displayed / available spaces as well as providing various management reports and helps reduce emissions by keeping traffic moving and avoiding queuing.

Variable Message Signs Limited now introduce for the very first time, Pegasus our new range of urban dual colour full matrix signs. The sign’s attractive and slim design is especially suited to today’s urban streetscape, where it will deliver driver and pedestrian information.

The sign is offered in three sizes, with high resolution matrix areas suitable for the display of four lines of text with character heights of 160mm, 100mm, and 50mm. All variants are capable of displaying combined text and pictogram information and employ a dual-coloured, amber and red, matrix.

A special feature of the new sign system is the ability to mount it in a landscape or portrait format, with five mounting options for landscape fixing and three for portrait fixing.

VMSL The sign of the times; There’s no substitute for quality:

Variable Message Signs Limited Unit 1, Monkton Business Park North, Mill Lane, Hebburn, Tyne & Wear NE31 2JZ T 0191 423 7070 F 0191 423 7071 E ghutton@vmslimited.co.uk W www.vmslimited.co.uk

Government Business | Volume 17.11

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PARKING

A MASTER PLAN FOR PARKING Patrick Troy, chief executive of the British Parking Association, looks at the industry’s key priorities for government action RAISING STANDARDS IN THE PARKING profession and enabling our members to provide better services for the motorist are the key aims of the British Parking Association (BPA). To do this we need to work closely with government and key stakeholders and, having launched our Master Plan for Parking, we kick started a programme to achieve this.

The BPA’s Master Plan for Parking sets out what we think government must do to achieve success in the parking arena. We have specified a series of actions on which we have campaigned in the past and continue to do so. However, while the issues in the Master Plan are fundamental to that success, they are not exhaustive and we will add more as issues develop and our profession matures.

We want to continue to work with government and its agencies to achieve these objectives and we want to do that in a constructive and consultative manner that will achieve the best outcomes for the consumer and for the wider parking profession. It should be noted that the Master Plan for Parking is the BPA vision for the whole of the UK and that there are variations for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; localised versions are being produced for these countries.

WHAT DOES IT SAY? Now, let’s take a look at the plan and what it says.

1. We want to achieve coordination in government for all parking issues so that there is a holistic approach to solving problems and raising standards across the parking sector.

Currently, in England for example, parking issues are dealt with by a number of government departments: • the Department for Transport – regulation of parking on the public highway • the Home Office – vehicle immobilisation through the Crime and Security Act • the Department of Health – hospital parking.

Consistency is imperative and we want to see a single government department responsible for parking in each UK country.

2. We want to see an independent appeals service for the entire private parking sector, similar to the principles established by existing road traffic law provided for local authority parking enforcement throughout the UK. We want to see government legislate to make the owner liable for charges imposed in private car parks or on private and unregulated land to bring this in line with the principles established by the existing road traffic law or require the owner to identify the driver.

We want government to make membership of an Accredited Trade Association (ATA)

While the BPA has established a robust form of selfregulation through its Approved Operator Scheme, our long term objective is to see a regulated environment that is fair to both operator and motorist

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Parking Services Training Centre Camden Council, leaders in enforcement training • B TEC Level 2 Award in CCTV Enforcement Operations – new digital CCTV equipment, interactive training mat, comprehensive workbook and qualified trainers • City & Guilds Level 2 Award for CEOs – conflict management videos, interactive training mat, comprehensive workbook and qualified trainers • C oming soon – CCTV 2 Day Refresher course – update camera skills, refresh legislation and contravention knowledge • C oming soon – City and Guilds Level 3 Award in Notice Processing (Public Sector) – in-depth notice processing including representations and appeals.

• Training Room hire with digital CCTV equipment If Camden is not convenient, see if we can come to you.

Contact us on pslearning@camden.gov.uk or 0207 974 4671. Alternatively visit camden.gov.uk/parkingtraining

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Government Business | Volume 17.11

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PARKING

compulsory for all parking operators that undertake enforcement on private land.

In the longer term, we want government to fully regulate private parking operators through working in partnership with them. While the BPA has established a robust form of self-regulation through its Approved Operator Scheme, our long term objective is to see a regulated environment that is fair to both operator and motorist, and meets the needs of landowners who have a right to protect their land.

3. We support high standards of car parking for hospitals (compliant with the BPA’s Hospital Parking Charter) and we want government and health service providers across the UK to recognise that free car parking does not deliver higher standards.

We want to change the policy adopted by the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly Government and for them to re-introduce charges in accordance with the practices set out in the BPA’s Hospital Parking Charter.

In a hospital car park there is a need to provide for all users but to give priority to more vulnerable groups such as Blue Badge holders and long-term cancer patients. There is a need to recognise that services which have a value are better respected by the user and

There is an urgent need to review the penalty charges set for England and in Wales, which currently are out of step with levels set for London and which often fail to act as a deterrent and sometime encourage non-compliance with traffic management and parking rules that the costs of running a car park should be met by the user, not the healthcare budget.

4. We want government to ensure that penalty charges throughout the United Kingdom are set to ensure compliance with parking controls and minimise the subsidising of parking enforcement by local council tax payers in general.

There is an urgent need to review the penalty charges set for England and in Wales, which currently are out of step with levels set for London and which often fail to act as a deterrent and sometime encourage noncompliance with traffic management and parking rules. This is costly for council tax payers and undermines effectiveness of transport policies. There is an ongoing need to regularly review penalty charge levels throughout the UK.

5. We want to ensure that civil enforcement officers (CEOs) enjoy the same protection in law as police officers whilst undertaking their public duties and that assault of a CEO is viewed by the courts as being similar to those on police officers in terms of penalties imposed.

6. We want government to establish a regulator for the bailiff sector capable of enforcing conditions imposed by government through licensing.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) is the government’s licensing body and the Tribunal and Courts Enforcement Act (Bailiff Provisions) proposes that the SIA should issue licenses to bailiffs from 2012. However, we worry that there will be limited enforcement of these license conditions and we believe that a regulator should be established which is

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Delivering Professional Training to the Private and Public Sector Industries Business Review is delighted to present Pass Training Consultancy Ltd with the highly accredited Company of the Month Award.The company has received this accolade due to its dedication to educating our society and providing high quality courses.

Mark Cox from Pass Training Consultancy can now supply lone worker devices.

There are many things to consider when doing this and one of the most important is communication. For lone workers it is important to ensure that they have the necessary means of communication to get assistance when they need it and to ensure that you can contact them throughout the shift as a means of welfare checks

Land Rover S1

Mobile communication devices such as the Urgentys, GEM-Shield and Land Rover S1 Phone are now available for less than the price of a mobile phone. They are lightweight, durable and designed to operate in all outdoor environments.

Urgentys

We offers a variety of course packages such as: n Conflict Avoidance Training, n Welcome Host Customer Service Training, n Welcome Line Telephone Customers, n Welcome All Disability Awareness, n Customer Care Training, n Telephone Customer Service Training, n Notice Processing Training, n Civil Enforcement Officer Training, n Appraisal Training, n Fire Safety Training, n Manual Handling Training, n Supervisory Training, Health and Safety Training, n Vehicle Immobilisation Training, n Parking Shop Training n Car Park Officer Training n Basic Deaf Awareness n Basic British Sign Language n First Aid at Work 3 Days (FAW) n 1 Day Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) n 1/2 Day AED Defibrillator & Emergency Oxygen n Care for Children (First Aid) courses n In Case of Emergency (‘ICE’)

For more information visit www.passtrainingconsultancy.co.uk or telephone 08432 895581

There’s mobile

and then there is mobility.

Mobility carts decentralise desktop and mobile computer and printer access for improved productivity .

GS1 Barcode & RFID Solutions Provider Products & Services n Application Consultancy n Mobile Computers n Printers Mobile Carts n Media & Consumables

n Software Development n Desktop & Mobile n Bar Code Scanners n Service & Support

Newbury Data Recording Ltd Tel: 01606 593424 www.newburydatahealth.co.uk

Government Business | Volume 17.11

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PARKING

these too. Recently we became aware of the Royal Mint’s intention to introduce new 5p and 10p coins, different in size and composition to those already in use. The introduction of these new coins will affect every one of our members that uses any form of cashtaking equipment such as Pay and Display, Pay on Foot, Pay at Exit or parking meters.

The equipment manufacturers will benefit from the change as they will be required to make the necessary changes to all their equipment. However, the more significant effect will be felt by parking operators and local authorities who will have to fund these changes. The BPA has written to the ministers involved for clarification of the news.

The change of the coins to the cheaper materials are of no direct benefit to our members or the general public. We understand that the change is been driven by a desire from the Royal Mint and the Treasury to reduce manufacturing costs. The Royal Mint claims this change will result in a saving of £7-8 million per annum but the estimated cost to our members is in the region of £60 million.

To reach our key objectives we must develop both management and leadership qualifications as well as apprenticeships that are contextualised for the parking sector and meet the sector’s needs capable of enforcing license conditions and also for dealing with complaints against bailiffs.

7. We want to make sure that UK government and the EU provides funding of qualifications for the parking profession. Our vision is of a vibrant parking sector that provides excellent service to the community through the knowledge, skills and professionalism of our workforce.

To achieve our vision we rely on government funding to support the development of qualifications for the sector. In particular, to reach our key objectives we must develop both management and leadership qualifications as well as apprenticeships that are contextualised for the parking sector and meet the sector’s needs. These essential tools will enable us to continue to raise standards across the profession and create a positive public image.

8. We want to ensure that the Blue Badge Reform Strategy continues to be implemented

in accordance with the published Plan.

It is important that the significant and bold plan to reform the administration and enforcement of the Blue Badge Scheme is continued, so that both stakeholders and the public are confident in its efficiency. The published Reform Strategy is designed for England but it is relevant for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland too and we support the adoption of its principles by those governments also.

The Master Plan is vital to achieve the change needed to raise standard across our profession and to demonstrate how important our members take their responsibilities to meet the needs of their customers.

COIN SIZE Of course there are other issues arising that are of concern to different sections of our membership, and the Association is addressing

CHANGING MACHINES The majority of our members – local authorities and parking operators – will have to incur significant cost to upgrade the machines’ electronic validators and, if change is dispensed, the change-giving drums and hoppers. If both the new and old coins remain in circulation for a period of time, the cost involved will be even higher as the machines will have to be modified to accept both types to start with and again later, when the current coins are taken out of circulation.

Some of the older/obsolete equipment may struggle with the changes and may have to be replaced. This will put a major burden on budgets at a time when money is not available to invest.

We understand that the Automatic Vending Association strongly opposes this change and have estimated the cost to their members will be around £42 million. They have also calculated the cost saving in raw material based on current prices and have established the savings to the Mint and Treasury will be not more than £1.5 million. In other words, a government department saves £1.5 million and local authorities and others are forced to spend many times that amount.

As mentioned above, we are seeking clarification on the proposed changes so that we can fully understand the implications they will have on our members.

FOR MORE INFORMATION If you would like further information about any of the aims of the BPA’s Master Plan for Parking, or a hard copy of it, please contact Emily McCunn at emily.m@ britishparking.co.uk or on 01444 447317.

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www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Visit the website to view the categorised product finder

Filtrexx from Scotbark Amazone – the – let nature do the work specialists in groundcare and agriculture A S AN INNOVATIVE and well established company Scotbark has been supplying landscape products for over 30 years and is at the forefront of the UK landscape industry. We have introduced leading edge technology at our processing plant in the highland capital of Inverness to enable us to continue to produce the high quality products from which we have built our reputation.

We have developed the Express Blower Delivery System, which enables us to offer a Supply and Installation service for spreading bark/safety surfacing in a highly efficient and cost effective way.

In 2009 we introduced Filtrexx

to our range. Filtrexx is a proven green technology that can be used in over 100 applications. We use locally made, annually renewable, biobased, recycled compost and other organic products, contained by our mesh containment system to create patented products.

Filtrexx is used in Erosion Control, Natural Play/Eco Projects, Streambank Stabilisation, flood and sediment control, green roofs, slope restoration and more.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact: Mick Boyle Tel: 0141 7814791 Fax: 0141 7814893 E-mail: mick@scotbarkuk.com Web: www.scotbarkuk.com

OMETIMES, you think you “know” what a manufacturer’s grounds maintenance product range offers but it is easy to miss the unexpected opportunities.

Amazone uses its expertise to develop an extensive product range – both in groundcare and agriculture. For example, making available its sophisticated computer spreading technology for the E+S spreader range or equipping its ZG-B bulk spreader with 7 tonne sand spreading capabilities.

This approach also applies to product development – the unique Profihopper can now be specified in FULL Bio (super green). Just as the new GHS Drive Groundkeepers offers increased productivity through increased lift height, tipping efficiency and the option of 40kph transport speeds.

But it’s also fair to say that “real world” feedback from operators plays a very important part in the evolvement of the range so whether it’s turf maintenance,

S

top-dressing, reseeding, leaf collecting, fertilising, etc., Amazone always fits the bill.

So don’t be afraid to ask us a question or visit our website www.amazone.co.uk where you can download operator books, look up spare parts information or to watch videos of the various machine working – all free of charge.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01302 751200 Fax: 01302 751202 E-mail: joe.weston@ amazone.co.uk Web: www.amazone.de or www.amazone.co.uk

Manufacturer & Supplier of

PRODUCTS FOR SPORT Mark Harrod Ltd is one of the UK’s leading sports manufacturers. The 2010/11 68-page catalogue is your best bet for everything sporty, including British-made goals, training aids and shelters.

Order your copy today.

Scotbark introduced Filtrexx to the UK in 2009. It is a proven green techonology used in Natural Play, Erosion Control, flood and sediment control, green roofs and more. We use locally made, annually renewable, biobased, recycled compost and other organic products in this innovative range which has over 100 Applications.

Contact Mick Boyle Scotbark t: 0141 781 4791 f: 0141 781 4893 e: mick@scotbarkuk.com

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Goals make games. We make goals.

Talk to Mark on 01502 710039 or visit markharrod.com

Government Business | Volume 17.11

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LANDSCAPING & GROUNDSCARE

A MUST-ATTEND FOR THE GROUNDSCARE INDUSTRY IOG Scotsturf is a one-stop-shop event for those involved in open space management WITH EXHIBITORS DISPLAYING hundreds of products – many of them on show in Scotland for the first time – plus a schedule of informative education presentations and exciting live product demonstrations, next month’s IOG Scotsturf show will inform and entertain open space professionals of every discipline.

Being staged 3-4 November at Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Centre, this must-see event for all golf course and groundscare professionals, as well as local authority decision-makers and arboriculturists, looks set to build on the success of recent shows by being a onestop-shop for all the products, technologies, techniques and strategies needed for effective and efficient open space management.

With its diverse mix of people and products, IOG Scotsturf is the undisputed home of open space management in Scotland – for industry professionals at every level.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Show manager Roy Daniels says the yearon-year support for the event is founded on the presence of a varied mixture of exhibitors as well as a programme of show features designed to add tremendous value to the time spent there by visitors.

“In addition to a comprehensive range of products to suit every budget and designed to make life easier and more effective, IOG Scotsturf works hard to ensure that its free education seminars address all the issues of relevance,” he says.

“In addition, our ever-popular presentations of the Innovative and New Product Awards, and the IOG Awards to the Industry, will be complemented by the Scottish Groundsman of the Year Award ceremony and the presentations to the land-based colleges. It all adds up to something for everyone.”

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES Irri Supplies is the independent one-stop-shop for golf irrigation contractors and golf courses.

The company will showcase the Perrot Hydra gear-drive golf sprinkler, and the Perrot impact drive sprinklers. Irri Supplies also manufactures the Greenspray and Teespray sprinklers, powered by a dependable gear drive train, the only sprinkler with a tough rubber bowl/flange to protect the sprinkler.

The Tonick/Hunter ICC controller is a low cost way to upgrade your old Watermation TW2 or Logic control system with the new plug-nplay module for the Hunter ICC, so no need to change the decoders. The company is the UK distributor for HIT solenoid valves, and suppliers of Nelson, Hunter, Weathermatic and Tonick irrigation equipment for sports and landscape

A new range of irrigation aids for green keepers will be shown with the emphasis on tuning the system to make it more efficient.

GRASS-BREEDING Seedsource (UK) Ltd based in Falkirk, Scotland opened for business 14 June 2010.

The company has the newest and most advanced processing and packing facility available with the potential to process over ten tonnes of grass mixtures per day.

The company offers a first class same-day collection or 24 hour UK wide delivery service using a selected network of carriers and hauliers who are fully aware of the product.

Billy Nimmo, Seedsource director said: “Having gained a wealth of expertise and knowledge whilst holding key positions within primary grass breeding companies for over two decades, I identified a need for a fully independent processing and supply company that would have the facilities to provide in depth and independent technical advice and support to all end users within the amenity Industry.

“Unique to Seedsource we do not have the restraints of having to develop mixtures from one breeding programme like other processers/suppliers. The company carefully analyses breeding programmes throughout Europe and sources cultivars that compliment individual needs and provide exceptionally high quality mixtures, allowing us to offer mixtures that are indeed unique in the market.”

ABOUT IOG The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and

EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS Wednesday 3 November 10:30 & 14:00 An update on Safety, including slopes & bankings, Kenneth Hill, HSE Solutions 10:30 & 14:00 Tree safety in the community, Paul Hanson, arboriculture consultant, Arboretum International Thursday 4 November 10:30 & 14:00 Cable avoidance equipment – dig safely, Bernard Walker, training officer, SebaKMT 10:30 & 14:00 Avoiding the risk when selecting equipment, Will Carr, training officer, Cutting Edge Training all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive training and education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects.

It also stages the annual IOG SCOTSTURF and IOG SALTEX exhibition, Europe’s leading show for the open space profession.

FOR MORE INFORMATION Tel: 01908 312511 Fax: 01908 311140 E-mail: iog@iog.org Web: www.iog.org

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IOG Scotsturf is back at the Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh from 3rd 4th November 2010. It’s the only event for the grounds care, sports amenities, landscaping and estate management sectors in Scotland.

Register now for your free entry at www.iogscotsturf.co.uk

Government Business | Volume 17.11

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EMERGENCY SERVICES

MAKE YOUR BUDGET GO FURTHER Register now for The Emergency Services Show, 24-25 November POSSIBLE BUDGET REDUCTIONS are no doubt at the top of everyone’s agenda and will already have started to impact on day to day operations – even before the announcement of the HM Treasury’s Spending Review Framework due on 20 October. However, less money does not mean no money. The focus is now on value for money which can be achieved through collective spending power to secure better, longer term deals.

By bringing strategic planners together with Category 1 and 2 responders, The Emergency Services Show provides opportunities for everyone involved in emergency planning, response or recovery to network with contemporaries and other organisations promoting collaboration and sharing good practice to help with framework agreements and income generation.

The free to attend exhibition provides access to over 350 exhibitors showing the latest technology, ideas and initiatives all in one place.

This gives you the opportunity to speak to the manufacturers and suppliers of equipment regarding outsourcing and equipment requirements helping to make your budget go further making this the one event that you and your colleagues shouldn’t miss this year.

• Visit the free to attend exhibition – a unique mix of both commercial and non-commercial exhibitors.

• Meet a wide range of organisations including Category 1 and 2 responders, professional, government and voluntary organisations in the Emergency Response Zone promoting multi agency collaboration. Exhibitors include Civil Contingencies Secretariat, Emergency Planning College, Emergency Planning Society, Flood Forecast Centre and RUSI. • See the ‘Best of British’ from UK fire and rescue, police and ambulance services within the Blue Light Zone.

• Network with like minded professionals to discuss the latest news, developments, strategic advances as well as resources, framework agreements, income generation and outsourcing - especially in light of the current uncertain economic climate.

Stephen Graham, Community Resilience UK, comments: “Community Resilience has exhibited at the Emergency Services Show every year since 2007 and is pleased to be the Main Sponsor for 2010. With over 350 exhibitors and more than 4,000 attendees, it is an outstanding opportunity for networking and relationship building with participating organisations.”

TWO-DAY CPD ACCREDITED CONFERENCE The two-day supporting conference will provide delegates with the opportunity to hear about key issues from a range of high profile speakers including a special focus on resilience, the challenges posed by the forthcoming 2012

Olympics and an overview looking at building relationships through training and interaction.

Importantly delegates will have the opportunity to participate in the consultation looking at the National Resilience Plan for Critical Infrastructure, due to be published in November. David Murphy, from the Natural Hazards Team, Cabinet Office, will be leading focused workshops looking at the contents of the draft plan, which covers issues including information sharing on critical infrastructure for the purposes of emergency planning, assessing natural hazards and business continuity.

New this year, attendees will now also be able to claim Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points for attendance – confirming the learning benefit gained by attending this conference can be evaluated and recorded in line with CPD requirements of their professional body or institute.

An Autumn Saver discount has just been announced for this year’s conference.

Recognising that budgets would be

stretched this year, prices were already frozen from 2009 but the Autumn Saver means that anyone registering on or before the 31 October will receive a huge 20 per cent discount with an additional 10 per cent discount available for members of Emergency Planning Society, IFE/FPA, The College of Paramedics, members of Local Resilience Forums, other charitable/voluntary organisations and students on application.

REGISTER NOW Last year’s event attracted over 4,000 attendees and 2010 will build on the success of the previous four years, promising to be the best yet. This year’s show will take place 24-25 November at the centrally located Stoneleigh Park, Coventry.

FOR MORE INFORMATION To register for The Emergency Services Show 2010 or for a full conference programme visit www.ess2010.co.uk

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ADVERTISERS INDEX The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service 4Imprint A Algeo A Proctor A4E Aberystwyth University Affresol AFP Air Technologies Almary Green BAFE Barclays Bemrose Booth Brite Green Carval Charity Gift Vouchers Citi Prepaid Services Citroen Climate Change Solutions Climate Energy Solutions Coin Street Commend UK Corona Energy Counter Terror Expo Crystal Palace National Sports Centre CSTS Domestic & General Insulation ECL Contracts Edinburgh First Emergi-Lite EPR

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12 46 34 82 74 34 50 12 48 14 90 30 84 42 16 8 38 32 58 80 28 40 58 44 34 35 70 50 30

ESTA Euro Hotels Group Eurotech Fire Systems Everatt & Company Farrer Consulting Firex Flexiform Greenwich University Harrow Green Hillscourt Conference Centre ILEC Conference Centre Imperial College Institute of Groundsmanship IP User Group JMP Kensington Rooms Landmark Information Group Lloyds TSB London Borough of Camden London Transport Museum LRQA Business Assurance Malmaison Hotel Marriott Hotels Microlin Cooper Mitsubishi Electric Monodraught MU Enterprises National Security Inspectorate Newbury Data Recording

36 62 50 86 22 52 40 76 40 78 60 76 96 18 84 67 25 10 90 66 30 64 66 2 38 6 56 50 92

Nottingham Conferences Ort House Conference Centre Park Crescent Conference Centre Pass Training Consultancy Queen Margaret University Said Business School Scotbark SKC Southbank Centre Steve Head The University of Leeds The University of Manchester The University of Reading The Workplace Training Company Thistle Transversal Corporation University of Leicester University of Wales UWIC Variable Message Signs Venue Essex Victory Services Club Waldron Furniture Warwick Conferences Western Power Distribution Wyndham Grand

70 60 76 92 79 78 94 44 66 84 76 68 72 87 54 84 72 74 78 88 78 66 42 74 28 64

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