Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority

Performance Review Committee Item 9

18th June 2008

Progress report on the Best Value Review of Environmental Impact

Report of the Chief Officer

Contact: Philip Webb, Performance Review Manager

Telephone: 023 8062 6828

E-mail: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 At the Performance Review Committee meeting held on the 12^th September 2006, it was agreed to conduct a review of Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service's Environmental Impact, and to follow this with a separate but linked review of Energy Conservation, looking at options for the use of renewable energy.

1.2 The first phase of the Review commenced with the commission of a `baseline' report by the Environment Centre (a registered environmental charity based in Southampton), which was reported to Members in June 2007. Since then work has been progressed against some of the areas detailed in that report. This report provides a brief outline of some of the actions taken to date.

2 Recommendation

2.1 That the Committee approves the progress to date and agrees to receive future updates.

3 Progress to date

3.1 The Review commenced in 2007, and it was determined that a dedicated resource was required to enable sufficient progress to be made, and funding was agreed. Eunice Mabey was seconded as the Environmental Impact Project Coordinator on the 28^th January 2008, with review in October 2008.

3.2 A working party of volunteer staff from various departments within the Service has been formed, and this group will meet in June 2008 after the Steering Group Meeting. The aim of this group is to advance pre-determined pieces of work around the seven themes originally identified.

3.3 Progress to date has included the following:

3.3.1 Energy Audit at Headquarters

An unannounced audit was undertaken at the Headquarters site to determine how much electrical equipment had been left on after normal working hours. This revealed that 42 monitors, 15 PC's, 5 printers and various other electrical equipment had been left on. Comparing this to the 2007 unannounced audit of 73 monitors, 12 PC's and 4 printers, the decrease is positive but improvement can still be made. Various stickers and information has been issued to staff to encourage the switching off all equipment when not in use.

3.3.2 Managers' Seminar Survey

All managers in attendance at the recent seminar were informed and updated on environmental progression within HFRS.

3.3.3 Transport

Service vehicles now run on bio-blend diesel, which it is estimated, will save three tonnes of carbon per quarter. In 2007 our carbon savings equated to eight hot air balloons full.

Internal Audit have been commissioned to review the car user scheme in terms of value for money and energy efficiency. This work is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2008/09.

Peter Cooper Volkswagen, have kindly sponsored an environmentally friendly Blue Motion Golf, to use on an initial four month period with a potential extension for a further year. The car will be used by the Environmental Impact Project Coordinator on a day to day basis and be utilised at open days and events.

A staff survey and business case was presented to successfully agree on having a salary sacrifice bike purchase scheme on a ongoing basis with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. The cycle scheme is being launched in conjunction with National Bike Week on 16^th June 2008. The interest shown was very encouraging and will have a two fold benefit in staff obtaining discount and the potential for the Service to lower its carbon footprint, as well as the obvious healthy living and exercise.

3.3.4 Energy Usage

All Fire Stations have been issued with targets for the consumption of gas, electricity and water for the year 2008. These targets will contribute to one of the performance indicators for achieving `Beacon Status', which is a Service Delivery initiative for performance management. Stations will continue to record all of their meter readings on a monthly basis and have been supplied with a poster to incorporate these readings and help to monitor their performance against target.

Energy data for the Headquarters site is being gathered, so that targets can be set for reductions.

All fire stations' `emergency turnout lights' were set to go on for a period of 15 minutes when an incident occurred. This has recently been reviewed and reduced to eight minutes.

`Flush bags' have been ordered for trial on stations to help reduce the water consumption of toilets. Any toilet over 9 litres of flush water should see a benefit to this system.

Community Response have instructed Station Managers to include ensuring that all electrical items are switched into the evening routine of securing the premises.

3.3.5 Office Consumables

All printers at fire stations and Headquarters have been set to default black and white and double sided print. Where printers are not capable of duplex printing, once the lease agreement has expired, they will be changed for ones that can. The Information Services Department are considering the defaulting of all printers to a `draft' print.

Large monitors are being fazed out and being replaced with more energy efficient flat screen monitors. All fire stations and Headquarters have been issued with stickers for monitors to encourage staff to switch them off when unattended.

3.3.6 Recycling

On the 9^th May 2008, all wholetime fire stations and the Headquarters site commenced recycling. This includes paper, card, plastics and aluminum. Many retained stations are also recycling via various means.

Other items that are being recycled include batteries, printer cartridges, strip lights, kitchen oil, electrical equipment and grey water within the new workshops building.

Work is in progress to have a recycling page within the Kids Zone of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service website and also environmental progress and ideas on the intranet for staff.

An old office furniture bank has been set up to encourage staff to reuse good condition old stock. Regular stock audits will take place with any over stock being recycled to local multi agencies or charities.

3.3.7 Environmental Management System accredited to International Standard ISO 14001

Work is being progressed towards the implementation of an Environmental Management System which ultimately will be accredited to the International Standard ISO 14001. Assistance with this process has been commissioned from the Environmental Centre.

At present the Aspect and Impacts Register for the Environmental Management System is being developed. This Register will record everything that we do with a score of the environment implications of each activity.

4 Conclusion

4.1 Progress is being made towards the Review of the Environmental Impacts and Members will continue to be regularly updated.

5 Contribution to Corporate Aims and Objectives

5.1 Undertaking a review of the environmental impact of the Service will contribute to the Service being one of the top Fire and Rescue Services in the country. It will also enhance the Service's Corporate Social Responsibility.

6 Resource Implications

6.1 The major resource requirement for this review continues to be staff time. A working party of staff undertaking some activities over and above their normal roles.

6.2 There is a budgetary requirement for the cost of consultancy advice from the Environment Centre. Costs have been and should be continued to be contained within the Performance Review Team budget.

7 Consultation

7.1 The review will involve considerable consultation with other Fire and Rescue Services and external organisations, and identify examples of best practice suitable for inclusion in our own procedures and practices. The views and aspirations of our own staff will also be sought.

8 Equality Impact Assessment

8.1 Carrying out equality impact assessments will strengthen our Best Value Review practices by ensuring that the consequences of our proposed policies and actions comply with current legislation and expectations for improving equality and diversity in the workplace and in our delivery of services to the public.

8.2 The proposals within this report are compatible with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998 and considered in the light of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.

9 Risk Analysis

9.1 During the review, a risk analysis will be undertaken of issues encountered, in order to inform the review team on the areas to concentrate on in order to utilize resources effectively. It will help to mitigate the risk of the failure to adequately protect the environment in our activities.

Background information (Section 100D of Local Government Act 1972)

The following documents disclose the facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of the report:

Report from the Environment Centre: Phase 1: An Environmental Review of the Eastleigh Headquarters and Four of their Fire Stations for the Hampshire Fire and Rescue Authority.