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FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS

COUNCILS AND CHRISTMAS Why good festive planning can engage the community and boost the local economy TOP 10

ENCOURAGING EFFICIENT ENERGY USE

Listing the topâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;performing councils who are cutting their bills through innovation and smart energy initiatives

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www.governmentbusiness.co.uk | VOLUME 24.5

FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS

COUNCILS AND CHRISTMAS Why good festive planning can engage the community and boost the local economy TOP 10

ENCOURAGING EFFICIENT ENERGY USE

Listing the top‑performing councils who are cutting their bills through innovation and smart energy initiatives

Photo by Matthieu Comoy on Unsplash

PLUS: CONFERENCES & EVENTS | ENERGY | PROCUREMENT | STAFF INCENTIVES

Could we do more for our coastal communities?

Comment

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

The Social Market Foundation revealed that Britain’s coastal communities are amongst the worst performing areas for wages, jobs, health and education in the UK. With recent news focusing on Chancellor Philip Hammond’s commitment to the Northern Powerhouse and the northern mayors’ requests for further transport and infrastructure spend, it is important to stop and question why five of the ten local authorities in Great Britain with the lowest average employee pay and highest unemployment rate are in coastal communities. With economic output, good health and educational qualifications also lower than the national average, there needs to be a stronger connection between our coastal towns and major cities. With heritage hooks, popular landmarks and huge economic potential, the communities along the UK’s border need to be built up to be coastal powerhouses, not neglected towns. The latest £40 million release from the Coastal Communities Fund is unlikely to make the necessary difference.

Follow and interact with us on Twitter: @GovBusiness

Also, this issue contains the fourth GB Top 10 list of the year, focusing on smart energy and local authority innovations towards efficiency. With budget cuts putting an unhealthy strain on council finances, saving money by reducing a region’s carbon footprint deservedly needs recognition. See who made our list on page 14. Michael Lyons, editor

P ONLINE P IN PRINT P MOBILE P FACE TO FACE If you would like to receive 6 issues of Government Business magazine for £150 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:

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226 High Rd, Loughton, Essex IG10 1ET. Tel: 020 8532 0055 Fax: 020 8532 0066 Web: www.psi-media.co.uk EDITOR Michael Lyons PRODUCTION EDITOR Richard Gooding EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Marianna Christou PRODUCTION DESIGN Jo Golding PRODUCTION CONTROL Ella Sawtell WEB PRODUCTION Victoria Casey ADVERTISEMENT SALES Kelly Scott, Dean Cassar, Steve Day, John Gladwin, Neil Haydon, Michael Kennedy, Bernie Miller, Paul Taylor PUBLISHER Karen Hopps ADMINISTRATION Charlotte Casey, Vickie Hopkins REPRODUCTION & PRINT Argent Media

© 2017 Public Sector Information Limited. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any other means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the editorial content the publisher cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. ISSN 1470-0735

Government Business is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact Michael Lyons or Angela Pisanu on 0208 532 0055. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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CONTENTS GOVERNMENT BUSINESS 24.5 07 GB NEWS

Social care system not ‘fit for purpose’; ‘devolution deadlock’ putting economic growth at risk; and £11m for green buses

14 GB TOP 10

In April, the government awarded funding worth £24 million to help develop clean and efficient heating systems to 13 local authorities. September’s GB Top 10 sees us investigate how well local authorities across the UK are improving their energy efficiency by using smart initiavies

18 ENERGY MANAGEMENT Solar now meets four per cent of UK annual electricity demand. Following on from our Top 10, Leonie Greene, of the Solar Trade Association, explores the potential of accelerating progress towards smarter, solar energy

21 EMEX 2017

EMEX has helped 1000s of businesses increase energy efficiency and reduce operational costs. This preview outlines the top five energy efficient strategies that will be covered at the 2017 event

25 FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS

25 57

Well coordinated Christmas planning can prove positive for community engagement and local authority finances. Ruth Fisher looks at the Christmas infrastructure across Scotland’s capital. Plus; the British Christmas Tree Growers Association looks at the supply of Christmas trees in the UK

41 FIRE SAFETY

The Fire Industry Association’s Catherine Nelms explains why fire safety legislation must be adhered to through any planning or refurbishment process

69 THE ENVIRONMENT

Since the UK voted to leave the EU, the environment has been at the forefront of world politics. But how will Brexit affect the environment and how can metro mayors maintain sustainable programmes for their regions?

74 LUXLIVE 2017

LuxLive returns to London’s ExCel on 15-16 November 2017. Government Business looks ahead to the show

77 LAND REMEDITATION

The Contamination Expo is coming to London’s ExCeL in September. Government Business provides a preview

81 CONFERENCES & EVENTS

As academic venues are continually investing in their venues, GB examines the benefits to the public sector using these facilities. Plus; Andrew Harrison explores how event suppliers can help make public sector meetings a success

87 WORLD OF LEARNING

World-renowned L&D professionals are to provide insight at the World of Learning conference and exhibition, returning to the NEC Birmingham on 17-18 October

90 STAFF INCENTIVES

The PPMA’s Caroline Nugent explains how, in the face of major cutbacks, rewarding staff can drive them to be more engaged and driven

92 GT NEWS

‘Full-fibre’ broadband trials; police must change to meet digital challenges; and digital SME spend exceeds £1 billion

47 FLOOD EXPO

95 CYBER SECURITY

How effective is natural flood management? And how can we take it forward? Steve Maslen explains how it might be applied to communities at risk of flooding ahead of this year’s Flood Expo

Andrew Scott, of the Business Continuity Institute, discusses the findings of the recent Cyber Resilience Report and the growing threat to organisations of digital disruption

57 ROAD MAINTENANCE

99 PROCUREMENT

The maxim ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ could not be more appropriate when it comes to road winter maintenance, writes Howard Robinson. Plus; a look at Cumbria County Council’s trial of the use of plastics in road maintenance

63 SALTEX 2017

Those responsible for the maintenance of parks and green spaces will have the opportunity to meet when SALTEX opens on 1-2 November

Government Business

Contents

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

In May 2017, G-Cloud 9 opened for business, with a record 2,847 suppliers signed up, over 90 per cent of them SMEs. GB details the iteration changes, including a new lotting structure ISS and the opportunity Turn t UE 15.5 op for longer contracts. latest age 92 for Plus; comment from techn governmen the ology t Jake Madders and a look news at some local authority procurement case studies

www.governmentbusiness.co.uk Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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BUSINESS RATES INCOME

CHILDCARE

New opportunities for councils to benefit from growth local authorities control more of the money they raise locally. By encouraging councils to work together, with the aim of sharing their business rates income, it enables them to take a much more strategic view on decisions that benefit the wider area. Expanding the pilot programme is an opportunity to consider how rates retention could operate across the country and we will continue to work closely with local government to agree the best way forward.” Sajid Javid: “I am committed to helping local authorities control more of the money they raise locally.” (HM Government – www.gov.uk/government/people/sajid-javid)

Councils are being encouraged by the Communities Secretary Sajid Javid to join forces and put forward proposals to retain the growth in their business rates income. Javid is offering councils new opportunities to benefit from growth as he announces new pilots that will begin from April 2018. The pilots will be able to retain 100 per cent of the growth in income raised locally through business rates, responding to council calls to reduce local government’s dependence on central government. Findings from these pilots will then help develop options for local authorities to retain more of the money they raise in the future. The move builds on previous pilots already launched in Liverpool, Greater Manchester, West Midlands, West of England, Cornwall and Greater London in April 2017, which will also continue into next year. The government is also keen to spread the pilots across the country, with a focus on rural areas, to ensure that more can be learnt about the scheme in different places. Alongside the pilots, the government will continue to work with local authorities, the Local Government Association and others on reform options that give local authorities more control over the money they raise and are sustainable in the long term. Javid said: “I am committed to helping

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COASTAL COMMUNITIES

Britain’s coastal communities among worst performing areas Britain’s coastal communities are among the worst ranked parts of the country across a range of economic and social indicators, with the economic gap between coastal and non-coastal communities having grown. The Social Market Foundation (SMF) think tank has published new analysis of economic and social data at a local authority level and found that five of the 10 local authorities in Great Britain with the lowest average employee pay are in coastal communities: Torbay, North Devon, Gwynedd, Hastings and Torridge. It also found that in 2016, the average employee pay was about £3,600 per annum lower in coastal communities than in other parts of Great Britain, and that five of the 10 local authorities with the highest unemployment rate were coastal communities, for three months to March 2017: Hartlepool, North Ayrshirem Torridge, Hastings, South Tyneside and Sunderland. Ten of the twenty local authorities in England and Wales with the highest proportion of individuals in poor health are coastal communities, the analysis revealed, which are Neath Port Talbot, Blackpool,

Bridgend, Sunderland, Barrow-in-Furness, Carmarthenshire, East Lindsey, South Tyneside, County Durham and Hartlepool. The think tank also found that the two local authorities in England and Wales with the smallest proportion of 16+ population holding level 4 and above qualifications are Great Yarmouth and Castle Point, and that in 1997, economic output (GVA) per capita was 23 per cent in Great Britain’s coastal communities compared with non-coastal. By 2015, this gap had widened to 26 per cent. Meanwhile, Jake Berry, Coastal Communities Minister, has announced that towns and cities along Britain’s coastline are set to benefit from thousands of new jobs and millions of pounds more in visitor spending following the latest release of money from the Coastal Communities Fund. The fifth round of investment will provide at least £40 million to help coastal areas in England further transform their economies and boost jobs in their local area. READ MORE:

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GB News

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

30 hours free childcare The government’s 30 hours free childcare offer for working parents began its roll out across the country on 1 September in an effort to save families around £5,000 per year on childcare. Parents of three and four-year olds who have registered for a place will join the 15,000 families benefiting in the 12 areas of the country that introduced the offer early. The offer should help families to balance their jobs and family lives, with around 390,000 working families eligible to benefit. The latest evaluation shows that eight out of 10 childcare providers were willing and able to double their current 15 hours offer. This offer is backed by the government’s investment of £6 billion per year in childcare, which includes an extra £1 billion per year by 2020 to deliver the free entitlements. It also builds on the government’s tax-free childcare offer already available to many families, which cuts childcare costs by up to £2,000 per year for each child under 12-years-old. The 30 hours offer has been delivered early in several areas across the country and independent evaluation, which included a survey of providers and parents in eight of the councils that started the offer from last September, found improved family finances, a better work/life balance, parents able to increase their working hours should they wish to, and childcare provider confidence. A second independent evaluation of the early roll out scheme builds on those findings and shows benefits for parents and majority of providers are willing and able to offer the extended hours. This offer is backed by the government’s record investment of £6 billion per year in the childcare early years sector. By 2019-20, an extra £1 billion per year will be invested to deliver the free entitlements, including over £300 million a year to increase the government’s hourly funding rate to local authorities. READ MORE:

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SCHOOL PLACES

Struggle to meet demand for secondary school places The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that 49 per cent of councils across England are at risk of being unable to meet the rising demand for secondary school places within the next five years. New analysis of Department for Education figures and local pupil forecasts by the LGA warns that more than 125,000 children face missing out on a secondary school place by 2022/23. READ MORE:

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Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Providing the Human Touch to award winning customer service

SOCIAL CARE

BREXIT

Social care system not ‘fit for purpose’, say MPs Only one in 10 MPs in England believe that the current social care system is suitable for the UK’s ageing population, with 86 per cent believing a cross-party consensus is needed for a lasting settlement on health and social care. A survey of 101 MPs, carried out by older people’s charity Independent Age, found that only 10 per cent of English MPs believe the current social care system is suitable for the UK’s ageing population. It also showed that only 13 per cent of Labour MPs and 35 per cent of Conservative MPs believe social care services in their constituencies are fit for purpose. Janet Morrison, chief executive of Independent Age, said: “The crisis in social care was front and centre in the election earlier this year, and it is clear from this poll that there is an overwhelming desire from politicians on all sides for the government to work towards a cross-party consensus on a solution. “The problems in social care are about more than simply finding new bits of money to pump into a system that isn’t fit for purpose. To meet current and future demand, we need to take a radically different approach, recognising the status quo has failed.”

Commission to explore risks of Brexit for public services A new commission launched by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) is to explore risks and opportunities of Brexit for public services. CIPFA has launched its Brexit Advisory Commission for Public Services, which will examine how best the risks can be mitigated and the opportunities seized to make the sector more flexile and sustainable following Brexit. In the document launching the commission, CIPFA recognises that exiting the EU is likely to generate challenges for the UK’s public services. The group has also identified that there is additional scope to reshape EU legislation and policy to enhance services for the benefit of communities. To ensure that negotiators behind the deal understand the challenges and opportunities

GB News

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

which Brexit poses, the commission will provide evidence-based analysis and impartial advice. The commission will release analysis later this year that will seek to explain the relationship between UK public services and EU funding. Julia Goldsworthy, chair, said: “Just as considerations about local public services were a factor in the voting choices many people made in the EU referendum, so too must they play a key part in shaping any Brexit deal. The legal, fiscal and policy changes that will accompany Brexit must be converted into meaningful opportunities to reform our public services – improving outcomes for the citizens that rely on them and reducing regional disparities. The commission’s role, as set out in today’s mission statement is to help ensure the UK makes the most of these opportunities and mitigates any risks.”

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PUBLIC SECTOR PAY

Lifting of public sector pay cap brings no comfort Unite, the UK’s largest union, has described the government’s plans to lift the public sector pay cap as a ‘drop in the ocean’ that failed to acknowledge the seven years of pay misery it had inflected on millions of public sector workers. Research by Unite found that local authority workers have suffered on average a 21 per cent pay cut in real terms since the Conservative government introduced the cap in 2010. The majority of NHS workers have seen their pay fall by 14 per cent. The government’s briefing, which suggests that pay increases above one per cent for public sector staff will be phased in over a two year period, potentially further undermines the independence of the pay review body process which is meant to govern the pay of much of the public sector. Gail Cartmail, Unite assistant general secretary, said: “The government’s proposals, which will not even come into effect until 2019 for many workers, are a drop in the ocean and will do nothing, to address the years of pay cuts our public servants have had to endure. Ministers make no mention of compensating workers for their lost wages.” READ MORE:

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DEVOLUTION

‘Devolution deadlock’ putting economic growth at risk The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that opportunities for large economic growth, jobs and housing production risk being lost because of ‘devolution deadlock’. The group has said that devolution progress has ‘stalled’, with no new deals having been announced in the last 18 months, despite many areas reportedly being keen to press forward with negotiations. The election of six combined authority mayors earlier this year marked a significant milestone for devolution in England, but further options are not being explored. The LGA contends that, in order to ‘ensure the whole nation benefits from our exit from the European Union’, further devolution is essential to boosting the economy.

The LGA is also urging the government to publish its annual devolution report. Mark Hawthorne, chairman of the LGA’s People and Places Board, said: “To reignite the devolution process, the government needs to engage in a debate about appropriate governance arrangements with local areas. This is fundamental to ensure that the momentum around devolving powers to local areas is not lost and the billions of pounds worth of economic growth, hundreds of thousands of jobs and homes on offer through non-metropolitan devolution deals is not lost with it.” READ MORE:

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Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

CONGESTION

BUSES

New proposals announced to cut congestion on the busiest roads in the UK

£11 million for green buses across England

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling has announced new proposals in which delays to motorists caused by utility companies digging up busy roads could be halved. The proposals would allow local authorities to charge utility companies by the hour to carry out works on selected routes, encouraging them to avoid busy roads and peak times, and incentivising them to join together when they do need to dig up congested routes. The 2.5 million worth of roadworks carried out every year costs the economy £4 billion because people are unable to get to work on time and deliveries are delayed, resulting in higher costs for business. The proposals could improve journey times for drivers whilst delivering a boost to the community at the same time. Successful trials in London and Kent have already seen severe congestion caused by utility works fall by over half. Firms could avoid the charges by conducting works during evenings and weekends or coordinating their plans. In

London, utility companies have worked together over 600 times since the trials began, up from 100 beforehand. The schemes also act as an incentive for companies to avoid congested routes and peak times where possible. Giving councils more options in how they can manage roadworks will help support the delivery of national infrastructure projects such as the roll‑out of broadband fibre. The Department for Transport is consulting on a series of options to minimise the disruption works cause road users and businesses, and to make schemes more efficient for utility companies carrying out necessary works. Currently, the majority of local authorities use permit schemes to monitor roadworks, but lane rental would give them additional powers to manage works on the busiest roads at the busiest times. READ MORE:

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TRANSPORT

Midland Metro extension gets £59.8 million go ahead A key metro extension linking Birmingham city centre with Edgbaston and the city’s growing Westside area has been given the green light thanks to a multi-million pound funding pledge from the Department for Transport. Five new stops will be served by up to 10 trams an hour at peak when the two kilometre extension of the Midland Metro, from Grand Central, outside Birmingham New Street station, to Edgbaston, opens in March 2021. The extension will see new stops at the Town Hall, Centenary Square, Brindley Place, and at two further stations either side of the Five Ways roundabout in Edgbaston. The new route will also offer a direct metro link to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery,

the International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall. The £59.8 million boost from the Department for Transport completes the total £149 million funding for the project, with another £84 million having already been raised locally through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Birmingham City Council, Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and others. Preliminary groundworks started in the Summer but now final funding for the scheme has been secured from central government, major project works could get underway this month. READ MORE:

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GB News

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Bus users across England will benefit from cleaner and greener journeys with a roll‑out of low emission buses. Local authorities and bus companies in Bristol, York, Brighton, Surrey, Denbighshire and Wiltshire have been awarded the funding under the government’s Low Emission Bus Scheme to help them buy 153 cleaner buses. The successful bidders will use the funding to buy new electric and gas bases, and to install stations to fuel or charge them. They include: Denbighshire County Council, Wales; City of York Council; South Gloucestershire Council; Surrey County Council, Guildford; The Big Lemon, Brighton; and Go South Coast/Wiltshire County Council. Transport Minister Paul Maynard said: “Low emission buses are an important part of our plans to make motoring cleaner and improve air quality across the country. New greener buses will be more comfortable for passengers, they are cost efficient and are good for the environment. I am pleased to announce this latest group of successful bidders, which should make a real difference to air quality in towns and cities across the country.” READ MORE:

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YOUTH

£40 million to benefit thousands of young people’s lives Youth organisations will receive £40 million to boost the skills and life chances of young people living in disadvantaged areas, it has been announced. The money will benefit 300,000 young people, providing new opportunities for them to get involved in their communities, support their personal development and get the skills and confidence they need to enter the workplace. It will be used to create new youth clubs in rural areas, expand sports projects and increase services providing support and guidance to young people. The Youth Investment Fund, made up of government and National Lottery players’ money from the Big Lottery Fund, will be shared by 86 youth organisations in East London, Liverpool City Region, West Midlands, Tees Valley and Sunderland, Bristol and Somerset and Eastern counties over the next three years. The fund will allow the chosen organisations to expand the services they provide to young people and sustain them over the coming years. The New Philanthropy Capital and the Centre for Youth Impact will work alongside each of the 86 organisations to evaluate the impact of their work with young people. READ MORE:

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Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Take control of your Office Data Security It has never been more important to make sure your department’s data is secure and, whether you know this or not, your printer or multifunctional printer/copier/scanner (MFP) leaves a digital footprint of data which could be compromised through theft, copying, unauthorised access or even virus attack although a virus is extremely rare unless the virus travels via the Local Area Network. In 2016 Microsoft implemented 209 security updates alone, the equivalent of 17 a month, while Macintosh implemented 116 across their support OS systems. These stats show the evolution of security on a day to day basis. Are you up to date with your machines? At Olivetti we take data security very seriously. Here, we look at the steps you can take to protect your MFP to be much more secure. You can also ask your local supplier to carry out these procedures for you if you prefer.

To find out more about security within the Olivetti range and details of your local Olivetti Representative Quote Ref: GB1

Call us on : 01933 420565 or email: admin@olivettiagency.uk www.olivetti.com Olivetti UK Agency

4 Regent Park, Park Farm South, Wellingborough, NN8 6GR

STEPS TO TAKE TO MAKE SURE YOUR MULTIFUNCTIONAL OFFICE EQUIPMENT IS SECURE. FIRST THINGS FIRST.... It’s a really good idea to change all the standard machine passwords to a department-wide global password, only distributing this to key members of the team. HARD DISK PASSWORD PROTECTION The hard drive on your MFP is password protected, as standard, meaning it can’t be used or accessed via a PC or laptop unless a password has been input first. The Administrator can set this up themselves and change it as necessary. DATA ENCRYPTION The hard drive can be encrypted with an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) so that if the hard-drive is ever stolen, it is nigh on impossible to access any of the data. HARD DISK OVERWRITE On selected MFPs data held on the internal hard drive can be set to overwrite data, to military standard, meaning all data deleted from the hard drive, by the users, is irretrievable once it has gone. So, if someone chooses to steal the hard drive, it will be of no use. SEE WHO IS USING THE PRINTER Administrators can print out something called a TX Log which is an audit log of all the machine operations for the past year. This logs every button press on the control panel and every copy, print and scan produced on the machine, with the details of the user and the scanning location. It also displays the serial number of any USB sticks that have been inserted directly into the machine. UP TO DATE ‘FIRMWARE’ Copiers and printers are always being improved so, don’t be left behind, we recommend that your supplier checks to make sure you have the latest version of “fixes” and “updates” many of which are aimed specifically at new security regulations.

2017 GENERAL ELECTION

AIR QUALITY

Record £40 million election donations for political parties New figures have revealed that political parties in the UK received a record £40.1 million in donations in the run up to June’s General Election. From 1 April 2017 to 30 June 2017, £9.4 million more in reported donations was recorded than the previous highest quarter on record. Over £30 million more in donations was reported than in the first quarter of 2017. The eleven political parties to report donations accepted were: Conservative and Unionist Party – £24,840,627; Labour Party – £9,492,519; Liberal Democrats – £4,358,410; Scottish National Party (SNP) – £596,000; Women’s Equality Party – £282,931; Green Party – £176,363; UK Independence Party (UKIP) – £156,455; Co-operative Party – £150,980; British National Party – £100,000; The Socialist Party of Great Britain – £26,333; and Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – £5,300.

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COUNCIL CUTS

Angus Council to cut 800 jobs in next three years Angus Council has warned that its workforce could be reduced by 800 fulltime posts over the next three years as a result of a funding deficit of £40 million. The council workforce has already reduced by over 500 in the last six years. Bob Myles, council leader, warned that the council would not be able to deliver the same volume of services in the future in the council’s new five-year agenda. Myles said: “The council cannot do everything. We will always work to meet the needs of vulnerable citizens, but we can’t continue to deliver the current range and volume of services. We have to prioritise services on the areas of greatest need. “Like every other council we need to find creative and effective ways of addressing our priorities with ever tighter financial constraints. The council’s latest medium‑term financial projections indicate an anticipated funding shortfall of around £40 million over the next three years.” READ MORE:

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Mayor offers £1 million to improve air quality

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has encouraged community groups to apply for his £1 million Greener City Fund to help deliver more air quality improving trees, plants and green play areas in every neighbourhood. Khan wants to protect London’s Green Belt and help make the capital the world’s first National Park City. His £1 million Greener City Community Fund is part of his wider £9 million funding to help schools, boroughs and local groups improve their local environments. Grants of £5,000 to £50,000 are available for groups to apply for. They can be used for a range of projects, from line walking routes to schools with air quality boosting trees, to creating mini play spaces and community gardens in built-up areas. As part of his plans to make more than 50 per cent of London green by 2050, the mayor wants to help fund thousands more trees and improvements to community green spaces, and help London’s boroughs invest in parks, playing fields and woodland. Speaking at Kew Garden at the end of August, Khan said: “In London we are battling

GB News

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a toxic air health crisis which is contributing to over 9,000 premature deaths every year and damaging our children’s lungs. That’s why the scientific research being done at Kew is so important in helping us look after our environment. Kew’s amazing work is further evidence for why it’s so important to invest in and protect our parks and woodlands, as well as help support this world-class research. “Kew Gardens and its 14,000 trees, tropical plants and palms is one of the many outstanding green spaces in London and highlights why we should become the world’s first National Park City. We need more greenery across all of our communities and I want everyone – young and old – to be able to get involved in helping make local areas greener. That’s why I’m announcing £1 million in green grants for local groups to help create the community gardens, play areas and allotments needed to improve our air and enrich our daily lives.” READ MORE:

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ENERGY

£5 million warmth programme for Glasgow Glasgow City Council’s executive committee has approved a report on the city’s programmes for affordable warmth and energy efficiency in the city. The programmes, which aim to deliver energy and efficiency measures to homes and buildings across Glasgow in both the public and private sectors, are being funded by the Scottish government. The measures include external wall insulation and replacement central heating, windows and boilers, as well as the connection of Dalmarnock Nursery to Dalmarnock Energy Centre. Glasgow City Council’s Affordable Warmth programme is funded through the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland: Area Based Schemes

(HEEPS:ABS); Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP); and the Programme for Scotland Capital Stimulus Programme. Kenny McLean, City Convenor for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm at Glasgow City Council, said: “Improving energy efficiency and making the heating of homes and buildings more affordable brings environmental, financial and social benefits to Glasgow. The council’s work on these programmes has a significant impact on fuel poverty and health inequality in the city, and makes properties in the city more sustainable as well as providing a boost to people and companies in Glasgow’s construction sector.” READ MORE:

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Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

GB Top 10

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ENERGY

Smarter energy for a more efficient authority Following on from July’s waste management Top 10 list, September’s issue sees us investigate how well local authorities across the UK are improving their energy efficiency. From home improvements to local energy projects, the GB Energy Top 10 looks at smarter use of energy innovation In April, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) awarded funding worth £24 million to help develop clean and efficient heating systems to 13 local authorities across England. The funding is the first from a £320 million pot earmarked to support heat networks, which have been dubbed ‘central heating for cities’ and have the potential to reduce heating costs in some cases by more than 30 per cent. The scheme is expected to run over five years and will enable up to 200 heat networks to be built, while leveraging around £2 billion of wider public and private investment. Winning entries at the building stage include four projects in London, two in Manchester and one each in Sheffield, Crawley and Colchester. Support was won at the planning stage by projects in Trafford, Islington, Buckinghamshire and Middlesbrough. Following on from this, the government introduced a £35 million investment in energy innovation projects in June, with the aim of delivering clean growth and affordable Gateshead Powerhouse (Image: Gateshead Council and WSP Ltd)

energy as part of the Industrial Strategy. The investment, coming from the BEIS Energy Innovation Programme, will go towards smart heating systems and innovation in using hydrogen as a potential heat source. A month later, the government and energy regulator Ofgem launched a plan to bring smart energy technology into homes and businesses, outlining plans to save up to £40 billion by removing barriers to smart and battery technology, which will reduce costs for consumers. GATESHEAD COUNCIL At the start of 2017, the Gateshead District Energy Scheme unlocked a £1million boost to its revenue after becoming a partner of demand response company Flexitricity. The scheme provides lowcost, low‑carbon heat and power to homes, public buildings and businesses across the centre of Gateshead, with the

council-owned Gateshead Energy Company’s combined heat and power (CHP) system adding 4MW of electricity generating capacity to the National Grid. The first of its kind and scale in the North East, the futuristic‑looking District Energy Centre houses a small but highly-efficient power station which will generate and supply low-carbon, low cost energy for up to 350 local homes and businesses via a new underground network of high voltage ‘private‑wire’ electricity cables. The centre is capable of capturing up to 85 per cent of the waste heat created during the energy generation process, which can then be fed directly to public buildings and homes via a network of underground heat pipes. Martin Gannon, leader of the council, said: “This is an important project which will give our area a real cutting edge. Our District Energy Centre is twice as efficient as a conventional power station, and far greener, and we can pass on some of those cost efficiencies to local people and businesses in the form of cheaper heat and power. This alone will make a real difference to people’s lives. However, the commercial advantages offered by cheap heat and power will be obvious to incoming businesses and we believe this is likely to drive up demand for business space here in Gateshead, something that should help to generate much-needed new jobs. We are also helping to substantially reduce Gateshead’s carbon footprint.” Gateshead Council is also half way through a pilot in which the council has introduced the use of electric bikes for staff business use. Encouraging staff to travel by bike contributes to the council’s aim to reduce the number of car journeys made and encourage more sustainable methods of transport.

The ment governuced introd illion a £35 ment in investmnovation in energy jects in pro June

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Cornwall’s abundance of natural energy resources supports around 750MW of renewable energy (Image: Dune Dreams Photography)

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heating controls, totalling £1.1‑million of energy efficiency upgrades. The Energy Resources for Integrated Communities project, a £1.2 million programme to highlight how a local smart energy system can save a community money, was named Residential Building Energy Project of the Year in the Energy Awards in 2016. The aim of the project is to show how battery storage in households can lead to far more solar-generated power being used locally, benefiting both local people and the environment. tinyurl.com/y7r6p932 BRISTOL CITY COUNCIL In 2015 Bristol became the UK’s first ever European Green Capital in recognition of its sustainable, low carbon living. Over the last few years, the council has pursued an ambition to be carbon neutral by 2050 by developing a multi‑million pound solar investment programme and introducing a matchmaking service to make sustainable energy more accessible to local communities. Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, the council is investing in local energy projects which encourage local solutions to community‑specific energy challenges, as well as leading UK-wide meetings to offer best practice advice. A total of £58,132 was given to 11 successful projects in Bristol at the end of last year to reduce energy use, move towards cleaner and renewable sources of energy and take measures that can help meet their energy needs affordably. The aforementioned heat network will supply low carbon heat to buildings across Bristol through a network of underground pipes connected to a number of energy centres including biomass boilers and gas combined heat and power (CHP) plants. Although the CHP plants will initially run on gas, the capture of waste heat to heat water and buildings results in a more efficient use of the fuel and lower carbon emissions. Additionally, a fleet of more than 100 new low-emission buses powered by gas could soon be introduced to the Bristol region in the next few years after a multi-million pound government grant was secured. Mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees, who began his time in office by giving the green light to the next phase of a multi‑decade major infrastructure project to build a heat network across the city, said: “Bristol City Council is one of the leading local authorities supporting community energy. Our approach is still being developed, tried and tested to get even better results, but it already has the potential to become a model of best practice nationally. We can really see the benefits for our communities and for the city, so it’s only right that we spread the word.”

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CORNWALL COUNCIL Cornwall has long been at the forefront of the country’s transition towards low carbon energy. 25 years ago the first commercial windfarm was installed at Delabole in north Cornwall. Today, Cornwall’s abundance of natural energy resources supports around 750MW of renewable energy and the council is looking to the future. In February 2017, Cornwall Council established an exciting new ambition for the region’s energy future which will see lower energy bills, greener and more affordable homes and transport, and the potential development of a new locally-owned energy company. The vision for Cornwall’s Energy Future identifies ambitious targets for 2030

£2.5 million revolving loan fund to support community energy projects, which can spread the benefits of energy ownership across Cornwall’s population. tinyurl.com/ybggy92o OXFORD CITY COUNCIL Through a wide range of energy conservation projects, Oxford City Council has helped reduce more than 6,000 tonnes of damaging carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from being sent into the atmosphere. Last Summer, the council reported that its carbon tonnage reduction is equivalent to taking 1,553 medium-sized cars off the road and keeping them off the road every year – a topical equivalent given

The Gateshead District Energy Scheme is capable of capturing up to 85 per cent of the waste heat created during the energy generation process, which can then be fed directly to public buildings and homes via underground heat pipes which are designed to ensure residents, communities and the local economy all benefit from the low carbon energy transition. The region’s devolution deal is the first devolution deal to include a set of specific commitments around energy which are designed to tackle some of the barriers to creating a local energy market in Cornwall. £35 million has been invested across a series of pilot projects which include trialling new ways of managing energy generation and local supply to tackle grid constraints, creating new revenue opportunities for energy projects and supporting enhanced community involvement in the local energy market. To date, the council has invested in 8MW of solar PV and established a

the government’s plans to limit the number of vehicles on the road and improve air quality. Improving the energy efficiency of its social housing stock, the city council has installed external wall cladding on 76 houses, removing 73tCO2/y, while also installing cavity wall insulation on 320 houses, removing 130.74tCO2/y. On top of this, solar panels have been installed on 69 houses as well as Larkrise Primary School, Oxford Bus Company and Norbar Torque Tools in Banbury. The projects have reduced the emissions to the atmosphere every year by about 950 tonnes. The council’s efforts to reduce the carbon emissions of its estate has seen the installation of LED lighting, high‑efficiency boilers, insulation and new

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ENERGY  ABERDEEN CITY COUNCIL Following the success of Powering Aberdeen and Earth Hour last year, in which both the council‑run programmes won a Green Apple Award, Aberdeen has continued to pursue its ambition to become a leading sustainable economy in the UK. In October 2016, the city council approved proposals for a £150 million Energy from Waste facility to be built in the city and provide low cost heating for the Torry area, while, a month later, council officers gave their full support to the Donside Hydro Scheme, a pioneering community-owned energy project which harnesses energy from the neighbouring River Don to create electricity to be sold to the national grid. The funds generated from the scheme will contribute to a community fund, with Aberdeen Community Energy anticipating that the fund will generate up to £400,000 back to the community during the first 20 years of the scheme’s operation. Furthermore, the £333 million Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, due to open in 2019, will host the largest fuel cell installation in the UK. Supplied by Doosan

Babcock, the on-site energy centre will provide power, heat, and cooling to the building, providing a total electrical output of 1.4MW, reinforcing both the credentials of fuel cells as a leading technology in the low-emission, high-efficiency combined heat and power market and Aberdeen’s plans to be a leading, low-energy city. tinyurl.com/y6wnjfgw LIVERPOOL CITY COUNCIL Merseyside, along with North Wales, has the highest average cost for gas and electricity in the country – with the average default bill of £1,197. On the flip side, the region also has one of the lowest average incomes in the country, with residents paying 7.7 per cent of their average income on energy – the highest in Britain. Liverpool City Council has therefore announced the creation of a new not-forprofit energy company, the Liverpool Energy Community Company (LECCY), to tackle fuel poverty in the city. LECCY will offer competitively priced gas and electricity cheaper than that offered by the Big Six and will offer advice to households to help

Liverpool City Council has announced the creation of a new not-for-profit energy company, the Liverpool Energy Community Company (LECCY), to tackle fuel poverty in the city, who will offer competitively priced gas and electricity Liver Building, Liverpool (Image: Visit Britain)

them move off costly prepayment meters and on to cheaper direct debit tariffs. It is claimed that the company could save a medium user of gas and electricity over £250 per year compared to the most expensive Big Six tariff. Further fixed rate deals for Liverpool are in the pipeline and will be announced in the coming months. As of last December, government statistics suggested that Liverpool had already achieved a staggering 18 per cent reduction in carbon emissions since 2012. As a result of a number of energy saving initiatives and investment in renewables, Liverpool City Council believes that the cut could double to 35 per cent by 2020 – surpassing the 20 per cent target set by the EU Covenant of Mayors. Since 2012, the city has seen a 550 per cent rise in registered renewable energy installations and produced 558,000 fewer tonnes of CO2 at a rate of 70,000 tonnes per year – the equivalent of 280,000 double decker buses. Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, who leads the city region on carbon reduction, said: “I want Liverpool to be the greenest city in the UK – to be a beacon for others to be inspired by. A low carbon economy makes total sense on an environmental, financial and health level – and we are already beginning to reap the dividends even in just the short period since I signed the city up to the EU Mayoral Covenant. What really excites me is the will to achieve more across both the public and private sectors and thanks to this report we can have the confidence to press ahead and make some truly monumental decisions that will transform Liverpool’s position to a world leader in carbon reduction.” tinyurl.com/mnl9svp ISLINGTON BOROUGH COUNCIL In the face of huge government funding cuts, Islington Council has expanded its energy efficiency programme to reduce energy use, cut costs and generate income. In 2016, over £400,000 was invested in three key energy saving schemes – a new LED lighting retrofit, a new cold isle air conditioning system and a new 30 kW solar PV system. The 50 per cent reduction in output, resulting from the LED lighting project, is estimated to result in an annual energy saving of £35,000 per year, meaning the project will payback within seven years and then continue to deliver savings for the rest of the 25 year lifespan. The cold isle containment system, held in the basement that hosts the main council servers, reduces the duty on the air conditioning units and offers savings of over £30,000 per year by cooling the systems in a ‘pod’ unit – meaning only the air within that pod requires cooling. On the Highbury building roof, the 30kW array compromises 100 solar panels in an east to west configuration and will provide

Park Circus, Glasgow (Image: Visit Britain)

an estimated annual income of around £5,000, offering an eight year payback. In total, over 1,800 solar panels are generating energy from the sun on the council’s buildings, generating potential savings of £1.5 million over 30 years. More than 900 panels have been installed at the Waste Recycling Centre, more than 850 at Sobell Leisure Centre and more than 100 at the customer service centre in Upper Street. Claudia Webbe, executive member for environment and transport, said: “These solar panels are a win-win for the council and residents. Not only will they significantly reduce the council’s carbon footprint and electricity bills, they will also generate much-needed income, helping to reduce the pressure on the council’s budget in the long-term and help protect us against fluctuating electricity prices. We also managed to install them in time to catch the higher payment rate for energy fed back into the National Grid – the government has since cut the funding so brutally that new schemes are currently not viable.” tinyurl.com/yafn8wda GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL Just this month, Glasgow City Council’s executive committee approved a £5 million Affordable Warmth Programme. The programme, which aims to deliver energy and efficiency measures to homes and buildings across Glasgow in both the public and private sectors, is funded by the Scottish government and includes measures to improve external wall insulation and replace central heating, windows and boilers, as well as the connection of Dalmarnock Nursery to Dalmarnock Energy Centre. Kenny McLean, City Convenor for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Public Realm at Glasgow City Council, said: “Improving

GB Top 10

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Glasgow City Council’s executive committee has approved a £5 million Affordable Warmth Programme, which aims to deliver energy and efficiency measures to homes and buildings across the city in the public and private sectors energy efficiency and making the heating of homes and buildings more affordable brings environmental, financial and social benefits to Glasgow. The council’s work on these programmes has a significant impact on fuel poverty and health inequality in the city, and makes properties in the city more sustainable as well as providing a boost to people and companies in Glasgow’s construction sector.” tinyurl.com/ybssw5v8 PETERBOROUGH CITY COUNCIL Peterborough City Council was awarded the top prize in the Efficiency, Environment and Innovation categories at this year’ Local Government Chronicle Awards, with the judges praising the council’s initiatives to generate renewable energy alongside projects such as the Peterborough Energy tariff and a scheme to reduce the council’s overall energy consumption. Such policies have resulted in more than 6,000 households in the region switching to Peterborough Energy in less that two years. Aside from the Peterborough Energy tariff, a project called Empower Peterborough offers residents free solar panels on their homes. Households on the scheme are expected to benefit from an energy saving of roughly £200 every year and own the operating PV system at the end of the 20-year term. The solar systems

are installed by Empower Peterborough CIC, a partnership between the council and Empower Community, a social enterprise. tinyurl.com/ya24ajfj SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL In March 2017, Action Surrey’s Streets Ahead project was recognised at the South East Energy Efficiency & Healthy Homes Regional Awards. Funded by the former Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), the £2.5 million programme provides grant funding towards the insulation of non-cavity wall properties – benefiting 464 individual properties across Surrey. The success of the project last year has encouraged the council to launch a fuel poverty-based programme across the county this year, upgrading the boiler and heating systems of lower income households to lower their energy and heating bills. The Surrey Energy and Sustainability Partnership is a collaborative group involving the county council, all 11 borough and district councils, Surrey Police and Action Surrey. It aims to improve the energy efficiency of homes across Surrey, with a particular focus on supporting vulnerable households, as well as investigate opportunities for and enable supply chains for local renewable resources. All 12 council’s have plans in place to improve efficiency and there is ongoing sharing of opportunities and lessons learnt.

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Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Energy Written by Leonie Greene, head of external affairs, Solar Trade Association

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SOLAR

Solar energy: profit for your purpose Leonie Greene explores the benefits and potential of local government and the solar industry working together to accelerate progress towards smarter, solar energy Solar now meets four per cent of UK annual electricity demand. There is consensus across the energy sector that solar and storage sit at the heart of the emerging ‘smart’ new energy system. This decentralisation of generation assets directly empowers households and communities and, if they so choose, local government itself. In this exciting new era of clean energy innovation, local councils have more opportunity than ever before to take a stake in the provision of energy and to reap potentially tremendous rewards. So when it comes to the future of energy, the potential role of local government looms large. That is why we are developing a short guide for local authorities, to be published in the Autumn, showcasing the best of local government solar initiatives so that we can help to accelerate the dissemination of best practice, both proven and innovative. Embracing solar delivers many benefits for councils and their communities; from providing reliable fuel-poverty alleviation, to delivering modern housing developments and smart infrastructure, to saving money and unlocking new sources of revenue. At their most strategic and ambitious, councils are transforming who owns and supplies energy and they are injecting smart infrastructure into new developments from the design stage. They are using storage alongside solar to tackle fuel poverty. They are even expanding local energy generation now to negate the need for future costly and disruptive street works that grid reinforcements will cause as electric vehicle ownership expands.

sites) and forgotten rooftops into valuable, revenue‑earning assets. The case studies in our guide demonstrate solar presents a low-risk investment option with wide social, economic and environmental benefits. The economics of solar will continue to improve and the plunging costs of storage will soon further enhance the investment case. The uniquely long-term perspective of local councils, together with exceptional terms of finance, means that

The ics of e m o n o c e nu ll conti d i w r a l so ove an to impr ing costs ng the plu ge will soon of stora enhance the further estment inv case

THE ECONOMICS OF SOLAR Councils are asset rich, owning over £170 billion of land and property. But council income has been cut drastically in recent years making commercial innovation a necessity to preserve essential services. Some councils have resorted to selling their assets, forgoing their long term public value, while many are investing heavily. Solar enables councils to turn unused land (even landfill

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

they are in the enviable position of being able to deliver many solar applications, including solar farms, without subsidy today – while the commercial sector waits for the stars to align. These ‘sweet spots’ for solar investment (highlighted in this report) will continue to expand rapidly. While the Feed in Tariff scheme (FiT) is less relevant to the economics of solar today, with only 18 months left of the FiT scheme councils can improve rooftop project economics if they act now. There are several ‘no-brainer’ areas for local government investment today. One we are particularly keen to highlight is the powers local authorities retain to stipulate higher energy performance standards for new buildings. Confusion reigns in this area following the Housing Review and Deregulation Bill. We need to end the confusion. Minister Lord Bourne confirmed that councils would retain their powers earlier this year in the Lords, saying: “The noble Baroness asked specifically whether local authorities are able to set higher standards than the national ones, and I can confirm that they are able to do just that.” Our report, Solar for Housebuilders, shows how cheap and attractive it is to install solar while building new homes today. Increasingly our members find even mainstream developers are enthusiastic about solar. Higher building

standards implemented by the London government and the Scottish government last year, both driving solar, show no dent whatsoever in build rates. Councils can take a clear line on their requirements, as Sheffield and Bristol have done so effectively, or they can take a more relaxed approach. But every council should take an approach. ON-SITE CONSUMPTION The other obvious area for solar investment is across the council’s own estate. Solar returns are at their best when a large proportion of power is consumed on-site – exactly the case for the great majority of council premises, including schools. The FiTs from 10-50kW provide a particularly sweet spot, such that we are surprised not to see far greater uptake. And no-brainers don’t come any bigger than where local authorities are undertaking a modernisation programme of their buildings that includes rooftops. Cambridge County Council, for example, installed 28.5kW(p) of rooftop solar when they renovated Brandon Court, which provides social housing for people over 60. Brandon Court now benefits from 23,543 kWh of annual energy generation saving around £1,765 per year, according to our estimates. Environmentally, Brandon House offsets 12.3 tonnes of CO2 every year – the equivalent of planting 429 trees. Even for councils where access to finance is

Energy

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At their most strategic and ambitious, councils are transforming who owns and supplies energy and they are injecting smart infrastructure into new developments from the design stage more challenging, Swindon has demonstrated the huge appetite among local communities to invest in solar alongside their council. The recent HMT rule change allowing peer‑to-peer loans to be rolled into tax‑free innovative finance ISAs, an investment most people are very comfortable with, has now opened up solar investment to the masses. Swindon’s ISA-eligible solar bond offer raised £2.4 million in a few weeks. At the Solar Trade Association (STA) we understand the economics of solar investment in depth (not least as UK leaders on the EC PV Financing project), and we know that local authorities can make solar farm economics stack up today while the commercial industry waits for the stars to align – indeed, West Sussex is doing just that. The potential for local authorities to partner with their own communities to finance ambitious schemes is genuinely exciting. It’s also a valuable opportunity for local people to invest for their future, given the very poor interest rates available these days.

The focus on solar power for councils should sharpen across key regions with the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) Solar Action Plan, published in draft, as well as the expected Solar Strategy from the new Metro Mayor of Liverpool, and the Manchester Smarter Cities Program supported by the new Manchester Metro Mayor. We’ve been delighted by the UK100 initiative where 67 councils have now committed to 100 per cent clean energy by 2050. Some councils have even greater ambitions, like Camden and Redbridge, both with bold 2020 carbon reduction targets, and St Edumundsbury, a top investor in solar, which aims to cut CO2 by 60 per cent by 2025. The progressive actions of the London and Scottish governments in support of solar have been in contrast to recent actions taken by the UK government, which have been deeply disappointing. No other technology has delivered such unprecedented cost reductions in such a short space of time, and provided quality jobs all over the UK, while maintaining unprecedented levels of public support. Globally, no other energy technology promises a bigger future global market. So it is difficult to see why the government has excluded solar, one of the cheapest clean technologies, from competing in auctions for clean power. Truly alarming was the business rate rise on rooftop solar for self‑consumption of up to 800 per cent from this April, a measure we will continue to strongly argue against as the new Autumn Budget approaches. Councils have been in touch to tell us how difficult this measure will be to enforce, since two identical installations could pay business rates at up to a 1,200 per cent difference, depending on ownership structure – truly a bizarre situation. Schemes can restructure to qualify for the (much) lower rate and information on how to do this is freely available on our website, though we regret its necessity. All of this, together with concerns about the UK meeting its climate and air quality obligations, make it more important than ever that the solar industry and local government find ways to work together to accelerate progress. At the STA we’re keen to do just that and we’d be delighted to hear from councils who want to share with us what they are doing, or to learn more about what solar can do for them. Storage will further enhance the many benefits that solar can deliver, but even today, solar can help you and your constituents to profit for your purpose. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.solar-trade.org.uk

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UNITED KINGDOM

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EVENT PREVIEW

EMEX 2017

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The top five energy efficiency strategies For the last three years, EMEX, organised in partnership with the Energy Managers Association, has helped thousands of businesses from all sectors to increase their energy efficiency and reduce their operational costs. Ahead of EMEX 2017, the show organisers outline the top five energy efficiency strategies that will be covered

Taking place on 22-23 November 2017 at ExCeL in London, EMEX is the must-attend energy management show that connects all energy users with leading experts, policy makers, suppliers and technical solutions. The show holds over 100 CPD-accredited free seminars and hosts more than 150 exhibitors. Energy is a cost to most organisations that has grown as a proportion of overall expenditure in recent years. All energy consuming organisations need to manage energy consumption if they are to avoid the impact of price increases on the products or services they provide. In this context, the case for investing in energy efficiency has never been stronger, and of course the cheapest energy is the energy organisations don’t use. There is considerable potential within most organisations in the public and private sectors to make large energy cost and carbon emission savings through the installation of energy efficiency measures. Content provided at EMEX is curated by the

Renewa now ac bles for 25 count of UK e per cent le generatctricity which i ion, s nine peup from rc in 2011ent

Energy Managers Association (EMA) and its board of major energy users and will include the opportunity for you to meet with top industry experts, peers and numerous leading suppliers that will unveil the latest technology and energy efficiency strategies available right now.

DOES YOUR BUSINESS MANAGE ITS OWN FACILITIES? Get on top of new government energy standards, assess risks and, where necessary, act now to make improvements that ensure buildings exceed the minimum energy efficiency standard or face the prospect of the value of your assets decreasing significantly. By commissioning or upgrading existing systems, you can expect energy savings of 20-40 per cent, which typically represent a simple payback of less than three years on average. With over 150 exhibitors ranging from major

utilities to brokers and consultants, equipment manufacturers to training companies, and showcasing a broad range of energy efficient solutions and services under one roof, EMEX has become a unique opportunity to learn about the new technology, systems and services available in this fast changing environment. This includes: the latest variable-speed drive dedicated to HVAC applications with ABB; emergency lighting for social housing with Harvard Technology; integration of artificial intelligence in HVAC and BMS systems with Ecopilot; energy-saving EC fan technology for air movement applications with EBM Papst; plus a full range of management services for multi-sited organisations with Ignite Energy, Sabien’s M2G boiler load optimisation control to prevent boiler dry cycling. Other notable participants include: Siemens; EDF Energy; EnerNOC; E.ON; TEAM; Wilo; E

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EMEX 2017

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Ensuring you meet your energy responsibilities

Maximus Green: a simple yet sustainable solution

Energy management is about understanding how energy is consumed, and improving energy use is firmly embedded and rising within many public sector agendas. The Energy Managers Association (EMA), the leading professional membership body, has been improving the position of energy management experts, establishing best practice in energy management and encouraging knowledge exchange amongst energy management professionals across all industries. The association acts as a united voice for the professionals, with the core aims of putting energy management at the heart of British business and building a career structure in energy management. The organisationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training programme attracts individuals into careers in energy management and encourages professionals in energy management to enhance their career, whilst also highlighting

Maximus Green helps you to achieve your profit and green energy targets with a significant and sustainable reduction in gas and oil consumption and related heating costs. High fuel costs, increased demands on systems and focus on industry carbon targets call for immediate effect action. The eeMGee system improves the fuel in the pipes ahead of your boilers and CHPs, giving you efficient combustion that generates the same kW output with less fuel. Are you taking action to improve your use of resources? Are you reaping the benefits of cost savings and carbon reduction? Change and you will achieve significant and sustainable reductions in gas and oil consumption and related heating costs; reinforce the value of your brand by leading sustainability; accomplish a reduction in energy costs; increase profitability,

the need for energy consumption awareness and energy efficiency amongst non-energy management professionals. The EMA holds over 50 training courses throughout the year including Fundamentals of Energy Management, 19-20 October 2017 and 1-2 March 2018. The courses are intended for energy/facilities/sustainability/ environmental managers, estates managers, building engineers/managers/assessors and candidates interested in becoming energy managers. For more information contact the team. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 317 62834 www.theema.org.uk

especially where energy prices are rising; and choose sustainable technology to aid you in achieving targets. eeMGee saves thousands for hotels, leisure facilities, NHS/care homes, educational institutions and government establishments, and industrial and manufacturing sites. References are available on request from these and many other highly satisfied clients. For more information contact the Maximus Green team. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01843 572 574 inbox@maximus-green.co.uk www.maximus-green.co.uk

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EVENT PREVIEW  Bowers Electricals; Gardner Denver; The Carbon Trust; Kingspan Light + Air; Wilson Power Solutions; and Green Energy Consulting.

codes will need to be amended will be covered, and the work of the EMA in lobbying for these changes will also be highlighted.

DOES YOUR ORGANISATION EMPLOY MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE? One of the most important energy efficiency measures is training, an area where you could save up to 30 per cent on your utility bills. Latest development in behavioural change can help your business to engage with your staff so they become active players in reducing operating costs while improving sustainability credentials, all this with no capital outlay and no interruption of day-to-day business. Experts and specialists in behaviour change will use the show to share their experiences, and leave you better equipped to deliver energy efficiency in your organisation from one-off projects to a strategy that is embedded in staff culture. Speakers include: Chris Mayhew, operations improvement manager at British Sugar; David Mason, senior sustainability manager at Skanska; Vassia Paloumbi, energy and environmental manager at the Bank of England; Dominic Pybus, energy and utilities advisor at the House of Commons; and Joanna Marshall-Cook, energy and sustainability manager at University College London.

HAS YOUR COMPANY SET A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN? Renewables now account for 25 per cent of UK electricity generation, which is up from nine per cent in 2011. Switching to renewables and green-tech is a substantial and yet untapped opportunity for most businesses to reduce costs and meet carbon emission target rapidly. Alternatively, instead of buying all of your energy from suppliers, you can install renewables technology, also called micro generation and low-carbon technology, to generate your own. Emergya Wind Technologies, Lightsource Renewable Energy, Norvento Wind Energy and Patchwork Energy are among those to present the latest technologies to generate energy from wind, sun and biomass fuel. Also exhibiting at EMEX, offshore wind market leader DONG Energy is leading the way in the development of sophisticated tools that enable businesses to be more flexible in the way that energy is consumed. It has come up with a unique way to help balance its own generation at times when the wind doesn’t blow. Also presenting at the show, Origami Energy is an ambitious new technology company, created with the objective of developing the technology and financial that are required to connect, control and actively manage a large network of existing energy generating/energy using/energy storing assets connected to the electricity grid.

DOES YOUR BUSINESS REQUIRE FLEXIBILITY IN ENERGY SUPPLY? The UK’s energy mix is fast changing and demand reduction is a key area the government is very keen on. Demand Side Response (DSR) is a fast-growing market that enables National Grid to balance Britain’s electricity system cost-effectively, while our energy landscape changes rapidly. If your business has the flexibility to increase, decrease, or shift its electricity use, then the power is in your hands to take full advantage. EMEX is launching the ‘Flexible Power Zone’ in partnership with Power Responsive (National Grid). This area is designed for the uninitiated to understand and evaluate this widely talked about opportunity. A dozen participating DSR and battery storage partners of National Grid will each give a presentation and be available to talk with you one on one. It’s your opportunity to find a supplier that talks your language and makes sense for your business. Participants confirmed so far in the Flexible Power Zone include: Dong Energy; EDF Energy; E.ON; ENDECO Technologies; Energy Pool; EnerNOC; Flexitricity; Open Energi; Orginami Energy; and Scottish Power. The EMA is also working on a new approach called Dynamic Response, which promotes a flexible load shifting through battery storage from off-peak to peak periods. This system will help you reduce costs through reduction in expensive peak time pricing, reduce transmission charges and deal with security of supply issues. This is a decentralising solution that will make renewables a central part of generation on the grid. How the electricity

DOES YOUR ORGANISATION USE A LARGE AMOUNT OF WATER? Since April 2017, over 1.2 million businesses and other non-household customers in

EMEX 2017

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

England could choose their supplier of water and wastewater retail services. The smallest high street shops to the largest public authorities can now shop around and choose their retailer or renegotiate the existing deal. And yet, only a very small number of organisations have grabbed this fresh opportunity to make significant savings when it comes to managing their utility costs. Companies operating in multiple locations can use just one supplier rather than several, which allow them to negotiate price on a much larger volume and to simplify the billing process. Some retailers will work with such clients to reduce their water bill through the introduction of water efficient kit and metering, forming the basis of a Water Performance Contract in which water efficiency savings will be shared by the client and the retailer. In Scotland, where competition was introduced in 2008, Business Stream achieved more than £35 million in water efficiency savings, experienced a 26 per cent increase in customer satisfaction, made available more than £30 million worth of discounts, saved public sector customers more than £20 million and helped customers save 16 billion litres of water and more than 28,000 tons of CO2 in the first three years. The Water Retail Company, SES Business Water and Water 2 Business will all be at EMEX to help organisations in identifying real saving opportunities and switching supplier. With such diverse solutions, knowledge and expertise on offer, it is not surprising that thousands of small and medium businesses, household names and many county and city councils are already registered to attend. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.emexlondon.com

There is considerable potential within most organisations in the public and private sectors to make large energy cost and carbon emission savings through the installation of energy efficiency measures

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Festive Celebrations

Fraser Cameron Photography

EDINBURGH

Well coordinated Christmas planning can prove positive for community engagement and local authority finances. Ruth Fisher, producer of Edinburgh’s Christmas, discusses the Christmas infrastructure across Scotland’s capital city centre, looking at the successes of the event Edinburgh is a city world renowned for its year-round festivals, so you can be assured that Christmas isn’t a low-key affair here. Together with the UK’s leading New Year celebration, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, Edinburgh’s Christmas is one half of the Scottish capital’s Winter Festivals brightening the winter nights for residents and attracting visitors from across Scotland, the UK and the world. The event brings significant economic benefits for the city and its businesses. As a city with world heritage status, Edinburgh is unparalleled in its beauty, with a gothic old town and a Georgian New Town. The Christmas attractions are situated across the heart of the city, affording breathtaking interactions with Edinburgh’s famous landmarks such as Edinburgh Castle and the Scott Monument. In 2017, this goes a step further through the development of the relationship with the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology which will showcase the city’s architecture and heritage.

FESTIVE LIGHTING A major aspect to any city’s Christmas celebrations around the world is its festive lighting. For the past two years in Edinburgh one of the featured attractions has been the Street of Light. A stunning light installation, using 60,000 light bulbs, which lit up both Edinburgh’s old town on the Royal Mile in 2015 and its new town in George Street the subsequent year. Working closely with the adjacent businesses to ensure the impact of the installation was positive, Street of Light gave us a significant focal point around which to engage community music and dance groups and develop a sense

Written by Ruth Fisher, producer, Edinburgh’s Christmas

Christmas in Edinburgh: a celebration of community of involvement and pride and ownership in Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations. One of Underbelly’s key priorities since being awarded the Christmas contract four years ago has been to expand the event into further areas of the city centre. This ensures that as wide a spread of businesses as possible have the opportunity to benefit from having official Christmas celebrations and added footfall on their doorstep. Although Street of Light proved a huge success, this year Edinburgh’s Christmas will announce a new feature for 2017, offering residents and visitors to the city a new, exciting and very different festive experience. E

gh’s Edinbur as Christm nce a ou will annre for 2017, tu new feaing residents offer tors a new, i and vis g and very excitin nt festive differe rience expe

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EDINBURGH  The sense of scale and the highly visible attractions across Princes Street Gardens, Festival Square, George Street and St Andrew Square may appear to some as centred around commercial activities, with the European Christmas markets, the fairground rides and the opportunity to take a spin on the UK’s only elliptical ice rink. But first and foremost Christmas is a time of community, family and sharing, and it is important to us that this ethos is embedded in the event in order to resonate genuinely at that time of year, particularly with residents. There are several events and installations across Edinburgh’s Christmas which seek to engage local communities offering them ways to become involved and celebrate their creativity and valued communities together.

The economic impact for 2016 is expected to exceed the incredible £119 million reported in the 2014 survey, and this is spend by non-Edinburgh residents only

Festive Celebrations

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

LIGHT NIGHT Light Night, the switching on of Edinburgh’s Christmas lights, is the largest celebration of Edinburgh’s residents and an opportunity for creative communities to showcase their talents to an audience of thousands of spectators as the festive season gets underway. Where the pinnacle moment is a well-known face switching on Edinburgh’s Christmas lights, the heart of the event is the hundreds of amateur dance groups and singers from all manners of local choirs singing everything from Christmas carols to rock favourites, to a massive crowd of thousands of their friends, families and visitors. Stages are erected along George Street and fireworks launched from Charlotte Square in a celebration which brings thousands into Edinburgh’s city centre for the occasion. Another celebration of Edinburgh’s younger artists is through Winter Windows. For the last three years school children across the city have been encouraged to create designs for a ‘stained glass’ window with the 25 winning windows being showcased in Princes Street Gardens alongside the Christmas Market. This competition, a local favourite run in partnership with National Galleries Scotland, will expand this year to offer more children the opportunity to see their work in lights E

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FCTP Logo_Layout 1 6/9/2017 1:21 PM Page 1

FCTP

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Fraser Cameron Photography

EDINBURGH

Festive Celebrations

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Light Night is the largest celebration of Edinburgh’s residents and an opportunity for creative communities to showcase their talents to an audience of thousands of spectators as the festive season gets underway  and stretch out the effects of Edinburgh’s Christmas to less central areas of the city. AN ATTRACTIVE VISIT Very deliberate work in broadening the reach and profile of the event has led to a 46 per cent increase in ticket sales from 2013 to 2016. Furthermore, 57 per cent of visitors in 2016 were from other parts of Scotland and the UK, compared to 43 per cent in 2015 and 38 per cent in 2013. In 2016, the event received visitors from 64 countries. It has also been shown to continuously bring in new audiences, with a third of its visitors each year attending for the first time. In building a strong brand and customer loyalty to the event, there has also been an increase in the retention rate amongst

attenders. In 2016, a massive 94 per cent of local audiences had attended in previous years, and 70 per cent of audiences overall. Multiple visits have risen from 40 per cent in 2014 to 65 per cent in 2016. These positive figures demonstrate the increasing success of Edinburgh’s Christmas for both the residents and businesses in the city. In 2016, 33 per cent of non-Edinburgh residents cited Edinburgh’s Christmas as their only reason for visiting the city, compared to 25 per cent in 2014. For 58 per cent of non‑Edinburgh residents, it was their only or main reason. Additionally, 76 per cent of Edinburgh residents cited Edinburgh’s Christmas as their only reason for visiting, and 96 per cent their only or main reason, compared with 38 per cent and 73 per

cent respectively in 2013. Footfall in the city centre was up 5.1 per cent in December, whilst the UK average dropped 2.6 per cent. The number of commercial stayers in Edinburgh grew from 68 per cent in 2014 to 79 per cent in 2016. The economic impact for 2016 is expected to exceed the incredible £119 million reported in the 2014 survey, and this is spend by non-Edinburgh residents only. It has been key to build Edinburgh’s profile as a winter destination and to expand the city’s offer leading up to Hogmanay. The strategy is succeeding dramatically with each year seeing considerable visitor records and increasing positive impact on residents and businesses in the city. Over the next three years, drawing on our experience and new ideas, we will continue to raise the bar, becoming the winter destination to rival all others, and continuing to create a positive impact on and sense of pride in the residents and businesses of Edinburgh. L

Details of this year’s programme will be announced on the Edinburgh’s Christmas website on Tuesday 19 September. FURTHER INFORMATION www.edinburghschristmas.com

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BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

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           

           

   

 

BILL WELLING, ESTATE MANAGER Unit 5, Burcot Farm, East Stratton Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 3D

01962 774432 www.woodmanntrees.com

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www.piggottsflagsandbranding.co.uk 01376 535750 Sales@pfandb.co.uk

FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ADD SPARKLE TO WINTER MONTHS

Advertisement Feature

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Good Christmas lights bring communities together, increase visitor numbers, and provide a welcome boost during the winter months. Christopher Stille, managing director of Gala Lights, explains why Christmas lights are a fantastic way of adding an extra sparkle to villages, towns and cities during the festive season. Everybody enjoys the magical sparkle of traditional Christmas lighting displays, but some of the more contemporary lighting schemes include elements which are good for social sharing – a 3D centrepiece, design competition, or significant switch-on. Every year thousands of families are drawn to their local Christmas light switch-on to enjoy the event and soak up the atmosphere, and there are now increasing ways in which local community members can get involved – both at the switch-on event and in sharing their experience via social media. Research also shows that a good festive lighting display results in an uplift in retail sales, which is great for local businesses. Investing in a good Christmas lighting display is a win-win for everyone. BRIGHTON’S NEW LIGHTS REFLECT THE CITY’S PERSONALITY AND CULTURE The city of Brighton received a fresh new look for its Christmas lights last year, making the display more in‑keeping with the youthful, vibrant and connected nature of its residents. Taking inspiration from the city’s unique history and contemporary urban vibe, Gala Lights designed a scheme which had personality and connectivity at its heart. The design included emojis and used #’s throughout to encourage social sharing. Brighton’s Christmas lights featured extensively on Twitter and Instagram over the festive trading period, with widespread engagement and support from public and local businesses. Brighton BID also received unprecedented positive feedback about the new Christmas lights from local residents, community groups and businesses. “Gala Lights helped us achieve a truly unique and exciting lighting display for the 2016/17 festive season. The positive feedback from the public on social media was unprecedented and the back-up support was second to none”, said Gavin Stewart, chief executive of Brighton BID. Some of Brighton’s most well-received Christmas lights include a series of words displayed across major streets with hashtags

Brighton clock tower

and emoji features, and bespoke mod‑inspired decorations hung amid icicle lights in surrounding areas. There has also been a stunning sparking ceiling of light cascading from the Brighton clock tower (pictured), and strings of twinkling lights hanging on significant buildings around the city. The lights create a magical atmosphere and are truly a must-see for residents and visitors alike. This Christmas, to keep the community engaged and the scheme fresh, Brighton BID is running a competition via social media for a new word to add to the display. Gala Lights will create a new decoration featuring the winning word to be switched on with the wider display on Thursday 16th November. ABOUT GALA LIGHTS Gala Lights is one of the UK’s major providers of Christmas lights – providing festive lighting solutions to local authorities and BIDs throughout the UK. Founded as a family-run business in 1994, the company takes pride in delivering quality product, bespoke design and value for money, with friendly service. In 2009 it joined Leblanc Illuminations, and together provide lighting solutions to over 7,500 customers around the world. This partnership means the company can design, build and bring to life illuminations for public and private

sector customers from large city centres through to individual outlet centres. Gala Lights designs and manufactures everything in-house, including tree lights, street decorations and lamp column motifs, through to schemes for shopping centres, architectural lighting and bespoke 3D figures. Whether you’re looking to refresh your existing scheme, add wow factor, or design something completely new, Gala Lights can provide lights on a purchase or hire basis, with installation, maintenance and storage options available too. Gala Lights customers include Canterbury BID, Carlisle City Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Plymouth BID and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council – drawing people to town and city centres for this crucial trading period. Gala Lights has also just been awarded the York City Centre contract for Christmas 2017 with a beautiful scheme, sensitive to the historic architecture. L FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01622 88 24 24 enquiry@galalights.com www.galalights.com

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OVER 500 STRING & FESTOON LIGHTS IN STOCK FOR NEXT DAY DELIVERY CALL THE EXPERTS 01423 816050 TRADE @ LIGHTS4FUN.CO.UK

2018

ORDERS NOW OPE N

SUSHI SAMBI, HE RON TOWE R BY HOL LY CL ARK P H OTO G R A P H Y

Festive Celebrations

CHRISTMAS TREES

Christmas trees: getting value for money The British Christmas Tree Growers Association looks at the supply of Christmas trees in the UK and the importance for authorities of sourcing them locally The British Christmas Tree Growers Association (BCTGA) was established in 1980 by a pioneering group of 48 members who were keen to improve the quality of the product they grew and to ensure that customers buying trees from them got value for money. In those early years, Christmas trees mainly came from forestry plantations as a seasonal cash crop or were imported from Europe, but some growers were already looking to improve the quality of the produce and the service to the customer by growing Christmas trees as a crop. This presented new technical challenges but also opportunities for innovation and development. Thirty seven years later the core aims of the association remain: to promote the sales of real Christmas trees; provide marketing information for our members; and encourage the exchange or information and ideas. The association is run by a management committee of 18 members drawn from throughout the UK supply chain and still includes one of the founder committee members, Peter Strawson. As the industry has evolved the association has grown from the initial 48 members in 1980 to around 350 members today, all of whom are involved in some way in the supply of fresh Christmas trees to the UK market. The members are located throughout the UK and range in scale from small businesses, selling a few hundred trees a year, up to large wholesale growers, growing hundreds of thousands of trees per year. Members sell all sizes of trees from seedlings and small pot grown trees 30 or 60cm up to mighty specimen trees of 20 metres or more.

UK. The dominant species is now Nordmann fir but Norway spruce, Fraser fir, Noble fir, Lodgepole pine and Corkbark fir are also grown by members. The industry has evolved considerably and growers are continuously working to produce better quality trees through improved understanding of the seed sources, ground preparation, nutrition, pest control and shaping of the trees. There has been considerable investment in specialist machinery for cultivating Christmas tree plantations and in harvesting trees. Great effort has been invested into making sure the trees reach the market in good condition in the minimal time. Recent innovations have been mechanical tree cutters to speed up the felling of the trees and palletising machines to net and pack the trees onto pallets to allow efficient and speedy handling from the field to the customer. Responsible producers work hard to ensure the trees are left for 48 to 72 hours after cutting and before they are netted so they are fully dormant before they are packed into pallets, this ensures the trees are in the best possible condition when they reach the customers.

he Today t st self mo UK is al t in supply n sufficieistmas trees of Chr tween five with be illion trees m and six n annually grow e UK in th

GROWING ANNUALLY Today the UK is almost self-sufficient in the supply of Christmas trees with between five and six million trees grown annually in the

CHAMPION GROWER The association runs a programme of technical and field trials to improve as well as field visits for members throughout the year, with the main event being the annual show and competition day in October which attracts nearly 200 members. On the competition day members bring specially selected trees which are displayed and judged for the prestigious title of ‘Champion Grower’ which brings the right to supply a tree for Number 10 Downing Street with the ‘Runner up Grower’ also supplying Number 11. Last year, for the first time, Stewart Kirkup of Dartmoor Christmas trees was Champion

Grower, and Runner up Grower, whilst his wife Jenny won the Champion Festive Wreath and was runner up, meaning their business has completed an unprecedented clean sweep. This year the competition is being held in Yorkshire on 19 October and we are hoping for record levels of entries and some fierce but friendly rivalry to be crowned the champion grower of 2017. SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION The BCTGA has developed their website and offers buyers the facility to ‘buy a tree near you’ and ‘buy trees in bulk near you’ as well as ‘search for Christmas trees and accessories’. These options allow prospective buyers to type in their postcode or address and then specify a search distance to find growers and sellers of fresh British Christmas trees locally to them. The BCTGA website has a section containing information for buyers which provides ‘technical information on tree types, care of trees, tree stands and accessories’. In addition, secretary Harry Brightwell is available to answer questions about specific issues. As our knowledge of environmental impacts increases, the BCTGA as responsible growers are always working to improve the sustainability of our product. We conduct trials to find the best methods for growing trees and to minimise the environmental impacts. Buying locally can reduce the carbon footprint whilst recycling responsibly. Recycling of Christmas trees has also continued to develop with people being encouraged to: take trees to green recycling centres; have them mulched to use in their gardens; use the tree to create a wildlife habitat in their garden; chop them into kindling and firewood to use in the their home; and contact Charity Xmas Tree Collection to use your Christmas tree to help local charities. Perhaps the most unusual use has been by zoos. Last year Dudley Zoo used recycled Christmas trees for their animals to play in, whilst Linton Zoo in Norfolk used them for their lions, and zoos in Germany were appealing for trees for their elephants to play with. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.bctga.co.uk

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Case Study

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Stockeld Park explains why their home-grown Christmas trees are so popular Stockeld Park is Yorkshire’s largest and perhaps most renowned Christmas tree grower. Christmas trees have been grown on the estate for over 100 years and today there are more than half a million trees in the ground. Since the estate’s evolution into a major growing operation in 1986, Stockeld Park has provided hundreds of thousands of Christmas trees to customers across Yorkshire and beyond, including local authorities, hotels, churches, garden centres and schools. The overwhelming majority of trees grown at Stockeld Park are Nordmann Firs, the most popular Christmas tree variety in the United Kingdom. The Nordmann is favoured for its straight central trunk and beautiful symmetry. The needles, which are dark green on top and silver-grey underneath, stay on the branches for up to 20 years – longer than any other fir tree. This helps to create a dense canopy from the tip of the tree down to the ground, and is what makes the Nordmann such an outstanding non-needle drop Christmas tree. Stockeld Park also retains a smaller number of Norway Spruce trees. The majority of these are 10 feet and above in size, making them especially suitable for outdoor use, for instance in public squares and other

prominent locations. The traditional Victorian Christmas tree, the Norway Spruce, is favoured for its classical shape and beautiful scent. The widespread use of the Norway Spruce as a Christmas tree dates back to 1841 when Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, introduced the custom of decorating a spruce tree with lights. At Stockeld Park, attention to detail and the pursuit of the highest standards of excellence are paramount. Throughout the year, every single tree on the plantation is individually cultivated by hand, ensuring the development of the very highest quality trees across all ranges. This is only made possible by the dedication and experience of our team, who have refined our growing techniques over several decades.

As Yorkshire’s biggest grower, Stockeld Park also maintains the capacity to combine high quality with exceptional prices. Unlike with many other Christmas tree wholesalers, there is no middleman at Stockeld Park, meaning customers can be guaranteed the most competitive rates across all tree ranges. And because every tree is freshly cut from the estate plantations, there is no waiting around in cold storage as with some other growers. Stockeld Park is a registered member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01937 586 101 george.grant@stockeldpark.co.uk www.stockeldpark.co.uk/trees

S TO C K E L D PA R K E S TAT E

From Field to Festivity! Homegrown and freshly cut Christmas Trees from the Stockeld Park Estate T: 01937 586101 E: george.grant@stockeldpark.co.uk

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Photo by Matthieu Comoy on Unsplash

CHRISTMAS PARTIES

Planning for a work event can be stressful enough as it is – but the Christmas party can carry its share of festive fear. Here, GB revisits the Meeting Industry Association’s advice on what you need to know when planning for the office festive event

‘Tis the season to be jolly. As the days start becoming shorter and memories of summer holidays slowly fade, it’s inevitable thoughts of tinsel, baubles and Christmas start to re-appear. If you haven’t already got your office Christmas party booked, now is the time – September is one of the busiest months for Christmas bookings and it could be your last chance to grab an early bird bargain. While the annual Christmas party is one of the highlights of the calendar for many employees, it can also be one of the biggest causes of stress for event planners. Putting on a party that pleases everyone while keeping to tight budgets is no mean feat, but with advanced planning and careful consideration it can be done. Budget is of course one of the most important things to consider, but current trends, finding the right venue and event management all need to be taken into account to ensure your Christmas party is a festive success.

Written by Jane Longhurst, chief executive, Meetings Industry Association

Planning for the perfect Christmas party

Festive Celebrations

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

g Choosinenue, tv the rightheming menu, rtainment te and en ke the office paid for, from the can ma as party one free bar to post-party accommodation, Christmyour team your team will that orget f love you for it, but t ’ n o w these days all-inclusive

MANAGING THE BUDGET The office Christmas party is about celebrating your team’s hard work throughout the year and ending the year on a high – but what do you do in the age of austerity when flashing the cash can be seen as ostentatious and unwise? Luckily there are ways of cutting back and saving money without sacrificing enjoyment. First of all, you need to establish exactly what the budget is so you can plan accordingly. If your company or department is having to cut back this year it doesn’t mean the party is over, you will just have to be a little bit more savvy with your spending.

TOP MONEY SAVING TIPS There are several ways of saving money on the Christmas party, starting with deciding how much of it is going to be company-funded. If you can afford a party where everything is

parties like this are the exception rather than the rule. Deciding to pay for just the venue, food and drinks on arrival or wine with dinner is perfectly acceptable. Guests hoping to keep the party going can always pay for any additional drinks themselves. It is also increasingly common to ask for an employee contribution to the cost of the party, particularly with public sector groups, but if you are going to do this make sure that you notify the team in advance so they can budget for it. Planning your party in advance can help achieve savings with early bird discounts, as can opting for a less popular date, as venues will often have reduced price packages. E

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festive

CHRISTMAS PARTIES  Try choosing a November or early weekday date, as Thursdays and Fridays in December are usually the most popular dates. If you have a large number of employees you can often secure reduced rates for large bookings, but if you’ve got a smaller team, looking at a shared party night could offer better value for money than exclusive hire. Booking a package can also save you money, while making your job easier by the venue planning and providing everything you need. LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION The most important element of your party is going to be the venue, so how do you go about selecting a venue that’s remembered for the right reasons? It can seem like there’s an overwhelming amount of options to choose from but using a venue finding search tool can make the job a lot easier. To help event planners find the perfect venue for their event, the Meetings Industry Association (mia) has an online search tool at www.youreventhub.co.uk that allows you to search all of the UK’s AIM‑accredited venues, filtering the results by location, facilities and budget. AIM accreditation is the UK’s nationally‑recognised standard for venues and service providers in the meetings, conferences and events industry. By choosing

a venue that has the accreditation, you can be assured that it meets the strict criteria for excellence, including everything from legal compliance, accessibility and quality of facilities, to the customer service proposition and experience, ethical codes of conduct and best practice standards. There are more than 500 venues across the UK which are AIM accredited, so there are plenty of choices to suit different budgets and requirements for Christmas parties. Aside from an assurance of quality, some of the key things to consider when choosing a venue are the location, the packages available, the catering and the style. Depending on where your office is based and the geographical reach of your employees, you will need to choose a venue that can either be easily reached by public transport or you may need to provide company transport to reach it. If your party is bringing together offices from across the country the accommodation may also need to be considered – either paid for or subsidised by the company. Choosing a venue that offers Christmas party packages can make your life a lot easier as your venue will look after all the details for you. It can also make budgeting a lot simpler too, as you can see the combined cost of venue hire, catering and theming all in one. When it comes to catering and theming,

Aside from an assurance of quality, some of the key things to consider when choosing a venue are the location, the packages available, the catering and the style Photo by Yutacar on Unsplash

the sky’s the limit – venues are getting much more creative with their Christmas party offers, so whether you want a traditional Christmas dinner or a fully themed night of entertainment there’s bound to be somewhere that can provide what you need.

Festive Celebrations

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

2017 CHRISTMAS TRENDS Christmas parties tend to go one of two ways – very traditional or completely trend‑led. Once you’ve decided which direction you want to go in it will make it much easier to choose your venue, catering and theming. Seated lunches and dinners tend to be the most popular option, compared to the standing canapé receptions which work well for summer parties. If you want to go for something traditional, then it’s all about luxury and making it feel as special as possible. Heading outside of the city to a country house hotel can help give your party the feeling of a quintessentially British Christmas and everything else should match – from turkey with all the trimmings to Christmas crackers and festive entertainment. There are also some themes that never go out of style – think old‑school Hollywood glamour, masquerade balls and black tie dinners – which are well suited to both traditional and modern venues. You can also bring Christmas menus up to date by serving traditional dishes with a contemporary twist in the ingredients used or the way dishes are presented. For companies that want to keep up with the latest trends, two of this year’s hottest Christmas themes are set to be alpine ski lodge and opulent luxe. The winter wonderland theme has been around for a while and alpine ski lodge can be thought of as a more modern, stylised and stripped back version of that. Think a frosted arctic colour palette with hints of earthy browns and greens, metallic accents and an element of the outdoors with natural woods and leaves and handcrafted decorations. Opulent luxe is all about indulgence and drama – bold, dark colours with gold and sparkling jewels, rich fabrics and lavish decorations. More is more with opulent luxe and it will give guests the perfect excuse to dress to impress and feel valued at your Christmas party. Entertainment is an important consideration too, to keep spirits high throughout the evening. The classic ‘dinner and dancing’ is still a favourite, but you can keep things fresh and fun with the addition of a photo booth and props, a wandering magician or interactive games and activities. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. So, however you decide to wrap up your Christmas party this year, the right venue, menu, theming and entertainment can make it one your team won’t forget. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.mia-uk.org

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Suffolk-grown

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The Nordman Fir has waxy leaves - ideal to avoid allergies

W G SLEEMAN Salisbury, Wiltshire Noble and Nordmann Fir (less needle drop) or Norway Spruce (traditional trees) Available in sizes 3ft to 15ft Call: 07967 593994 Email: wgslee@aol.com Member of the British Christmas Tree Growers Association

SPECIALISTS IN NORDMAN FIR AND POT-GROWN NORWAY SPRUCE

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Institute of Risk Management

Building risk management capability IRM in-house training for local authorities and the public sector

“The training feedback has been excellent; it has been so positive that two additional courses were arranged to meet the demand! ECC now has an amazing 61 employees with an accredited risk management qualification.” - Jody Whellam, Risk Management Advisor Our one day ‘Fundamentals of Risk Management for the Public Sector’ course was specially developed for local authorities and public sector organisations. It draws on our experience of training thousands of public and private sector clients worldwide and offers an economic and effective means of helping people across your organisation learn together about risk management, in-line with the ISO31000 and ALARM frameworks. What does the course cover? > How risk management helps organisations achieve objectives and optimise decision making > How risk management fits in with governance, assurance and sustainability > The types of risk faced by local authorities and the public sector > Risk management frameworks including ISO31000 > The importance of culture, communications and behaviour > Top techniques, including workshops, risk assessments and bow tie analysis > How to determine risk appetite and tolerance

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LEGISLATION

Fire Safety

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Fire safety legislation and refurbishment Catherine Nelms, of the Fire Industry Association, explains why fire safety legislation must be adhered to through any planning or refurbishment process Let’s take stock for one moment and sort out the mess of confusion that surrounds fire safety legislation and what it actually says. It is absolutely vital that everyone fully understands what the law says and what that actually means for buildings across the country, and for the people that own and manage these buildings. In the UK, there are various fire safety laws that vary slightly depending on location, but they all ostensibly say the same thing. For the sake of accuracy and preventing any confusion, here is the full list: Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – applicable in England and Wales; Fire (Scotland) Act 2005; Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations

2006; The Fire and Rescue Services (Northern to understand, apply, and comply Ireland) Order 2006; and The Fire Safety with fire safety regulations. Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010. Each piece of legislation refers to either Fire safety legislation applies to all a ‘duty holder’, ‘appropriate person’ or a non‑domestic properties such as businesses, ‘responsible person’ but they mean the shops, schools, hospitals, church buildings, same thing. This is the person who will be festival halls, and leisure centres, for example. held liable if there are any failings in the fire But it can also apply to housing associations, safety of the building, and the person who landlords, student halls of ultimately makes the decisions about the residence, and care requirements for the building. This could homes. This is not an be the employer of a business, or a Legislat exhaustive list but landlord, or the appropriate body it gives an idea responsible for managing a house says th ion a t of the scale of multiple occupation (HMO). a fire risk ass of the need All of these pieces of legislation e s s ment must b for everyone are freely available to E

out to i e carried evaluat dentify and et and riskhe hazards s the bui within lding

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LEGISLATION

 download and read from the gov.uk website at the stroke of a keyboard – simply search the relevant piece of legislation. This article couldn’t possibly cover the full breadth of the legislation in one go, so reading through the legislation is recommended. The Fire Industry Association also has a number of resources available to help break down the legislation available on the association’s website.

Fire safety legislation must be complied with at all times. This means at the beginning of a construction project, during any maintenance work and during any installation work on the fire protection systems in the building

TAKE ACTION First and foremost, the legislation – regardless of which country you’re in – imposes on the responsible person (or appropriate person/duty holder) an obligation to ensure that general fire precautions are in place to ensure the safety of any of his/ her employees, or of any other relevant persons who may be on the premises. This means that a fire risk assessment must be carried out to identify and evaluate the hazards and risks within the building. The key word here is ‘evaluate’ – because every aspect of the building (including the people within) must be thoroughly considered and analysed. Following that detailed analysis, recommendations for improving the safety of the building must be made, based on the hazards and risks that the fire risk assessment identified. The important thing here is to act on these recommendations. Make the necessary changes as soon as possible; failure to act could be seen as a breach of the law. It is also vital to note that a fire risk assessment is not a ‘once and done’ document – it must be reviewed regularly and kept up to date. Alongside these periodic

reviews, the fire risk assessment must also be reviewed whenever any construction or renovation project is planned – and throughout the life of the renovation project (especially since plans can change). KNOWING WHEN THE LEGISLATION APPLIES Knowing and understanding what fire safety legislation means for businesses and the public can get complicated. However, it is vital to understand and comply with fire safety legislation as it is in place not only for the safety of everyone within the building, but also for the security of the business. Falling foul of fire safety legislation can mean thousands of pounds in fines that could have been avoided if the correct steps were taken. At worst, failure to comply with legislation may lead to an actual fire that could devastate not only the building, but the lives of those inside. The key thing to remember here is that fire safety legislation must be complied with at all times. This means considering the legislation at the beginning of a construction project, during any maintenance work or alterations to the building, and during any

Fire Safety

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installation or maintenance work on the fire protection systems in the building, such as fire extinguishers, sprinklers, fire doors, or fire alarms. It is important to note that the responsible person or duty holder must adhere to the legislation throughout the entire life of the building – letting checks lapse may cause breaches to the legislation which could result in a fine or even a prison sentence. Article 45 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (for England and Wales) is the ‘duty to consult enforcing authority before passing plans’. This piece of legislation is aimed at local authorities who may be wishing to create new plans for a building, or otherwise refurbish or remodel a building. Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005: Guidance Note No. 1: Enforcement (a government guidance note issued in 2007) states: “The article provides for consultation between local authorities and enforcing authorities for the Order in respect of plans deposited with local authorities in accordance with Building Regulations. The provision is necessary to ensure appropriate consultation between those authorities involved at the construction stage and later stages of the E

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Case Study

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Fire Risk Assessment – an experienced-based overview outlined by ASAP Comply Recently, many ‘duty holders’ are looking at their fire risk assessments (FRA) and asking just how good it is and what it should be compared against. Each FRA should follow code of practice ‘PAS 79:2012 Fire Risk Assessment – guidance and a recommended methodology’ as a minimum. Published by the British Standards Institute, this code was produced in partnership with the Chief Fire Officers Association, Fire Protection Association, Institution of Fire Engineers and other recognised bodies. In paragraph 5 viii it states that the ‘fire risk assessment can only be validly carried out on premises that are in use, so that the actual working conditions, practices and procedures can be taken into account’. Clients repeatedly look at comparative FRAs to try and drive costs down. The cheapest is certainly not the best in this context. Lower cost FRAs are invariably not PAS 79 compliant and can omit fundamental issues. The FRA Competency Council has defined those who are qualified to be ‘responsible’ to carry out an FRA as trained, knowledgable and experienced. Former high-level fire service members, although

well-qualified, often miss key issues, while assessors who are highly qualified on paper often struggle to deal with the practical and operational aspects of an FRA. The top 10 issues ASAP Comply sees in its action plans are as follows: failure to carry out drills, testing and periodic maintenance checks; damaged compartmentation/lack of fire stopping around services; missing compartmentation in riser ducts; no fire alarm in higher risk commercial premises; missing/incorrect directional signage; insufficient/damaged emergency lights; damaged and badly fitting fire doors; missing/damaged intumescent strips and mechanical door closers; lack of joint visual/audible alarms in areas accessed

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by the public; and lack of fire training. It has been found that many ‘duty holders’ repeatedly fail to carry out some, if not all, the prescribed remediation works. Many ‘duty holders’ fail to resolve issues raised in the FRA year after year. Clients believe that by completing the FRA they are compliant. Who is responsible for policing completion of the prescribed actions raised in the FRA? In the light of recent tragic events, is a lack of funds sufficient reason to ignore them? To find out what a fire risk assessment is, please visit the website. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 151 363 2333 www.asapcomply.com

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LEGISLATION  life of a building. Regulation 13 of the Building (Approved Inspectors etc) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2532) makes similar provision for consultation by Approved Inspectors. “The consultation should clearly identify those fire precautions they believe are necessary and the rationale for those fire precautions. This consultation process should, therefore, ensure that there will be no significant increase in the number of occasions when additional fire precautions will be required after Building Regulation approval has been given. Guidance to enforcing authorities on the consultation process is provided within the Procedural Guidance 9 document issued by Communities and Local Government. “Where enforcing authorities are consulted and are of the view that likely changes to the premises when they come into use may require additional fire precautions (e.g. introduction of racking into a speculatively built warehouse), it will be helpful if details can be passed back as part of the consultation process.”

Fire Safety

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It is vital to note that a fire risk assessment is not a ‘once and done’ document – it must be reviewed regularly and kept up to date, especially throughout the life of the renovation project as plans can change Therefore, it is important that the local authority adheres to the need to consult the enforcing authority before any changes are made. USING PROFESSIONAL HELP It may also be worthwhile employing the services of a professional fire engineer and/or a fire risk assessor at the point of planning a refurbishment or refit, to aid in the consultation process, and to ensure the fire safety of the building. However, all the above-mentioned legislation states that anyone involved in the fire protection

of a building must be ‘competent’. The Fire Industry Association has guidance on how to choose competent risk assessors and fire engineers on its new ‘Fire Safety Advice’ page on its website. This page contains links to freely downloadable documents that highlight the competencies that fire risk assessors and fire engineers should have. The guidance is quite extensive to cover the core common competencies and should be consulted before hiring a professional. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.fia.uk.com

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FLOOD MANAGEMENT

Natural flood management – taking it forward

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Natural flood management is a popular subject these days as a potential means to help safeguard vulnerable communities. But how effective is it? And how can we take it forward? Steve Maslen explains how the system might be applied to communities at risk of flooding At the outset in any discussion on natural adaptation of coastal morphology flood management (NFM) it is worth to a form that requires minimum noting that coastal and river flooding are maintenance to sustain its flood risk ‘natural’ processes. Our conventional means and coastal risk reduction functions. of controlling these natural events, where they risk WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT l a damaging property or NFM WILL WORK? r u t a N risking life, are with This was a question the flood nt walls, embankments Environment Agency e m e channel straightening sought to answer in g a man ons seek dredging and flood the two‑year Working i t n e v r storage areas. with Natural Processes e t h n i it These engineering work wesses, o t interventions to proc varying degrees n a t u ra l p p o s e d work against as o eering n natural processes. to engi ntions NFM interventions in contrast seek to work interve with natural processes. NFM in river catchments consists of introducing ‘natural’ measures upstream to reduce the frequency and severity of flooding. Specifically, these measures target runoff from hillslopes, river channel dynamics and flood plain storage. On the coast NFM targets the natural geomorphic and coastal processes such as waves, tides, longshore drift and cross shore currents. NFM on the coast can range from the restoration of salt marsh, shingle beaches or sand dunes in a specific location to large‑scale

research to be published in October 2017. Following the floods of summer 2007 the Pitt Review concluded that flooding can no longer be solely managed by building ever higher, lengthier and heavier defences in urban and rural areas. The review emphasised the need to ‘work with natural processes’ as part of integrated portfolios of responses to flooding and coastal erosion. It defined Working with Natural Processes (WwNP) as ‘protecting, restoring and emulating the natural regulating function E

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FLOOD MANAGEMENT  of catchments, rivers, floodplains and coasts’. In the years following the Pitt Review, Defra, the Environment Agency, NRW and SEPA recognised that as a national priority research was required which would: draw together current research on WwNP into an Evidence Base; set out the limits of our current knowledge to inform future research and also to inform the monitoring requirements for implemented projects; and provide practical tools to promote where appropriate the consideration of WwNP alongside conventional flood risk management techniques. The research is now complete and will be published online by the Environment Agency in October 2017. As well as an Evidence Base it also includes over 60 case studies and broadscale NFM Opportunity Maps for England. The Opportunity Maps identify places where there is the potential to implement a range of NFM measures to reduce flood risks. They identify where measures such as upstream flood storage, runoff attenuation, reconnecting water courses with floodplains, flood peak attenuation through tree planting, and soil and land management improvements could be potentially effective. The Evidence Directory and the Opportunity Maps combine to identify where and what types of NFM measure or interventions might be effective by creating temporary storage for floodwater and slowing the flow. The

Following the floods of summer 2007, the Pitt Review concluded that flooding can no longer be solely managed by building ever higher, lengthier and heavier defences in urban and rural areas case studies provide practical examples of how projects have been implemented. Within each section of the Evidence Directory, users can look for individual measures to understand the science, confidence, and management of each feature. All the measures reviewed in the WwNP research, and which also appear in the Oxford Martin Restatement 4 (2017) review, do work in so far as at the plot or field scale each will operationally reduce runoff, create storage or slow the flow. Each could therefore contribute to reducing downstream flood risks. There is also evidence that many measures have reduced flooding at the farm and sub catchment scale. However, their wider effectiveness in managing flood risks is still not clear. It is proving difficult to demonstrate their effectiveness at the larger catchment scale, which is the stumbling block for NFM uptake. INNOVATIVE APPROACHES To address this knowledge gap both Defra and NERC are continuing to support NFM

Flood Expo 2017

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initiatives and research. In July 2016, after severe and extensive flooding during the preceding winters, Defra launched a competition to highlight imaginative approaches to flood risk management. The competition, which was open to all, asked ‘if you were responsible for managing the Eden catchment in Cumbria, what flood risk management approaches would you recommend, and why?’. This question was accompanied by the release of new, open data sets to focus entries on innovative approaches alongside more established methods for reducing flood risk. The winning entry was submitted by a JBA and Lancaster University inter-disciplinary team. The approach taken assessed flood risk in the Eden using recent advances in whole‑catchment modelling and recommended a range of measures to improve flood resilience. The measures focused on working with natural processes through distributed ‘natural’ flood risk management in the headwaters, but also included large scale flood storage in the lower catchment. It E

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 also included new innovative non-structural measures emerging from national projects. These included improved interpretations of flood warnings, interactive maps showing property-level impacts based on detailed models, and real-time event footprints. There is no one solution to improving resilience in the Eden and larger catchments in general. The work concluded that effective NFM needs to be widespread, but also combined with multiple larger scale interventions, improved uptake of property level protection (PLP) and improvements to flood warnings and forecasting. This work demonstrated that it is now possible to test resilience strategies rigorously by modelling catchment responses to events, with and without resilience measures, under a much wider range of realistic extreme event scenarios than has conventionally been applied. The conclusions of the WwNP research and the Oxford Martin review is that NFM measures can be effective in reducing the depth, frequency and duration of small flood events in small catchments. The key phrasing here is ‘small events’. There is little evidence that NFM measures will reduce flood risk in extreme events. Some recent modelling (Life IP) points to catchment wide distributed farm run off attenuation features cumulatively potentially having an effect at the catchment scale. The research now planned by NERC over the next few years is seeking to tackle this upscaling issue and establish whether multiple interventions at the landscape scale can affect the downstream impacts

Flood Expo 2017

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Public funding for flood risk management projects requires a demonstrable risk reduction, usually expressed as households with reduced risk of flooding or coastal erosion, and must also demonstrate a positive benefit to cost ratio IMPLEMENTING NFM Public funding for flood risk management projects requires a demonstrable risk reduction, usually expressed as households with reduced risk of flooding or coastal erosion, and must also demonstrate a positive benefit to cost ratio. The issue for NFM projects is the immense difficulty of establishing with certainty the scale of risk reduction, the scheme benefits and the whole life costs. By contrast, conventional engineered flood defence projects are not only relatively straightforward and risk-free, but the design and business case processes required for funding are also well established. As such, the conventional public funding model will need to be adjusted if we wish to promote more NFM which will require government action. A key characteristic of NFM measures is that they deliver multiple benefits. This good fortune has led to some innovative approaches to funding NFM projects to date and has also led to huge levels of community involvement in project development and implementation. Outside conventional funding for flood risk work, NFM project funding and resources have been made available from multiple sources –

from communities, from investments to deliver water quality and biodiversity enhancements and from research organisations. The potential for NFM measures to deliver water quality benefits has not gone unnoticed by water companies and the WwNP research literature review provides good evidence on these benefits. At least one water company has now identified where NFM measures will deliver both flood risk and water quality benefits as part of a whole catchment approach. The opportunities for future NFM funding to be linked to payments for land management providing a wider range of land based services are now openly talked about in organisations, such as the National Farmers Union (NFU) and CLA, as well as by politicians. This is perhaps one of the most likely ways in which NFM implementation will progress. However public payment to landowners for services is a policy choice made by politicians. It is also reliant on a myriad of different landowners thinking and acting in concert. As such NFM would be subject to changes of personnel and in attitudes. Both conventional flood management measures and NFM require ongoing maintenance for them to E

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FLOOD

MANAGEMENT

 remain effective. For NFM measures, our understanding of these requirements is not yet clear and how these can be secured in the long term is a further question yet to be answered. Securing benefits from NFM in the long term is a risk for NFM which conventionally funded engineering projects do not usually carry. The other way in which NFM can progress and is the one I would like to see develop quickly, is for it to complement conventional projects. The Defra competition work points to this approach. In these circumstances NFM measures should be accepted during project planning alongside consideration of conventional schemes. They would be part of a suite of interventions to provide long term community resilience. Introduced initially as part of a scheme and then incrementally afterwards, NFM can provide a naturally adaptive approach to climate change. If the existing funding model can be adjusted to promote NFM alongside conventional solutions, then its uptake will increase significantly and it will deliver many other benefits to society and the environment besides flood risk management. L

Steve Maslen is head of Environment at JBA. FURTHER INFORMATION www.jbaconsulting.com

Flood resilience in the north east The Environment Agency has appointed a new team of engagement officers to help communities be more resilient to flooding in the North East. The officers are working alongside partner organisations to help support communities in the project funded by the Northumbria Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (NRFCC). The £280,000‑a‑year project includes four new engagement officers spread across four areas: Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Durham and Darlington, and Cleveland. It includes helping businesses and residents to understand their risk of flooding and ensuring those at risk of flooding are signed up to receive free flood warnings. They’re also helping communities prepare themselves for flooding, such as supporting them to develop flood plans and recruit volunteer Flood Wardens in at risk communities. The Community Engagement Officers are working on behalf of the Environment Agency and local authority partners. As well as supporting residents and businesses, working alongside schools will play a key role in helping future generations understand their risk. Phil Taylor, Environment Agency, said: “We’ve seen over the last few years alone just how devastating flooding can be for communities, so

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Flood Expo 2017

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it’s positive news that Northumbria RFCC has agreed to fund these dedicated officers to provide direct support to communities. “In areas where the Environment Agency’s free Flood Warning Service is available the officers will be working to increase sign up to the service. “They’ll also be helping develop community flood plans that will detail the action each community or business can take to reduce the impact of flooding, and help them return to normal life as soon as possible should a flood happen. “And working with schools and youth groups means children can be educated about what it means to be flood resilient and ensure the messages delivered through the project have long-term impact in flood risk areas for years to come.” FURTHER INFORMATION tinyurl.com/yd38he7h

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The Neptune Solution to Flood Defence and Water Storage Founded in March 2014, Neptune Solutions has developed a solution that could prove revolutionary to the Surface Water Management Industry. ➢ No Concrete is required during the installation or manufacture of the system. ➢ Installed on any terrain thanks to an innovative design that requires minimal site preparation ➢ Rapid Installation is possible due to its modular nature and lack of foundation requirements ➢ Life span of at least 50 years because of the material choice, galvanising and 2 pack epoxy coating used on the system ➢ Reduced carbon Footprint through the use of recyclable materials, less ground disturbance and reduced water consumption

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To arrange a site visit or for further details contact: mike.mulvihill@neptunesolutions.co.uk www.neptunesolutions.co.uk

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

Geological, geotechnical and surveying experts

Designing retaining wall solutions for you

Land and Minerals Consulting Ltd (LMCL) was formed in 2004 as a geological, geotechnical and surveying consultancy. LMCL, also trading as DroneSurv, specialise in the ‘remote’ acquisition of survey, geological and geotechnical data using its Optech ILRIS long-range highaccuracy LiDAR scanner and its various UAV mounted aerial systems. The company not only has the expertise to acquire the data, but has the experience, software and hardware to process the data into formats required by a wide range of industry standard surveying, geological modelling and geotechnical analysis software. With its software, the company is able to undertake both the analysis and subsequent designs for excavations, embankments, tips and lagoons in both engineering soil materials and rock masses. LMCL was awarded joint runner-up in the Engineering Initiatives category of the Mineral Planning Association’s Health and

Blockwalls manufactures environmentally friendly concrete lego blocks from recycled materials. You can design and build your concrete block flood defence walls using our Virtabloc system. The blocks are 600mm wide x 600mm high x 1800mm long, with shorter lengths available. Patented Virtabloc Rs are ideal for use in flood defence. They are manufactured with ducts cast into them that are set to one side. The offset gives improved structural performance. Rebar is then threaded through the blocks and cement grouted in place. This construction gives the wall greater stability when designed with the correct foundation. Sea walls need to be strong and

Safety Awards 2013 for its use of Terrestrial LiDAR and UAV for remote Surveying and Geological/ Geotechnical mapping. The company has considerable experience in undertaking topographical surveys for a wide range of industries including quarrying companies, construction companies, media companies, television and film companies, property and estate management companies, local government, the Gibraltarian government and the Ministry of Defence. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01275 543 983 info@landandminerals.co.uk

capable of taking large sea storm forces. Reinforced concrete lego blocks are ideal for fast track, economical and strong walls. Design life-span is estimated up to 150 years with the correct material specifications. Each project Blockwalls looks at is very different. Blockwalls can help you design your project; the company offers a design and supply service, from simply working out how many blocks you require for your project, to full design including drawings and calculations. The configuration and design of the flood defence depends on the local site criteria. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 880 3135

Protecting the living and working environment

Geo-intelligence and asset integrity solutions

Interflow UK has 25 years’ experience in supplying and installing quality commercial kitchen ventilation and purification systems. This includes service ducting, pipe sealing, air filtering, grease separating and floor drainage technology. The company’s focus is on protecting building interiors from the disruption and destruction caused by water and ground‑borne gases entry into buildings. Increasingly, storm water flooding impacts on the built environment and Interflow’s flood-resilient systems help protect against the potential devastation. Products displayed will include Basika floor drains with backflow protection to prevent water from entering residential and commercial properties from flooded drain networks – seal up to 0.5 bar pressure. DOYMA watertight service duct sealing products work in conjunction with proprietary

Fugro provides geo-intelligence and asset integrity solutions to governments, asset owners, consultants and contractors across the world. From design to decommissioning, Fugro delivers the information and insight needed to understand risk and manage uncertainty. Clients rely on the company’s world-leading expertise and technology to measure, map, survey, test and investigate the natural and built environment. Fugro’s technical capability and global footprint enables the company to provide insight into subsurface conditions in the widest range of environments both in terms of pre-construction site characterisation and post-construction asset management. It helps clients build a robust understanding of their sites and their assets, facilitating improvements to programme, budget and safety. Flooding and water resource capability includes a complete

tanking membrane systems to protect and maintain grade 3 waterproofing, including: Curaflex C gaskets for sealing up to three bars pressure; Curaflex F gaskets for sealing up to 10 bars pressure; and Curaflex Nova gaskets for sealing up to five bars pressure – the new generation of gasket inserts with high density plastic frames. All DOYMA sealing systems carry their 25-year’s insurance-backed warranty for total peace of mind. Visit Interflow at the Flood Expo for more information about its ventilation and purification systems. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01952 510 050 sales@interflow.co.uk www.interflow.co.uk

Flood Expo 2017

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

range of imaging, mapping and modelling on land and below the waterline supported by meteorological, environmental and hydrological consultancy. Recent UK projects have included significant site investigations and marine construction projects, many requiring innovative access solutions to work in challenging conditions at the interface between land and water. Many of these have only been made possible by deploying the company’s fleet of specialist vessels and jack-up platforms such as the award-winning WaveWalker1. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +31 (0)1491 820 400 geoservices.uk@fugro.com

Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

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GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

16/08/2017 17:11

PLASTICS

Cumbria County Council: the end of the road for waste plastic

Road Maintenance

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Back in December 2016, Cumbria County Council began trialling a ‘revolutionary’ new product designed to make road surfaces stronger and more durable. Having spoken to the council’s Keith Little, Government Business details the use of plastics in road maintenance In Cumbria, roads face some of the toughest weather conditions in the UK so the council is always keen to look at innovative ways to maintain the network. Since the start of 2016, the Cumbria County Council has been working with local company MacRebur to trial their new surfacing product which replaces bitumen in the standard asphalt mix with locally sourced recycled plastic. Initial testing of the product suggests that it is not only positive from an environmental perspective, diverting waste plastic from landfill and reducing the overall carbon footprint of the surface, but also that it offers improved strength and durability of the road surface, thereby offering improved life-cycle value for money. In early December 2016, Cumbria County Council became the first highway authority in the UK to use this product as part of a junction re-surfacing scheme on the A6 near Calthwaite. Choosing this location for the trial specifically because it is subjected to high volumes of heavy goods traffic which had caused the previous surface to fail, it made the perfect location to test the durability of the MacRebur product. Cumbria has an international reputation for advanced engineering, particularly in the energy and defence sectors, so the council have been delighted to support the development of this innovation in highway maintenance. Councillor Keith Little, cabinet member for Highways and Transport, said: “I’m delighted that Cumbria has been the first council in the country to trial this fantastic new road surface. It will provide a stronger and more sustainable solution for road surfacing and filling potholes, and I look forward to treating more roads across the Cumbria network in the coming months and years.

mber In Dece mbria u 2016, C Council County t h e f i rs t e b e c a m ay authority w UK highal a recycled to tri surfacing plastic oduct pr

I’d also like to congratulate Toby and all the MacRebur team for securing such high level investment from one of the country’s most prolific entrepreneurs – it’s a real testament to their hard work and creative vision.” ABOUT MACREBUR MacRebur, based in Eaglesfield in Dumfries and Galloway, is led by Cumbrian Toby McCartney, and produces a bitumen substitute which can be used in standard asphalt mix, made from locally-sourced waste plastic and known as MR6. The firm secured a £1 million investment from Richard Branson in 2016 following their win in the start-up category of the 2016

Virgin Media Business Voom competition. Speaking in December, Toby McCartney, founder and managing director of MacRebur, said: “Cumbria County Council is trialling our innovative MR6 waste plastic pellets in their road to make this junction with the A6 stronger and longer lasting and reduce the risk of pot holes. We have selected plastic waste from Cumbria to use in the A6 road. Cumbria is leading the way in innovation into their road networks and at the same time reducing the plastic waste that is dumped into land fill sites.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.macrebur.com

Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

WINTER

Winter road maintenance is a seasonal pursuit The maxim ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ could not be more appropriate when it comes to road winter maintenance, writes Howard Robinson of the Road Surface Treatments Association For real road network resilience against the impact of winter a proper programme of maintenance needs to be undertaken beforehand. From April to September highway authorities need to implement planned programmes of maintenance that will ensure roads are resilient to the rainfall, freeze and thaw cycles of winter. Failure to do so will store up costly problems for the following year. If a road surface is not kept in good order rain water can seep through cracks and collect underneath. The water then freezes and expands forcing up the road surface. The weight of traffic then helps to break up the surface and potholes are formed. The significant consequence of not carrying out adequate maintenance is demonstrated by the 2017 Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey. Produced by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA), the survey reports that the cost to restore the local road network to a satisfactory condition is over £12 billion and that it would take 13 years to address the backlog of repairs in England and nice years in Wales. The Local Government Association (LGA), who report that the local roads network suffers from decades of under investment, believes that the pothole repair bill could reach £14 billion in two years. Over the remaining years of the decade the government will invest more than £1.1 million per mile in maintaining national roads – which make up just three per cent of the total road network. This investment is in stark contrast with the £27,000 per mile investment for maintaining local roads which make up 97 per cent of England’s road network. Road users are fully aware of the poor condition. A report from the RAC found that 89 per cent of its members are ‘frustrated’ at the condition of their local A and B roads with only two per cent believing that local roads

are adequately maintained. Motorists pay £46 billion a year in taxes but just £2.7 billion of this is spent on road maintenance. Cash strapped local highway authorities are doing what they can. Over the last year they have filled in over two million potholes. However, the lack of assured real long‑term funding means that much of this is expensive reactive repair rather than cost‑effective preventative maintenance that would have prevented the potholes from forming in the first place. Reactive

Roads need to be mon repaire itored, maintai d and spring, ned during autumn summer and in for the readiness im of wint pact er

repair rather than preventive programmed maintenance is an illogical approach, particularly as it costs only £2m2 to surface dress and maintain a road for ten years but costs an average £57m2 to repair one pothole.

Road Maintenance

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

SUSTAINABLE SURFACE MAINTENANCE Undertaking regular and timely maintenance of roads using surface treatments such as surface dressing is a far more sustainable and cost effective approach than allowing roads to deteriorate to a poor condition requiring more costly intervention. There are a wide range of surface treatments available to ensure optimum performance of roads that are fast to apply, generate no or minimum waste, lower the carbon footprint of roads and provide cost economies that allow local authorities to get the best value from their pressurised highways budgets. Timely intervention by selecting and applying the right surface treatment for the job will significantly extend the service life of roads, delaying the time when structural maintenance will be required. Extending the life of road surfaces by undertaking planned maintenance ensures better long-term texture and better skid resistance. Both are key factors for safety during the winter. Highway authorities have a duty under Section 41 (1A) of the Highways Act 1980 to ensure ‘so far is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow and ice’. This requirement is fundamental to the winter maintenance programmes E

Road Maintenance

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

WINTER

 carried out by highways authorities. Having ensured that their road networks are in a good state of repair during the road maintenance season of April to September, highway authorities should have a winter maintenance programme scheduled for October to March to ensure that they are able to respond to adverse weather conditions. This includes having: a well maintained vehicle fleet of gritters equipped with the necessary snow ploughs; access to snow blowers; drivers trained and familiar with their treatment routes; access to short‑term and long-term weather forecasts; duty rotas for 24-hour coverage; and adequate supplies of salt held in depots. WINTER MAINTENANCE STRATEGIES Highway authorities, together with their private sector partner organisations, need to ensure that they review and continue to develop their winter maintenance strategies. That entails continued investment in monitoring both road surface and weather conditions and in having systems in place that enable decision makers and operatives to use the resultant data to make the right decisions at the right time.

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

If a road surface is not well maintained, rain water can seep through cracks and collect underneath. It then freezes and expands, forcing up the road surface, before the weight of traffic breaks up the surface and potholes are formed This includes ensuring that treatments are timed so that the salt and grit are spread on roads prior to the formation of ice. Key to this is the snow forecast. On receipt of this, highway authorities will instigate a pre-planned response that may include the establishment of a ‘snow desk’ to facilitate co-ordination of resources. Salt and grit will be spread prior to the snow’s arrival. The vehicle fleet will be fitted with snowploughs

and operatives placed on stand-by. On the arrival of snow, the fleet with be sent out to spread more salt and to plough away any snow accumulations. For extreme snowfall dedicated snow-blowers may be deployed. Last year’s LGA’s Winter Readiness Survey demonstrates the readiness of highway authorities. It reported that councils had stockpiled 1.2 million tonnes of grit and a fleet of state-of-the-art gritters were

Councils forced to cut back on highway spending ready to be deployed with 75 per cent of these using GPS technology. The need for a prepared approach has been highlighted by extreme weather concerns raised by the Met Office that the UK could soon see a repeat of the high levels of flooding of recent years with a predicted one-in-three chance that there would be new record set for monthly rainfall during coming winters. The Met Office used a super-computer to simulate possible extreme weather conditions and found a 34 per cent chance of a regional monthly rainfall record being set in England and Wales. This also highlights the need for the roads to be well-maintained in the first instance in order to negate the impact of flooding and water ingress. Winter maintenance for the road network is part of the overall annual maintenance cycle. Roads need to be monitored, repaired and maintained during spring, summer and autumn in readiness for the impact of winter. Although the focus of winter maintenance is to keep the roads clear of ice and snow, the impact these have on poorly maintained road surfaces cannot be ignored. It really is a case of ‘a stitch in time saves nine’. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.rsta-uk.org

Driving in England is set to become more hazardous as roads are set to deteriorate further. New government expenditure statistics report that councils’ funding for highways and transportation is to suffer from further budget cutbacks as councils struggle to balance the books. The ‘Local Authority Revenue Expenditure and Financing: 2017‑18 Budget, England’ produced by the Department of Communities and Local Government, show that spending by local authorities on highways and transportation is set to fall to £4.24 billion in 2017‑18 compared with £4.4 billion in 2016‑17. This is a drop of 3.7 per cent or £162 million. The reduction comes at a time where it is estimated that the local road network has a £12 billion pothole bill which could reach £14 billion by 2020. Total revenue expenditure by all local authorities in England is budgeted to be £94.5 billion in 2017-18. This is an increase of 0.4 per cent from £94.1 billion budgeted for 2016-17. Howard Robinson, RSTA chief executive, commented: “For decades there has been a lack of investment in local road maintenance. With continued

Road Maintenance

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

budget restrictions local authorities are having to ‘rob Peter to pay Paul’ and are cutting back on highway expenditure in order to fund other council services. Local highway authorities are working hard to address the problem and last year repaired 1.7 million potholes. However, they are playing a never‑ending catch-up game that is made worse by ongoing budget cuts. Without a significant increase in funding our roads will go from bad to worse. “Highway budgets should not be dipped into to fund other council services. We need to have real, long‑term assured funding that allows highway authorities to undertake planned, cost‑efficient programmes of maintenance and not expensive emergency repairs.” FURTHER INFORMATION tinyurl.com/ybeyt3ab

Last year’s LGA’s Winter Readiness Survey reported that councils had stockpiled 1.2 million tonnes of grit and a fleet of state-of‑the‑art gritters were ready to be deployed, with 75 per cent of these using GPS technology Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

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GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

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EVENT PREVIEW

SALTEX 2017

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Taking care of our grounds and green spaces Those in local and central government positions who are responsible for the maintenance of parks and green spaces will have the opportunity to learn from the industry’s leading opinion formers, further their career prospects and see new products and services from prominent suppliers when SALTEX opens its doors at the NEC, Birmingham on November 1 and 2 This year, the show floor for SALTEX will be greatest – including the Local Pitch Plans. bursting with everything a visitor needs Mark will also will be participating in a panel to increase their efficiency and improve debate entitled ‘Funding the future of natural operations, and will contain a plethora of turf.’ With so much money being invested exhibitors representing the likes of play into artificial turf, SALTEX visitors will have equipment and services, turf maintenance an opportunity to ask the funders if there is equipment, fencing and a danger of natural turf being left behind. landscaping, sports surface Commenting on the panel debate, design, research and Mark said: “We haven’t forgotten l consultancy, seeds, the fact that the majority of l i w turf, aggregates and football matches in this country Visitors ber of m u treatments, and are played on natural grass. n see a s in action facilities services We have just shy of 800 t management. artificial pitches on our 3G produc the outdoor As well as register suitable for affiliated h e g h t u o n o thr s n o a wide range i t a tr of innovative demons area directly products on grass ide the display within outs halls the three large SALTEX halls, visitors to SALTEX will have the chance to see many of these products in action through the outdoor demonstrations which will be taking place on a grass area directly outside the SALTEX halls 6,7 and 8. There will also be a number of education opportunities through Learning LIVE – SALTEX’s all-encompassing, free-to-attend education programme. Learning LIVE will take place in four dedicated seminar theatres situated on the show floor and will feature a wide range of topics which could be particularly beneficial for those who are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of parks and green spaces. Helen Griffiths, of Fields in Trust, Andrew Scattergood, of Royal Parks and Andrew Gill, from the Chartered Institute of Horticulture (CIH), will all be participating in a panel debate entitled ‘Sport in parks – improving the user experience.’ The three experts will be on hand to explore sustainable solutions in challenging circumstances and recognising and rewarding good practice. Similarly, Mark Pover from The Football Association will be revealing a fascinating insight into the Parklife Football Hub Programme, which targets areas where pressures on the local game (football) are

matches and we are continuing to invest in these but there are approximately 23,000 natural grass pitches. Clearly these are very important, as is the quality, so we will continue to improve and use natural turf pitches to keep people playing and also attract new players. “We are currently spending two million pounds a year on natural turf pitch improvements and I believe that SALTEX is the ideal place to update the industry so that visitors understand exactly what we are doing and the targets we have set. It is also a good opportunity to address some of the negative rumours that are circulated annually and reinforce our commitment to natural turf.” E

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Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Solutions to all your groundscare needs All available from your local Ransomes Jacobsen Dealer. To find your local dealer visit www.ransomesjacobsen.com.

IOG/GCsol/08/2017

EVENT PREVIEW  MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE With the recent news of a falling tree causing fatal injuries to a groundscare professional, ‘Tree management and maintenance’ by the London Tree Officers’ Association’s John Parker may prove to be invaluable. This session will highlight the importance of tree management and maintenance on sports sites as well as in amenity areas and how grounds managers can work with tree officers to ensure safety levels are maintained. Nathan Davies, leisure and education principal consultant for The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), will be elaborating further in ‘How to meet health and safety requirements.’ In the seminar ‘Training for today – and tomorrow’, Neil Huck, national training manager for Ground Control, will be providing an insight into the importance of training staff with the right skills that meets the needs of today’s and tomorrow’s arboriculture, forestry, horticulture and landscape sectors with the government approved and employer‑led Trailblazer Apprenticeship Standards. It has been confirmed that the ever popular ‘Amenity Forum Question Time’ will be returning to SALTEX 2017. Professor John Moverley will be chairing the session, which

SALTEX 2017

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

‘We have just shy of 800 artificial pitches on our 3G register suitable for affiliated matches and we are continuing to invest in these but there are approximately 23,000 natural grass pitches’ will see a panel of experts drawn from across the sector responding to audience questions on a range of topics regarding pests and diseases. Panel members will include: Jim Croxton, CEO of BIGGA; Will Kay, managing director of Languard; Mark Pyrah, landscaper and industrial business manager for UK & Ireland, ICL; and Tony Saunders, area manager and professional head of environment for JSD Rail. A GREENER LANDSCAPE Those concerned with landscaping will be pleased to see an area on the show floor dedicated to the British Association of Landscape Industries (BALI). Entitled the BALI Zone, exhibitors in this area will consist of BALI registered affiliate members. BALI representatives will also be championing the importance of environmental-friendly, sustainable and renewable green products

on the zone and will be working closely with members to provide a comprehensive and attractive offering for stand visitors. Darren Taylor, BALI marketing and communications manager, said: “Thinking specifically about SALTEX and its audience, I think one of the most prevalent issues for us to explore further within our Learning LIVE sessions is the use of public parks, in terms of local council’s potentially charging for the public to use them due to the lack of government funding and subsequently the repercussions this may have on BALI’s grounds maintenance contractors. “Our chief executive, Wayne Grills, has an active seat on the Parks Alliance board, and through this Alliance, BALI has contributed to the government’s most recent Local Government Committee’s Public Parks Report, published earlier this year. We also have our BALI National E

Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

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GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

EVENT PREVIEW

‘Parks and green spaces provide a whole range of health benefits for the public, and so you have to question what happens when those spaces are not maintained. It’s an interesting issue and one worth exploring further’  Contractor’s Forum (BALI-NCF), which represents some of the UK’s major grounds maintenance contractors working on large contracts up and down the country. Ultimately, parks and green spaces provide a whole range of health benefits for the public, and so you have to question what happens when those spaces are not maintained. It’s an interesting issue and one worth exploring further.” Visitors can also visit SALTEX 2017’s new feature – the Job Clinic. Located on the IOG Hub (Stand C180), industry expert Frank Newberry will be hosting 15-minute one-to-one sessions covering CV writing to interview techniques. To book an appointment with Frank, visitors are advised to go to the IOG information desk on the IOG Hub as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Free personal turf care advice will be readily available by speaking with one of eight IOG regional pitch advisors linked to The FA, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), and the Football Foundation-funded Grounds & Natural Turf Improvement Programme. This feature will be available through the free Ask the Expert advice centre located on Stand E180. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.iogsaltex.com

SALTEX 2017

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

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A new offering from Belchim in the amenity market is Katoun® Gold containing 500g/l pelargonic acid. (MAPP No 17879) for use as a non‑selective contact herbicide on amenity vegetation (bare soil around trees and woody shrubs). For more information about any of the Belchim herbicides contact us at Saltex on stand A100 Call: 01480 403333 or Email: info@belchim.com READ THE LABEL BEFORE USE. USING THIS PRODUCT IN A MANNER THAT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE LABEL MAY BE AN OFFENCE. FOLLOW THE CODE OF PRACTICE FOR USING PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS.

Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Case Study

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Castle Group Ltd introduces its BS4142 Noise Assessment System for planning applications Noise is subjective and different levels and types of noise can affect people in different ways but, generally speaking, unwanted noise can have a negative impact on the quality of life. It’s for this reason that the developers of new industrial or commercial properties are required to carry out noise assessments during the planning stages, especially if the proposed development will create and emit noise and/or the proposed new development is nearby residential properties. Potential situations where noise must be considered include new developments, change of use, extensions and any other situation requiring planning applications. The standard used for these type of noise assessments is BS4142, which describes methods for rating and assessing sound of an industrial and/or commercial nature. There was a significant widening of the scope in the latest revision of the standard,

released in 2014. It now extends to include both industrial and commercial noise sources, as well as providing a focus on noise sensitive dwellings. The revision also takes into account the advances in measurement technology now available, and includes a consideration for environmental conditions

during noise measurements. Castle Group Ltd has developed a noise monitoring system dedicated to performing BS4142 measurements for planning applications. Castle’s BS4142 Noise Assessment System uses a version of their dBAir sound level meter which meets the specific requirements for noise monitoring equipment, including statistical parameters and 1/3 octave band analysis. Castle can also offer an optional weather monitoring station to compliment the system. The company is currently offering demonstrations of their BS4142 Noise Assessment System. Contact Castle Group to speak to a sales representative or find out more online. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01723 584 250 sales@castlegroup.co.uk www.castleshop.co.uk/bs4142

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U sales@castlegroup.co.uk v www.castleshop.co.uk/bs4142

The dBAir sound meter with WiFi is part of the BS4142 Noise Assesssment System

BREXIT

Brexit and political change: an environmental opportunity?

The Local Environment

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Since the UK voted to leave the European Union in June 2016, the environment has been at the forefront of Westminster politics. But how will Brexit affect the environment and how can the UK’s new metro mayors maintain a wide range of sustainable programmes for their regions? It has now been 15 month since the public of air pollution, with Whitehall plans for voted in favour of the UK leaving the improvement labelled as ‘weak’ and ‘passing European Union. Whilst the government has the buck’ to local authorities. Following a recently been publishing position papers disastrous and childishly-called General outlining the UK’s negotiating approach Election, Prime Minister Theresa May decided towards Brussels, much remains to appease public frustrations unclear - particularly in relation to by putting Michael Gove in environmental standards and charge of the Department 0 0 protections. To an extent it for the Environment. 1 , 1 r Ove l a is a little surprising that Gove, who has t n e ronm e i v discussions to date have previously voted n e K U ad m not produced more against eco-friendly e r e laws w vel, from promises or hopes measures such as e l o U for the environment, reduction in carbon t E s t a uard g e as local, national and emissions and f a s r e i international politics financial incentives wildlif efficiency, a e has seen environmental for low carbon n i ergy r n a e issues soar to the emission electricity n to m pollutioservation forefront of attention. generation, will now be con In June, US President, and the figure responsible for climate change hoax leader, delivering a ‘green Brexit’. Donald Trump shocked the world But while this all seems gloomy by announcing plans for the US to exit for the future of our environment, the Paris Agreement and oppose the nearly could the fast changing pace and changing 200 countries that support international face of UK politics prove to be positive for a efforts to combat global warming. Closer to greener future? Brexit, devolution and four home, 2017 has been polluted with studies more Tory years of power have the potential expressing the poor levels of air quality in to present an opportunity to create new the UK. The government has been accused opportunities, laws and local policy that of failing to protect people from illegal levels could lead to maintained sustainability.

BREXIT Since its formation in 1993, the UK’s membership of the EU has played a major role in our environmental protection. Over 1,100 UK environmental laws have been made at EU level, from wildlife safeguards to energy efficiency, air pollution to marine conservation. The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee reports that 80 per cent of our environmental rules derive from EU directives. So what happens to such legislation after Brexit is a fundamentally important question, and how the UK avoids environmental risks becomes a leading concern. Much of the success of the UK’s renewable energy programme has been the result of lending from the European Investment Bank (EIB), which has committed £8 billion of energy infrastructure investment in the UK. Such loans are threatened and, equally, so is the future of the UK renewable industry. Approximately 40 per cent of UK emissions are covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), and the UK is a net seller of permits into the system. Poor European negotiations leading to a bad Brexit outcome could cause havoc in the EU ETS and the effort sharing regulation needed to deliver the 2030 climate and energy package. Furthermore, foreign direct investment E

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The Local Environment

BREXIT  provides nearly 40 per cent of all financing for UK energy infrastructure, of which it is predicted that £275 billion of new energy infrastructure will need to be financed by 2021 to replace and upgrade the current network. The risks, however, go both ways. It is within the EU’s interests to seek a cooperative solution, especially when taking the energygy markets of the Republic of Ireland into account. All of the Republic of Ireland’s imported gas and electricity currently flows through the UK. Additionally, the UK’s Climate Change Act commits it to a 57 per cent carbon reduction by 2030, significantly higher than the 40 per cent EU target. A lack of a good Brexit deal could showcase an overambitious UK or an underachieving EU. In a recent briefing, the Greener UK coalition argued that as environmental legislation is transferred back to the UK, so will the responsibility to enforce it. This requires law institutions to be strengthened so as to avoid a domestic ‘governance gap’. The ongoing dispute over the government’s clean air record highlights the importance of having a system which enables disputes to be settled justly and impartially. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) can ultimately impose fines on the UK government if it refuses to comply with EU laws – a position which is likely to disappear after Brexit. If judicial responsibilities return to the UK, the courts that handle them must be adequately empowered and accessible by all. Shaun Spiers, executive director of the Green Alliance and chair of Greener UK, said: “A week may be a long time in politics, but environmental processes unfold over years and decades. Without strong institutions to hold government to account, nature can’t compete with shorter term political pressures – yet a healthy environment is essential to our well-being and prosperity, and that of future generations. If the government is to achieve its environmental aspirations, it must ensure we have robust enforcement mechanisms, rather than hollowing out the law.” METRO MAYORS London, which has had a mayor since 2000, has recently been at the centre of a new environment strategy, launched by Sadiq Khan. The draft London environment strategy proposes making all buses zero emission by 2030, expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zones and ending licensing of diesel taxis by 2030. On top of his transport agenda, Khan has targeted the creation of a London Green Spaces Commission to discover new ways to fund, manage and value green spaces, as well as a new Urban Greening Factor to ensure new developments are greener. Additionally, London will see the installation of 100 megawatts more solar power by 2030 and an ambitious 65 per cent recycling target for the same year. The plan sets a high aim for what is a difficult region to ‘green’. Nonetheless, it sets a precedent. Alongside the local elections this year

To coincide with the mayoral elections, a coalition of environmental organisations called the incoming politicians to urgent action to green their city regions in a report titled Greening the city regions: opportunities for metro mayors on 4 May, six new mayors were elected to lead the combined authority in their region. Combined authorities are groups of councils working together to assume powers, devolved from central government, over matters such as transport, housing, planning, skills and economic development. With six regions – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, Tees Valley, West of England and West Midlands – granted a 30-year investment fund, the scope for political change is wide, yet the assurance of change unknown. At present, all six city regions are failing to comply with EU limits for nitrogen dioxide. Each of the six leaders pinpointed green policies in their pledges before being elected, so we can rightly assume to see environmental policy high on their agenda over the next 12 months. For example, Labour’s Steve Rotheram, leader of the Liverpool City Region, vocalised his desire to ‘harness the power of the river Mersey’ for green energy, James Palmer, leader for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, said protecting the green belt was a priority, while Greater Manchester’s Andy Burnham highlighted an emphasis on bus use and more cycle lanes as key policies in his city. To coincide with the mayoral elections, a coalition of environmental organisations called the incoming politicians to urgent

action over greening their city regions in a report titled Greening the city regions: opportunities for metro mayors. The research included a Green City Regions Index which indicated each region’s strengths and weaknesses on a range of issues, from air quality to the natural environment and protection of heritage. In Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, for example, the city region’s top score on cycling reflects Cambridge’s ‘cycling city’ culture, but belies the picture for the whole region which has high car dependency. Furthermore, Bristol is still living under the success of it’s green city status, so Tim Bowles, metro mayor for the West of England, will need to fight to ensure the region’s achievements don’t become diluted. Alongside recommendations for greener transport and tackling air pollution, the report laid out how city regions could ‘prioritise investment in high quality open spaces for recreation for health and well-being’ in order to support the natural environment. Metro mayors, and the devolution deals that put them in office, appear to be the future of local politics in the UK. While they will inevitably fall short of all the requests and hopes placed on their shoulders, they present an opportunity to produce greener policies on a a regional level, which, if successful, could translate onto the national stage. L

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LuxLive 2017

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EVENT PREVIEW

At the forefront of lighting technology LuxLive, the UK’s largest lighting exhibition, returns to London’s ExCeL on 15-16 November 2017. Government Business looks ahead to the show LuxLive is the largest annual lighting exhibition in Europe, with nearly 8,000 people visiting across the two days in 2016. The show has over 150 exhibitors and offers those in the lighting industry almost 100 hours of talks, exemplar case studies and panel discussions. LuxLive is returning to London’s ExCeL this November with nine zones where attendees can meet industry experts and see the latest in the lighting world. Gooee, lighting and software specialists who provide Internet of Things (IoT) solutions to the lighting world, will be occupying one of those nine zones. The Gooee IoT Arena will be at the heart of the LuxLive show – both literally and metaphorically – and will be home to demonstrations, presentations, discussions and break-out talks focusing on connected lighting and the possibilities it is opening up to engage occupants and control our world. Gooee is also sponsoring a new competition specifically for the Lux Awards that will be judged at the exhibition. ‘Connected Lighting Concept of the Year’ celebrates imaginative ways of using smart lighting to create real value for clients, and entrants can win a trip to Florida to visit Gooee’s IoT Test Centre. Ray Molony, chairman of the judges, said: “This category reflects the exciting new possibilities opening up in the market and point to a future where lighting and the internet fuse together to save energy, deliver a responsive environment and create new digital services.” THE LIA LIGHTING ACADEMY Neighbouring the Gooee IoT Arena will be the Lighting Industry Association’s (LIA) LIA Live, where the LIA Labs team will be demonstrating its testing procedures and precision equipment. The LIA is Europe’s largest trade association for lighting equipment professionals, which has introduced the UK Lighting Sector Strategy, a joint industry and government strategy designed to set out a roadmap to 2030. Lumicom will also be showing off its mobile recycling facility in the zone, and the training division will be discussing the unprecedented availability of qualifications. The LIA team will also be hosting the LIA

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

Lighting Academy at LuxLive 2017. The educational programme will see experienced tutors from the association take attendees through the fundamentals of light, light sources, standards and legislation, and lighting design. Attendants will receive the knowledge they need to make better informed decisions about lighting in their buildings, and will get CPD points and a certificate once completed. The course is free and runs from 9.30am to 1pm on both days in theatres 6 and 7 at the show. LIGHTSPACE DOT LONDON Co-locating with LuxLive and Strategies in Light, and backed by the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), is Lightspace Dot London. Lightspace Dot London, also situated near the Gooee Arena, has lined up 12 speakers on the first day of the show and 10 on the second who will be discussing a wide range of lighting topics ranging from circadian lighting in the workplace to light, sleep and performance. Talks on 15 November begin with techniques. Lighting designer John Bullock, from Lighting Magazine, explains how to ditch the downlight at 9.30am, and Mark Sutton Vane, of Sutton Vane Associates, looks at the best techniques for fusing light into spaces at 10.00am. Following a short break, Masters of Light will be discussing how to integrate lighting into the fabric of a building, and how to bring creative lighting into heritage projects. At midday, Mark Major, of the award-winning light design practice Speirs + Major, will present a 50‑minute Lightspace Keynote, followed by a lunchtime debate and lighting quiz at 2.00pm and 2.40pm. From 3.10pm until 5.10pm, the topic will switch to humanising lighting, with a talk from Nick Littlehales from Sleep Coach about light, sleep and performance, and a panel discussion about the challenge of human-centric design with Kevan Shaw of KSLD, Mark Ridler of BDP and Mary Rushton-Beales of Lighting Design House. Wednesday’s programme finishes with micro talks from Arianna Ghezzi of Ideaworks, Gary Thornton of Neolight, and Nitika Agrawal of AECOM, and groups working together to

create presentations of their ideas about improving the lives of those who cannot afford high-quality lighting. Lightspace Dot London’s second day programme is not as lengthy as Wednesday’s, starting at 9.20am and finishing at 3.10pm. Similarly to its preceding structure, the show begins with discussing techniques, with Ian Frew of Migenius, Darren Orrow of Into and Mark Middleton of Grimshaw all giving talks about different things you can do with lights in different sectors. At 11.30am, the Young Lighter of the Year competition takes place, with four young finalists giving a 15-minute presentation before a panel of judges designed to illustrate their knowledge and research on a lighting subject. The competition is organised by the Society of Light and Lighting, and is now in its 23rd year. Another lunchtime debate will take place at 1pm, with a panel including Joe Vose of Light Bureau exploring the issues in the rush to connected lighting. The programme will end with Professor Nick Dunn of Lancaster University exploring the relationships between human and urban landscapes at night and the role lighting can play in making the city at night a place of discover, interest and joy, before bringing out the Society of Light and Lighting judges again to announce the winners of the best papers from the presentations which took place at lunchtime. The overall winner will be announced at the Lux Awards during the evening.

ng The Youf the o Lighter petition m Year co e at LuxLive, lac takes p four finalists with a 15-minute giving ntation on prese g subject n a lighti

EMERGENCY AND OUTDOOR LIGHTING Another of the nine zones is the Escape Zone. Those responsible for emergency lighting installations need to comply with the latest legislation and best practice, keep energy and maintenance low and, not least, ensure a building’s occupants are safe at all times. There’s also the responsibility to manage the risk assessments, testing, maintenance and all the associated documentation. The Escape Zone provides a two-day programme of talks, expert panels and masterclasses which will focus solely on emergency lighting. Ian Watts, of Hochiki, will kick off the day by explaining how to check if your emergency lighting is compliant, before an expert panel answer the most common emergency lighting questions at 11am. At 1:10pm, the team looks at how the range of solutions available from manual and simple stand‑alone self-test, building and site-wide self-test systems with remote diagnostics and the range of protocols available from DALI to newer wireless solutions, and the day ends with a panel looking at the gradual changes in lighting technology and what the future holds for emergency lighting at 2:10pm. Features from the following day include ‘five ways you could be breaking the law’ at 11am and the ‘emergency lighting summit 2017’. Atkins’ David Mooney and other summit participants will discuss the way forward for emergency lighting, including the need

for suppliers, specifiers, standards bodies and building owners to address a culture of complacency. It will draw attention to the fact that risk assessments are not always carried out and there is a lack of knowledge about emergency lighting requirements and standards, and will explore how to tackle these problems. The day ends with a talk at 2:40pm outlining how to reap the benefits of automatic testing, and where it is appropriate to install them. The Smart Spaces Campus zone, powered by Holophane, focuses on connected outdoor lighting. The talks, which begin at 1.30pm and ends at 4pm on both days, explores lighting systems with advanced features such as environment monitoring, asset management, parking information, lamp and ballast failure reporting and integration with third party systems and software. The day one programme focuses on lighting in the public realm, campuses and car parks. Bryan Lawrence of Holophane is to discuss how lighting has the potential to be the powered communication backbone for the smart city and can open opportunities for a host of data‑based services. At 2pm, Smart Spaces Campus presents a case study of Britain’s smartest car park, exploring how this car park can not only respond dynamically to the presence of both cars and people, but also provide valuable insights to the facility’s operators. Day two follows with a focus on infrastructure, rail and transport. A panel of lighting experts,

LuxLive 2017

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engineers, suppliers and urbanists at 2.30pm will discuss how data can transform cities and communities and make them better. The expo closes for Smart Spaces Campus with a smart lighting on the rail network talk at 4pm which explores the role connected lighting plays on the rail network to help network operators and TOCs improve passenger experience in terms of comfort, safety and security. Among these, the Strategies in Light Investor Forum 2017, Li-Fi Experience and Human Centric Experience will form LuxLive 2017. The forum takes place from 9am to 5pm in theatre 4 on 16 November. It will consider opportunities in lighting, and will answer questions regarding who is delivering value in the lighting world, who are the disruptors, and who will be disrupted. The Li-Fi Experience will be preoccupied with wireless connectivity delivered by the visible light from LED lighting, and will explore how this development could transform lighting into a backbone for information and free up congestion on traditional Wi-Fi networks. The Human Centric Experience will detail how lighting is changing to make spaces ‘more human’ and able to work for people. L

Some sessions are yet to be confirmed. Check the LuxLive website for updated times and locations. FURTHER INFORMATION www.luxlive.co.uk

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EVENT PREVIEW

Europe’s largest environmental exhibition is coming to London

Contamination Expo

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The Contamination Expo, the standout event of the year for contamination professionals, is coming to London’s ExCeL in September. Government Business provides a preview

Around 2,500 ion inat contam nals will io profess exhibition and al the attend orm the capit transf o the hub Running on the industry over two int y over r t s 27-28 September, the unmissable days. u d n Contamination Expo This highly targeted of the i nmissable Series will showcase the audience will be two u ays latest strategies, techniques made up of high profile d and technologies that further the protection of the environment and management of contaminated land, water and air. Finding the solutions to protect our environment is an imperative that both private and public sector organisations from across the globe are growing increasingly concerned with, and for good reason. Pollution affects more than 100 million people and is one of the biggest killers worldwide. More than one million seabirds and 100 million mammals die every year due to pollution, too. That’s why around 2,500 contamination professionals from as far afield as Japan and the US will attend the exhibition and transform the capital into the hub of the

visitors from some of the world’s largest and most relied‑upon environmental organisations; as well as decision makers from major international airports, councils, specialist consultancies, construction firms, and land and property owners. Visitors all attend looking for that environmental innovation or piece of expert advice that will allow them to steal ground on their competitors and prevent and manage contamination more effectively than ever before. INNOVATIVE EXHIBITORS The impressive profile of the show’s audience hasn’t gone unnoticed by some of the

contamination industry’s most progressive and relied-upon suppliers, who have added their names to the growing roster of inventive organisations choosing to reveal their most recent offerings at this year’s show. As well as getting the exciting opportunity to sell their existing products face-to-face to a room full of prospective buyers, these firms will also get immediate feedback from their target market on any new products launched directly to the environmental sector. That’s why 150 environmental firms will once again make up an unparalleled lineup of supplier exhibitors; all looking to strike up partnerships with the show’s visitors to help them transform their business and the way they manage contamination projects. Among the exhibitors are influential and well known names such as DEME Environmental, the Landmark Information Group, the LK Group, Exova Jones Environmental, Dynasafe International and many more. EXCITING LIVE DEMOS Not only will the Contamination Expo Series’ attendees be some of the first contamination professionals in the world to touch and hear about the latest available solutions, the show’s numerous live product demos will give visitors the chance to evaluate the potential of these products with their own eyes. Taking place on the banks of the River Thames over both days of the event, two of the most forward-thinking firms in the industry will display their latest innovations and answer any product questions from the watching audience. This year will see In-Situ showcase their innovative and timesaving techniques for nutrient monitoring with water quality sondes, and Vertical Access demonstrate a series of rope access tasks using standard industry equipment and following the BS 7895. EXPERT-LED SEMINARS Back inside, the line-up of supplier exhibitors is only matched by the schedule of 120 expert-led seminars taking place across both days of the event. Unrivalled in the depth of knowledge and information it offers its attendees, talking at the event will be the E

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Contamination Expo

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Warning you against airborne asbestos

Specialising in pollution response and remediation

Alert Technology Ltd, a South Devon-based business, has developed a life-saving new technology, ‘Asbestos ALERT’, the world’s first and only, real time warning device for airborne asbestos. ALERT is the only known warning device currently capable of distinguishing between asbestos and non-asbestos fibres in the air in real time, and does so by using laser light scattering technology in conjunction with the unique paramagnetic properties of asbestos fibres. Designed for people likely to disturb asbestos‑containing materials at work, the ‘Asbestos ALERT’ offers an early warning and will be a vital first line of defence helping to reduce the risk of prolonged exposure to airborne asbestos – the world’s biggest occupation killer, taking over 100,000 lives globally and responsible for 1 in 3 occupational cancers. Following the successful raise of £1 million in private equity

With thousands of incidents of contamination occurring globally each year, the rapid selection of appropriate incident response and follow up treatment technologies is vital to ensure remediation goals are achieved to the correct standard, safely and in good time. Remediation technologies range from the seemingly simple, excavation and disposal of contaminated material, to the more complex use of in-situ treatment techniques by chemical or biological methods. Understanding the pros and cons of each technique is the key to success, and employing a contractor with appropriately trained and qualified staff is essential. It is important to ensure adequate resource has been allocated to plan the scheme. Obtaining enough initial data will greatly assist in avoiding common problems which can be experienced when conducting this type of work. In addition, a full understanding

investment, Alert Technology is now accelerating towards commercialisation. Alert’s lead investor, Narec Capital Ltd (NCL), one of the UK’s leading early stage technology investors, immediately saw the global potential in Alert’s technology and management team and backed the company with a £500,000 investment made through the Kent County Council supported Discovery Park Technology Investment Fund (DPTIF). Visit ALERT at the Contamination Expo, 27-28 Sept, on stand C4120. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 018103 540 154 info@asbestos-alert.com

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and characterisation of the underlying soil, geology and groundwater regime will avoid selection of the incorrect technique, which may lead to issues such as degradation of soil structure or encouraging contaminant migration which can have potentially catastrophic effects for neighbouring third parties, the environment, building structures or all three. Visit Raw Technology Limited at the Contamination Expo, Stand No C9160. Andy Kyle will be speaking in Theatre 10 on Wednesday 27 September at 14.45pm. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0345 166 8491 raw.enquiries@raw-group.com

EVENT PREVIEW  likes of Deltares’ Dr. Frank Kleissen on spill assessment and operational modelling techniques; the Environmental Industries Commission’s Matthew Farrow on Brexit and the politics of environmental regulation; and Pageotechnical’s Peter Atchison on the principles and practices of ground gas. Subjects such as asbestos removal, preventing waste crime, the invasion of Japanese knotweed, and on-site analysis will also be covered by the Expo’s all‑encompassing seminar schedule. What’s more, every seminar at the Contamination Expo Series is CPD-accredited. For visitors, this means they will not only receive invaluable industry insight, but also coveted CPD points - making the show’s schedule of seminars perfect for all contamination professionals looking to add to both their skills and knowledge. If all that doesn’t quite make the show mouthwatering enough, there is also a plethora of interactive masterclasses, one‑to‑one advice sessions and insightful real‑life case studies; with the chance for visitors to question and pick the brains of the industry’s major players, suppliers and influencers. SIX SHOWS IN ONE Moreover, this year’s Contamination Expo Series has put more emphasis on the areas that matter than ever before ‑ firmly focused on highlighting and demonstrating only the most efficient and cost-effective methods of preventing and handling contamination. For the very first time, a visitor’s free ticket to the series will allow them to freely filter between six shows that are specifically dedicated to six different contamination fields: Land Remediation Expo; Spill Response Expo; Clean Air Technology Expo; Hazardous Materials Expo; Nuclear Decommissioning & Remediation Expo; and Geotechnical & Geoenvironmental Expo. These six zones have been carefully crafted to ensure that each individual attendee is able to easily find the specialist knowledge and

Subjects such as asbestos removal, preventing waste crime, the invasion of Japanese knotweed, and on-site analysis will all be covered by the Expo’s all-encompassing seminar schedule ingenious innovations most relevant to their contamination field; allowing them to make the most of their time at this action-packed event. This means that any contamination professional - no matter which sector they work in - will return from the show brimming with inspiration and new ideas on how to better prevent and manage contamination. WORLD-CLASS NEIGHBOURING EVENTS Attendees will also have access to the Flood Expo and Marine & Coastal Civil Engineering Expo located next door, which makes this the most comprehensive exhibition and conference on the environmental sector calendar. The close relationship between the three shows means that contamination professionals will find information and innovations relevant to them and their business at all three events. At the M&CCE Expo, visitors will find the UK’s most exciting platform for global infrastructural solutions and innovative engineering concepts in coastal and marine projects. Attracting thousands of marine and coastal engineers, flood authorities, coastal management professionals and business owners; the show gathers the foremost and economically viable solutions to challenging civil engineering projects under one roof. At the neighbouring and award-winning Flood Expo, the innovations shaping the way flooding is predicted, prevented and managed across the globe will be on show to around 3,000 forward-thinking professionals working in flood defence, prevention, resilience and risk management. NETWORK WITH THE EA The growing reputation of the Contamination Expo Series is highlighted

Contamination Expo

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

by the continued sponsorship from the Environment Agency – who will be offering advice, guidance, support and unrivalled networking opportunities for contamination, sustainability and environment professionals in the Environment Agency Networking Area. The public body will also be leading a host of their own informative seminars across the two-day event, with special guest speakers including the likes of the EA’s invasive species specialist, Trevor Renals. RETURN OF THE AWARDS To top if off, the Contamination Innovation Awards will also be returning to 2017’s event. The awards celebrate the most outstanding examples of cutting-edge equipment, products and services that have made the biggest impact on the contamination industry over the past 12 months. A judging panel comprising of some of the biggest and most respected voices in the sector will choose one winner for each of the three awards on offer – Asbestos Award; Land Management Award; and Innovation Award – making these a set of illustrious and highly sought-after accolades. With all this and more packed into one room – at the show that has become the home of innovation in the contamination field – you can’t afford to miss this event if your work, business or land depends on you identifying, preventing and managing potentially life‑threatening and destructive contaminants. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.contaminationexpo.com

Trusted specialists in hazard management Tersus is the trading name of Tersus Consultancy Limited and was formed following the union of two well-respected and long-standing asbestos consultancies in 2005, which, for more than twenty six years, had specialised in asbestos, Fibrecount UK Limited and Argus Laboratories Limited. First incorporated in September 1986, Tersus is able to offer clients the very best of our experience. Tersus maintains accreditation for asbestos surveying, air monitoring and clearance testing, bulk identification and bulk sampling. In addition to these services, the company offers a completely managed service of all your asbestos obligations

including project management and training. Tersus has many years’ experience in the following sectors: public sector including local authorities; housing; retail; banking; leisure; industrial; military establishments and schools and higher education authorities.

Tersus also provides Legionella testing and landlord checks including: Fire Safety FRA Assessment; Fire Compartmentation Survey; Gas Safety Audit; Electrical Safety Audit; Health and Safety Audit; Radon Testing and General Overview of Stock Condition Status. Tersus is accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) for testing and inspection to ISO/ IEC 17020 and ISO/IEC 17025. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0121 270 2550 requests@tersusgroup.co.uk www.tersusgroup.co.uk

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Conference and Events Make your next event a big success

From committee meetings or training sessions to residential retreats and international conferences, our four campuses in the North West of England provide the perfect setting for a diverse range of events. With over 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry, customer satisfaction is at the heart of our provision. We pride ourselves on being flexible to the changing needs of our guests and our dedicated conference team work with you before, during and after your event.

Meetings

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Accommodation

• Meeting rooms, lecture theatres, function rooms, IT suites, exhibition space

• Regional suppliers used for all fresh produce

• Catering and self-catering packages available.

• Catering available for events from small lunches to impressive gala dinners for up to 200

• Single study bedrooms - shared and ensuite facilities

• Technical and AV facilities and support • Wifi and networked internet access • On campus parking

• Create menus based on your requirements, themes, special diets and preferences

www.cumbria.ac.uk/conferences

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ACADEMIC VENUES

Unlocking event resources inside our universities

As academic venues are continually investing in their venues and facilities, Government Business examines the benefits to the public sector using these facilities With state-of-the art audio visual support, this benefit that the meetings and events a mix of old and new facilities and first-rate sector is today recognised as a core revenue on-site accommodation, academic venues stream for the academic venue, with its provide a one-stop-shop approach to modern importance placed almost equally as high conferencing. Complementing their great as the income received from students. facilities, universities are also a great source As such, most operate under a dedicated of speakers and support material, therefore brand with a specialist team of managers, enabling a link with research and development and continually invest in the upkeep and that is being undertaken by the students. improvement of their facilities. Where But it is not only the organiser and venue others may have ceased, this investment that benefits. Profits that are generated has continued right throughout the difficult from playing host to meetings and events economic climate, with the academic venue are reinvested directly into the universities. being seen as a safe investment, supported This revenue means buildings can heavily by the stable and regular be updated, whilst research income brought in by students programmes and other which has been largely e r o M learning facilities benefit unaffected by the n from a boost in resources, economic downturn. ften thaofits o r helping to pave the way p y not, an ed from for the country’s next FLEXIBLE t a r e generation of business OFFERING t n a e g held s e and thought leaders. With large scale c n e r e r a s e confe It is because of facilities that have u n ve

ic academly reinvested direct into the back rsity unive

been built specifically to create the optimum learning environment, the academic venue is a popular choice for hosting associations and for other large scale conferences and conventions. But with the addition of some of the more unique sections of the university being opened up for use, away from the traditional lecture theatres, they have also become a popular choice for gala events, awards dinners and Christmas parties. Sports facilities are also another great asset, playing host to tournaments and team building for many different groups. Typically, you’ll find lecture theatres and venues equipped with modern audio-visual equipment and comfortable furniture and fittings. The 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. All of the venues are supported by a vast amount of modern accommodation on site. Where much of this is only available outside of term time, many now have purpose‑built accommodation or hotels on site, which are usable all year round. In addition, many work closely with neighbouring accommodation providers to offer low-cost options to delegates. E

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Conferences & Events

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Contact our venue hire team to book: T: +44 (0)20 7973 1248 enquiries@onebirdcagewalk.com www.onebirdcagewalk.com

One Birdcage Walk, home of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, offers meeting and event spaces in the heart of Westminster. Overlooking St James’s Park and just minutes away from HM Treasury, the Houses of Parliament and Horse Guards Parade; our flexible venue can host a range of events – from lectures, conferences, meetings, away days, seminars and training courses to drinks receptions and fine dining events. We can accommodate events from 5 to 210 guests.

THE SMART VENUE CHOICE From historic townhouses to modern lecture theatres, our 200 rooms in central London are the smart choice for your next event. Award-winning catering State-of-the-art AV Locations in zone 1 and 2 Spaces for 10 to 740 guests Dedicated events team 020 7594 9494 | venues@imperial.ac.uk

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Conferences & Events

ACADEMIC VENUES

 ACADEMIC DISTINCTION Close ties with learning excellence and the ability to link with academic colleagues to enhance events adds further value. For event organisers looking to attract speakers who are experts in a specific academic field, universities often offer a wealth of relevant resources – for example, a medical conference can enjoy a keynote speech from an esteemed lecturer in the field. With ongoing research being carried out, the unique resources that universities offer become more fitting for a conference. Experts in their own field are also often keen to showcase the university where they are based and conference teams based at universities can help organisers to find a relevant speaker from sources on campus. More often than not, any profits generated from conferences held at academic venues are directly reinvested back into the university. This revenue means buildings can be updated, whilst research programmes and other learning facilities benefit from a boost in resources, helping to pave the way for the country’s next generation of business and thought leaders. Offering conferencing options becomes not just an additional service, but a source of revenue. KEEP IT ON CAMPUS Back in 2011, the University of Manchester orchestrated the Keep It On Campus campaign to encourage colleagues to use university venues and catering services rather than take money outside of the university.

In 2011, the University of Manchester orchestrated the Keep It On Campus campaign to encourage colleagues to use university venues and catering services rather than take money outside of the university This would save the establishment money that could be reinvested in research and education, and supports the university’s agenda of social responsibility. On top of this, the university offers conferencing parties the use of the 18 employed, professional chefs and other high calibre catering staff. Sarah Evans, sales manager for conferences and venues, said: “The Keep It On Campus events provide a great opportunity for us to meet colleagues and showcase the University’s venues. When colleagues see what we have inside the University we very soon after see them enquire about availability for their next event. Although our Keep it on Campus events are aimed at university staff our dedicated conference sales staff are always more than happy to show external clients our facilities and let them experience our catering at a time convenient to them.” FAIR PRICING While many venues have clearly had to adjust their pricing strategies as a consequence of the recession, academic venues have largely avoided entering a rate slashing competition.

Excessively reducing rates invariably leads to a compromise on standards and investment in areas of the business such as staff, improvements and maintenance. This is a concession it is unwilling to embark upon as they know customers have come to rely upon and expect high levels of service. That said, some clients have been lured away by the prospect of lower rates. However, the majority of these customers have since returned as they recognise that despite a slight differential in a 24‑hour rate, the inevitable compromise on aspects like service standards, cleanliness or quality of food, plus the creep of additional costs for extras, has had a detrimental effect on their event’s objectives. The academic sector now rightfully accounts for a significant percentage of the multi-billion pound events, conferences and meetings sector. The combination of expert staff, the advantages of a university setting, a core focus on quality content and attractive rates have shown organisers that academic venues are the ideal solution for their delegates – whatever the question. L

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Event flags

Festival flags

Festival flags, stand 8m tall and are great for large festivals and open spaces, there bright colours and vibrancy bring attention to your event for miles around, my festival flags also come in a massive array of colours and designs. The Event flags, stand 5.7m tall and are 1.2m wide, so as you can imagine they make a great impression at any event or at any garden party. My event flags come in a massive array of colours and designs, they are quick and easy to install. Flags are a really great way of adding a big splash of colour to any event small or large. I also offer a manufacturing service where I make bespoke flags to order.

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Conferences & Events

EVENT SUPPLIES

Andrew Harrison explores how event suppliers can help make public sector meetings a success Live events fulfil many functions, from bringing together large groups of people for learning and information sharing purposes, to raising awareness of issues or bringing customers and businesses together. If you’ve ever organised an event for local or central government, you’ll already appreciate what a complex business it can be. Whether it’s a conference, service launch or internal staff function, you only have the one opportunity to get it right. You need to simultaneously choreograph all the services and supplies needed to make your event a complete success and ensure the guests or visitors know where and when to arrive. Then you have to be the ringmaster that brings it all together on time and within budget. The larger an event is, the trickier it becomes to synchronise and organise its constituent parts. You can greatly increase the chances of your event being a success if your suppliers and service providers are reliable, trustworthy and have a track record in events, conferences or exhibitions. Event suppliers provide a range of goods and services that are by no means unique to their industry. Many other companies provide similar services, such as AV equipment hire or security services, but only a dedicated event contractor knows about the particular peculiarities and protocols of working at a live event. Event suppliers aren’t just experts in their particular field, they also embed a great deal of general live event expertise into their businesses. That means they understand everything else that will be going on around them and will be accustomed to working in the event venue environment. They instinctively know, for example, that carpets need to be laid before furniture is delivered, or that AV equipment needs to be carefully packed away before the stages and sets are broken down. What may seem obvious and straightforward to an event supplier can often come as a surprise to a ‘standard’ contractor – and when you’re organising an event, surprises are generally unwanted when the clock is ticking down to the start of the show. THE ESSA The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) is perhaps your best route to finding the quality suppliers and services for your event – whether you need 5,000

auditorium chairs or a simple pop-up display. We represent over 200 event suppliers and services nationwide that embody the highest standards of customer service, financial probity and excellence. They supply and install everything from giant projection screens and outsize graphic prints to coffee bars and digital signage. Whatever kind of event you are organising, our members will be able to help. When you use an ESSA member, you don’t just get the goods and services they offer, you get the peace of mind ensured by the ESSA Quality Service Charter, the ESSA Code of Conduct and the ESSA Bond. The ESSA Quality Service Charter stipulates that our members will always carry out their work to an agreed specification and timescale and that all their work will be explained, costed and agreed. It guarantees that all materials will meet the required industry standards, and that their work will meet or exceed all standards regarding health and safety, sustainability and environmental responsibility. Signatories to the ESSA Quality Service Charter will only deploy staff that are experienced and competent to fulfil their roles, and will always deal with your enquiries courteously. The ESSA Code of Conduct ensures that every member adheres to the highest standards of business conduct, ensuring they act in an ethical and efficient manner, in full accordance with the standards of the UK event industry. This requires them, amongst other things, to only undertake contracts which are fully within their capacity, experience and financial capabilities. Finally, the ESSA Bond protects you against the worst-case scenario of your chosen contractor going bankrupt and being unable to deliver the service you have asked for. CONVENIENT COMMUNICATIONS This degree of shared purpose and cooperation becomes very important for customers who perhaps aren’t regular event organisers. Whilst the largest events, like civil service conferences, are brought together by professional organisers who know the event industry inside out, the occasional organiser within local government may not have the experience to avoid the pitfalls and common problems of organising an event.

For smaller events you may only need a few items of audio-visual equipment like screens or projectors, a few free standing graphics or a complementary coffee bar for your guests. It’s likely you’ll look to your immediate locality for suppliers for convenience and easy communications, but you may be better served by an ESSA member from further afield, because they will embody everything I’ve spoken about above, and will bring a level of industry expertise that a general supplier will lack. One way or another, events are about bringing people face to face to communicate, and it is this that gives them a power that other media cannot deliver. However important or minor your event is, when you’re organising it you need to consider that you are in show business – and that means a certain amount of ‘razzmatazz’ is required. Without a little showmanship, events of all kinds can end up feeling a little flat and dull, but dedicated event contractors and suppliers understand show business. They will be able to help you refine your ideas for your event, and suggest ways of improving its impact and creating a buzz amongst visitors and guests. With countless shows and events under their belt, they will be able to tell you what works best for your conference, exhibition, roadshow or other live event. They can explain why some features are non-starters whilst others can help turn a good event into a really great one. Whatever the final purpose of your event is, it still needs to generate interest and engagement from your target audiences, and in an increasingly digital environment your event should provide them with reasons and opportunities to share their experience with their peers and professional contacts. Again, this is something that event professionals understand instinctively. They will be able to advise you on the most appropriate, effective and economical ways to create that sought after ‘wow’ factor to ensure your event gives the audience what they want, need and expect, as well as plenty of reasons to repeat and amplify the messages you want to send. L

Written by Andrew Harrison, director, Event Supplier and Services Association

Breathing life into your events

FURTHER INFORMATION www.essa.uk.com

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EVENT PREVIEW

Providing insight into a World of Learning World-renowned learning and development professionals are to provide insight at this year’s World of Learning Conference & Exhibition, returning to the NEC Birmingham on 17-18 October Leading learning and development (L&D) experts, including figures from PwC, J.P. Morgan, Barclays Bank, the BBC and Securitas Security Services, are set to share their expertise at the well-renowned World of Learning conference and exhibition this autumn. A highlight in the L&D calendar every year, World of Learning combines a world-class conference with an exhibition showcasing 100 L&D providers, The Technology Test Drive, Apprenticeship Zone, Learning Design Live, live workshops, one-to-one consultations and free seminars. Connecting those at the forefront of L&D innovation with an audience of senior-level L&D stakeholders, the conference programme covers key areas impacting the L&D industry today, from organisational agility to embedding learning within the culture of employers. Opening the World of Learning Conference is Dr

Fons Trompenaars, a well-known and highly respected name in the world of L&D. A consultant, trainer and author, Fons has more than 25 years’ experience helping Fortune 500 leaders and professionals from companies such as Shell, Nike and Merr increase their global effectiveness and performance. In his keynote session, ‘The future of workplace learning’, Fons will share unique insights with the World of Learning conference audience on how workplace learning must and will evolve, helping attendees to keep the future in mind as they accumulate knowledge and expertise throughout the rest of the conference. Also joining the list of prestigious keynote speakers is Geoff Stead, director of Digital at Cambridge English, Cambridge University. With more than two decades of experience designing and developing digital learning

Worl Learnind of deliver g will a combin valuable inspirat ation of i advice on, practical and strateg proven ies

products, Geoff will enlighten audiences on the latest developments in learning technology. Geoff’s continued leadership in the development of innovative new digital assessment and learning products allows him to share a privileged insight into the possibilities that modern learning technology can offer today’s L&D functions. Louise Brownhill, chief learning officer at PwC, leads the first keynote address on the second day of the conference as she examines ‘What defines a strong learning culture’, while later in the day Ben Betts, CEO of HT2, will present a thought-provoking session on ‘Campaign learning: your strategy to deliver performance support’. The pertinent topic of apprenticeships will be tackled by Mike Thompson, director of Early Careers at Barclays Bank, in his presentation ‘Building a successful apprenticeship programme’. At the heart of the conference lies a theme that will be tackled by Lorna Leeson, global head of Change at XPO Logistics, as she examines the challenges of managing change. In her presentation, ‘Unlearning’, the challenge of change, Lorna will illustrate how to engage leadership and support the teams responsible for implementing change.

World of Learning

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UNLEASHING THE L&D PROFESSIONAL Attendees who are seeking extra motivation and tips to make an impact should attend ‘Unleashing the power of the L&D professional’, to be presented by Jane Daly, head of Strategic Insights at Towards Maturity. Jane comments: “We’re seeing change on a huge scale and the pressure’s on for L&D; we need to step up and deliver. At Towards Maturity we’ve been researching the concept of the new learning organisation, a concept and model introduced by Senge back in E

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Ignite the fire in your people

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at World of Learning 2017

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World of Learning

EVENT PREVIEW  the 90s and described as an organisation that’s ‘continuously transforming itself.’ With increasingly global workforces, rapid changes in technology and a growing gig economy, now’s the time to revisit these ideas. “At World of Learning we’ll be sharing our new research and tackling six areas that can help business success, including growth, transformation, productivity and profitability. We’re going to be giving attendees the tools to change – it’s up to the audience if they run with them or not!’ Emily O’Mahony, head of Learning Development at Securitas, will join Barry Sampson of The More Than Blended Learning Company to demonstrate practical steps to designing a flexible, future-proof and effective learning blend in their session: ‘A modern approach to blended learning’. Welcomed back for his third year as conference chair is author of Informal Learning for Organisations and L&D expert Robin Hoyle. Robin will be closing the conference with his keynote session on ‘Creating an effective learning environment’. In his presentation he will cement in the minds of the conference audience the practice of embedding learning within the culture of organisations. Robin comments: “I’m really excited about the line-up for 2017 World of Learning conference. The speakers who will be sharing their stories represent a terrific brains trust – a great mix of futurologists and ‘doers’ who have gone beyond theory into using innovative approaches to deliver results for their organisations. “The key theme for 2017 can be summarised as ‘how do we make a difference and how do we show others that a difference has been made?’ This goes beyond ROI calculations for individual programmes and looks at the value we in L&D can really bring to the organisations with which we work and the colleagues we serve. “I’ve been involved in World of Learning for many years. My aim and the aim of the team who work tirelessly to bring the event to fruition, is to ensure pragmatic, evidence-based and practical lessons for the L&D professional. I’m sure that this year’s event will be one of the standout meeting points in the global L&D calendar.” PROVEN STRATEGIES Andrew Gee, senior project manager for the World of Learning, summarises: “More than ever, this year’s World of Learning conference will deliver a valuable combination of inspiration, practical advice and proven strategies for the audience to harness immediately. The goldmine of expertise shared by the top-level presenters will enhance delegates’ ability to support organisational agility in an environment of change and to truly embed learning within the culture of their organisations.” The conference runs in parallel with the

‘L&D is at an interesting juncture – agility and impact are demanded more than ever – but this comes at a time when the potential of learning technology to support these demands is increasing rapidly’ free-to-attend World of Learning Exhibition where visitors can meet more than 100 L&D providers. The exhibition also includes a comprehensive programme of free seminars and a range of interactive areas where visitors can receive practical advice and hands-on experience of tools and technologies. Learning Design Live offers a conference programme designed specifically for anyone involved in learning tech design, providing them with in-depth advice and allowing them to share ideas with other design specialists. Topics discussed include creating effective micro-learning, gamification, rapid design and development, and enhancing the visual aspects of content. Those keen to understand how immersive learning experiences are already delivering compelling outcomes for L&D can visit the Virtual Reality (VR) Suite and see VR in action. World of Learning has partnered with eLearning Studios who have been working with companies, including L’Oreal and British Gas, to showcase how VR can be successfully used for L&D. Also running as part of the exhibition are the immersive Inspiration Zones. These areas allow visitors to receive interactive and effective advice on best practice and new developments. The Technology Test Drive will exhibit how to utilise the latest technologies, while the Mindfulness Zone will show how to integrate mindfulness techniques into the workplace, with both aiming to create a growing and sustainable rise in employee productivity and engagement. The Experiential Learning Zone offers a collection of specialised workshops on vital areas such as engagement, well-being and leadership development including ‘Realistic optimism – always looking on the

bright side of work’ and ‘The mind-body connection: using laughter for motivation and resilience’. Visitors can also take part in a series of interactive bite‑sized sessions on leadership, 70:20:10 learning, engagement and well-being. The Team Building Zone also offers the opportunity to get hands on in a variety of team building battles against the clock. In addition, the Resilience Zone will be returning to offer invaluable advice on how to cultivate behavioural agility in challenging and changing times. THE APPRENTICESHIP LEVY With the government implementing the Apprenticeship Levy in 2017, those concerned with how best to deliver apprenticeships within their business should head to the Apprenticeship Zone. Now in its second year, visitors to the show will be able to engage with apprenticeship training providers and meet experts who are able explain all there is to know about the recently launched Levy. A dedicated free apprenticeship seminar theatre will cover everything from how the Levy works to structuring and delivering an apprenticeship programme to support business goals effectively. Tracy Shah from the World of Learning summarises: “L&D is at an interesting juncture – agility and impact are demanded more than ever – but this comes at a time when the potential of learning technology to support these demands is increasing rapidly. This year’s World of Learning will enable visitors to explore, understand and act upon the latest developments in the sphere of L&D in order to support their organisations more effectively and visibly than ever.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.learnevents.com

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Staff Incentives Written by Caroline Nugent, president of the Public Service People Managers’ Association

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

REWARDS

Tough times bring out innovation in public sector reward

Caroline Nugent, president of the Public Service People Managers’ Association, explains how, in the face of major cutbacks, rewarding staff can drive them to be more engaged and driven There was a time when the employment proposition for those thinking about working in the public sector was straightforward. In return for job satisfaction, better job security and an attractive pension, people would accept lower pay relative to similar private sector roles and fewer bells and whistles by way of bonuses and other additional payments. But these are game‑changing times for pay and benefits in the public sector where the employee value proposition has not only changed dramatically from what was on offer as little as five years ago, but continues to shift. Even before Brexit and the recent General Election brought about political instability and the possibility of further spending cuts, the pressure on public sector budgets was becoming untenable. At the same time, as public servants are being asked to deliver a once-in-a-generation reshaping of the way the sector works, there is a greater need than ever to attract and retain people who have the fresh thinking and new skills needed to achieve this. This, on its own, would be a tough enough challenge but it is one which they are having to do while contending with a steady flow of new measures which impact on the room that employers have for manoeuvre.

There is eed er n a great to attract er than evin people who g a and ret e fresh thinkin have th ew skills that and n shape the will re e sector way th rks wo

THE PAY SCALE CHALLENGE Chief among these is the setting of competitive salary levels where there are pressures right across the pay grades. The implementation last year of a National Living Wage provided welcome support for those at the lower end of the salary scale. At the same time, however, it cut out the bottom end of the pay spine resulting in a compression of pay levels between workers and their managers or supervisors.

Coming after a prolonged period of time when pay awards for managers were either negligible or non-existent, it has added to the pressure for salary increases at this level at a time when payroll budgets have already been stretched to accommodate the introduction of the NLW. At the same time, as the sector embarks on major change projects which require collaboration, culture change and, increasingly, digital expertise, employers are finding it hard to attract the right candidates for job roles which are critical to successfully delivering on the public sector transformation agenda. This comes in addition to areas such as social services where there is already difficulty in filling roles with high quality candidates. Then, at the top end of the pay scale, the prospect of a pay cap and ongoing pressure on anyone who earns anything substantially above a six‑figure salary is not only depressing salary levels but likely to have an impact on the quality and calibre of candidates choosing the public sector as a place to build their career.

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

BENEFITS EROSION Pressure on the reward proposition isn’t just limited to headline pay but pay rights accrued by public sector workers through the course of their career. Chief of these is the potential introduction of a cap on exit payments for those leaving the public sector. While there is a strong case for limiting the scale of these payments, organisations who are trying to create opportunities for talent progression through voluntary redundancy are finding that employees who might otherwise have left are staying put. Equally, the claw-back of exit payments for those who return to roles in the public sector after redundancy or leaving a role with a pay-off, is closing off the pool of interim managers who are critical to the delivery

of short-term change projects. Lastly, the need for public bodies to work together more closely in areas such as health and social care or in safeguarding is bringing a need to harmonise the quite disparate reward packages on offer from NHS, blue‑light and local government employers. REWARD AND INCENTIVES: A FRESH APPROACH While this backdrop may be a challenging one, it is an environment which is prompting employers to look beyond a traditional approach to pay and reward in order to attract and retain the right people. The result of this is a high level of innovation and creativity in the way employers are reshaping their employee value proposition to ensure their organisations remain attractive to current and future employees. For some public sector employers, it has involved taking a step back, looking closely at their future workforce needs and then developing a new reward proposition which will attract the right profile of worker. Nottingham City Council is one organisation which has won recognition for this with a reward strategy developed to attract and retain 16-25 year-old employees who it sees as critical to its future. Meanwhile other public sector employers like Wiltshire Council and Warwickshire County Council are deploying a combination of HR policy and technology to put flexible remote working at the heart of the employee value proposition, right across job roles and pay grades. This not only reduces costs, helping employers cut their property footprint and the cost of meetings, travel and other overheads, but plays a major role in attracting younger workers who value flexibility and autonomy over pay levels. Across the sector, a number of new creative benefits are emerging to entice new workers or retain existing ones. These include mortgage sweeteners where there is assistance for getting on the property ladder in the form a repayable deposit, housing for key workers, investment in learning and development and even in

Staff Incentives

Photo by Aliis Sinisalu on Unsplash

areas like social services, an undertaking around case-loads and working conditions. Lastly, councils are managing to bring in new talent by creating new routes for employment, most notably through the creation of apprenticeships where the combination of pay, training and progression is a powerful magnet for talent. FUTURE-PROOFING THE SECTOR What is becoming clear is that despite the challenges and constraints faced by employers – particularly with regard to pay – the public sector is becoming an engine for innovation in pay and benefits. Organisations are not only applying analysis, smart thinking and creativity to link workforce planning to reward, but are understanding the need to market and promote them effectively. It is clearly working, with new hires from the private sector responding positively to the ethos of public sector working and the opportunities – both immediate and long‑term – it provides for a rewarding career. There is no doubt that the current political volatility and an environment of perma‑austerity will bring further challenges but there is abundant evidence that public sector employers have the capability to deal with them so that they continue to attract the talent which is vital for the delivery of the services that the public expects and values. SANDWELL METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL As the largest employer in its local area, with 4,500 employees, attracting and retaining new talent is critical for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council. The need to do that effectively in an environment with increasing constraint around pay and reward led the HR team to

Public sector employers like Wiltshire Council and Warwickshire County Council are deploying a combination of HR policy and technology to put flexible remote working at the heart of the employee value proposition put in place a new benefits proposition which could support the employer of choice objectives of the council effectively going forward. Richard Luckman, service manager for HR, said: “There was a clear need for us to introduce a comprehensive new reward package which met the needs of the organisation and was meaningful for the people who come to work for us. It also had to give a significant return on investment. Our programme shows that by taking a different approach to developing your reward proposition there is the opportunity to come up with a creative solution which supports employer, employee and the wider community.” Richard and his team set out four objectives for the new proposition: it had to provide a way of offering non-monetary reward for employees; it needed to support motivation, engagement and productivity; it had to support the need to attract and keep talented people, supporting their well-being; it had to save money while supporting local prosperity. To deliver on this, the council developed a comprehensive new benefits offering which it made available to all its employees through a new single reward platform. The new proposition included a blend of benefits which allowed employees to make savings on a range of everyday living expenses such as childcare and supermarket

shopping, as well as the ability to save on the big ticket tech items like tablets and computers through a technology purchase scheme. It also gave access to a range of discounts in the local community and benefits which support environmentally friendly travel such as a cycle-to-work scheme and a green car purchase scheme. The scheme was based on insight from employees about what they wanted and valued most. As well as offering benefits to employees, the money saved through the scheme – over £100,000 since launch – has been reinvested in initiatives which support the development of talent the council needs for the future. Its Talent Connect Programme supports future management and leadership development; a separate initiative called ‘the Jobs Promise’, which supports the council’s goal of right person, right place, right time, has created a more transparent internal jobs market in order to increase job mobility within the council and reduce hiring costs. L

Caroline Nugent is President of the PPMA and Director of HR & OD at oneSource, London Boroughs of Havering & Newham. FURTHER INFORMATION www.ppma.org.uk

Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

GT News

BROADBAND

Government to trial ‘full-fibre’ broadband Six areas in the UK will soon be trying out broadband technology that provides data at speeds approaching one gigabit per second (gbps). Businesses, schools and hospitals in Aberdeenshire, West Sussex, Coventry and Warwickshire will be the first to trial the ‘full-fibre’ network technology, with the government pledging to spend roughly £10 million getting the pilots up and running.

The technology involved is ‘full-fibre’ because it takes high-speed cables directly to premises. By contrast, much of the existing fibre services in the UK connect the fast cables to roadside cabinets and then rely on slower copper for the final link to homes and other buildings. Currently, full-fibre networks are only available to two per cent of premises in the UK. The government hopes that

POLICE

DATA SECURITY

Forces must change to meet digital challenges

Council fined for leaving personal information online

A new report by Reform has argued that a range of changes are required to make UK police forces fit to fight the growing trend of digital crime. Following extensive interviews, Bobbies on the net: a police workforce for the digital age reveals that a better understanding of digital demand is necessary for the force to be digitally fit for purpose as traditional forms of crime are now digitalised. Better equipment and the introduction of on-demand cyber volunteer units to help fight the most sophisticated crime are an aid that can be used. Reform suggests that the Home Office create a new police digital capital grant to invest in digital infrastructure, worth approximately £450 million per annum, as well as investing in innovative new policing technology companies as part of the Industrial Strategy. It also recommends that forces should work with the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) to extend force-management statements setting out how to meet demand in the next 15 years, while learning apps can also improve digital skills. Furthermore, the Home Office should also create a digital academy to train cyber specialists, graduating around 1,700 police officers and staff a year, while law-enforcement agencies should seek to increase the number of cyber volunteers to 12,000 from 40. READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/ya7q3esn

Nottinghamshire County Council has been fined by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for leaving vulnerable people’s personal information exposed online for five years. Resident’s gender, addresses and postcodes, as well as the care requirements of elderly and disabled people, were posted in an online directory which didn’t have basic security or access restrictions, such as a username or password. The council’s ‘Home Care Allocation System’ portal was launched in July 2011, with the breach not being noted until June 2016. It

the projects will significantly boost the availability of the technology. Cash for the broadband pilots comes from a £200 million fund announced in the budget earlier this year. The government said it aimed to spend the remaining balance by the end of 2021. READ MORE:

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is understood the data of 3,000 people had been posted in the five years the system was online. Although the service user’s names were not included, a determined person would be able to identify them.

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SMEs

Digital spend with small businesses exceeds £1 billion The government and other public sector organisations have spent £1.2 billion with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on cloud and digital services since 2012, new figures show. This means that almost half of digital spend is going to SMEs, giving a major boost to the technology SME sector. Since 2012, public sector spend has continued to rise for services such as cloud storage and IT support – reaching a total of £2.6 billion spent with businesses of all sizes. This spend, from public bodies including local authorities, the NHS and central

GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE | Volume 15.5

government departments, has been via the government’s Digital Marketplace, driving down costs and helping them to get the best possible value for money. The Digital Marketplace was jointly developed by the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) to make government procurement simpler and more transparent. In 2016/17 it helped CCS to deliver £725 million in savings for taxpayers. READ MORE:

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LONDON

Mayor of London appoints first chief digital officer Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has appointed Camden Council cabinet member Theo Blackwell as London’s first ever chief digital officer. Blackwell, Camden’s cabinet member for finance, technology and growth, will be responsible for making the best of new technology in London, driving digital transformation of public services and better data-sharing. He will also take control of Khan’s pan-London collaboration plans for connectivity, digital inclusion, cyber security and open data. London already has more than 47,000 digital technology companies, employing approximately 240,000 people. It is forecast that the number of tech companies will increase by a third and a further 44,500

jobs will have been created by 2026. Blackwell said of his appointment: “The new chief digital officer post is an amazing opportunity to make our capital even more open to innovation, support jobs and investment and make our public services more effective. “The pace of change over the next decade requires public services to develop a stronger relationship with the tech sector. Our purpose is to fully harness London’s world-class potential to make our public services faster and more reliable at doing things we expect online, but also adaptable enough to overcome the capital’s most complex challenges.” READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/y97taljg

TRANSPORT

Lorry ‘platooning’ trials on UK roads The Department for Transport has announced £8.1 million of funding for wireless lorry technology trials on UK roads. The ‘platooning’ trials will enable three heavy goods vehicles to travel in convoy, with acceleration and braking controlled by the lead vehicle, in what could have major benefits for motorists, making driving more efficient – lowering

emissions and improving air quality. Carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), the lorries in the platoon will always have a driver ready to take control at any time, with the first trials expected on major roads by the end of 2018.

Majority of public sector intranets not fit for purpose A new survey has highlighted that the public sector is struggling to implement effective digital communications for its own use, despite encouraging customers to go online. Digital services provider dxw asked 90 public sector personnel about the performance of their intranets, discovering that over half rated the performance of their intranet at four out of 10 or lower, emphasising issues with poor search functions and out of date software. Some respondents also pinpointed how their intranet is creating more work, with processes that should be digitised, such as HR, finance, admin and internal communications, still being provided via paper. READ MORE:

tinyurl.com/ybhz8qt2

LIBRARIES

‘Single digital presence’ for libraries to be explored The British Library is set to lead a project to establish the demand for, and possible shape of, a ‘single digital presence’ for UK public libraries. Funded by Arts Council England and the Carnegie UK Trust, the 18-month scoping project will explore user expectations and demand for what a national online platform for public libraries might deliver. The development of a single digital presence of this kind was one of the key recommendations of William Sieghart’s 2014 Independent Library Report for England, with the latest project building upon the work of the Single Digital Libraries Presence Steering Group. READ MORE:

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tinyurl.com/y9l76q82

DATA PROTECTION

RAILWAYS

UK considering ambitious model for data protection The government has outlined plans for how the UK will model arrangements for the protection and exchange of personal data with the EU, as part of its Brexit negotiation updates. The plans are hoped to ensure that personal data will continue to move between the UK and EU in the future in a safe, properly regulated way. In the latest of a series of papers looking at the UK’s future partnership with the EU after we have left, the Department for Exiting the European Union has outlined the case for a unique approach that allows data to continue to be exchanged to ensure ongoing competitiveness, innovation and job creation.

INTRANET

GT News

IT & COMPUTING FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR– www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

£7.9m to improve railway journeys £7.9 million has been made available to develop innovative ways to improve the network for passengers in the next round of the Accelerating Innovation in Rail scheme, run by the Department for Transport (DfT) in partnership with Innovate UK. Lightweight energy-saving carriages, software telling passengers how busy arriving trains are, and personalised ticket machines that help customers with their ongoing journeys are just some of the projects that have won funding in the government scheme. Successful projects will have the potential to be rolled out across the network.

This would allow the UK to work more closely wth the EU, providing continuity for business, allowing public authorities, including law enforcement authorities, to continue their close co-operation, protecting people’s data and privacy and providing for ongoing regulatory co-operation between the UK and EU data protection authorities. The proposals provide a stable base for the government to deliver its commitment to turn Britain into the best and safest place to be online. READ MORE:

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Volume 15.5 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

Public Sector Cyber Security Services

With over 15 years experience in providing cyber security services to Her Majesty’s Government; Local Government, Central Government, blue light services, National Health Service (NHS) and others, CNS Group is an expert in protecting Public Sector data. Our award winning Managed Security Service, including Protective Monitoring, is Public Service Network (PSN) compliant. We also provide security consulting services, including the 14 Cloud Security Principles and Penetration Testing to a large number of UK Government organisations.

GROUP

The minimum level for PSN Services is official. All our services at that level have the assurance and accreditations required. Our UK SOC is regularly audited and access is regulated for compliance and risk purposes.

Our Public Sector cyber security services include:

Case studies

Threat Protection

Organisations across Central Government, Local Government, NHS, police and fire services trust CNS Group’s team of independent security consultants and Managed Security Services.

Vulnerability Management

CNS Group case studies include:

From the 31 October 2014, all Public Sector agencies were required to become PSN compliant to secure their networks. Our PSN services allow agencies to increase the performance and security of communications over UK administrations. Replacing the GSi (Government Secured Intranet), the PSN is based on rigorous cyber security standards and also covers G-Cloud services.

Security Monitoring IT Health Check Remote Access & IDS supported Compliance Management Services

Accreditations CNS Group accreditations include: • CESG CHECK • CISSP • PCI DSS • Crest • Tiger Scheme • Cyber Essentials Plus • PSN • ISO-27001 • Crest CSIR

Protective Monitoring – including GPG13

Government Classification London Borough Council Royal Borough Council Government Department UK Police Force

Managed Firewalls

Our frameworks include: G-Cloud 9 Cyber Security Services 2

North Wales Police

Cambridgeshire Constabulary

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Our business is securing your data As a government accredited company, we help UK organisations of all sizes build cyber security capabilities and maintain compliance through practical consulting and Managed Security Services. For more information on how our Managed Security Services can help protect your business, click here or contact us now on: info@cnsgroup.co.uk 020 7592 8800 @CNS_Security www.cnsgroup.co.uk © Convergent Network Solutions Ltd

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DIGITAL

Preparing for digital disruption Andrew Scott, of the Business Continuity Institute, discusses the findings of the recent Cyber Resilience Report and the growing threat to organisations of digital disruption Our organisations face disruption all the time. Natural and man-made disasters can both have a devastating impact that can cost our organisations time, money and customers. But it’s not just events in the physical world that we ought to be concerned about. In our digitally driven world, virtual disruptions can also have severe consequences. We are so reliant on our IT networks that work effectively stops when they shut down. Such is the threat of digital disruption, that cyber attacks, data breaches and network outages were all considered the greatest concerns to business continuity and resilience professionals, according to the Business Continuity Institute’s latest Horizon Scan Report. The level of concern far exceeds that of disruptions caused by adverse weather, fire, terrorism or human illness. This is perhaps justified given that another report by the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) – The Cyber Resilience Report – revealed that two‑thirds of organisations had experienced at least one cyber security incident during the previous year while 15 per cent had experienced at least 10. Additionally, 13 per cent experienced cumulative losses in excess of €250,000 as a result of a cyber incident.

at least one attack every year. Arguably, this increased frequency correlates with the rise of the Internet of Things as more and more devices are coming online, and many of these devices do not have effective security. DDoS attacks can be used as a form of activism; perhaps a smokescreen to hide a more malicious attack or theft of data; sometimes the impact on one organisation is just the collateral damage as part of a wider attack. In the case of the BBC it was reported that it was simply to test whether an attack on such a scale could be mounted. It could. It is ransomware, and the encryption of all your data until a ransom is paid, that is currently gaining the most attention in the headlines, however. The WannaCry attack back in May which affected about a quarter of

Two of orga-thirds had expnisations at least erienced securityone cyber incid during the pre ent vio year, ac cording us to the B CI

Cyber Security

IT & COMPUTING FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR– www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

a million computers in about 150 countries was soon followed up by the NotPetya attack which may have been smaller in scale but proved more costly to some organisations. The cost to Maersk as a result of losing its IT systems was reported to be in the region of $100 million. Data is a valuable asset for organisations as they gather as much information on their clients or prospects as possible. As many products and services are now being sold online, this data is becoming easier to collect and organisations are building vast databases containing personal contact details and credit card information. This data is worth a lot of money and there are plenty of people who would like to get their hands on it. Adobe, Sony, JP Morgan – all big names who no doubt invest heavily in IT security, yet all have suffered a data breach in recent years where information has been stolen. Reputation is another important asset to organisations, and when customers see their personal information being lost or stolen then the reputational damage can lead to those customers taking their money elsewhere. The financial costs can also be high as fines or legal action can take their toll – the three organisations above were estimated by some sources to have lost over $1billion each as a result of these breaches. Don’t assume that data breaches are always the result of sophisticated technology used by hackers – human error is often to blame. A recent study found that the most common passwords used are ‘123456’ and E

SO WHAT MAKES THE CYBER THREAT SO GREAT? In any one second it is estimated that over 10 terabytes of data are being transferred across the internet, but the global IT infrastructure makes this a relatively easy task to handle. What happens, however, when a large chunk of that data is focused on one server? That was the position the UK’s largest broadcaster – the BBC – found itself in on New Year’s Eve a few years ago when a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack of up to 600GBps brought down their website including iPlayer for several hours. A DDoS attack involved an attacker using a series of compromised devices that are connected to the net in order to bombard a single target with data until it overloads and crashes. Cyber attacks such as this one are becoming more frequent with some studies suggesting that half of all organisations are affected by

Volume 15.5 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

Case Study

IT & COMPUTING FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Lite4Life lights the way to safety in emergency situations with new product AlightForLife Lite4Life has developed AlightForLife, a pioneering safety light which can be triggered in a multitude of ways to help guide people away from compromising situations or even just to guide them in the right direction. The AlightForLife, when triggered, illuminates a super bright light which can be configured with an arrow pointing left or right to aid in directional advice, and each individual unit can have the arrow flashing. For example, it can indicate the final exit point and provide reassurance that the exit is near. The company can also configure the arrow heads to be different colours, which can be particularly useful as part of a guidance exit strategy. The AlightForLife can also be designed to pulsate to the desired direction. When used in combination through voltâ&#x20AC;&#x2018;free contact with any other equipment such as smoke detection, fire alarm, security intruder device etc, the AlightForLife will activate and produce clear illuminated guidance instruction dependant on the location of the individual unit. It also has inbuilt microphone technology and can constantly listen for sound, such as a fire alarm. Once triggered, the unit

will illuminate giving a bright and clear visual aid for a safe means of escape. The AlightForLife is the perfect solution for social housing when clear guidance is required in building evacuation; although it is also used as a simple solution for providing route instruction in government buildings, large areas, building sites or a complicated maze of corridors. The AlightForLife works in conjunction with the Lite4Life minder system, an electronic box that can be located anywhere within a location and will actuate the AlightForLife unit whilst simultaneously sending an sms message to a combination of preconfigured mobile phones with the message content indicating the nature of the alert.

A product of

GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE | Volume 15.5

When triggered due to power failure, the AlightForLife can remain illuminated for up to 8 hours. When visibility becomes an issue, either in darkness or other visually debilitating situations, the AlightForLife becomes a very convenient emergency light. Lite4Life specialises in exit and guidance strategies, from fire and security industries right through to gas, tunnel and building sites. The company has developed a product and solution that provides a clear guidance or route to a safe exit. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 07770 952 488 sales@lite-4-life.com www.lite-4-life.com

DIGITAL  ‘password’, and the remainder of the top twenty was made up of passwords that were equally as guessable. It wouldn’t take a computer genius to hack into those people’s accounts. It is cyber vulnerabilities on the part of the end user that the BCI focused on as part of its latest campaign, highlighting the steps that each and every one of us can take to help improve cyber security. It suggested that organisations and individuals should: use secure passwords including a combination of at least 12 upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols, rather than 123456 or your pet’s name; keep passwords safe and don’t write them on a post-it note that’s left next to your computer; lock your computer when you’re not using it; be cautious when using public Wi-Fi and don’t access sensitive information when using it; don’t plug in untrusted USB devices; and don’t click on untrusted links. The essence of the campaign was that cyber security is everyone’s responsibility and we can all play a part in building a resilient organisation. BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLANNING So how do you prepare your organisation for the various disruptions that it could face? Horizon scanning is a fundamental part of business continuity and while the BCI’s Horizon Scan Report offers an overview of

Cyber Security

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Disruptive events will always occur, whatever form they may take. By having an effective business continuity programme in place, it should mean that, in the event of an incident, a drama doesn’t turn into a crisis the top level threats, it is important for each organisation to assess the threats that are relevant to them. If you know the threats you face, you will have a better understanding of what the potential impacts could be. If you know what the potential impacts could be, then you are in a much better position to put plans in place to manage through them. With digital infrastructure, it doesn’t matter whether it’s a cyber attack or a power failure; if the IT is out of action then you need to have plans in place to manage through this. Can it be replicated elsewhere? There are many data replication solutions available that can migrate all of your data to a secondary system, removing the potential single point of failure that could result in you losing all of your data in the event of an IT disaster. You must always make sure that your data is backed-up. If your data is backed-up and you experience a ransomware attack then you can isolate the ransomware, clean the

network of it and then restore the data from your back-up. It’s not necessarily an easy process, but it means you don’t lose all your data and you don’t pay a ransom. Of course you need to ensure that the back-up can’t be encrypted by the ransomware as well. Whatever the crisis, it is essential to respond swiftly, as the longer you delay any action then the more disruptive it could become. Communicate to all your stakeholders what is going on and what you are doing to resolve it. People are a lot more understanding when you’re being transparent and they can see you’re making an effort to sort things out. Disruptive events will always occur, whatever form they may take. By having an effective business continuity programme in place, it should mean that, in the event of an incident, a drama doesn’t turn into a crisis. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.thebci.org

Glasswall explains how it eliminates malware attacks in business documents Glasswall’s patented technology validates files to its design standard, disarms embedded threats and regenerates in real-time, a clean file preserving usability and functionality. It protects clients in the business/commercial sectors, government and defence areas integrating into existing email and communications architectures as the ‘last line of defence’ and routinely stopping zero-day attacks that have evaded all other security layers. Today’s advanced, targeted cyber-attacks use weaponised files in attachments as their attack vector of choice with a huge success rate. Most of these file-based threats involve hiding malware or malicious code within a common file-type, such as Word, Excel or PDF files. Despite the high level of risk, conventional security controls such as firewalls, anti-virus and more advanced dynamic network sandboxes are ineffective in dealing with these types of threats as they only identify known threats or are unsuccessful in running the exploits in the files. The security industry’s attempt to defend organisations by classifying known bad is failing, with regular reports of document

attacks. The industry has turned its focus from prevention to post infection detection and breach mitigation. Currently, the user is the weakest link in an organisation’s defence-in-depth security posture; attacks with weaponised files places the onus on the user to make an instant decision on whether they should open each attachment. Along with little or no policy and security controls as to who can receive what attachments in misapprehension that everyone needs everything to ensure business continuity, users unwittingly allow the installation of malware or the execution

of malicious scripts from the files they open, Glasswall eliminates that problem and puts the company or administrator in control. The company’s standards-based approach is to only allow the ‘known good’ within document and file structures. By analysing, enabling policy or standards to be applied and regenerating files in real-time, Glasswall gives absolute protection against even the most persistent and complex file based threats. Its solutions stops individuals in an organisation that receive and open email attachments from becoming a point of weakness in the enterprise security. The technology is pioneering, innovative and disruptive to attackers. Glasswall helps organisations take control of their files and apply their own standards to every file that comes in and out of the organisation. To speak to one of the team about how and where Glasswall would fit into your security architecture, or to request a trial, contact the company by email or telephone. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 (0) 207 814 3900 sales@glasswallsolutions.com www.glasswallsolutions.com

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Procurement

G-CLOUD 9

Spending with SMEs on the G-Cloud The government and other public sector organisations have spent £1.2 billion with SMEs on cloud and digital services since 2012. With the ninth iteration of the government’s G-Cloud framework having launched in May this year, Government Business looks at the agreement in detail According to new figures released by the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), the government and other public sector organisations have spent £1.2 billion with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) on cloud and digital services since 2012. This means that almost half of digital spend is going to SMEs, giving a major boost to the technology SME sector. Since 2012, public sector spend has continued to rise for services such as cloud storage and IT support - reaching a total of £2.6 billion spent with businesses of all sizes. This spend, from public bodies including local authorities, the NHS and central government departments, has been via the government’s Digital Marketplace, driving down costs and helping them to get the best possible value for money. The Digital Marketplace was jointly developed by the Government Digital Service (GDS) and the CCS to make government procurement simpler and more transparent. In 2016/17 it helped CCS to deliver £725 million in savings for taxpayers. Caroline Nokes, minister for government resilience and efficiency, said: “Small businesses have an important role to play in helping government to spend taxpayers’ money wisely. That is why we

continue to find ways of improving how are considered at a varying frequency of the public sector, schools and hospitals, six-12 months, depending on the demand for example, puts money back into for and/or availability of new services services for those they look after. The as the IT cloud market develops. money saved in Derby is a good example Launched with 2,847 suppliers, the ninth of how smart procurement can make a G-Cloud iteration has undergone several real difference to people’s lives.” changes with the aim of Warren Smith, director of the providing a more flexible Digital Marketplace, added: “We maximum contract are continually focused on length. Earlier unched a L 7 breaking down the barriers versions of G-Cloud 4 8 , with 2 -Cloud 9 to entry for SMEs to do were designed to G , s business with government, run parallel with r e i l supp anged with for example, by simplifying its predeceasing the application process. agreement by has ch f providing o m We are also breaking design. However, i a e l e ib th x e fl down the traditionally G-Cloud 9 is e r a mo tract being run, and n large contracts into o c m smaller ones, which favour will continue to maximu ngth a more diverse range of run, as a single le suppliers and help government framework, requiring to buy services more efficiently.” all aspiring and existing suppliers to have THE CLOUD registered to offer services. This means G-Cloud 9 framework agreement, launched that buyers and suppliers will be able in May this year, is the latest iteration of to use one set of contracts for all the framework which allows UK public their G-Cloud services. G-Cloud 7 and sector bodies access to cloud computing G-Cloud 8 were removed from the services via a compliant procurement Digital Marketplace when G-Cloud 9 service vehicle. New iterations of the framework went live. E

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G-CLOUD 9  THE AGREEMENT G-Cloud 9 is a framework agreement of 12 months’ duration, however the duration may be extended for any period up to a maximum of twelve months from the expiry of the initial term, which at the moment sits at May 2018. For the use of public sector bodies, the agreement allows them to choose and purchase cloud computing services covering infrastructure, platform, software and specialist cloud services. The framework is for commodity based, pay-as-you go cloud services across three lots. Lot 1 covers Cloud Hosting (IaaS) and (PaaS). These must be cloud platform or infrastructure services that can help buyers deploy, manage and run software and provision and use processing, storage or networking resources. Lot 2, Cloud Software (SaaS), is for applications that are typically accessed over a public or private network e.g. the internet and hosted in the cloud. Lot 3, covering Cloud Support, is for products which help buyers set up and maintain their cloud software or hosting services. In order to monitor the performance and capture the benefits of the G-Cloud framework(s), it is essential that customers complete the customer benefits record form every time that they enter into a call-off agreement. When customers are replacing ‘in-house’ software, infrastructure and platforms with cloud based services, the whole cost of running these currently will be compared on a customer by customer basis against the new total costs. Savings will be shown by the reduction in licenses, support staff, equipment running and maintenance costs and capital outlay for infrastructure. In situations where the Cloud services being purchased are new (i.e the customer has not

replaced an existing service provision with a cloud service) there is still an opportunity to claim demand management savings. FLEXIBILITY AND COST SAVINGS Node4 is one of the companies awarded a place on G-Cloud 9, with the N4 Private Cloud, Cyber Security Services, NetApp Private Storage as a Service (NPSaaS), Storage as a Service (STaaS), Backup as a Service (BUaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) powered by Cisco and Amazon Web Services (AWS) solutions listed on the framework, making these available to UK public sector organisations.

Procurement

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delivery of data and services to field resources to carry out their job efficiently, eliminating paperwork, speed up job completion and support data capture on a range of platforms ad devices. Kirona’s Dynamic Resource Scheduler provides intelligent appointments and dynamic scheduling of resources or assets. UKCloud is another vendor that celebrated its approval to the agreement. The company has committed to delivering more for less on G-Cloud 9, offering further cost reductions across its service catalogue, including its Cross Domain Security Zone (CDSZ), which will see prices fall by up to 50 percent. UKCloud customers will also benefit from more flexible pricing on the UKCloud Oracle

A number of public sector organisations are increasing their use of cloud services due to its flexibility and cost savings. G-Cloud 9 makes it easier for them to check which types of suppliers meet the CCS approval criteria Paula Johnston, head of Public Sector at Node4, said: “A number of public sector organisations are increasing their use of cloud services due to its flexibility and cost savings. G-Cloud 9 makes it easier for organisations to check which types of suppliers meet the CCS approval criteria and readily engage with them. Being a G-Cloud9 supplier means that public sector services have better access to Node4’s solutions to run mission-critical systems and services.” Elsewhere, as a G-Cloud 9 digital marketplace approved supplier, Kirona will offer software as a service, including its Job Manager mobile application to enable

platform and a range of enhanced features, including data-at-rest encryption in its Cloud Storage, and Cloud GPU at no extra cost. Simon Hansford, CEO, noted: “As a committed supporter of G-Cloud, we welcome the latest iteration which promises to be the best yet, thanks to the comprehensive consultation process undertaken by the Government Digital Service and CCSe. As a supplier to the framework since the very beginning, we are delighted to continue our tradition of releasing several new and enhanced service offerings on the innovative new G-Cloud 9.” David Booker, CEO at Veropath, another E

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G-CLOUD 9

G-Cloud cuts cost of DWP ‘Tell Us Once’ in half

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The Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) introduced the ‘Tell Us Once’ system back in 2011 to make it easier for people to inform the government about a change in their personal circumstances.

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G-Cloud 9 is a framework agreement of 12 months’ duration, however the duration may be extended for any period up to a maximum of twelve months from the expiry of the initial term, which at the moment sits at May 2018  company on the framework, commented: “We are delighted to be part of the G-Cloud 9 supplier framework. It represents a key and streamlined route to market for our Microsoft Azure cloud-based Technology Expense Management platform, and ensures we are well-placed to build on our current success in delivering telecoms cost reduction and ongoing control to all parts of the public sector.” As a supplier on the Digital Marketplace, Veropath can be used by organisations across the UK public sector including central government, local government, health, education, devolved administrations, emergency services, defence and not-for-profit organisations. MOBILE COMPUTING SOLUTIONS SmartTask, the leading employee scheduling and remote workforce management solution, is now available on the G-Cloud 9 Digital Marketplace. The company enables organisations to better plan and manage their workers, so they are at the right place, at the right time by combining intelligent rostering, live monitoring and integrated proof of attendance across both static and mobile teams. Paul Ridden, CEO of SmartTask, said: “SmartTask is now established in the security, facilities management, university, care and mail sectors, so offers significant opportunities to public sector organisations that operate remote teams. Having been listed on the G-Cloud 9 Digital Marketplace, new and existing public sector customers will have greater access to our mobile

computing solutions without a lengthy and costly procurement process. “The public sector is under ever increasing pressure to provide more for less, reducing costs while at the same time improving service delivery. As a cloud-based workforce management solution, SmartTask can achieve a wide range of business and operational objectives at a fraction of the cost of other systems in the marketplace. In fact, the breadth of functionality available and the scalable cost model supports a highly flexible roll-out without a huge upfront investment.” One of the UK’s fastest growing travel management companies, Redfern, has also won a place on the G-Cloud 9 framework. Redfern was listed on the previous version of G-Cloud, is the only travel management company to maintain its place on the new, improved framework, and is only one of two to be successful in applying for the latest iteration. Redfern’s COO Kate Wimpeney said: “We’re proud to be re-appointed to the G-Cloud procurement framework. This will increase Redfern’s presence within the public sector and will give organisations the benefit of our tRIPS booking tool designed to make booking business travel as smooth as possible, without having to go through onerous procurement processes. We’re committed to helping our customers drive down the cost of business travel and to make the process as hassle-free as possible. Admission onto the G-Cloud framework will allow us to continue to do this for the public sector.” L FURTHER INFORMATION tinyurl.com/ydymsm45

The system, used by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Passport Office and local authorities, details changes in a person’s circumstances in parallel, removing the need for repeated, unnecessary form-filling. The single, non-extendable, managed contract was a financial burden, with the department coming under increasing pressure to drive down costs and improve its digital maturity. Using the CCS’s G-Cloud framework, the DWP awarded the contract to Kainos. The digital technology specialists guided the DWP project team through the transition to cloud using a ‘lift and shift’ approach to move from the current incumbent physical state to a virtual state hosted by UKCloud. Cutting administration costs and reducing the overpayments of benefits protected the cross‑government savings generated by Tell Us Once, estimated at more than £20 million per year. DWP has also benefited from cost savings of around 50 per cent on the IT running costs of Tell Us Once by switching from a physical infrastructure to a cloud solution. Discussing what to consider when buying for a similar requirement, Fidelma Holland, of Tell Us Once, explained: “Engage with the market before you draw up service requirements. Suppliers are happy to provide advice on what you need to think about in terms of scope of requirement and the offering. “Be realistic with delivery timescales and budget. Suppliers know and understand the art of the possible. Be inclusive with the supplier. Get them to spend time with service ‘front end’ so they can appreciate the impact on end users of what they are transitioning. And work hard at the relationship. Make them feel part of your team, it will pay dividends. Using G-Cloud was crucial in ensuring we got what we wanted in a very short timescale.” Find out more information at: tinyurl.com/ydxpafb5

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G-CLOUD 9 FRAMEWORK

Making the most of the G-Cloud Jake Madders, co-founder and director of Hyve Managed Hosting, outlines some crib sheet questions to ask every cloud provider The digital marketplace lists a wide range technology, and their project management of cloud providers, offering public sector skills will always be put to the test. organisations choice, expertise and technical Can they give examples of where they have capabilities. But how do you separate the delivered projects/services on time and on good from the average? What makes the budget? What is their project management difference between an ideal partner with just process and is it compatible with your needs? the right experience and a service provider who can’t guarantee service or provision? ACCREDITATIONS Choices like these can make or break a cloud Sometimes they are a must have and project, add huge value or cause serious delay often they provide that extra level of and frustration. There are a range of key areas reassurance and confidence. Either that most cloud projects will touch on in one way, it’s important to understand their way or another, and ensuring the providers accreditations and qualifications. in the mix are right for your needs is vital. Do they have the right accreditations, Here are six major areas to explore certifications and governance – focusing on an effective way to standards in place to understand experience, pricing, meet your needs? es k a skillset and service levels, m t a Wh among others. Think of this SERVICE AND erence as a crib sheet of questions SUPPORT the diff an ideal to help make the best Great service n e e betw ith just the cloud provider choices. and support is w r d e n n right up there t a r e a p erienc der p TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES x e t h rig In choosing a cloud supplier, e provi a servic’t guarantee there are some key areas to n focus on to really understand who ca rvice or levels of technical expertise. se n? What are the proven technical provisio capabilities of the provider? Are there any gaps in their skillset? How much in-house expertise do they have? If partners are involved, what is the nature of the partnership and can they demonstrate how technical excellence is shared across their teams? Are all the technical capabilities you need already in place, or will they be adding extras to deliver your project?

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with design, delivery and implementation, but can also be challenging to assess. Where do their support services begin and end? What don’t they offer as standard? How do they provide support outside of normal working hours? What is the support process, and do they provide dedicated staff? What support systems and processes do they have in place to deal with the unexpected and unlikely? PRICING Competitive, fair and clear pricing is important for any organisation, but scrutiny of public sector spend is always a hot topic – and for very good reasons. How do they demonstrate pricing clarity and transparency? How do they monitor and manage third party costs? Are there any scenarios where additional costs may be incurred which fall outside of their normal boundaries? CLARITY AND PRECISION Understanding these important areas can help build your perspective on the capabilities of each cloud provider, and how they compare against each other. Clearly it’s just as important to dig into the precise needs of your project, but having a foundation to your discussions can help move the process along with clarity and precision. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.hyve.com

EXPERIENCE Focused experience is often a key factor in successful project delivery. Providers might have great general or related experience, but the more specific the better. Do they have strong experience in your sector and with your type of project? Can they supply you with customer references that illustrate their track record? Have they experienced any serious service delivery issues or failures in the past? PROJECT/SERVICE DELIVERY Service providers rely on teamwork to deliver specialised knowledge and

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FRAMEWORKS – G-CLOUD

AVOIDING COMMON WEB PROJECT MISTAKES A website redevelopment is one of the most significant projects that many organisations will undertake. These projects don’t happen very often, maybe every five to ten years, so few web teams have a lot of experience in overhauling a whole site. The success or failure of a web project can have a massive impact on an organisation’s reputation, customer satisfaction levels, and overall efficiency. Here at Zengenti, we’ve been building websites for nearly two decades. In that time we’ve learned a thing or two about running a successful web project. Here are three of the most common reasons that projects go wrong and what you can do to avoid them. AIM FOR SUSTAINABILITY A website is a bit like a garden. No successful gardener has ever simply planted a bunch of shrubs and just walked away. A garden must be nurtured in order for it to thrive – you need to water it, weed it, and prune it. A website is no different. Too often people launch a new web project to great fanfare and at great expense only to leave it to decay for another five to ten years before starting the process all over again. It’s important to continuously improve your website. Put in place a plan for future development and create a well‑defined content strategy before you even think about what your site should look like. It’s vital that your site is easy to maintain. Consider the kinds of content you use on your site and whether you can keep these up to date. For example, modern web design trends tend to feature a lot of imagery. Unfortunately, many organisations simply don’t have a large supply of high quality images so they either use poor quality ones which damage the credibility of their brand, or don’t update their site, which leads to a sense that the site is outdated or needs replacing. IDENTIFY THE PROBLEMS YOU ARE TRYING TO SOLVE Many organisations decide that they need a new website without stopping to ask themselves why. Without identifying the problem, or problems, you are trying to solve, it’s unlikely any team will be able to create a website that will successfully address them. It’s the strategic equivalent of trying to score a bullseye whilst blindfolded. Take time to define what you are trying to achieve. After all, if you don’t set clear goals how will you measure whether your project is successful? Be sure to set measurable and actionable targets – don’t

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aim for so-called vanity metrics that look good but don’t really mean anything. Say you decide you want more traffic – a classic vanity metric. Why do you want more traffic? If your aim is to save money by encouraging users to use online channels, you’d be better off measuring a drop in calls to contact centres. Tie everything back to a key strategic goal. Consider allocating more of your budget to consultation and help with strategy. Things like user research, user experience workshops, and content strategy can often be a better use of your budget than development time. As well as preventing problems that typically arise from rushing into the build phase, and thus saving development budget that would be wasted fixing those problems, consultation can also identify the features that you really need to be focusing on. DON’T LET THE PROJECT RUN AWAY FROM YOU A solid strategy can help you avoid another disease common to failed web projects – scope creep. Scope creep occurs when the scope of a project, the work that must be done to deliver the project, keeps growing. Scope creep is a major issue. It pushes deadlines back, potentially preventing projects being delivered on time, and can lead to you burning through your budget as the requirements of the project

grow. In the worst cases it can jeopardise the success of a project – typically when a project is time critical or runs out of budget. It’s usually the result of the project not being properly defined and lacking clear goals. Not setting clear goals can often make it hard to decide what to prioritise. This means that when stakeholders and senior management request features that are outside the original scope of the project, the team involved find it hard to justify not including new features. The answer to scope creep is to prioritise essential features. Decide which features are absolutely necessary for you to achieve your goals. These features should be the ones you aim to deliver when your website launches. Anything else should be addressed in subsequent phases once your site is up and running. BUILD SOLID FOUNDATIONS A successful website is as much about strategy as technology. Start by identifying your organisation’s goals and think about how your website can help you to achieve these. Plan for the short, medium, and long term and create solid foundations that you can build on as your website grows. A website that is built properly, regularly improved, and consistently updated should provide value for a long time to come. L FURTHER INFORMATION Zengenti.com/localgov

G-CLOUD 9

USING MULTIPLE FRAMEWORKS TO PROCURE IT SYSTEMS

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The preferred approach for many IT procurements now is to procure from Crown Commercial Services (CCS) Frameworks. But there are a number of different ones, so which should you use? In some cases, the answer is to follow a disaggregated approach, breaking the system down into different parts, and procuring each off the appropriate framework. An example of how this can be done is shown in the table. IT FRAMEWORKS For hosting, you could buy an Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) from the G-Cloud Framework. By using the Cloud and existing access devices, you might not have to buy any further hardware at all. But if you did need PCs or data capture devices, for example, you could buy these off Technology Products Framework 2. For the application software, there may be Commercial Off the Shelf Software (COTS) which meets most of your requirements, or it may be necessary to develop a lot of bespoke code. Typically there is a mixture of the two, although the split varies. The COTS can also be procured from Technology Products Framework 2. A supplier can be selected to develop the bespoke application code from the Digital Outcomes and Specialists (DOS 2) framework. That supplier could also be responsible for configuring the COTS packages and setting up the virtual environments on the Cloud system. Those types of activities are sometimes referred to as platform management. But they require a rather different skill set to application development. So instead, they could be procured as support services from the Cloud hosting supplier or it may be preferable to select a different supplier for them off G-Cloud. Once the system is developed, each part of the system needs its own support and there are normally different levels, with level 1

being the user help desk, going down through levels 2 and 3, with level 4 being the product vendor’s standard support. Some support can be procured from the suppliers who provide each part and bought off the same frameworks. But there is also a need for end to end support, usually at level 1 or 2. In the past this could be procured off Technology Services Framework (RM 1058). The replacement for RM 1058, Technology Services 2 (RM 3804), is about to go live, and this is expected to be an appropriate framework to use. This may also provide an alternative framework for the platform management services. Another option for both platform management services and support would be to use G-Cloud. This type of approach sounds like a lot of complexity, with the customer having to deal with six or more suppliers. But the complexity could be reduced by combining application development, platform management and support services within one supplier contract. It could be further mitigated by the application development or platform management supplier managing hardware and software suppliers on behalf of the customer. You could also aggregate the procurement of services like hosting, platform development or application development across a number of different systems. This could reduce the total number of IT suppliers used by an organisation. Another approach is to buy a Software as a Service (SaaS) from G-Cloud, with a single supplier providing the overall solution. Whether this is feasible depends on whether a suitable SaaS is available that meets your requirement with little bespoke development. There is also a risk of being locked into one supplier. But where there are multiple suppliers with G-Cloud SaaS offerings that are a close fit to your requirements and it is feasible to migrate between them, then this may be the best option. Whatever approach you choose, you need to manage the procurement, the development project, the contracts and the suppliers. Getting experienced, impartial expert help with that can be critical to its success. But making sure your internal staff are prepared is important too. That is why as well as providing support at every level from providing advice

to running the procurement and managing contracts, we also run training courses on topics such as “Understanding how IT suppliers think” and “Commercial awareness for project managers”. Procuring IT systems is never going to be easy, but with the right advice, help and training, it can be successful. BIOGRAPHY Nick Swain is a Director of Kinegistic, a professional services company specialising in providing commercial expertise, support and training for IT projects. Nick has extensive experience on both the buyer and supplier side and has managed major IT procurements and contracts for government departments. He previously held a senior position in IBM and is a former PwC Partner. L FURTHER INFORMATION enquiries@kinegistic.com

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CCS CASE STUDIES

Saving money in government buying activity Following the news that the Crown Commercial Service’s G-Cloud framework has saved the Department of Work & Pensions an estimated £20 million per year, Government Business looks at some of the other case studies whereby the CCS is saving the public sector money in its purchasing activities SUNDERLAND’S INSURANCE SERVICES Sunderland City Council offers hundreds of services to approximately 280,000 local residents and eight million visitors each year. In 2016, the council began a major procurement exercise for their insurance requirements. The new agreements had to be in place by 1 April 2017 and previously cost approximately £1 million per annum. This was a complex programme that had to cover not only the interests of the council, but other subsidiary companies and associated organisations. Using the CCS Insurance Services II framework (RM3731), the council, with support from their contracted insurance broker, Marsh, reviewed its insurance portfolio and prepared for the upcoming procurement exercise. An engagement event open to all suppliers on the framework was organised

by the council, whereby a series of risk presentations with heads of service and key officers took place. The aim was to provide a thorough understanding of the council’s risk exposure, the controls currently in place and those planned for the immediate future. The council, along with Marsh, also evaluated the council’s insurance programme to determine the cover and structure required. This included a review and validation of claims history, changes to service delivery (past, present and future), sums insured, limits of indemnity and levels of self-insurance. Working closely with the council’s procurement function, the insurance team and Marsh carried

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out a comprehensive further competition with lot 1 suppliers to determine the best fit for the council. The council secured the same level of insurance with a saving of £200,000 per annum through a long-term agreement using the CCS framework, helping to protect essential citizen services. £335,000 OFFICE SUPPLIES SAVINGS An Office Supplies for the Wider Public Sector framework has saved three councils in the east of England 40 per cent on their requirements when buying office supplies. LGSS, a public sector shared service operating in the east of England, brought together the office supplies requirements of Cambridgeshire County Council, Milton Keynes Council and Northamptonshire County Council. Following the end of its previous contract, LGSS decided to purchase office supplies through the RM3703 office supplies framework, maximising the potential for savings through a CCS-run eAuction. The eAuction achieved a saving in excess of £335,000 based on a core basket of stationery products over the four‑year contract period – the equivalent of a 40 per cent saving. Ruth Grehan, corporate procurement manager at LGSS, commented: “The eAuction was a great success. The CCS eAuction team, with support from the office supplies category team, were beyond helpful. They not only ran the eAuction but advised on our options, tender documents, specification and our core basket. They also arranged training for the suppliers and ran a practice eAuction the day before the live eAuction. E

Office Supplie for the s Public S Wider saved t ector has 40 per hree councils requirecent on their me buying nts when of supplie fice s

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Procurement

Sunderland City Council secured the same level of insurance with a saving of £200,000 per annum through a long-term agreement using the CCS Insurance Services II framework, helping to protect essential citizen services  “All of this saved us so much time. As we all know, working for the public sector, time is precious as well as the public purse. We would not have been able to achieve these savings with a conventional procurement process. I would have no questions on using the CCS eAuction team again.” £1.7 MILLION SAVINGS ON MANAGED PRINT Birmingham City Council, one of the UK’s largest local authorities, required a fully managed end-to-end print service which would deliver minimum guaranteed savings of 15 per cent. With no formal print contract in place and the existing solution fragmented, CDS, a print and digital agency, was appointed to manage the marketing and communications print spend for the council under the CCS’s Wider Public Sector Print Services agreement (RM1687). CDS provided an experienced project manager during contract implementation to engage with the local print market to ensure the council’s Business Charter for Social Responsibility was met. This meant that where local capability existed, CDS delivered 100 per cent of the print spend via suppliers within 30 miles of the Birmingham Council House. By working in close partnership with the

print commissioning to an entirely new model. Throughout this transition period business continuity was maintained. They have brought to the table ideas on how we can save money by standardising as much as possible and cutting down on bespoke printing.”

council and the local supplier base, CDS helped achieve efficiencies and transform the way the organisation thinks about print – from print by exception to increasing use of digital channels. This approach has helped the council in the development of a strategy for moving away from tactical print to digital solutions. In the first 13 months of the contract, the partnership delivered savings of 57 per cent against annual budget. In the second year, it delivered additional savings of 33 per cent against first year spend – a combined saving of over £1.7 million over two years. The partnership also included a commitment to the local economy and the principles of the Business Charter for Social Responsibility, including embracing local employment, Buy Birmingham First and Partners in Communities. The results also showed that 92 per cent of external print jobs were placed within the local economy (KPI 90 per cent) and CDS actively promoted the Birmingham supply chain to other CDS contracts, leading to a net influx of £255,000 of additional revenue into the local economy. Steve Arnold, head of marketing at Birmingham City Council, said: “Once the contract had been awarded CDS was up and running really quickly, in a matter of weeks we had moved from complete in-house delivery of

CLAIMS MANAGEMENT SERVICE SAVES MOD £1.6 MILLION The Insurance Services framework (RM3731) includes a standalone lot for claims management, developed to support government departments and public sector organisations that have a requirement for services to manage common law compensation claims brought against them. Following a stringent procurement exercise under the framework in 2016, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) selected Topmark Claims Management Ltd and entered into a four‑year call-off agreement with them. The company had two months in which to prepare for implementation of the service, including training staff and setting up an IT system and claims processes. Thanks to the framework’s competitive fee structure, the MOD is expected to save approximately £1.6 million over the four year contract, with potential for further savings by developing efficiencies in the claims process and improving current procedures. A representative from MOD said: “The MOD moved from an established third party claims administrator with nine years’ experience of working with the department to a new supplier. As with the appointment of any new supplier there is an element of the unknown until services begin to be delivered, and it was recognised that a transition period would be required. Topmark E

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CCS CASE STUDIES  was unfamiliar with MOD and needed to understand very quickly the complex construct of the department and how it works, in order to support its investigations into claims. “Communication lines were quickly established between key stakeholders and the supplier, leading to the development of strong working relationships. Since the contract was awarded, Topmark has demonstrated a high level of competence in claims management and the MOD has been very impressed at the supplier’s ability to quickly learn about departmental processes and deliver. “In particular, Topmark has been proactive in their approach to customer/stakeholder engagement and the team is professional and

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Thanks to the Insurance Services framework’s competitive fee structure, the MOD is expected to save approximately £1.6 million over the four year contract, with potential for further savings by developing efficiencies in the claims process responsive. There is a real appetite to support the customer and the MOD is also working closely with Topmark to improve departmental claims management processes and introduce efficiencies, which will further drive down costs. One year on from contract award and the claims management function is operating

very well. MOD will continue to work closely with Topmark to support the delivery of the core claims function and build on the work to enhance business processes.” L FURTHER INFORMATION www.gov.uk/government/case-studies

New and innovative cloud-based staff bank platform saves hospitals hundreds of thousands

Medical Banks is a Dublin-based software company that developed a cloud-based staff banks platform to help hospitals better manage their contingent workers and reduce costs. It was appointed to the Crown Commercial Services G-Cloud 9 framework earlier this year. The platform is proven to increase the use of bank staff and reduce the use and associated high costs of agency staff. It provides an end-to-end solution to the management of a bank staff, from on-boarding through to automated rostering, invoicing and payment. This unique and radically innovative proven software responds directly to the customers’ needs, ensuring they can access the right person, in the right place, at the right time. As a case study, Medical Banks was implemented into The Mercy University Hospital in Cork, Ireland, which is an acute hospital with 314

beds and over 1000 full time staff. The platform helped reduce administration overhead and agency expenditure to a point where it has produced direct savings of over €250,000 per one million spent on filling vacant shifts and has vastly improved the continuity of temporary staff working in the hospital. By way of example, a ward manager placed 10 jobs on the system, many of which consisted of multiple shifts. Using specific criteria, the system auto-allocated available workers into the jobs whereby some jobs were automatically split to facilitate workers’ availability. The splitting of jobs resulted in 10 jobs splitting out into 16 without any human interaction and all jobs were filled within minutes with automated communication (SMS and emails) delivered to both the ward manager and worker. In essence, the system managed the entire

recruitment process within minutes, which is something that would normally have taken HR personnel hours to resolve. The vacancy fill rates now run in the region of 95 per cent and the system has helped the Mercy attract a contingent external workforce resource of over 200 temporary healthcare staff. In real time, each staff bank candidate is electronically verified to ensure they comply with the hospitals recruitment protocols and it actively manages the candidate compliance to mitigate the risk of the hospital employing non-compliant workers. Rod McGovern, managing director, said: “Our software is unique and capable of transforming the NHS in terms of how it engages with temporary workers.” FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +353 1 491 5300 info@medicalbanks.com

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Procurement

BREXIT

Written by The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply

Procurement contingency plans beginning to form A new survey has found that 32 per cent of UK businesses who work with suppliers on the continent are actively looking for alternative suppliers based in the UK as a response to the referendum. The Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply explores the findings in more detail It appears that businesses from both the UK and the EU are preparing to develop mitigation plans and ask more questions of themselves and their businesses on the path to Brexit. That’s according to a recent survey from The Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS) conducted amongst over 2,000 procurement and supply chain managers conducted earlier this year. Professionals were polled in the UK, in the EU and outside Europe on their experiences of sourcing suppliers in the UK, EU, risk mitigation strategies and whether any preparations for Brexit had been made at all. According to the results, these disruptive decisions could effectively mean the breaking of supply chains between the UK and EU. As the Brexit talks begin, this will no doubt cause concern for the negotiating parties as each side battles to achieve the best outcomes for not just their organisations but the UK economy during these turbulent times. Supply chains are the lifeblood of every business and in every sector, dependent as businesses are on the sustainable and timely delivery of goods and services; and supply chain managers are at the coalface. They have an eye on currency fluctuations, can develop multiple sourcing strategies and risk mitigation plans to sustain the supply chain flow. And of course they can reduce disruptions. For instance, should there be an appetite for searching for suppliers closer to home depending on how the talks progress,

or is there enough clarity around the impact of any possible barriers to trade or imposition of tariffs to make other sourcing decisions and keep disruption to a minimum? The survey discovered that many supply chain managers were already making these kinds of decisions. For instance 32 per cent of UK businesses who work with suppliers in the EU and wider European region are looking to in-shore their suppliers. This is in stark contrast to EU counterparts, where almost half (45 per cent) working with UK suppliers are looking for suppliers closer to home. Some impacts are being planned for but others have been felt already. Almost 65 per cent of UK businesses have seen their supply chains become more expensive because of the weaker pound, and almost a third of those surveyed are busy re-negotiating their contracts and not waiting for Brexit talks to succeed or fail. So all in all, the negotiators have barely got round the table to start the discussions and supply chain managers are already taking matters into their own hands. But as the negotiators prepare themselves, European and UK supply chain managers both

agree that the first priority for the negotiation strategy is to keep tariffs and quotas to a minimum. And there are significant further hurdles to overcome. In the UK 39 per cent of professionals believe the UK has a weak negotiating position, 36 per cent believe the danger is a lack of time and 33 per cent think there is a lack of supply chain expertise and knowledge to draw upon during the most important change in trade and the movement of peoples in two generations.

Alm 65 per ost UK busi cent of n seen th esses have chains b eir supply expensiecome more ve of the w because ea pound ker

THE CASE FOR UK BUSINESSES Amongst the UK group, the biggest issue facing manufacturers was indeed currency fluctuation impacting on business (64.5 per cent), with an expectation that the impact of Brexit would impact ‘in due course’ but a lack of preparation or understanding of what that impact could be (33.5 per cent). This leaves them significantly behind EU businesses which are already forging ahead with decisions. For instance, 44.3 per cent of businesses were looking for suppliers outside of the UK. Preparing for Brexit, the UK was primarily focused on risk analyses (42.6 per cent) and looking for alternative suppliers in the UK (31 per cent), in-shoring supply chains, E

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BREXIT  bringing them closer to home. But, the third highest response should cause the highest level of unease – almost a quarter of respondents (24.3 per cent) said they hadn’t done any work to prepare, at all. However the biggest long-term impact of the vote to leave could be on suppliers. Almost 40 per cent of respondents cited that they would push to get suppliers’ costs reduced. According to the Federation of Small Businesses, 99.3 per cent of all private sector businesses in the UK in 2016 were small or medium-sized suppliers, so this approach will hit them hard when input costs for businesses are high and margins are likely to be squeezed further because of the weak pound. During a possibly disruptive time, a high number of supply chain managers, over 70 per cent, felt they had the skills needed to minimise supply chain disruptions caused by the Brexit process. As procurement professionals have a big responsibility for

a company’s spend, this will be some relief for the organisations they work for. UK businesses have a message for the UK government on the eve of the Brexit talks. The biggest priority for negotiations has to be keeping tariffs down, quotas on goods and services moving between the UK and Europe to a minimum (38.9 per cent) and keeping the red tape on goods and services between the UK and Europe low (25.2 per cent). EU BUSINESSES European counterparts were more confident that they could respond positively to any imposition of tariffs and were quick to re‑shore their supply chains within the Single Market. Almost half (46 per cent) of European supply chain managers expect more of their supply chains to be removed from the UK, with just over a quarter planning to re-shore all, or part of their supply chain to Europe. The majority (60.6 per cent) did not feel any impact from the EU’s decision to leave, but

The biggest issue facing manufacturers was currency fluctuation impacting on business, with an expectation that the impact of Brexit would impact ‘in due course’ but a lack of preparation or understanding of what that impact could be

Procurement

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they did expect there to be some in the near future which highlights the interconnectedness of supply chains in western Europe and the strong links with the UK, as only 15.2 per cent thought there would be zero impact. A high proportion of respondents in this group (43.3 per cent) were still developing risk mitigation plans ahead of any real direction on the development of the negotiations. Confidence is high amongst supply chain managers as 75.3 per cent believe they had the necessary skills to navigate the impacts of the Brexit talks on their own supply chains. They also had some advice for the government and their priorities when negotiating trade agreements – 28.10 per cent said keeping quotas and tariffs between the UK and EU to a minimum; 25.8 per cent want consistency in regulation in supply chains; 22.5 per cent to keep red tape as minimal as possible; and 19.1 per cent were concerned about keeping free movement of workers between the UK and Europe. RESULTS FROM THE SECTORS Banking and finance: This sector had a high proportion of international suppliers, including European suppliers at 81.3 per cent. Currency fluctuations were at the top of the list of issues to affect supply chains with the Brexit vote where 57.7 per cent said supply chains had become more expensive. When asked how prepared the sector was E

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Almost half (46 per cent) of European supply chain managers expect more of their supply chains to be removed from the UK, with just over a quarter planning to re-shore all, or part of, their supply chain to Europe  with the UK leaving the EU, 56 per cent said they were performing a risk analysis exercise and 44 per cent said they were mapping the potential costs of new tariffs. In addition 36 per cent said they were looking for other suppliers in the UK. Confidence is high as 73.1 per cent of respondents believed that they have the necessary skills to manage any disruption in their supply chains. The importance of keeping tariffs and quotas on goods to a minimum between the UK and the EU was the highest concern (37.5 per cent). The second most important concern was ensuring workers can move freely between the UK and Europe (29 per cent). Maintaining regulations between EU and UK supply chains came third with 16.7 per cent. In this sector, a lack of time was the biggest barrier facing negotiators (54.2 per cent) and a concern that the UK was in a weak negotiating position (50 per cent), with a lack of negotiating skills (25 per cent). Manufacturing: The larger section of respondents (94 per cent) have international supply chains with some European suppliers with only three per cent with UK-only suppliers and three per cent with an international supply chain without European suppliers. Currency fluctuations overwhelmingly were the biggest cause of concern for the sector as supply chains become more expensive (74.7 per cent), contracts being re-negotiated (24.1 per cent) but a quarter equally (28.7 per cent) not seeing any impact and not expecting any impact to materialise. In preparation for the split from the EU, the sector said it was mostly performing a risk analysis (39.7 per cent) but looking for alternative suppliers in the UK was the response from over a third (36.8 per cent). However, 21.8 per cent were looking for suppliers outside the European Union, and 27 per cent were making efforts to get closer to their EU suppliers (27 per cent). The longer term impact is bad news for suppliers as 43.1 per cent said input costs would have to be negotiated lower. Around 17.8 per cent said they would bring some of their operations to the UK but 24.7 per cent said more of their supply operations would be located outside of the EU. Over a tenth of professionals said that part or all of their business would cease to exist (12.1 per cent). Supply chain professionals in the manufacturing sector remained confident (76.4 per cent) that they have the necessary skills to manage any disruption in their supply chains as a result of the Brexit

process. Overwhelmingly, the biggest issue for the sector during negotiations by the UK government is keeping potential tariffs minimal (50.3 per cent). The second highest response was around red tape between the EU and the UK to remain low (21.1 per cent). Sufficient levels to top up the workforce were of moderate concern at 14.9 per cent and maintaining regulations was noted by 11.8 per cent of respondents. Retail and wholesale: The larger section of respondents (96.4 per cent) had international supply chains with some European suppliers and 1.8 per cent with an international supply chain without European suppliers, and 1.8 per cent UK-only supply chains. Currency fluctuations overwhelmingly were the biggest cause of concern for the sector as supply chains become more expensive (81.3 per cent) and re-negotiating contracts with suppliers was next at 45.8 per cent. When questioned about preparations to leave the EU, a high proportion were performing a risk analysis exercise (65.3 per cent) and 51 per cent were looking for UK suppliers which is good news for the country. When asked what the long-term impacts would be on their supply chains, suppliers were at the forefront of having to make changes, as 57.1 per cent of respondents

Procurement

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said they would expect suppliers to reduce their prices. An equal number (16.3 per cent) said they would re-shore their supply chain to the UK and also a greater part of the supply chain would go to suppliers outside the EU. The retail sector displayed high confidence in its skills (75.5 per cent) that they could manage any difficulties in their supply chains as a result of Brexit. The sector’s response around the biggest issues facing the negotiators is keeping potential tariffs low (38.3 per cent) and keeping red tape minimal (34 per cent). The need for workers and free movement was relatively low (10.6 per cent) and maintaining supply chain regulations (17 per cent). A lack of time was the biggest concern for retailers (38.3 per cent) along with worries about negotiators and their personal contacts (36.2 per cent) and the UK’s weak position (36.2 per cent) when dealing with what will be a hard negotiation over a long time. There was also an issue around the dearth of supply chain knowledge and expertise in the sector (34 per cent) and ensuring the skills gap is improved for negotiators (19.1 per cent). Now with more discussions around a hard Brexit following the UK election this has had immediate impacts. At the time of writing, the pound had declined by approximately 1.5 per cent against the euro and the dollar. Higher import costs and inflation looks set to continue in the short term until the content of the discussions become known which will add pressure on negotiators and ultimately the UK government and business. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.cips.org

Photo by Braden Hopkins on Unsplash

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Excellence through experience

Providing IT support to the public sector across the UK since 1988 With a proven track record of shaping technology to help the public sector achieve more, we can deliver the service and flexibility organisations of any size need to keep pace with the changing IT environment. Organisations need to look at IT differently and find a range of services that can be fine-tuned to meet their unique needs. Contracts should reflect what your organisation needs, not what the service provider wants to sell. Think it’s time to look at your IT differently? Then please get in touch and see how Quiss can help.

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PUBLIC SECTOR RECRUITMENT LEADERS ROUNDTABLE Join LaunchPad and fellow public sector senior recruitment leaders at our complimentary recruitment technology roundtable series. You’ll have the opportunity to discuss and share key challenges in an intimate and informal setting, including topics such as: > Candidate engagement best practice > Addressing bias in recruitment > Making your recruitment process more efficient.

FIRE SAFETY

DB Fire Safety Limited is an independent fire safety consultancy that was originally established in 2011. The company’s motto is ‘Your partner for fire safety’, which accurately defines DB Fire Safety Limited’s role when providing its many clients with help and support in meeting their responsibilities under fire safety legislation. Since the introduction of The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, there is now a statutory requirement on all businesses to meet certain defined requirements. These include: the need to appoint a Responsible Person; the requirement for a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment; and the need to ensure all staff receive appropriate training. DB Fire Safety Limited has recently been awarded as the Best Independent Fire Safety Consultancy 2017. This demonstrates that the company’s commitment to providing advice

and support, independent of any other commercial considerations, attracts, and is appreciated by, its clients. DB Fire Safety Limited helps its clients by carrying out necessary fire risk assessments and providing continual updates. It also provides training to staff in general fire safety awareness, as well as training any Fire Marshals as and when required. Amongst the company’s many clients are a substantial number of residential care homes, schools and medical centres, as well as numerous commercial offices and factories. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 772 0559 enquiries@dbfiresafety.co.uk

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DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT

Your go-to digital transformation partner

Data Capture Solutions Ltd is an expert in addressing typical information management challenges faced by the public sector today. The company understands the continuous pressure on public sector to provide better citizen services whilst reducing cost amidst tight austerity measures. DCS provides solutions to manage incoming information better and remove inefficiencies that can occur because of inaccessibility of data or documents. As a result, you achieve faster response times and more efficient services, all at reduced cost. DCS is the partner of choice for many

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digital transformation initiatives within the government sector such as digitising the mailroom, invoice processing, document scanning and archiving, electoral role registrations, forms scanning and capture, cheque processing and more. If you have a business process in mind that could benefit from digitisation and automation contact DCS for a consultation or find the company on the crown commercial framework to procure solutions through the framework directly. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01753 616 720 info@dcs.co.uk

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CONFERENCES & EVENTS

KingsGate Conference Centre is perfectly situated on the outskirts of Peterborough, with easy links to major roads and the east coast train mainline. From KingsGate to Kings Cross is a mere 50 minutes. With a reputation for delivering successful events and excellent customer service, KingsGate is the ideal venue for your conference, exhibition or business meeting and so much more. At the heart of KingsGate is an impressive 1,500 seat auditorium, with over 740 square metres of floor space, a theatre sized stage with in-house high specification audio-visual equipment and highly skilled technicians. KingsGate has three large suites designed with flexibility to suit all your requirements for conferences, larger meetings, briefings, product launches or

Cardiff University, located in the heart of the city centre, has a variety of venues available for conferences and events. Facilities include lecture theatres, meeting rooms and exhibition space. Cardiff University has function rooms available in several buildings. Aberdare Hall, built in 1893, is a beautiful location. It includes three executive meeting rooms and a spacious hall which can be used for awards ceremonies, banquets and gala dinners. The purpose-built conference centre located at University Hall, approximately three miles outside of Cardiff City Centre, can accommodate up to 230 delegates. The conference centre includes complimentary car parking and Wi-Fi and is ideally located near the M4 corridor. The conference and events team will recommend the most suitable

Conference venue by design at KingsGate

training. There are also seven smaller meetings rooms perfect for boardroom meetings or breakout rooms for larger conferences. Some rooms include their own kitchenette and toilet facility, perfect for use as private or self-contained events. From breakfast meetings to working lunches, evening receptions and banquets, KingsGate’s 5-star rated caterers can provide it all. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01733 602 040 conference@kingsgateuk.com www.kingsgate-uk.org

CONFERENCES & EVENTS

Malvern Events at Malvern College provides an inspirational, yet practical, location in Worcestershire for conferences, meetings and events. What makes this venue truly unique is the diverse range of exceptional facilities within one impressive setting, making it an ideal location for all kinds of events. Whether it’s small-scale corporate training, large day conferences, filming or social celebrations, Malvern Events will provide the perfect backdrop accompanied by a seamless service. With a wide choice of event, conference and meeting rooms available for as few as 20 up to 400 guests, clients can choose from Big School, situated in the historic Main Building, to the Studio or the Gryphon Room, both located within Malvern College’s multi‑million pound Sports Complex. Providing the highest

St Hugh’s College is a traditional University of Oxford College set within 14 and a half acres of quiet, leafy North Oxford. The college prides itself on professional delivery of a wide-range of events from small meetings and dinners, to celebrations, conferences and weddings. It also offers bed and breakfast rooms all year round. With a unique blend of traditional and contemporary spaces, a tranquil setting, excellent facilities, exceptional food and professional customer service, St Hugh’s is your perfect Oxford venue. 25 function spaces with capacity for up to 220 guests and dining, buffet, theatre, classroom, boardroom and cabaret-style are available, together with a combination of 415 premium- and Universitystandard bedrooms. Parking is available upon request. Each

Adaptable venue set in Malvern College

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Offering a diverse range of venues in Cardiff

standards from AV equipment to venue coordinator, Malvern Events has a reputation for first-class customer service. Day delegate packages start from £25* and 24‑hour rates from £85*. Free parking, WiFi access, onsite catering and AV facilities, plus technical support, are all included.

*Price subject to minimum numbers **Accommodation is only available out of term time FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01684 581640 events@malcol.org www.malverncentral.co.uk/ malverncollege

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

space depending upon your requirements. Cardiff University provides excellent hospitality, and there are a range of menu choices including refreshments, working lunches, buffets, canape receptions and banquet dinners. For availability and prices please contact the university. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 02920 875508 conference@cardiff.ac.uk www.cardiff.ac.uk/conferences

A venue with a strong sense of its tradition

room offers easy access to the exclusive North Oxford gardens. The College houses the stunning Dickson Poon University of Oxford China Centre building, opened by the Duke of Cambridge in 2014, which features modern conference and event facilities including flexible space for lectures, breakout sessions, meetings, training, events, dinners, celebrations and accommodation. St Hugh’s College looks forward to welcoming you. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01865 274424 conferences@ st‑hughs.ox.ac.uk www.st-hughs.ox.ac.uk /conferences-and-events

CONFERENCES & EVENTS

Lady Margaret Hall was founded in 1878 admitting the first female students to the University of Oxford. The college’s fresh approach, distinctive buildings and spacious, natural landscape make LMH the perfect setting for memorable events that engage and inspire your guests. The college is committed to helping you achieve the event you want, fusing modern facilities with the timeless atmosphere of an Oxford College. Dining for up to 250 people can be provided in its splendid wood‑panelled dining hall. Outside term-time LMH can host residential conferences for up to 180 guests in ensuite rooms. Rooms filled with natural light, with the gardens just a step away, make LMH a great venue when you’re thinking, working and learning.

Located within the stunning 330 acre grounds of the University of Stirling there is a unique collection of outstanding conference, events and accommodation. Perfectly positioned in the heart of Scotland, only 40 minutes from Edinburgh and Glasgow, you’ll have access to an impressive range of facilities. What’s more, all profits are reinvested to ensure an outstanding student experience for this and future generations at the University of Stirling. From the 100-bedroom Stirling Court Hotel, open all year round, to the 2,000 additional bedrooms in 4-star guest accommodation, chalets and apartments available throughout the summer months, there’s an abundance of space for large events and conferences. Stirling Court Hotel has over 25 specially designed meeting rooms all with natural daylight and state-of-the-art audio visual equipment while Stirling Venues

Timeless character and the space you need

The college prides itself on its friendly, helpful service. LMH likes to try new ideas and to be as flexible as possible in meeting your needs. The LMH gardens wrap around the buildings, creating hidden corners to explore. Tucked away in tranquil North Oxford, LMH is a place where you can relax, try punting, tennis and croquet, or walk into Oxford via the leafy University Parks. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01865 274 300 conference@lmh.ox.ac.uk www.conference.lmh.ox.ac.uk

Your conference centre in the heart of Scotland

3D PRINTING

While discipline in engineering design and manufacture has its place alongside method and procedure, the freedom of expression needed in artistic design and engineering innovation may often be sacrificed for the organisation. The ability to turn around quick ideas has been helped enormously by the availability of 3D design software and 3D printing. These represent a coming together of decades of evolving technologies that has moved from drafting to wire frame layouts, surface modelling, solid modelling and the modern hybrid design tools with specific add-on applications. Similarly, 3D printing technologies have moved from the toxic and brittle constructions of the past to the present professional MoonRay 3D printer solutions offered by Awesome Apps Ltd that can retain details down to a 10 micron resolution for a range

Leading the way for the UK and Ireland’s 3D printing and scanning services from right here in the Midlands, the country’s manufacturing heartland, Central Scanning have 10 years of trading under its belt and a trusted reputation in the industry. And the company has no plans to slow down – it’ll be committed to 3D innovation, investing in technology and expanding its unmatched industry knowledge for many more decades to come. Central Scanning’s services include: 3D scanning; reverse engineering; inspection specialists; scanner sales; large volume scanning; 3D modelling and rendering; and system and software support. Being Gold Certified by Artec 3D, authorised ZEISS 3D scanner resellers, and with the latest cutting edge 3D printing technology, including the state‑of-the-art Stratasys J750, in Central Scanning’s arsenal, you

Making apps work the way you want them to

of new materials in a highly attractive package. Versions for the engineering, medical and jewellery sectors address the individual needs in a DLP package that is 10 times faster than conventional laser printers. Wherever design innovation needs to give life to new ideas and attempt prototypes or proof concept models, software and 3D printers exclusively available from Awesome Apps Ltd should be of primary consideration. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: (0)1242 370453 info@awe-apps.com www.awe-apps.com

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has a 460-capacity auditorium, labs, lecture theatres and even a cinema available for your next event. If you’re looking for an event with a difference, experience the latest in team-building with an interactive outdoor game, specially designed to take you around the spectacular parkland setting or take advantage of the University of Stirling’s renowned sports facilities, including fitness centre, football pitches, tennis and squash courts as well as the 50 metre pool. For more details please contact the team. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01786 466000 stirlingvenues@stir.ac.uk

Experts in 3D scanning and printing services

can trust that the company is an expert in everything 3D. Always evolving, always championing innovation, the business now has ten highly experienced members of staff and continues to invest in new technology. Over the years, Central Scanning has worked with automotive, design, aircraft, manufacturing and medical companies, to name a few, for engineering development, packaging and supporting historical records and remanufacture. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01527 558 282 info@central-scanning.co.uk www.central-scanning.co.uk

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FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS

Christmas trees for councils, public display areas and village greens

Fresh, large Nordman fir & Blue Spruce Christmas trees available up to 30 ft / 10 m from an Essex Christmas Tree Farm near Stansted Airport ideal for councils, public display areas and village greens. Large display of decorations and indoor/ outside lights. Fresh Christmas wreaths can be made to any size required. We promote sustainability

where you are free by prior arrangement to pick and tag your trees in the plantation, we will then cut and wrap them ready for collection. FURTHER INFORMATION All enquiries, speak to Charlotte on 07803 893777, or 01245 231628 or visit website www.christmaswrappedup. co.uk or email charlotte@ christmaswrappedup.co.uk

Locally grown Christmas trees and reindeer A real, lit Christmas tree simply embraces the magic of the festive season and provides traditional decoration and nostalgic memories. Cotley Farm is passionate about real Christmas trees and reindeer. Located just outside Exeter in East Devon, just off the A30, Cotley Farm is ideally placed to supply Christmas trees to the west country. The company is a family‑mixed farm which has diversified into growing Christmas trees and hiring out reindeer. Cotley Farm’s reputation for a fresh, quality tree is a matter of pride as it cuts to order, ensuring optimum quality throughout the festive season. It can supply either Nordmann Fir, or traditional Norway Spruce varieties from three to 15 foot tall. Whatever your needs, Cotley Farm can tailor a package to meet your requirements. A locally grown Christmas tree should be your first choice. Benefits of using Cotley Farm

FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS

Cambrian Trees offers a variety of Christmas trees with low needle drop including Norway Spruce, Nordmann Fir, Fraser Fir and a small selection of Scotch Pine, all in various sizes including smaller trees for ‘shop tops’. The company works to strict environmental policies and works hand in hand with nature and its wildlife within Cambrian Trees’ plantations. The firm has a flock of Shropshire sheep that graze amongst its trees as a natural way of grass and weed control. Handmade wreaths and garlands and foliage are also available on the farm and a range of festive gifts are available in Cambrian Trees’ log cabin. The company opens its gates from 1 December and encourages customers to bring the family for a day out to choose their own Christmas tree for their home. All of trees and handmade

Lasersound is your one-stop shop for laser shows, light shows, sound systems, flame shows, pyrotechnics and many other special effects. With many years of experience the company can customise all these to your specific needs. Whether it’s a Christmas lights switch-on in a confined space, or a rooftop car park where you want fireworks, Lasersound can help. The key to the company’s success is an in-depth knowledge of its equipment and how it works in any given situation. With low overheads and expert technicians, Lasersound is able to provide council event organisers with a service which really does offer best value. Lasersound’s laser shows display amazing shafts of piercing light beams sweeping across the sky in all the colours of the rainbow. They can also be used to project images on to buildings and other solid structures. Light shows include

Cambrian Christmas trees for your festive needs

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goods can be fire retardant sprayed to keep up with fire regulations in larger companies. Cambrian Trees’ encourages wholesale customers to visit its plantations and tag the trees they wish to purchase. The company promises a reliable and professional service, and ensures fresh cut netted trees delivered on pallets, trollies or loose anywhere in the country on the date you require. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01974 282 292 cambriantrees@gmail.com www.cambriantrees.co.uk

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

include having a fresh tree, supporting a local rural business with a great provenance, less transport, and benefitting the environment with real Christmas trees which are renewable and recyclable. Visit Cotley Farm’s plantations or give the company a call to find out more. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01404 823 193 cotleychristmas@gmail.com www.cotleychristmas.co.uk

Lighting up the sky at your events and celebrations

colour-changing uplighters, perfect for illuminating buildings. Image mapping is a new service which transforms your building by projecting images that are precision-mapped to its shape. The company also provides sound systems, with a range of PA systems for all occasions. Lasersound’s flame shows display erupting huge plumes in an amazing fire dance, while its pyrotechnics and fireworks demonstrate how the company’s skill and experience enables it to create spectacular effects, with zero fallout, in the tightest spaces. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 326 5570 info@lasersound.co.uk www.lasersound.co.uk

FLOORING

SJ Flooring offers a large range of affordable and high quality carpets, safety flooring and vinyl floors for the commercial sector. Providing cost-effective and reliable flooring installations comes naturally to the company as it has been doing so for over two decades. The firm has worked alongside main contractors, designers and end users within the commercial sector and also with other trades. The company’s service is based on a customer-focused approach that includes great communication, well-kept commitments and adaptable schedules to fit around you. With full design, planning and supply to back up the installations, you’ll get a fully comprehensive flooring service based on the business’s detailed initial consultation. SJ Flooring offers unrivalled experience and expertise in fitting carpets and flooring across London and the Home Counties,

Teco Interiors Ltd was established back in 1985. It is a commercial flooring contractor based in the South East providing all types of floor coverings to the public sector, and the company prides itself on quality of service and competitive prices. It offers advice on supply and installation and has built strong relationships with its customers – especially in the healthcare sector. The firm also provides a repair and maintenance service. As well as floors, Teco Interiors installs hygienic wall cladding using products such as Whiterock and Mediclad, which means it can provide a complete wet room package (floor and walls). The company uses manufacturers such as Altro,

Offering comprehensive floor fitting services

and has built a reputation for outstanding quality and tailored flooring to suit its clients. For a free no obligation consultation and survey get in touch and let SJ Flooring take away the stress of flooring choices and installation so you can focus solely on your business. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0333 200 5400 mail@sjflooring.co.uk www.sjflooring.co.uk

PRODUCTS & SERVICES

Show your customers you care with CleanBoot

The CleanBoot UK Ltd aims to rid all industries from using plastic disposable overshoes – why? Because plastic is bad, we know that now. So why do corporations and companies issue plastic disposable overshoes to their staff, when they’ll just end up in landfill? Some say it’s because they’re cheap, but are they? The Original CleanBoot are neoprene overshoes that last up to six months. They are reusable, washable, waterproof and have unique patented grip sole. At the end of their life, they’re recyclable as they are made from 100 per cent neoprene. A company would save 50 per cent of their overshoe costs over

a period of a year, using The Original CleanBoot rather than plastic disposable overshoes. When you arrive in a pair of The Original Cleanboots, your customers’ reaction will be worth witnessing! It immediately shows you are professional and you care about them, and their property. The Original CleanBoot overshoes are sold globally. The company has distributers worldwide. It also sells direct, based on quantities required. Interested to find out more? Contact the company today. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 08454 747 770 info@thecleanbootuk.com www.thecleanbootuk.com

Specialising in industrial and hard-wearing flooring

Products & Services

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Polyflor, Forbo Flooring, Tarkett and Heckmondwike and lays vinyls (smooth, non-slip and conductive), carpets, carpet tiles, rubber, resin and entrance mattings. Teco Interiors has also recently added surface preparation to its portfolio, i.e. concrete grinding. Other customers of the company include the MOD, schools, colleges, councils, Mental Health and NHS Community Services. All the firm’s fitters have security clearance including DBS (CRB) checks and the company has CHAS (SSIP) Certification. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01634 267474 sales@tecointeriors.co.uk www.tecointeriors.co.uk

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Great value outdoor activities within the M25

Walton Firs has been welcoming young people to its activity centre for almost 80 years. The centre prides itself on helping visitors to develop their self‑confidence and team‑work skills, and overcome personal challenges whilst creating some wonderful memories. Walton Firs is a hidden gem, nestled in 36 acres of Surrey countryside, just two miles within the M25. Its charity-owned status means it is able to offer great value to its new and returning visitors. There is a wide and diverse range of activities available for day visitors, not to mention accommodation for residential trips in dormitory‑style huts or camping for the more adventurous. Staff can help

you to arrange your visit and create bespoke packages to suit specific learning objectives whilst remaining within specified budgets. Some recent comments include: “We love bringing our children to Walton Firs, there is so much space for them to use, with plenty of different activities to suit all ages and all within a safe environment”, and, “Our girls had so much fun taking part in the archery and climbing sessions that they have asked if they can come back before the end of the year!” FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01932 863243 info@waltonfirs.co.uk www.waltonfirs.co.uk

Volume 24.5 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Products & Services

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT – www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

HEALTH & SAFETY

FRAMEWORKS

The Alexander Technique is a skill which makes for greater ease and efficiency in everyday activities. Most of us have many habitual patterns which constrict us mentally and physically. By becoming aware of habits that interfere with our natural coordination and learning how to prevent these, we can improve posture, performance and alertness. Instead of stress, tension and pain, we can move without stiffness and enjoy the activities and demands of daily living. Research has shown that the Alexander Technique can help with balance, breathing, chronic pain, and backache. For example, a controlled trial of Alexander lessons was published in the British Medical Journal in 2008. Its main conclusion was that individual lessons in the technique have long term benefits for patients with

Recruit, part of giant precision, is a cloud-based e-recruitment platform that supports the recruitment processes for public sector organisations. The system provides better candidate engagement, higher quality applicants, reduced time to hire, and reduced administrative costs. Use Recruit to: attract quality candidates via fully responsive candidate websites that increase, reach and attract top talent; benefit from full life cycle recruitment via vacancy advertising, online applications, shortlisting, interview management, onboarding and HR system integration; and reduce time to hire through improved requisition workflow, better candidate engagement and communication plus streamlined shortlisting. Recruit’s accurate reporting, as a result of an integrated reporting suite, will keep you on top of the process and covers government and in-house

Improving the way we use ourselves in everyday activities

chronic back pain. Lessons in the Alexander Technique outperformed all control groups. The best way to learn this practical technique, which takes you out of the mundane and improves general awareness, is through one-to-one lessons related to your individual needs. The Pimlico Centre for the Alexander Technique is a dedicated Alexander Technique space which opened in 2006. It is run a by several experienced teachers who have worked with each other for years. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 020 7821 0007 hello@alexandertechniquein london.com

Managing contingent labour since 1992

reporting responsibilities. With Recruit you can realise a real return on investment, devolve responsibility to your managers via the manager self-service, and be assured in the security of your data based on secure sites. Use giant precision to manage workers via cloud-based, self-service portals delivering international onboarding, contract and timesheet management, billing, payroll and payments solutions together with outsourced professional managed services on an integrated or modular basis. FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0330 024 0946 enquiries@giantprecision.com

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service 80-Six 82 Acceler8 Training 86 Alert Technology 76 All Weather Industries 50 ALS Enviromental 22 ASAP Comply 44 Awesome Apps 123 Bayer Cropscience 66 Belchim Crop Protection 67 BlockWalls 55 Blygold 20 Bomford Turner 62 Bradshaw Electric Vehicles 62 Brokk 48 Cambrian Trees 124 Capital Power Clean 58 Cardiff University 122 Castle Group 68 Central Scanning 123 Christmas Plus 30 Christmas Wrapped Up 124 CNS Group 92 Cotley Farm Christmas Trees 124 CPC 26 CPN Lighting Control 42 Craigmarloch Nurseries 66 Crocodile Flood Solutions 46 Danarm Machinery 66 Data Capture Solutions 121 DB Fire Safety 121 DCR Inspection Systems 74 Docunetic 118

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Dupre Minerals BC Egbert Taylor Group 76 Energy Managers Association 22 F.G. Marshall IBC Fasque Christmas Tree 28 Festival Flags 82 Foldable RIB 52 Ford 10 Fugro GeoServices 55 Gala Lights 31 GameLearn 84 Glasswall Solutions 95 Hahn Plastics 66 Hayes Garden World 24 Houndwood Management 38 Imperial College London 80 In2itive Business Solutions 84 Institute of Risk Management 40 Interflow 55 Intersystems 6 ISS Mediclean 8 Jisc Services 106 Joseph Noblett Christmas 39 Jub Holland 62 JW Uk 73 Kinegistic 105 KingsGate Conference Centre 105 Kyocera Document Solutions IFC Lady Margaret Hall 123 Land and Minerals Consulting 55 Lasersound 124 LaunchPad Recruits 121

GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE | Volume 24.5

Learning Unlimited 84 Leisure Lites 30 Lights4fun 32 Lite 4 Life 94 LiveCode 102 Malvern College Enterprises 122 Maximus Green 22 Medical Banks 111 Meon Valley Christmas Trees 38 Meteo Group 53 Mobex 78 Monterosa 98 Mthree Consulting 96 Neptune Solutions Global 54 Newsholme Christmas Trees 38 Nth Dimension 118 Olivetti 12 One Birdcage Walk 80 Parity Group 112 Paul Williamson 38 Pestana Chelsea Bridge 80 Piggots Flags and Branding 30 Plant Force 39 Plessey Semiconductors 110 Premier Guarantee 70 QFS Scaffolding 76 Questionmark 86 Quiss Technology 120 Ransomes Jacobsen 64 Raw Group 76 Regal Expo Line 62 Rivington Information Security 119

Road Phone S.H. Goss and Co Salle Farms Scarab Sweepers Sempre Analytics Siam-IT Solutions SJ Flooring St Hugh’s College Stockeld Park Estate Sunshine Events Swansea University Symity Syniad IT Solutions Teco Interiors Teignmouth Maritime Services Tersus Consultancy The CleanBoot Uk The Coventry University The Giant Group The Pimlico Centre Totnes Rare Breed Farm Uberplas University of Cumbria University of Stirling V4 Services Vanden Recycling Vorboss Walton Firs Activity Centre Widdops Brush Co Woodman Trees Zengenti

80 58 39 58 108 120 125 122 34 36 78 100 119 125 52 77 125 84 126 126 82 56 78 123 114 56 116 125 22 30 104

In good hands Skills can be learned. But really caring about what you do, putting your whole heart and soul into it – no one can teach you that.

Over 80 years of experience To find out more about FG Marshall, please visit:

www.fgmarshall.com tel: 01372 274 386

email: office@fgmarshall.com

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