WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Menu of Local Outcome Indicators
Environmental Indicators Framework
This Environmental Indicators Framework supports environmental outcome indicators in the Menu of Local Outcome Indicators.
Page 2 outlines how the Framework can be used. Page 3 onward introduces the indicators, including greyed-out entries for work in
progress.
The Framework has been developed in partnership by organisations whose logos are represented on this page. A number of
LINK’s members have contributed to this framework and support it as work in progress
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WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
This framework supports environmental indicators in the Menu of Local Outcome Indicators. As well as using the indicators to
describe progress towards outcomes (and the activities required to support that progress), the framework can be used to describe
the state of the environment and hence contribute to the Area Profile.
The framework shows:
 Environmental outcome indicators from the menu (in bold) and proposed (plain text)
 How the environment can contribute to social and economic outcomes (illustrative examples)
 Some ideas for relevant input/activity/output measures – to help identify activities required to progress towards the outcome.
This provides a line of sight between activities ‘below the waterline’ and outcomes ‘above the waterline’ (in the SOA)
 Further sources, such as policy and guidance
The outcome indicators in the Menu are supported and made available via Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics. As with other
outcome indicators in the menu, the environmental outcome indicators presented here are not prescriptive. There may be others
better suited to your local priorities, for example you might swap in an alternative indicator for biodiversity or soil. But ideally the
framework should remain intact overall, with an indicator for each topic. The topics are based on those for Strategic Environmental
Assessment and the framework provides a way to describe the state of the environment in the local authority area.
Outcomes are expressions of complex systems. This framework does not attempt to describe the more detailed methods available
to show how various activities can contribute to outcomes. These methods include:
 Logic modelling and contribution analysis1 (commonly used in the health sector)
 Benefits mapping (commonly used in Programme Management – see OGC resources)
 Systems diagramming (used in a variety of settings – see OU Open Learn for introductory material)
For full guidance on the use of the Menu of Local Outcome Indicators see the Good Practice Note.
We welcome your comments and suggestions on how you have used this Framework and how it might be improved. Please do
this via the Scottish Local Outcome Indicators Knowledge Hub group.
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For a quick introduction, see here
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WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Material assets
Material assets
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
6.51. Satisfaction
with street cleaning
6.55. Percentage of
children walking
and cycling to
school
6.56. Percentage of
journey to work
made by public or
active transport
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
Clean and well kept local environments can
contribute to sustainable places (NO 10)
show people value and enjoy the built and
natural environment (NO 12). This
measure can also compliment waste
indicators to illustrate aspects of the local
environmental impact of our consumption
and production (NO 14) and can be used to
measure satisfaction with the delivery of
public services (NO 15). At a deeper level,
the degree of littering, dog fouling, graffiti
and other anti-social behaviours can also
be used as a measure of the respect that
people have for their neighbours and their
place and are indicative of supportive
communities where people take
responsibility for their own actions and how
they affect others (NO 11)
Leading more active lives is healthier (NO
6). Increasing the facilities for active travel
and public transport is one aspect of
making more sustainable places (NO 10).
Integrating street with green networks can
help to improve the quality of the built and
natural environment (NO 12). Active travel
and using public transport can help to
reduce CO2 emissions (NO 14). All of
these outcomes can also make Scotland a
more attractive place for business with a
more productive workforce (NO 1)
3
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
Further sources
 Local Environmental Audit and Management
System (Includes Cleanliness grade, Litter
Bins (Count of Bins and Count of Overflowing
Bins), Types of litter, Sources of litter, Adverse
Environmental Quality Indicators, such as dog
fouling, graffiti or weed growth, Any other
comments that may be useful for the site
 LEAMS are based on bi-monthly sampling
areas. They can include greenspace
 CIMS (Cleanliness Index Monitoring System)
aim to reflect the cleanliness levels as stated
in the Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse
(Scotland) 2006. The CIMS survey method
takes a minimum random sample of 10% of
streets cleansed by the local authority or
agency, compared to a 2% sample size of a
typical LEAMS survey. This gives a
statistically valid set of results on completion
of each survey.
 number of local communities participating in
the Beautiful Scotland campaigns
 Eco-Schools Scotland
 Active schools
 Workplace travel plans
 km of designated cycle paths
 core path plans and networks

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LEAMS system
CIMS
Scottish Environment
Web

 Active Schools
 Sustrans' School Travel
Programme in Scotland
 Eco-Schools Scotland
 Sustrans - Active
commuting and travel
plans - help and advice
(includes resources for
Scotland)
 Core Path Plans
 Scottish Environment
Web
WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Population and
human health
Climatic factors
(mitigation)
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
6.59 The
proportion of adults
making one or
more visits to the
outdoors per week
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
Increasing the numbers of visits to the
outdoors contributes to physical and mental
health (NO 6). As more people visit the
outdoors, this behaviour is likely to become
‘normalised’ so encouraging others to make
visits to the outdoors (a positive feedback),
in turn increasing the number of people who
value and enjoy the built and natural
environment (NO 12) and build supportive
communities (NO10 and 11)
6.61. CO2 per
capita
The transition to a low carbon economy
(NO 14) is a central to Scotland’s economic
aspirations (NO 1) and presents a range of
employment opportunities (NO 2). It is an
important driver in developing the skills to
meet future challenges (NO 3) and
nurturing responsible citizens (NO 4). Low
carbon places involve wider use of active
travel (NO 6), are well-designed and
sustainable (NO 10) and nurture a strong
community spirit (NO 11). Well-managed
woodlands and carbon-rich soils can help to
reduce emissions (NO 12 and 14).
Adapting to the impacts of climate change
involves better governance of land use and
land use change (NO 12) and welldesigned sustainable places (NO 10).
Adaptation can help to reduce the degree of
disorder that we are exposed to (NO 9),
and to reduce the costs of impacts when
4
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
Further sources
 Kilometres of path network
 Connectivity of path network (e.g. access to
core path network within 300m or a 5 min walk
of residence)
 Amount of time spent in the outdoors/duration
per visit
 New housing developments incorporating an
access management plan
 Any usage data
 Local access forum activity and involvement of
community representatives
 number of local communities participating in
the Beautiful Scotland campaigns
Mitigation
 Climate change – carbon footprints (scenario
development to help inform action required to
reduce CO2 per capita)
 km of designated cycle paths
 percentage of children cycling or walking to
school (see indicator 50)
 percentage of journeys to work made by public
or active transports (see indicator 51)
 Data on renewables generation, energy
efficiency of homes, local authority CO2
emissions and renewable energy generation
from its estate and operations
 Climate Challenge Fund projects data?
 Data gathered from energy ratings for public
buildings
 Energy intensity of new buildings (aktiv/passiv
haus; progress to zero carbon)
 New housing and commercial developments
incorporating public transport provision from
the start
 SNH Scottish Recreation
Survey
 Paths for All – core path
plans and path networks
 Scottish Environment
Web
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 Scottish Government
Climate Change Act and
associated policies
 Public Bodies Duty –
guidance
 SSN Local Footprints
 Scottish Local Authorities
Climate Change
Declaration
 Scottish Government
Climate Change
Adaptation Framework
and associated sector
action plans
 Local Climate Impacts
Profiles
 UK Climate Change Risk
Assessment
 Scottish Climate Change
Impacts Partnership
 SCCIP Adapting to
WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
Soil
6.62. Percentage of
derelict land
Material assets
6.63. Kilograms of
household waste
collected per capita
6.64. Tonnage of
biodegradable
household waste
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
they do occur.
Vacant and derelict requires rehabilitation
to bring it back into beneficial use. Bringing
the land back into use can help to create a
better environment for business (NO 1) and
contribute to better places (NO 10) and
show how people value and enjoy the
natural and built environment (NO12).
The amount of waste produced is a good
measure of sustainable (the less waste, the
more sustainable), and shows how much
we value the built and natural environment
(NO 12). Improving these measures can
signal Scotland as an attractive place for
doing business (NO 1). Improving waste
5
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
Further sources
 Woodland cover
 Woodland expansion (type and location,
including urban)
 Community renewable projects
 Total installed renewables capacity across
Local Authority Area
Adaptation
 Degree of preparedness for climate change
ranked on a scale of 0 to 5 based on
developing and maintaining an adaptation
action plan. Ideally the ranking should be
independently verified.
 landscape connectivity (measures habitat
connectivity/ fragmentation, and the functioning
of protected areas within habitat networks –
can include green networks)
 Green network in spatial plans and planning
policy
 Extent of natural floodplains
 Managed coastal retreat in plans
 Contaminated land
See also other indicators for soil
Climate Change (for the
public sector) and
associated toolkit
 Scottish Environment
Web
 Scottish Vacant and
Derelict Land Survey
(SVDLS), Scottish
Government
 Scottish Environment
Web

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SEPA – waste
Zero Waste Scotland
WRAP
Scottish Environment
Web
WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
landfilled
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
management is one aspect of making more
sustainable places (NO 10).
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
Further sources
6.65. Proportion of
household waste
recycled
Indicators below this line are proposed – work in progress
Biodiversity
(flora and fauna)
Work in progress.
Proposed indicator:
the proportion of
national priority
habitats in each
LBAP area under
positive management
The health and sustainability of ecosystem
components underpins their ability to
deliver a range of outcomes. Protecting
and enhancing the habitats of local
importance to people through positive
management can help people to value and
enjoy their local environments (NO 12). A
high quality environment makes a direct
contribution to everyone’s quality of life and
can enhance mental health and wellbeing
(NO 6). Using volunteers to carry out this
work can help build stronger communities
(NO 11) and build individuals’ skills (NO3).
The physical activity involved can contribute
to health outcomes (NO 6) and high quality
local environments can encourage more
visits to the outdoors (NO 6 and 2). These
areas and species can also be used as a
local curriculum resource for schools (NO
4).
6
 An alternative outcome indicator here is
“Proportion of land that is positively managed
for national priority species or habitats as a key
objective.”
 Biodiversity action for some species may
support this outcome indicator
 Landscape connectivity (measures habitat
connectivity/ fragmentation, and the functioning
of protected areas within habitat networks –
can include green networks)
 Biodiversity – LBAP officers; funding to LBAP
partnerships
 Volunteering - involvement in biodiversity
conservation (e.g. number of volunteer days
spent in LBAP actions and other environmental
projects)
 membership of biodiversity NGOs
 knowledge of priority species and habitats in
the planning system
 Incorporation of biodiversity within spatial plans
and planning policy
 Area of farmland under relevant agrienvironment schemes (SGRPID).
 Area of woodland managed or grant aided for
biodiversity objectives (FCS)
 Measure of High Nature Value Farmland and
Forestry (available after 2011)
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







BARS (Biological Action
Reporting System)
Scottish Environment
Web
Scottish Biodiversity
Strategy
LBAPs
SGRPID
FCS
SNH (land under
conservation
management)
LAs
SNH/SAC and FCS for
High Nature Value
Farmland and Forestry
WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Soil
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
Work in progress
 Issues to consider:
Ideally the indicator
would be e.g. ‘soils in
good condition’ or
‘good ecological
status’ (i.e.
equivalent to water
bodies under the
Water Framework
Directive).
But we have no
formally agreed
methodology or
requirement to
monitor soils or
collect data to
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
Scotland’s prime agricultural soils provide
high quality cereals, fruit and vegetable
crops. Other soils support extensive
livestock farming as well as important deer
populations. These in turn support our food
and drink industry. Soils also support
commercially important forests. (NO1).
Most of Scotland’s drinking water has
passed through or run off of Scotland’s soils
into lochs and reservoirs. (NO6, NO11).
Soils support gardens, allotments and other
greenspaces in our towns and cities,
providing local food as well as leisure and
recreation opportunities and meeting places
which can strengthen communities and lead
to improved physical and mental health.
(NO6, NO11, NO12, NO14).
7
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
 Area under natural heritage designations &
condition (SNH)
 Area of LNRs, community woodlands and
greenspaces managed for biodiversity.
 Area of land under appropriate Habitat
Management Plans (e.g. for wind farms) (LAs)
 Agricultural workers engaged in agrienvironment schemes
 A wide and active LBAP partnership involving
public, voluntary and business sectors.
 Support for the partnership to ensure that work
is co-coordinated and contributes to national
priorities and reporting.
 Biodiversity priorities in Green Network plans.
 Land under conservation management
 Some aspects of ‘good condition’ can be
expressed in terms of:
 Not eroding
 Not over-drained/drying out
 Lack of soil sealing
 extent and condition of carbon-rich soils (peat
and associated organic soils)
 Percentage of degraded peatland under
restoration.
 Percentage of peat substitute used in parks
and cultivated areas
 Extent and quality of peatland (upland blanket
and lowland raised) (SNH, James Hutton Inst.)
 Extent and quality (inc. connectivity) of ancient
woodland (with associated carbon rich soils).
 Rate of peat cover loss (including commercial
extraction)
Indicators below may be useful for other aspects
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Further sources
 SNH/ James Hutton
Institute for mapping
carbon-rich soils and peat
 Scotland’s Soil
Framework
 Scottish Environment
Web
 SGRPID (GAEC)
 Local statistics on
Contaminated Land
 Vacant and derelict land
survey
 Greenspace Scotland –
greenspace mapping
 Central Scotland Green
Network
WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Water
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
support this.
Healthy soil …
•
grows good
quality food and
timber
•
filters and
stores water, helping
provide clean
drinking water and
preventing flooding
•
stores
carbon, helping to
mitigate climate
change
•
provides
valued habitats
•
preserves
archaeological
heritage
•
provides raw
materials
•
provides a
platform for building
Work in progress.
Proposed indicator:
percentage of km
length of rivers and
area of water bodies
achieving achieve
good ecological and
chemical water
quality
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
Soils underpin nationally and internationally
valued and rare habitats and species, many
of which are formally protected. These
include blanket bog, machair , native pine
and other woodlands. (NO12).
Scotland’s soils store large amounts of
carbon, in particular Scotland’s peat soils
store the equivalent amount of carbon to
100 years of Scotland’s net annual GHG
emissions (NO14).
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
of soil quality or productivity
 Contaminated land
 Gardens and allotments
 Extent of soil sealing (i.e. loss of soil resources
due to the covering of land for housing, roads
or other construction work)
 Rates of re-use of brnwnfield land for urban
development
 SEPA – River Basin
Management Plan
Interactive map
 SNH Natural Heritage
Futures: Freshwater
 Scottish Environment
Web
Good water quality is critical to population
health (NO 6). Healthy water systems
directly support a range of economic
activities including fisheries. Poor water
quality is costly to treat (impacting on
resources available to support other
outcomes) and often energy intensive (NO
14). Rivers and lochs are an important part
of Scotland’s self-image (NO 13) and
landscapes and ecosystems (NO 12 and
13) and support a range of recreational and
8
Further sources
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WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Flooding
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
Work in progress
factors that an
indicator should
target are:
 Managing risk
 Increasing
resilience
(including flood
preparedness)
Possible candidate
indicators include
 Reduction of the
number of
properties and
businesses at risk
of flooding,
measured by the
percentage
reduction from a
baseline in 2015
 Reduction of the
number of
properties and
businesses
considered
resilient to
flooding,
measured by the
percentage
increase from a
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
tourism uses (NO1). Rivers and lochs
strongly influence the distribution and
development of settlements (NO 10)
Flooding can be economically costly (NO
1), disrupt transport infrastructure (NO 9)
and result in social (NO 9) and health
problems (NO 6). Solutions involve
engineering and natural flood management.
Sustainable urban drainage systems can
enhance the quality of local environments
(NO 10) and their ongoing management
can be a focus for community activity (NO
11). SUDS can enhance habitats and
ecosystems such as riparian woodlands
and create opportunities for people to use
and enjoy them (NO 12).
9
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
Further sources
Possible input/output/activity measures include
 Management of flooding (e.g. up to date plan;
participation and engagement in preparation
and delivery of the plan)
 Numbers of households or businesses signed
up to Floodline (measured by the percentage
of households and businesses signed up
compared to a 2015 baseline (could split this
by those in flood-risk areas and those not in
flood-risk area)
 SEPA – flood risk maps
and actions
 Scottish Environment
Web
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WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Air
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
baseline in 2015
 Number of new
homes and
businesses built
on flood risk
areas
 Change in land
use in the urban
area measured by
the percentage
change from ‘soft’
(permeable/
porous) to ‘hard’
(impervious)
surfaces
Work in progress.
Proposed indicator:
background pollution
(primarily for human
health)
Material assets
Work in progress.
Proposed indicator:
Proportion of
households (in
settlements over
3000 population)
within 300m of
publically useable
greenspace of more
than 0.2ha
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
Further sources
Good air quality is critical to population
health (NO 6). Poor air quality can lead to
chemical and physical degradation of
buildings and infrastructure (NO 10 and 12).
Treatments and restoration can be complex
and costly, diverting resources away from
the support of other outcomes.
 Air quality management areas
 Urban woodland cover
 Active travel routes
 Traffic reduction plan
 Air quality monitoring plan
 SEPA local air quality
management
 Air Quality in Scotland
(interactive map)
 LAQMs
 Scottish Environment
Web
Access to high quality, biodiverse, wellmanaged quality greenspace can
encourage inward investment (NO 1) and
provide the physical infrastructure to enable
more visits to the outdoors (NO 12) and the
associated physical, mental and community
health benefits (NO 6). Greenspace can be
used for outdoor learning (NO 4) and can
support community involvement (NO 11),
and as more people make use of
greenspaces, this is likely to lead to a
 Up to date audit of Open Spaces including
location, accessibility, type and quality of all
open spaces, local paths and green networks,
drawing on national standards and guidance.
 Open Space Strategy contributes to strategic
plans.
 Increased community involvement in
greenspace management
 Presence of a community group for
greenspace management with a functioning
committee
 LA Open Space
Strategies
 Measures of
Environmental Quality
for the Central Scotland
Green Network
10
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 Active Schools
 LEAMS system
 Scottish Environment
WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
(NB – “300m” is a
proxy for ‘easy
access’ e.g. within a
5 minute walk)
Culture (inc
architectural and
archaeological
heritage)
‘publically useable
greenspace’
includes:
• public park &
gardens
• amenity residential
• playspace
• playing fields
• green access
routes
• riparian routes
• woodland
• open-semi-natural
• open water
(expanded from
PAN65)
Work in progress.
Proposed indicator:
Historic Environment
Records Service
maintained by every
LA to an agreed
national common
standard as defined
in Planning and
Archaeology
Planning Advice
Note
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
decrease in anti-social behaviours,
furthering stronger communities safe from
crime and disorder (NO 9). Gardens and
allotments can be a source of local food
(NO14), strengthen communities (NO11)
and lead to improved physical and mental
health (NO6).
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
The historic environment is an important
part of our national and local identity (NO
13), is often central to our sense of place
(NO 10) and is an asset that many people
value and enjoy (NO 12). The care and
management of historic buildings often
requires particular expertise and skills (NO
2). Many features in the design of historic
buildings (e.g. natural ventilation, thermal
mass) can be used to inform the design of
modern building to reduce energy intensity
(NO 14).
Number of planning applications requiring
archaeological consultation & mitigation
11
 Community involvement in management and
decision making for green spaces
 Proportion of heat and energy provided by
locally sourced biomass/renewables
 Customer satisfaction surveys and
questionnaires
 number of events held in local greenspaces
 Community gardens, allotments and garden
sharing schemes.
 landscape connectivity (measures habitat
connectivity/ fragmentation, and the functioning
of protected areas within habitat networks –
can include green networks)
 Kilometres of path network.
 Connectivity of path network
 Amount of time spent in the outdoors/duration
per visit.
 Quality of greenspace (see 46. Satisfaction
with street cleaning – and LEAMS)
Number of archaeological excavations & surveys
arising from planning case work
Staffing levels
Is the HER/SMR (sites and monuments records
service) online?
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Further sources
Web
 ALGAO UK annual
statistics
 Historic Scotland
Guidance Notes on
Managing Change in the
Historic Environment
WORK IN PROGRESS – May 2012
Topic
What is it trying to show? (example for
illustration only – to show how the
indicator can be used to describe
progress on outcomes)
Landscapes form an important part of our
local and national identity (NO 13) and the
backdrop to our sense of place (NO 10).
They are among the top ranking assets for
tourism to Scotland (NO 1) and are valued
and enjoyed by many (NO 14). Degraded
local landscapes are a significant
contributor to poor mental health and
associated acute illness in parts of Scotland
(NO 6 and 7)
Some ideas for relevant activity/input/output
indicators or activities
Further sources
Landscapes
Proposed local
outcome indicator.
Current indicators
shown in bold)
To be developed
 proportion of land under active landscape
management strategy
 proportion of development proposals
specifically informed by landscape guidance
 increase in the percentage of the local
authority area covered by landscape strategies
and plans prepared by the local authority,
community or landscape partnership.
 % of people satisfied with their neighbourhood
or community in terms of landscape
 SNH – visual influence
 Scottish Environment
Web
Environmental
Education
Work in progress.
Proposed indicator:
Environmental education is a fundamental
building block to developing responsible
citizens (NO 4) and valuing and enjoying
the built and natural environment (NO 12).
The Eco-Schools Scotland accreditation
can help people to reduce the impact of our
consumption and production (NO 14).
Where community action is involved, EcoSchools Scotland\ can help to strengthen
community confidence (NO 9)
 participation rates among staff, pupils and
community
 Schools registered as using the WWF Schools
Global Foot Printing Tool
 Public participation in countryside ranger
events.
 Number of Biodiversity events organised.
 Eco\-Schools Scotland
number of schools
(percentage of
which) achieving
Eco-Schools
Scotland
accreditation (and
flag achieved)
12
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