Environment (sustainable development) budget return 2006/07

Report: 09
Date: 15 September 2005
By: Commissioner

Summary

The GLA Group budget process for 2005/06 requires, for the second consecutive year, the inclusion of a submission on the Environment (Sustainable Development) Budget to support the budget application. The budget return has been approved by MPS Management Board members and the approval of Finance Committee members is required prior to submission to the GLA by the end of September 2005.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members approve the Environment (Sustainable Development) budget return prior to submission to the Greater London Authority (GLA) by the end of September 2005.

B. Supporting information

Introduction

1. The Environment (Sustainable Development [1]) Budget Return has been prepared by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) Environment Manager on behalf of the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA). The MPS Environment Team co-ordinates and monitors the delivery of the MPS Environmental Strategy 2005-10 through the Environmental Strategy Steering Group (ESSG). The submission of this information is a statutory responsibility and it has been requested that we provide:

“A short overview of our main sustainable development priorities over the next three years; what we expect to be achieved in that time; and how the delivery of these priorities relate to the Mayor’s Environmental Strategies and sustainability objectives.”

The full requirement from the GLA Sustainable Development Budget Guidance is provided in Section 1 of the budget return.

2. Previously the budget process was named the ‘Environment Budget’. This year the process and name has been revised to incorporate the wider remit ‘sustainability’ and has been renamed as the ‘Sustainable Development Budget Return’. This has implications for the scope of the return. The majority of MPS core business can be defined as contributing towards sustainable development, therefore we have stated our position in relation to sustainable development at Section 2 and to maintain focus have provided information on the budget associated with the achievement of the MPS Environmental Strategy. Information about the additional areas (e.g. Equality and Diversity) cited at 2 is contained within other MPS published reports and budget returns.

3. The budget return provides a breakdown of the allocation of resources to 2005/06 environmental targets, which have been developed to support the delivery of the 24 Environmental Strategy objectives. Wherever possible specific costs of environmental initiatives and programmes have been provided. For example; the cost of the purchase of the provision of bicycles to officers and hybrid vehicles to Safer Neighbourhood Teams. Where activity involves staff time or costs to the MPS these have also indicated.

4. The total MPA environment (sustainable development) budget for 2005/06 is £14,340,591.88. This figure is comprised of funding and salary costs for the following program’s and Operational Command Units:

• The Wildlife Crime Unit
• Property Services
• Transport Services
• Procurement Services
• Catering Services
• Free Travel for officers and travel loans

5. The figure stated at 3.3 does not include overall budgets for the Safer Neighbourhoods Initiative, Transport Operational Command Unit, Safer Schools Partnership and the Information Management Change Programme as environmental work forms part of the overall work programme. These programmes deliver a number of social and environmental benefits that are not possible to cost.

C. Legal implications

1. There are not considered to be any legal implications associated with this report.

2. Legislated and fiscal measures, which attempt to control environmental degradation, will continue to increase and have an impact on the management of the MPS estate.

D. Race and equality impact

There are not considered to be any race or equality issues associated with this report. Race and equality issues may be associated with individual projects cited within this report, which are assessed in a project by project basis.

E. Financial implications

1. The total environment (sustainable development) budget for the MPS is £14,340,591.88 that contributes to the achievement of Environmental Strategy objectives, targets, and initiatives. This figure is comprised of a number of existing budgets as explained in B.4 above. The Property Services budget which supports the Environmental Strategy is £829,000. No additional MPS budget is provided within the 2006/07 budget process. Figures provided are based on current budget allocations and may be subject to change once 2006/07 budget is finalised. However, it should be noted that without the provision of additional funding there will not be significant progress in resource savings in the future.

2. In particular it has been identified that in order to reduce energy consumption and waste generation significant investment in energy efficient technology, recycling programmes and building design would be required for the MPS estate. For example, over the next five years a requirement of £25,000,000 is indicated for energy related backlog maintenance. However, under the estate strategy ‘Building Towards a Safer City’ many of these elements will be managed through the replacement of the existing estate with energy efficient buildings.

3. Members should note that costs for energy and waste disposal are likely to increase dramatically in the short to medium term and as a result ‘invest to save’ principals should be applied wherever possible. However, current funding constraints may impact on these aims. In addition, it has also been identified that additional funding is required for the activities of the Wildlife Crime Unit, which is a high profile theme of the Environmental Strategy (see Section 3.2).

F. Background papers

MPS Environmental Strategy

• MPA Environmental Progress Report 2003/04. Available at www.met.police.uk/about/environment/

G. Contact details

Report author: Keith Luck, Director of Resources & Environmental Champion. (Contact Emma Devenish, Environment Manager)

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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