ANNEXE
Epsom& Ewell Borough Council
Sustainability Policy Statement 2005
Introduction
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is committed to playing its full part in achieving
continuous improvement to the quality of life for all sections of our community.
We will endeavour to give our children's children greater opportunities and choice and do
our best to pass on to them an environment that is in an even better condition than it is
today.
Our Ambition is “to maintain and develop those distinctive characteristics that
make living and working in Epsom and Ewell something our residents do as a
matter of conscious choice, by working with others to provide quality and
innovative services that are based on the identified priorities of our residents."
This Sustainability Policy complements and supports the Borough's Community Strategy,
the document which sets out how partners will work to help build and develop a
sustainable community.
It recognises that everyone's activities have an impact on the local and global
environment. We are dedicated to the continuous improvement of our environmental
performance and will use our influence and resources to encourage others to do the same.
The Council's activities are broad in scope and many will have an ultimate effect on the
environment. The Council has an impact on the local environment when undertaking its
duties, for example, as:
a regulator (e.g. in producing land use advice, in processing planning
applications and in controlling pollution),
a service provider (e.g. in managing local parks),
a landowner/asset manager,
an employer,
a purchaser,
a grant provider,
an educator/communicator
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In all its activities, the Council pledges to seek an improvement in the quality of the
environment of the Borough. To this end, it endeavours to:
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minimise its detrimental impact on the environment and
maximise opportunities for environmental improvement
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Principles
This Policy Statement is founded on a number of important principles:
1) Seeking continual improvement of environmental performance.
2) Ensuring that environmental standards are upheld by contractors
3) Assessing all new policies, activities and practices for their effects on the
environment and in cases of doubt applying the "precautionary principle"
4) Encouraging public access to environmental information held by the Council
5) Ensuring that we respond promptly and take full account of environmental
concerns expressed by local residents
6) Involving all sections of the local community, businesses and other groups in the
development and implementation of environmental policies, including partnership
arrangements
7) Ensuring staff and contractors are aware of their responsibilities under this policy
8) Taking a lead in educating the community and promoting good practices by both
agencies and individuals
Topic Policy Statements
a) Energy usage and climate change
Whenever coal, gas and oil are burned to create energy, carbon dioxide is produced. This
is a "greenhouse gas" that contributes to global warming, changes in weather patterns, sea
level rising and flooding. Under the Kyoto Protocol, the government is committed to
reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by 12.5 % from a 2000 baseline to 2008-2012. It
is also committed to cutting carbon dioxide emissions to 20% below 1990 levels by 2010
and providing 10% of UK electricity from renewable resources by 2010.
As a significant property owner/landlord in the Borough, the Council has a big role to
play in reducing energy use. It does this by investing in energy efficiency and using
renewable energy, where cost effective. People who benefit most from warm homes are
often those least able to afford it and so help, such as grants, is targeted towards low
income households to make warmth more affordable.
We will introduce an Energy Policy aimed at reducing the use of energy in Council
managed properties in order to reduce consumption and costs. We will encourage
the efficient use of energy, the use of renewable energy, where cost-effective, and
tackle fuel poverty.
b) Water consumption
Demand for public water supply is expected to rise by 10% in England and Wales
between 1992 and 2012. Water abstraction can lead to low flows in rivers and demand
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for more reservoirs and water transfer facilities. Water efficiency is needed to reduce
demand for new supply facilities and impacts on the wider river environment.
We will work with partners to encourage water conservation.
c) Transport
Transport plays an important role in the economic and social life of the Borough. It can
also cause environmental problems, such as noise and air pollution. Transport and
parking issues were identified as key concerns for the Borough residents in the
consultation on the Community Strategy.
We will consider the impact on the environment of transport operated by the
Council, its employees and contractors, whilst recognizing the need for an
acceptable level of accessibility.
d) Purchasing and use of materials
The Council spends approximately £0.5 million out of its annual budget on the supply of
consumable supplies, such as printing and stationery. Additional supplies are consumed
by contractors working on the Council’s behalf, for example in repairing buildings.
As a major purchaser, the council can influence manufacturers and suppliers to make
their goods and services less harmful to the environment and to develop their own
environmental policies.
We will consider the environmental impact of materials purchased and used by both
the Council and its contractors through the procurement process.
e) Waste management
Waste minimisation, re-use and recycling have environmental benefits by reducing
consumption of raw materials, saving energy and limiting both landfill and incineration.
The Council is a waste collection authority, with a significant proportion of the material
being recycled. The Government is committed to the targets in the EC Landfill Directive
(99/31/EC) to reduce biodegradable municipal waste (BMW) to landfill to 35% of that
produced in 1995 by 2020. This means that landfill is not a long-term option for waste
disposal and waste minimisation and increased recycling is likely to be main option for
waste disposal.
We will encourage waste minimisation, composting, re-use, recycling and aim to
reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill.
f) Air quality
The main air pollutants in the Borough are caused by road traffic. The levels of these
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traffic-derived pollutants is declining overall, but the rate of decline for nitrogen
dioxide (NO2) and particulates (PM10) could be improved.
We will improve air quality.
g) Water quality and resources
Sutton & East Surrey Water Company and Thames Water Utilities Plc are jointly
responsible for the quality of the drinking water they supply to the Borough. The Council
checks on the quality of drinking water. Water sampling carried out for the Council
includes checks on the levels of chemicals such as herbicides in the water, as well as
bacteriological checks to indicate whether the water could spread disease.
The Hogsmill River runs through the Borough and although it is a somewhat urbanised
channel, it offers important opportunities for wildlife habitats as well as recreation and
amenity.
We will monitor drinking water, rivers and tracts of open water to ensure that they
meet high standards of safety and cleanliness and that our water resources are
valued and managed as amenity and ecological assets.
h) Noise
Excessive noise can spoil residents’ enjoyment of their homes and, in extreme cases, pose
a threat to human health. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 gives the Council
powers to take action to solve or limit noise pollution problems.
We will prevent and control noise nuisances.
i) Vacant, derelict and contaminated land and empty properties
Derelict and vacant land and properties are eyesores that often attract vandalism and can
make communities feel run down and unsafe. Land may be contaminated, causing
pollution that may leach into ground water. Redevelopment of such sites presents
opportunities to clean them and to make more effective use of properties and sites.
However, vacant land in urban areas may also be a haven for wildlife, so redevelopment
needs to be done with care, so as not to exacerbate pollution problems or harm valuable
wildlife habitat.
We will encourage owners to improve and return to use vacant, derelict and
contaminated land and empty homes.
j) Open spaces, ecology and trees
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The Borough's parks and open spaces provide a home for wildlife, opportunities for sport
and a place for respite from city life. They are highly regarded by residents as one of the
best things about living in Epsom & Ewell. Increasingly fear of crime is a factor
deterring some from using parks and measures to tackle this are being addressed.
The open space plays an essential part in maintaining biodiversity and there are two Sites
of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a national designation for wildlife habitats. The
Council is working with partners to produce a Local Biodiversity Action Plan to ensure
long term management for wildlife habitats and species protection.
Trees enhance the quality of both the rural and urban environment and are important for
our health and wellbeing. The Council is responsible for a large number of trees in the
Borough. The rest are in private gardens or are owned by other bodies, such as Transport
providers.
We will maintain and enhance diverse open spaces to meet residents' expectations
and conserve biodiversity (the variety of life).
k) Sustainable development and the built environment
The Council’s current Borough Plan and developing Local Development Framework set
out planning policies that guide development and other use of land in the Borough and
detailed policies for deciding planning applications. Sustainable development is a key
element of this work.
The new Local Development Framework looks forward to the next ten years and its
policies will be subject to an environmental appraisal to assess their positive and negative
environmental effects.
We will promote and control development in the Borough so as to
protect and enhance the quality of life, and improve economic and social
opportunities, in line with objectives of sustainability.
l) Publicity and participation
The Council has an important role to play in raising awareness of environmental issues
and encouraging others to participate in campaigns and practical projects. The Council
will be, and be seen to be, a good steward of the local environment and encourage others
to do the same.
We will encourage active participation by residents and business in local
environmental projects and events.
m) Sustainable communities
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The Council recognises the public's concerns over crime and anti-social behaviour and
that this can lead to anxiety and constraints on normal day-to-day living. The availability
of housing at reasonable cost also ensures that essential services can be maintained and
that a balanced community is achieved.
We will take steps to reduce anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime. We will
also secure additional key worker, social and affordable housing.
n) Involving young people
It is young people who will inherit the environmental problems created today. Young
people also have a high level of interest in environmental issues and peoples’ behavioural
patterns start early. For these reasons, it is particularly important to encourage young
people to participate in local environmental projects and campaigns and to do this in
imaginative and creative ways.
We will encourage active participation by young people in decision-making and
local environmental projects and activities.
Monitoring implementation
a) Best Value Review of Sustainability
The Council undertook a Best Value Review of Sustainability and report was considered
in April 2005.
An Action Plan was included in the Report and this will form the basis for monitoring
progress by the Council in delivering the policies set out in this statement.
The Council's Scrutiny Committee will exercise this monitoring function.
b) Key Service Priorities and Targets
The Council annually reviews its Key Service Priorities via the four policy committees.
This Policy Statement will be a key document inn this process and integral to the setting
of Targets against these Priorities.
The Council's Performance Management Framework provides the mechanism for
progress to be monitored against the Targets and for remedial action to be taken, where
this is necessary.
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