Environment and Sustainability
Portfolio Summary
It is proposed that the net revenue budget for 2006/07 be increased by £3.455m (8.97%)
compared with the 2005/06 original estimate to around £41.964m. The main increases are
linked to growth agreed to make the environmental response teams mainstream and to
deal with the cost pressures for waste disposal. There are also additional resources for
recycling and flood action plan initiatives. This increase in not reflected in the level of
national Government support though the revenue support grant system. In addition funding
has been made available through Government support in respect of waste electronic and
equipment regulations. Funding for £1m of Environmental Ward Schemes is to be
continued in 2006/07.
Remit
Leading on major initiatives which sustain an improved quality of life by ensuring all who
live, work in or visit Newcastle can, both now and in the future, experience a sustainable
urban environment that has neighbourhoods which are clean, healthy and attractive, and
that are served by effective local transport systems.
 Street cleaning
 Roads and pavements
 Graffiti
 Open space provision
 Street lighting
 Noise
 Air quality
 Zero waste strategy, recycling, composting
 Energy reduction
 Carbon-neutral policy
 Green procurement
 Green travel plans
 Cycling
 Residents’ parking
 Pedestrian accessibility.
Strategic Aims
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
To plan for a high quality sustainable urban environment, improving and promoting the
quality of Newcastle’s Neighbourhoods.
To protect and improve the health and quality of life of individuals and communities
whilst reducing health in equalities
To significantly reduce waste and increase recycling rates as a first step of a long term
zero waste strategy
To limit the negative effect the City has on the global environment.
To provide a safe, sustainable and accessible local transport infrastructure for the City.
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Policy Context and Financial Environment
The major front line developments in this Portfolio are around localised working and mobile
working, to deliver greater local accountability and responsiveness by empowering
operatives to use their detailed knowledge and customer contacts to make the micro-level
adjustments to services required to address the specific issues of particular localities and
communities.
The development of ward-level web-based resource management systems will enable realtime redirection of resources to local priorities, building on the existing and developing
influence that local communities have over resource deployment through initiatives such as
Ward Stewardship.
There is the potential for these developments to generate additional demand for services
by improving communications and accessibility, but the hypothesis is that the quicker,
more effective response and the approach to deployment and management of resources
via mobile working initiatives will enable any increased demand to be met via currently
projected resources.
More generally, work continues to secure additional investment resources for highways
and footways, and it must be acknowledge that there will be revenue implications of such
investments, although financing costs may be offset by reduced maintenance costs of
renewed infrastructure. Elsewhere, the resolution of a number of major contract tenders
should restore the core service stability that will allow the modernisation of services to
continue and new approaches to service delivery to be embedded.
Initiatives are also continuing to reduce pressure on environmental budgets through
educational and promotional programmes, where it is hoped that investments could be
self-financing as they result in reductions in enforcement and response requirements.
Environmental sustainability is a key element of the Council’s strategic objectives. The
Council is developing and implementing its own Green Transport Plan, seeking to redirect
resources away from private cars to more sustainable forms of transport. It is also working
to influence its partners to adopt similar approaches to reducing the negative
environmental impact of transport and travel provision.
Opportunities to advance the sustainability agenda will also be pursued within area
regeneration planning. New developments will be encouraged to take responsibility for the
management of their own environment and that of immediately surrounding areas, with
households and businesses being required to make small contributions to support
initiatives. These may include the creation of (eventually self-financing) social enterprises
based on sustaining the infrastructure and environment of their communities, a model
already being developed for Newcastle Great Park.
The overall sustainability of communities can also be increased by specifying quality
thresholds for environmental improvements. This involves ensuring that improvements are
carried out at levels that are sustainable in their own right, so that people and businesses
are motivated to invest in the area and create a virtuous circle of improvement. Inadequate
investment delivers short term improvements that do not last long enough to encourage
this investment, and results in rapid deterioration and the requirement to repeat
environmental maintenance expenditure much more regularly than should be necessary.
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Summary of Medium Term Plan Proposals
Although the budget is growing significantly in cash terms, there are cost pressures that exceed
the available budget and savings have been found to meet these cost pressures. The total
2006/07 reductions for Neighbourhood Services for this portfolio amount to £1.274m.
Wherever possible, potential savings are to be achieved by performance improvement and
revisions to working practices in a number of service areas to maximise efficiency. However to
deliver the scale of reductions required in 2006/07 it will be necessary to carry out a fundamental
review of the provision of service in some areas, particularly the Parks and Countryside Service
and Environmental Services.
It is also proposed to apply a charge for a number of services currently provided. These include
charging for the treatment of mice in both private and council households, charging for the supply
of a replacement wheeled bin, charging schools for waste collection and levying a charge for
excessive "Bulky Article" collections, particularly builders’ waste and rubble.
Efficiency

Bereavement Services £0.025m Transfer of some graveside duties to undertaker's staff
plus the improvement of mechanised grave digging will result in reduced overtime costs.
One post that is currently vacant will be deleted.

Productivity Improvements £0.425m A review of current performance levels and
working practices and a consequent improvement programme will enable a reduction in
the establishment of around 20 FTE posts. If this is achieved it will avoid the need for
savings in Grounds Maintenance and street cleansing activities.

Parks & Countryside £0.040m The service will review the levels of technical support
received enabling a reduction in costs by cutting one post and associated costs

Domestic Waste Collection £0.050m Collection crews will take increased responsibility
for service delivery, especially in connection with vehicle maintenance, missed bins, minor
bin repairs and problem solving generally. This will remove these workers from single
status pay protection. Rounds will need to be reconfigured leading to the removal of one
round and saving the cost of 2 FTEs and some vehicle costs.

Trade Waste Collection £0.045m Collection crews will take increased responsibility for
service delivery, especially in connection with vehicle maintenance, missed bins, minor
bin repairs and problem solving generally. This will result in a saving of 2 FTEs.

Road Maintenance - Support Costs £0.175m Streamlining of the process involved in
the planning and procurement of road maintenance works. An estimated 3 FTEs will be
saved in either or both of Neighbourhood Services and Regeneration Directorates.
Income

Pest Control £0.048m The eradication of mice is currently a free service to all residents
in the City. It is proposed that a charge be made at the same rate as is currently charged
for other pests. The increase in income would be £37,000. A similar charge for council
properties to the HRA would produce income of a further £11,000

Trade Waste Collection £0.070m Introduction of charging at commercial rates for
schools waste. Effect may be a mix of lost business (and therefore cost reduction) and
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increased income.

Domestic Waste Collection £0.060m Introduction of a charge for lost or damaged
wheeled bins. The saving will either be achieved through increased income or by a
reduction in the cost of replacing as many wheeled bins. In very exceptional cases, where
residents can demonstrate that the loss is the result of an exceptional circumstance and
that they can demonstrate that they have taken good care of their bins, the charge may be
waived.

Domestic Waste Collection £0.100m Reduce the number of free bulky article collection
to 4 per household per annum. Implement charging for any additional collections and for
any collections of "Builders Waste" including bathroom suites, kitchen units, etc. Savings
will accrue from reduced demand (and therefore cost reduction) and increased income.
Service Impact

Parks & Countryside £0.231m The saving will be achieved by a review of the parks and
countryside service and taking into account what contribution can be made by the local
neighbourhood response teams. It is anticipated that this may result in the deletion of up
to four posts. In addition, the existing Rangers Service will be re-engineered to provide a
maintenance service in a core of Countryside Sites at a significantly reduced level. This
would require a withdrawal of the Education Liaison function within the Countryside Site.
Realignment proposals

Localised Working £1.500m Making permanent the local environmental response teams

Flooding action plans £0.050

Recycling initiatives: £100,000 as a one year increase funded from the airport dividend.
This will enable the continuation of the Green Waste Recycling initiative and support the
cost of City Centre recycling sites

Byker/ Ouseburn /Battlehill
dividend.

EMAS implementation across the Authority : £50,000 (one-off) funded from
income.

Continuation of Carbon Neutral Campaign : £65,000 (one-off) funded from Airport income

Continuation of Night Time Noise Service (funded through NRF until 31March 2006):
£77,000.Total proposal costed at £115,000 with the balance to be funded within
Regeneration Directorate .This will provide facility to respond to noise complaints between
8pm and 4am three nights a week.

Waste Electronic and Electrical Regulations: £ 40,000 funded through grant transfer.
Recycling Initiative : £106,000,funded through the Airport
Airport
Workforce Implications
At this point in time it is estimated that the proposals will result in a reduction in the establishment
by approximately 30 FTEs, with reductions falling in the Parks and Countryside Service where up
to 9 FTEs will be lost. In Street Cleansing it is thought that a reduction of up to 5 FTEs could be
made in 2006-07 by measures to target performance.
The proposals to make permanent Localised Working will safeguard 63 existing jobs.
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It is thought that the impact of the reductions can be mitigated in some areas by the use of
selective recruitment controls; however the reductions arising from the implementation of revised
working practices and service provision will be subject to Trade Union consultation and
involvement.
Equalities Implications
Proposals for budget reductions that depend on introducing a charge for some waste collection
services will have a disproportionate effect on low income households, (balanced against the
impact of lower council tax bills). There is a risk that the affordability issue may translate into a
lower service take up and this may result in waste being fly tipped or left to accumulate,
adversely impacting on the environmental standards in those communities. The effect of
charging for mice eradication may compound this impact if excess waste leads to increased
vermin populations. It is important that this risk be managed and that action be taken to avoid
negative environmental impact.
The continuation of the support for the local environmental response teams will considerably
mitigate the impact of any reductions in resources deployed in street cleansing outside of the city
centre. It will be important that Neighbourhood Response Managers deploy resources to areas
of greatest need including disadvantaged communities in particular.
It is important that the reduction in the cost of road maintenance is delivered by efficiency
savings, in order to avoid any real cut in the works budget, which could otherwise contribute to
lower road and pavement safety levels affecting the disabled, elderly and very young sections of
the community. The proposal should prevent significant adverse impact in this area.
Some Parks and Countryside Service proposals have the potential to impact disadvantaged or
minority groups; reduced developmental or outreach programmes will probably have an
exaggerated impact on young people and BME communities and on community and voluntary
sector partners. The reconfiguration of the service to manage the budget reduction will need to
take these needs into account.
Specific Grants
HMR Pathfinder funding for Environmental Action Teams in Cowgate and Walker is scheduled to
end in March 2006. This has been worth £0.300m per annum.
The Enviroschools Project funding of £0.128m from NRF will almost certainly cease in March
2006.
Capital Investment
Corporate Resource Pool funding for Ward based environmental schemes has been provided at
a level of £1.0m per annum in recent years and this will be continued for 2006/07. It is
anticipated that approximately £0.5m of works will have been programmed by the end of 2005/06
but which will be delivered in 2006/07.
£0.121m is earmarked for works in cemeteries, principally to address risks.
Highways investment of £2.0m will be funded from Prudential borrowing, 2006/07 being the final
year of the three year programme.
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