Government Business 26.4 by PSI Media

RECYCLING

NORTHERN POWERHOUSE

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G-CLOUD 11

ISSUE 26.4

Business Information for Local and Central Government HOUSING

HOUSING ROOTS

A look at how Liverpool City Council is restarting a council building programme

HOUSING

THE RIGHT HOMES IN THE RIGHT PLACES How can we get above and beyond the 300,000-a-year housing target?

PLUS: FLEXIBLE WORKING | GREEN SPACES | PARKING | TRANSPORT

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NORTHERN POWERHOUSE

www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

G-CLOUD 11

ISSUE 26.4

Business Information for Local and Central Government HOUSING

HOUSING ROOTS

HOUSING

THE RIGHT HOMES IN THE RIGHT PLACES

A look at how Liverpool City Council is restarting a council building programme

Comment

RECYCLING

How can we get above and beyond the 300,000-a-year housing target?

What next for the Northern Powerhouse? The Northern Powerhouse celebrated five years of operation in June, aiming to bring about change to the northern England.

PLUS: FLEXIBLE WORKING | GREEN SPACES | PARKING | TRANSPORT

Introduced by then Chancellor George Osbourne in June 2014, the government lamented the lack of economic and physical connections between the cities and city regions of the North of England, saying the divide was holding back their growth. However five years on, the IPPR North reports that there has been a £3.6 billion cut in public spending in the north since 2010, compared with a £4 billion rise in the south, with the think tank also claiming that 200,000 more children in the north of England are in poverty and that the number of late or cancelled trains in the region has more than doubled. So has the plan for northern cities halted under the ongoing austerity measures of ministers in Westminster? Did Theresa May and Philip Hammond have the same passion for pursuing change that their predecessors had when promoting devolution and introducing Transport for the North? And where will the Norther Powerhouse feature on the priority list of new Prime Minister Boris Johnson?

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Answering some of these questions, Henri Murison’s article on page 14 is essential reading. Michael Lyons, editor

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Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Contents

Contents Government Business 26.4 07 News

‘Silent crisis’ in UK electoral processes; ‘fast-tracked’ spending review announced; and 700,000 pothole complaints last year

14 Northern Powerhouse There is a lot that elected mayors in the north can offer the new Prime Minister. Devolving further control to regions of the North could have a transformational effect, writes Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership

17 Housing

In our first of two housing articles, Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson discusses why Liverpool is turning back the clock and restarting a council house building programme. The second piece, written by the National Federation of Builders, looks at how we can build 300,000 of the right homes in the right places

21 Flexible working

It is widely adopted that flexible working makes good business sense. But, there remains a refusal in many organisations to allow staff to adopt such patterns of working. Rob Wall discusses the issue

27 Parking

The pain of not finding a space when you need one and the sheer unpredictable nature of parking could about to be a thing of the past. Sarah Greenslade looks at the latest revolution in parking - the parking data standard

33 Flood Expo

The Flood Expo has recently announced the lineup of keynote speakers for this September’s edition. We look ahead to the show, as well as some recent flooding news from across the UK

37 Recycling

Lee Marshall looks at how local authorities in England are quantifying the impact of emerging waste policy upon recycling and waste management services

44 Green spaces

There is overwhelming evidence that parks and green spaces contribute health and well-being benefits for people who use them regularly. Fields in Trust’s Alison McCann explains why

46 Transport

The way to make the case for a national bus strategy is to start by identifying which policy objectives bus networks serve. Claire Haigh, chief executive of Greener Journeys, explains why it is time something is done for buses

49 Conferences & events It is a land of unrivalled history, breathtaking scenery and warm welcomes, but it is also a land of ground-breaking pioneers and dynamic innovators. VisitScotland Business Events’ campaign ‘Legends’ shines a light on why the world should choose Scotland for their next event

55 UK Construction Week

We are entering an interesting period in the construction industry. UK Construction Week is taking place from 8 October at Birmingham’s NEC and will offer an opportunity for those working within the built environment to discover, develop, discuss and do business

58 Waste management

Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will play a crucial role in the fight against climate change by encouraging increased and better recycling. Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, explores the scheme’s ambitions and explains why engaging the public will be key to delivering a high capture rate

61 G-Cloud 11

Thousands of small businesses have won the chance to bid to supply cloud computing services to government bodies through a major government procurement framework

41 Future Resource Expo 83 Fireworks 58

Further Resource returns in September to help connect businesses that aspire to be greener and more sustainable. Boasting a 3,000 strong crowd, we look at the show’s five fundamental zones

Government Business magazine

As we near the close of summer 2019, we revisit some advice from Jon Wilson, who looks at the importance of risk assessment when planning large scale firework or pyrotechnic displays

www.governmentbusiness.co.uk Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Helping Government achieve its digital ambitions with security focused solutions Case Management Create a case Triage and allocate Agree case strategy Manage response Report

Audit & Compliance

Build policy guidelines Model risks Demonstrate compliance with survey Track and remediate Report

Incident Management Raise a security concern Identify and assess Contain and eradicate Recover Report

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Fraud Management

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Enquiry Management

Skills Management

H&S Management

News

GENERAL ELECTION

‘Silent crisis’ in UK electoral processes revealed As speculation about an early general election gathers momentum, a new report from the University of East Anglia has highlighted ‘persistent, serious problems in the way that elections are run’. The report from UEA’s school of Political, Social and International Studies says that ‘sticking plasters have papered over cracks in a Victorian system in need of repair, but there is a risk that the banks could break’, with report author Toby James saying that providing a website so people can check if they are registered could go some way to solving the problem. The Missing Millions Still Missing paper also says that registering young people in schools and universities, providing a centralised complaints system and allowing

citizens to vote at any polling station could also be explored as solutions. James said: “There are persistent, serious problems in the way that elections are run. Eight million are not correctly registered to vote. This problem has been growing over several decades, but it was made worse by recent reforms that now require everyone to register individually. An overwhelming reason why people are not registered is because they think they are. They assume that public bodies are co-ordinated and clever enough to share information. If I pay council tax, why am I not registered? The public assume that this information is passed seamlessly onto the people handing out ballots in polling stations. “But such common sense doesn’t exist. Rather than having one single electoral

register, there are 372. When you pay your council tax, are issued a driver’s licence or given your national insurance number, this information is not passed on to the people preparing for a future election. Instead, we are all asked to register individually – and valuable resources are spent reminding us to do so.”

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Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Northern Powerhouse

Devolving further power and control to the North Devolving further control to regions of the North could have a transformational effect, writes Henri Murison, director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership Five years on from the Northern Powerhouse Fighting for a rebalancing of political decision being first born as an idea, it is worth making in our most centralised of country, remembering it is a shared project of it sits alongside the annual Convention Labour-led northern city regions and a of the North, bringing together the local former Conservative Chancellor. Ideas from government leaders and wider organisations Manchester-born and leading economist and groups which make up the North. Lord Jim O’Neill, the then chief executive in Our latest report, Next Steps for the Manchester, Howard Bernstein, and a number Northern Powerhouse, sets out bold and of other key thinkers, all of whom had in challenging proposals on education, common that they were committed devolution and transport, for how we to economic rebalancing can realise this ambition and deliver through decentralisation an economy that works for T and productivity focused all. This ambition will not be local auhe t investment. To drive our achieved without confronting h o of the N rities places, change peoples’ the key areas in which the o Powerh rthern lives for the better – North lags behind the the historic mission rest of the country – the started ouse have to decid of local government low performance of a e the significant fate of throughout our history. proportion of t ranspor The Northern its children, most notably t here in Powerhouse Partnership at age 16, compared to the North (NPP) exists to defend the rest of the country and and deliver the project to resulting skills gap, which close the North–South divide leaves employers without a for good. A board of business suitable skilled workforce to address leaders and key civic leaders from both sides a modern, changing world of work. of the Pennines, along with Dame Nancy Throughout the UK, there is a widely Rothwell, president and vice chancellor acknowledged disadvantage gap in of the University of Manchester and John educational achievement levels of children Cridland, chair of Transport for the North, from poorer backgrounds compared to their England’s first sub-national transport project. peers. The previous coalition government

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introduced Pupil Premium, but the disparities highlighted in our Educating the North report between disadvantaged children in the Northern Powerhouse and London suggest this policy hasn’t tackled the scale of the specific issues affecting many of our schools, and academisation in the North has lacked enough suitable sponsors, the successful academy chains like the Co-operative Academies only able to take so many schools, for instance. Previous work by Education Datalab has shown that the length of time a pupil is eligible for Pupil Premium has a much greater impact on attainment than having been eligible for free school meals at some point during their school career. The scale of the gap in performance between even those who are eligible for free school meals overall, and those that receive them every year of their education because of their economic background, is stark. Two out of every three of the secondary schools with the very highest proportions of these learners which also fall in the ethnicity groups with lower progress currently nationally are in the Northern Powerhouse. As research from Bristol University has shown, these schools facing greater challenges under performance measures like Progress 8 are treated inequitably, and we need to recognise that current reality of some schools with highly concentrated numbers of the

Northern Powerhouse

most disadvantaged which are beating the national averages on a per child basis to secure the same Progress 8 levels overall as others without the same challenges. The Northern Powerhouse needs an extra £1 billion a year, focused on those schools teaching the greatest numbers of long-term disadvantaged children as a proportion of their schools, so that we can work towards closing the gap in attainment overall. Greater devolution The next ingredient to realising our ambition is greater devolution. Devolving further power and control to regions of the North could have a transformational effect increasing productivity so the North truly pulls its weight in economic terms. Taking on the David Miliband mantra of double devolution, taking powers from Whitehall and also empowering local government to enable communities, co-operatives and citizens more. Northern Powerhouse Partnership’s vice chair, Lord Jim O’Neill, last year wrote a report on the future prospects of devolution in the Northern Powerhouse. Since then, there has been little progress on new devolution deals or extending current agreements, apart from the success of Carlisle City Council and their partners in Northumberland, in Scotland and at the County Council there with Borderlands. It is vital that the Treasury and wider departments across government all support a devolution framework. In May, the first Metro Mayor for North of Tyne was elected, which brings us to five Metro Mayors in total. Alongside the civic leaders of the North and the wider combined authorities yet to agree Mayoral deals, we have the basis for more formal collaboration at a Northern level where it will be most necessary, such as for trade and investment. However, further progress must be made, as devolution remains one of the essential ingredients of the Northern Powerhouse. Alongside the Mayoral model, we need to consider fiscal devolution for areas which want it, and growth deals for places like West Cumbria with assets like Sellafield and wider decommissioning supply chain, and Lancaster and South Cumbria with the BAE shipyard, Lancaster University and the prospect of Eden North, a transformational project for the wider Northern Powerhouse but rooted firmly in its place. Transport in the North Which brings me to my third and final ingredient - major long-term investment in Northern transport infrastructure. Connectivity is critical to creating a Northern Powerhouse capable of taking on and improving the world.

Transformational projects such as HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail will allow young people across the North to access skilled jobs and educational opportunities, while also revolutionising productivity in the North. The success of democratic oversight of rail franchising was pioneered by local authorities, advocated for by many of the cities, and the Williams Review must go further to bring together infrastructure delivery oversight and service commissioning at the most appropriate level. The North’s high-speed rail network, bringing together HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail as one integrated network, will see six services an hour between Leeds and Manchester, each taking under half an hour, making commuting quick and simple. Bradford, the UK’s youngest city, will be transformed, closer in time to Leeds and Manchester but also with much greater frequency, a walk on, walk off, service.

The local authorities of the Northern Powerhouse have started to decide the fate of transport here in the North. What is now needed is the scale of ambition to accelerate the progress already made by Transport for the North, ensuring that it remains accountable to Mayoral, wider combined authorities and local government collectively. They are not simply the Department for Transport in Leeds and Manchester, and although moving civil servants in that department to the North is welcome, it is more important to devolve responsibilities out of the department to city regions and Transport for the North. Alongside investing in infrastructure, education and skills, and maximising huge assets in the North like the Royce Institute in Manchester or the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre in Sheffield to help us lead the next industrial revolution, there is much our elected Mayors and their colleagues in the Convention of the North can offer the new Prime Minister as an agenda to back. As it began - on a cross party basis. Across business, Whitehall and the North’s own leaders. Working together in the interests of the whole United Kingdom. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.northernpowerhousepartnership.co.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

6.6 million lost working days in a year is painful

Half a million workers are unable to work due to poor office seating making productivity impossible. In fact, 469,000 new or long standing MSKD cases were reported in 2017/18 according to the UK labour force service survey. It is estimated at least 10 per cent of UK office workers have very specific requirements in respect of postural needs as a direct result of musculoskeletal disorders (MSKDs), disability, trauma / medical conditions or extreme body measurements. Only one item of office equipment interacts 100 per cent with the user, having the power to directly influence posture, both positively and negatively. Most seating manufacturers are only able to offer out-ofthe-box products that prove a reasonable fit for just 60 per cent of the population.

These chairs have a limited scope for adjustment and zero bespoke capability (especially for more specialised requirements). As many as 40 per cent of office workers are at risk from using seating that is a poor fit, something now recognised as a major contributing factor in workplace related MSKDs. Vocational Rehabilitation is a major consideration in the workplace as all employers have a Duty of Care and are obliged to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to accommodate their employees’ needs. Ergochair Ltd has been manufacturing bespoke work chairs for individuals with specific needs for over 15 years. The UK outfit is acknowledged as the ‘Go To’ provider of bespoke seating solutions across Europe and beyond.

Based in Yate near Bristol, the company works with all sectors of business to get people back to work and help them to stay there by supporting them in all the right places. Their UK network of dealers works with occupational therapists and physiotherapists to help specify bespoke and adapted work chairs that overcome many postural challenges that would otherwise prevent people from working. Ergochair’s team can also join forces with existing government suppliers of office seating, to help them fulfil a much wider brief, especially as a partner on a contract or framework agreement. Ergochair Ltd are actively promoting the use of their unique EasiSpec® assessment software, which can be used free of charge to assess the requirements of users, and provide an accurate prescription for exactly the right specification - guaranteed positive result first time - every time. Ergochair runs regular training events at their Bristol offices for DSE assessors, occupational health team members, back care advisors and in-house assessment teams.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.ergochair.co.uk

half a million people cost 6.6 million days because they don’t have the right one of these... • 40% of people sit on work chairs that don’t fit them or serve the correct purpose • comprehensive packaged-up offering of assessment, quotation, manufacture, delivery and install • with 15yrs expertise we are able to ‘plug in’ and work with existing suppliers on ongoing contracts • we offer a separate, standalone framework agreement • we offer training for DSE Assessors, Occupational Health Team Members, Back Care Advisors and in-house Assessment Teams • easiSpec assessment and prescription system gives the correct result every time

easiSpec

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Housing

Returning to our council building roots Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson discusses why Liverpool is turning back the clock and restarting a council house building programme

Liverpo ol

Foundations More recently, we set up an arms-length housing company, Foundations, which is driving forward a number of schemes to help people on to the housing ladder through rentto-buy and private developments, and also targeted at niches which are not of interest to developers, such as homes for the elderly, large families, foster carers and those with a disability. It has a target of 10,000 properties by 2028. This is an integral part of our Inclusive Growth Plan, in which we are also looking at setting up a regional bank with other local authorities to help the poorest access financial services such as mortgages. But it is also clear to me that home ownership is not for everyone and the council has a role to play in the social rented market to make sure no-one is left behind, particularly as we are a growing city with half a million residents. The issue that has held back our ambitions of building our own council housing again – despite the government lifting the borrowing cap – has been the issue of the historic housing debt. For Liverpool this was some £735 million, which the government wiped out when we stock transferred the last of our council homes to housing associations around a decade ago. We have now had confirmation from the government that they will not require us to repay that money if we start building houses again, which gives us the confidence to kick on, particularly as we will get much-needed council tax income from the occupied homes. So, for the first time in more than 30 years, we have just launched the first handful of council owned properties for rent in Picton – with the promise of many more to come. I am also pitching to government for funding to make a large proportion of the homes we build as green as they can possibly as part of our plan to tackle climate change, in line with their Clean Growth Strategy. My vision is for homes packed with energy saving features such as triple glazing, smart energy meters, heating/light sensors to save householders money on their bills and tackle fuel poverty, which is a massive issue in Liverpool. There will also be energy generation and supply features such as solar panels, heat pumps and electric charging points where needed. For me, this return to our council building roots has come not a moment too soon, and represents the very best traditions of the public sector: intervening to make life better for citizens. L

Written by Joe Anderson, Mayor of Liverpool

list, yet lots of empty properties that just Liverpool was a pioneer way back in 1869 needed a bit of TLC to bring them back in to when it built the first local authority homes in use. This was exacerbated by the government Europe. The idea initially was for the private pulling the funding for the Housing Market sector to build them on behalf of the council Renewal Initiative (HMRI) halfway through but, in echoes of the situation we still face the programme, just weeks after I took office. today, developers were only interested in Since then we’ve made lots of progress – building in profitable areas. So Liverpool bringing thousands of derelict homes back Corporation, as it was known then, built into use. I am particularly proud of our work them itself. Make no mistake about it, these with partners to rescue HMRI housing projects early homes were basic, just bedrooms and in places like Anfield and Toxteth, as well as a living room, but it was a private space our pioneering Homes for a Pound scheme for each family and it was their own, which which has given people the chance to buy a was revolutionary at the time. As a young property for less than the cost of a newspaper, boy, I grew up in one of these tenements, on condition they refurbish it. These schemes so they were a formative part of my early have breathed new life into areas which years and it is the reason why I have were previously haemorrhaging always been hugely passionate residents because they were about social housing. 150 in a state of flux, and 150 years on, housing years o also found new ways of is still one of the most making old properties fit pressing issues in from Li n for 21st century family Liverpool, and one I pioneer verpool i living, such as by identified as a priority n g t l h ocal au knocking two homes in 2010 when I thority e first into one to create took charge of the housing homes, bigger homes, and council. It frustrated i s still one of selective demolition me that there were t h e mos pressing to enable us to put thousands of people issues i t gardens at the back. on the housing waiting n

FURTHER INFORMATION www.liverpool.gov.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Housing

How we build 300,000 of the right homes in the right places We do not need a new planning system to build 300,000 of the right homes in the right places, we just need to enable deliverable permissions for the best practitioners, writes Rico Wojtulewicz, head of Housing and Planning Policy for the National Federation of Builders The right home in the right place means something different to every person but for most, it needs to be affordable, accessible and well built. Yet, over the past three decades, it has become more difficult to meet that ambition. Before 1990, house building was very different. Privately owned land was developed more liberally, councils were still building and many communities and estates were built by multiple housebuilders, all competing on price and quality. Winning work on reputation, the house building industry worked closely with councils and local people, who told them what was needed and where. Because of local connections, they mostly built the right homes in the right places and were the engine of placemaking. The ‘The Town and Country Planning Act 1990’ changed that by introducing a plan led system and making local planning authorities (LPA) the decision makers on land use. Market assessment by business was replaced by local authority knowledge, the professionalisation of planning permissions was firmly established and house builders became the tool, rather than the engine. At first, culture change kept housebuilders relatively close to their local authorities but as time wore on and new policies were introduced, a clearer divide was established. Opportunities remained but they were increasingly won by developers and land promoters, who understood that they now needed to secure allocated sites in local plans, not build homes. For housebuilders, the risk was now not in building a home people wanted to buy, but in competing for planning permission,

Making this information more accessible whose location was determined by LPAs. would also allow a broader range of Many housebuilders struggled with this players to meet local need, while ensuring and in 2007, after the financial crash, 80 that placemaking was more informed. per cent of the UK’s smaller builders had ceased trading, taking with them a skilled Reforming planning workforce, many of whom retrained or retired. to focus on certainty This had a profound impact on the Placemaking entire housebuilding industry, as housing Councils identify a 5YLS and allocate sites associations, councils, self-builders and for development but in order to meet targets, cooperatives typically relied on smaller they have increasingly focused on larger sites. builders for their projects. With permissions Research by the House Builders Federation and builders in short supply, the 2012 (HBF) confirms that since 200, permissioned National Planning Policy Framework site sizes have increased by 17 per cent. (NPPF) further distanced housing need Windfall sites supplement the 5YLS, from supply by requiring councils to keep yet they’ve been increasingly dominated unproven five year land supplies (5YLS). by smaller builders, who struggle to In 2019, that unproven land supply has be part of the five year strategy. permitted over 423,000 homes, most of After many years of ‘placemaking’ with which are difficult to deliver or not full large sites, councils have run out of easy to applications. This approach must change and deliver opportunities. Many have by re-establishing market knowledge, been left with controversial, reforming planning to focus on undeliverable sites, supplying certainty and strengthening the hundreds or thousands regional economy, we can of homes but without get above and beyond the Houseb u the infrastructure 300,000 a year target. i l d ing capacit to support them. y w ill also be stren This jeopardises a Re-establishing 5YLS. Councils then market knowledge more im gthened but portant announce a ‘call Through digital surveying, will pla ly, so for sites’, which is working with the third c e making typically propped up by sector, housebuilders, another large, difficult businesses and residents, or phased development. LPAs must improve the As well as increased detail and representation of funding for planning their housing needs assessments. departments, the solution would For too long, assessments have be to work more closely with land focused on social housing and neglected owners, builders and homebuyers needs such as independent, supported, to build out our communities. family and adaptable housing.

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Housing

Brownfield, infill, small, garage and garden sites would produce a surprisingly significant number of homes, therefore small site registers should be encouraged. In London, the Mayor has set a target of 24,573 homes a year on small sites, more than a third of the capitals required supply. It seems incredible that other councils, with less built up communities, could not accommodate the same, or higher proportion. Building out isn’t just good for providing deliverable permissions of the right type, it frees up time to plan and invest in larger, strategic sites. Permissions Permissions remain the single greatest challenge for housebuilders and despite often meeting planning policy, they can take many years to be granted, particularly if on windfall sites. The following constraints stops shovels going in the ground and create unnecessary planning risks: pre-application meetings can cost many thousands and guidance is non-binding; since becoming individually chargeable, the number of planning conditions have increased by tens; it is normal for LPAs to suggest ‘extensions of time requests’ in the final days that conditions/ reserved matters are discharged; many planning conditions, such as landscaping and material schedules, should not be conditioned as they are submitted early on in the application process; when developers identify and present housing need as evidence, it is typically dismissed out of hand; consultations with statutory bodies, such as water and highways, are delay ridden and bureaucratic, even when the builder has done their due diligence; and planning contributions need reform. For example, the standard charge Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) was scheduled to replace negotiated Section 106, yet not all councils use CIL and section 106 is often charged alongside it. By immediately tackling these concerns, all housing providers could avoid some of the unnecessary planning risks. This is a key component in making sure we have capacity in the land, design and build industry. The government must also consider further powers being granted to LPAs, so they are more able to enable high priority need housing. However, they

The Mayor of London has set a target of 24,573 homes a year on small sites, more than a third of the capitals required supply. It seems incredible that other councils, with less built up communities, could not accommodate the same must not simply collect data as has happened with the selfbuild register, LPAs must deliver opportunities themselves and through the market. The regional economy With LPAs now the engine, the construction industry must be viewed as an economic and social catalyst. Small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) are our predominant rural employers and in construction, train four in five apprentices. Regional business is also more likely to retain direct employment and support local supply chains. It is therefore vital that SMEs can compete on a level playing field in both site allocations and procurement. Councils must use their procurement powers to enable best

practitioners, especially now the borrowing cap on council homes has been lifted. Government and local authorities must also be serious about taxation, reviewing how council tax and business rates are charged on new developments and checking whether fees on, for example, address allocations are proportionate. By addressing the concerns raised, we will build 300,000 of the right new homes in the right places. Housebuilding capacity will also be strengthened but more importantly, so will placemaking. Substantial reforms will be needed but let’s make the current system efficient before a new one sets us fresh challenges. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.builders.org.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Flexible working Written by Rob Wall, head of policy, The Chartered Management Institute

The reasons why flexible working works It is widely adopted that flexible working makes good business sense. But, there remains a refusal in many organisations to allow staff to adopt such patterns of working. Rob Wall discusses the issue At the Chartered Management Institute, What is flexible working? we know that flexible working is good Flexible working can mean many things: business sense. It helps attract and retain working from home, working compressed talent, improves employee engagement, hours, working term-time hours, part-time reduces absenteeism, boosts productivity or flexi-time working. It has now become and drives up business performance. That’s an umbrella term to describe working why thousands of employers across patterns that fall outside the the UK actively promote and traditional 9-to-5 office encourage flexible working. hours. The government But what exactly is describes flexible How flexible working, and how working as: ‘a way of e xactly d widespread is it? How working that suits an oes flexible exactly does flexible employee’s needs, w orking improv working improve for example having e perfo performance and increase flexible start and r m a a n nce d increa job satisfaction? And finish times, or satisfac se job what more can be done working from home’. tion? to encourage managers CMI research and employers to adopt shows that the most flexible working practices in common forms of their organisations? Well, if you flexible working are the want to know more, then read on! ability to schedule work

flexibly, the ability to work from home and working part-time. And we know that flexible working is more common now than ever. For example, in the 1950s, the proportion of employees working part-time was very low. By the 1980s, around one in five employees were working part-time. Today, this has risen to around one in four. The take up of flexible working practices varies across sectors and professions. We know, for example, that employees in the public sector are more likely to work flexibly that their counterparts in the private sector. CMI research also shows that managers are less likely to work flexibly than the people they manage. In organisations where flexible working practices like working part-time, job sharing or working compressed hours are available, most managers are not choosing, or do not feel able, to take up these forms of flexible working. E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Prevent False Fire Alarms Protective covers designed to reduce the threat of accidental or malicious activations causing unwanted fire alarms and evacuations

More than 14,000 false fire alarms were accidentally triggered across England in 2017/18 – disrupting schools and businesses, placing unnecessary strain on our emergency services and reducing the confidence the general public have in fire alarms.

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At PJH Safety Training we believe that choosing a first-rate first aid course shouldn’t make you ill - Hence we’ve put together a few helpful tips on how emergency training differs from first aid at work, what you can expect them to cover and which is more suitable for you and your business.

For friendly, professional H&S advice you can trust simply call PJH Safety Training today on: 01925 812095 | 07969 344673 or email us at: info@pjhsafetytraining.co.uk

Emergency First Aid – 1-day course (£75 + VAT)

First Aid at Work – 3-day course (£180 +VAT)

This is a course for low-risk environments for staff who need to be qualified emergency first aiders. Here you will learn about dealing with a sudden unexpected accident or collapse. Highly useful, staff that successfully complete this 1-day training course will receive the QA Level 2 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work (QCF) qualification, which meets your employers’ responsibilities under HSE legislation. The emphasis of this course is very much around dealing with an immediate emergency.

Incorporating all of the emergency first aid content from the 1-day course, this option provides a far wider and deeper appreciation of Health & Safety in the workplace. This is extremely useful for staff that are expected to take the lead when it comes to the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Covering such topics as overall incident management the 3-day course includes training on dealing with specific injuries and collapses which may happen in the workplace.

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

Flexible working

 What are the benefits of flexible working? There are many benefits to flexible working, for the individual, for the employer and for the wider economy. It helps people into in the labour market, it improves employee engagement and it boosts productivity. Attracting and retaining talent We know there is a real demand for flexible working. Research suggests that nearly nine in every 10 people want to work flexibly. So offering flexible working makes employers more attractive to candidates when hiring and provides recruiters with access to a wider pool of talent. At a time when unemployment is at a 40 year low, more businesses than ever understand the importance of attracting as wide a range of applicants as possible. Flexible working also helps retain staff and plays a key role in helping to close the gender pay gap. Research shows that the reduced participation of women in the labour market is the single biggest driver of the gender pay gap. Nine in 10 of those who take time out of work for caring responsibilities are women, and women are three times more likely to work part-time than men. Flexible working allows women, and indeed all parents, to balance work and child caring responsibilities and means that employers are not losing talented female employees. This benefit of flexible working alone should be a wake-up call for the thousands of businesses that saw their gender pay gap increase over 2018/2019. Improving employee engagement People want to work flexibly. So offering flexible working can have a real impact on employee engagement. Research shows that those who work flexibly have a higher level of job satisfaction, are more committed and are more likely to go the extra mile than those who do not work flexibly. One way flexible working improves job satisfaction is by allowing employees to manage their work/life balance and by supporting employees’ physical and mental well-being. CMI research shows that long working hours can have a direct impact on the well-being of managers. In our research over half of managers said that working hours have a negative effect on their stress levels. Stress was nearly four times more common among those who worked long hours. Improving productivity Flexing working is good for business. Many employees and employers agree that flexible working practices can improve performance and productivity, at both individual and firm level. For example, nine in 10 employees report that flexible working helps improve their productivity at work. And CMI research shows that around half of managers report that flexible working makes for a more productive workplace. How can we promote flexible working? So flexible working works. But why then aren’t more of us working flexibly? Why,

Line managers play a key role in changing attitudes and should challenge any behaviours or comments that suggest those who work flexibly are somehow less productive according to some research, are only one in 10 jobs advertised as being flexible? Despite the evidence, some employers still cite concerns about flexible working: some fear employees will abuse the system, some are concerned about the reaction of customers and clients, and others worry about the bureaucracy involved in setting up a flexible working system and about a loss of productivity. There are also barriers which prevent employees from taking up flexible working. For example, it is around five years since the government extended the statutory right to request flexible working to all employees with 26 weeks’ continuous employment. This means that most employees can now ask their employer to work flexibly. However, awareness and understanding of the legislation remain lows. Recent CMI research revealed that only one in four managers fully understood that the statutory right to request flexible working allowed employees to request a change in hours, time or location of work. In some workplaces there is also still a stigma attached to flexible working. Some studies show that around one third of all workers identify a ‘flexibility stigma’ to flexible working. This ‘flexibility stigma’ arises from an attitude that flexible workers are less productive than full time colleagues and contribute less. Because of this many managers are concerned that they will be penalised for working flexibly, and less likely to get a pay rise or be promoted.

What can managers do to tackle these barriers? At CMI we believe that managers play a critical role in promoting flexible working and in making flexible working really work. So here’s our advice for all line managers. - Line managers need to be equipped and empowered. They need understand the statutory right to request flexible working, and make sure they are familiar with their employer’s policies on flexible working. They should also ask for training to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to make flexible working a success. - They should be proactive. They shouldn’t wait for someone to ask if they can work flexibly, but should proactively initiate a conversation about flexible working with their teams. - They should call out bad practice. Line managers play a key role in changing attitudes and should challenge any behaviours or comments that suggest those who work flexibly are somehow less productive. They should challenge the ‘flexibility stigma’. - They should be a role model. Line managers should consider working flexibly themselves, and champion flexible working practices across their organisation. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.managers.org.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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From the very beginning Streamlight® Inc. has been defined by their innovation. They have delivered effective, efficient, high performance lighting tools featuring the latest technology, unmatched performance, durability and incredible value. Streamlight® earned their reputation one customer at a time. Listening to their customers is a key feature that reflects many decades of invaluable insight and understanding; this approach led to new ideas and the ‘Brilliant Thinking’™ that sets Streamlight® apart. Knowledge and experience combined with their technical capabilities have allowed them to consistently lead the industry. When they launched in 1973, Streamlight® set a new standard for the lighting industry with the development of the first million candlepower handheld light for NASA. Then, in 2000 they did it again with the introduction of the rechargeable Stinger®. Its combination of size, performance and durability made it the first choice of law enforcement professionals the world over. Today, Streamlight® has an impressive range of portable lighting tools. Streamlight® President and CEO, Ray Sharrah said “We have been raising the bar ever since, Streamlight® is a pioneer, in rechargeable flashlight and we are revolutionising LED lights, making them brighter, more compact and incredibly durable”. He added, “We have

extended the run times and are continually coming up with dramatic new ways to make our customers jobs easier and safer.” Pioneers in the industry Streamlight® is leading the industry with the greatest variety of professional grade lights. They are trusted by professionals for a simple reason: they are the best, offering performance and features that professionals need and can depend on. The lights are available in many configurations and are supported by a range of accessories, delivering the right light exactly where it is needed. Streamlight® offer a full range of weapon lights, with features and performance levels that meet the needs of the military, law enforcement, concealed carry, as well as the sportsman. From high lumen to laser, to infrared, Streamlight® leads the Industry. For the military special forces, Streamlight’s® high performance lights, lanterns and weapon light/laser sighting devices and scene lighting solutions are engineered and manufactured, so that the same piece of gear can be used for everything from pinpointing to targeting. By consolidating features into a simple platform Streamlight® is able to deliver products like the Sidewinder®, which enables operators to carry less gear and fewer batteries.

About Streamlight® Based in Eagleville, PA, USA, Streamlight® Inc. has more than 45 years of experience making tough, durable, long-lasting torches designed to serve the specialised needs of professionals and consumers alike. Since 1973, the company has designed, manufactured and marketed high-performance flashlights, and today offers a broad array of lights, lanterns, weapon light/ laser sighting devices, and scene lighting tools for professional law enforcement, military, firefighting, industrial, automotive, and outdoor applications. Streamlight® is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. L FURTHER INFORMATION streamlight.com facebook.com/streamlightUK twitter.com/StreamlightUK instagram.com/streamlight_europe

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Parking Written by Sarah Greenslade, British Parking Association

Streamlining the parking experience Sarah Greenslade, public affairs and communications coordinator at the British Parking Association, looks at the latest revolution in parking - the parking data standard The pain of not finding a space when you could lead to smarter, smoother and simpler need one and the sheer unpredictable nature payment systems and motoring services for of parking could about to be a thing of the parking, right across the UK, Europe and past. The Alliance for Parking Data Standards beyond, transforming the way we drive and is working to create a common language park - a world-first for parking. Remember for all parking data, otherwise known as a what is was like to travel in London before data standard. It will revolutionise the all-zones Travelcard and later the way drivers find, book and the Oyster card? Well, the pay for parking, and increase work of the Alliance could The Alli accessibility to places be a similar revolution in for Park ance including town centres driving and parking. and the high street. Around the world, Standa ing Data rds is w The Alliance is new services and to creat o jointly owned by technologies e a com rking l a n the British Parking are joining guage m for all p on Association (BPA), the together to make arking data, o International Parking parking, mobility t known herwise & Mobility Institute and transport as a (USA) and the European infrastructure a standar data Parking Association better experience d (EPA), and funded by the for customers and Department for Transport. business owners. Whether Their standardised data model it is car-sharing, ride-sharing,

micro-mobility services, prepaid parking, dynamic pricing in parking, remote operations management, or improved reporting, data sharing is the key to being able to adopt these services. So, if the Alliance did not exist it is likely the parking sector would have had data standards created and imposed on it from the outside or in a way that aligned to a singular business model, stifling diversity and innovation in the sector. In the future, the parking data standard will be key to having seamless integration and compatibility between parking entities world-wide, including the automotive industry, map and app providers, IT developers, universities, highway and event operators, airport and railway operators, as well as the end users themselves. With parking app usage increasing and an increasing number of connected vehicles on our roads, the creation of a harmonious parking data standard is very timely. It also means that all local council parking data and company data could be using the same language soon. This will make it easier for councils to exchange data so that drivers of connected vehicles can find the right parking space, at the right time, and at the right price for them. It could also tell drivers if there are electric charge points nearby, the type of on-site services available and display the parking terms and conditions of each car park. The Alliance will maintain the parking data specifications over time as living, open specifications that will evolve and expand as the marketplace evolves. This will allow companies to focus their resources on innovating new services and operations with the assurance that everyone is working to a common data standard. E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Is your fleet performing at its best? Like a Personal Trainer for your fleet We all know that staying fit and healthy is easier when you have a little help. For most people this means creating a routine and regularly reviewing it, continuing to challenge

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Easing congestion and improving air quality Thirty per cent of city centre drivers is estimated to be looking for a parking space at any one time. Real-time data will help ease congestion by signalling available spaces to drivers as they become available. This in turn will help reduce emissions in our towns and cities, something that’s increasingly important for councils to tackle as quickly as possible. Going beyond parking into traffic management From the Alliance a new partnership has developed between the Department for Transport, BPA, Ordnance Survey and GeoPlace to create another type of data model for local authority Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), or Traffic Management Orders (TMOs) in London. Traffic Orders are the legal traffic management rules and regulations created by local councils to ensure our roads and highways are used safely and efficiently by drivers, pedestrians and passengers. This ground-breaking project is part of The TRO Discovery Project

With parking app usage increasing and an increasing number of connected vehicles on our roads, the creation of a harmonious parking data standard is very timely which contributes to the government’s Industrial Strategy Grand Challenge. Typically, TROs apply to both moving and stationary traffic and include all sorts of things including: speed restrictions; banned turns, no entry, one way, bus lane; Low Emission Zone and congestion; where you can/can’t park: charged, residential, disabled and reserved parking; yellow lines to restrict waiting, loading bays, red routes and parking zones; restrictions on vehicle usage, load, height, width, length and weight; road closures; and toll charges. There are many challenges councils face devising and implementing TROs currently. The Project’s research shows they are costly, complex and time consuming to create, access and process, not to mention largely unreadable by machines. For cash-strapped councils this situation is clearly unsustainable. These issues can now be eliminated or mitigated using smart communications, simpler procedures and software solutions, all unthinkable at the time the current rules were made in the middle of the 20th century. For connected vehicles to know about temporary road works, speed limits and onstreet parking bays it is essential for these to be standardised and digitised. Making TROs machine-readable will allow connected

Parking

 Councils test the parking data standard Manchester City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Cambridgeshire County Council and a consortium of South Essex councils will receive a share of £1 million to put the data standards set by the Alliance into practice. Seven more projects will also be commissioned to find ways to open-up local authority parking data. The ambition is to have all parking data released by councils to be in the same machine-readable standard.

vehicles to read the data and therefore navigate our complex road system. The TRO Discovery Project, will importantly make this data free to all as an open data resource; currently commercial service providers, vehicle manufacturers, even local authorities and government, everyone in fact is forced to collect TRO data independently using a variety of methods, often labour-intensively, albeit sometimes with digital support. The next stage of development is for the model to be trialled with test data. It will be important for local authorities to make sure they have the expertise in place to use a data model approach to create TROs as this will present both IT and legislative challenges. All the partner organisations support the government’s Industrial Strategy Future of Mobility Grand Challenge which aims to make the UK a world leader in shaping the Future of Mobility. An initial priority of the Future of Mobility Grand Challenge is to provide a regulatory framework to ensure we continue to have one of the most open environments in the world for transport innovation. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.allianceforparkingdatastandards.org

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Marginal gains: a sporting ethos for managing facilities With a team of 1000 plus property and facilities specialists, Bellrock property provide services across a range of sectors from corporate, education, retail and leisure to local authority and central government. They implement tailored solutions that drive performance and improve cost efficiency Bellrock Property & Facilities Management Ltd provides specialist risk focussed workplace management and property management services to a wide range of complex and sophisticated clients throughout the UK. Operating in the corporate, healthcare, education, retail &leisure and local authority & central government sectors, we create and implement bespoke solutions to improve the performance and value derived from non-core activity. Bellrock manages services to thousands of operational sites across the UK. We are a team of 1000 plus property and facilities professionals located at over 40 sites across the UK working on behalf of our clients with access to 1100 accredited suppliers. Our service divisions workplace and compliance, technical and real estate and M&E Services are underpinned by our in-house market leading Concerto software suite. In sport it is hard to forget the ethos that propelled the British Cycling team to victory laying the foundations for Team Sky’s (now Team Ineos) successes and of course the World Cup winning England rugby team of 2003. Both victories were underpinned by finding marginal gains in a series of elements that affect performance, be that in the kit (clothing and equipment), diet, sleep or exercise regime and preparation. In facilities management the focus has often been on transformational improvements that are often difficult to deliver within the timescale of a contract of three or five years. Using the concept of finding ‘marginal gains’ achieves small incremental improvements, that once aggregated, translate in to substantial enhancements to service performance or cost management. Technology is critical to not only defining where those gains can be made but also how they are executed. The case for technology Implementing technology for managing maintenance and facilities services will deliver significant improvements in relation to supply chain management, internal communication between stakeholders, payment and budgeting processes and resource deployment. All of these improvements may be marginal, but process improvements and improved communication and visibility of performance have exponential benefits.

A system with a single portal to log maintenance jobs and analyses the completed work in terms of timescales, resources, and costs, creates the needed transparency of activity and spend. Customers can log requests from their secured cloud-based site and be kept informed as to progress of the job. Supply chain partners and directlyemployed technicians can be geo-located giving the end user the assurance works are in progress, and more importantly when the works are expected to be completed. Photos can be attached so that the lay person can convey the nature of the problem. Technicians can then understand the issue in detail and prepare the tools, or materials to undertake the repairs as efficiently as possible. Often the mobile or remote functionality has the most impact in driving efficiency. With all members of the team having access to the system communications are streamlined as notes are added, hours booked, and calls completed from a mobile device whilst on-site. When connectivity is not available, the information is cached until connectivity is restored. Successful deployment of the system takes careful planning with a focus on

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

tailoring the software platform to the specific organisational needs. The key priority is often to ensure the mobile‑user experience is as simple as possible, intuitive and easy to navigate. Building the model The success, or otherwise, of the implementation and subsequent utilisation of any system is defining what is important. The question of what the organisation is trying to achieve, be that reducing cost, enhancing safety or maintaining a highly effective and well utilised environment, drives the operating model to which the technology platform aligns. The provider and the FM team can then work closely together to identify the information points that will be required as an output for stakeholders, either in the form of reports or as raw data that can be manipulated in real time. It is essential to establish the operating model as it is integral to defining process workflows and building up exception planning criteria. These in turn define who will access information and manage tasks at any given time, as well as which processes can be automated as a result of integration.

Measures of success The outcomes experienced by our public sector clients include: the configuration and integration of the FM Helpdesk with other software programmes such as asset compliance, supply chain performance, finance or HR create a seamless work-flow and eliminate double entry administration; an understanding of workload and priorities for managers deploying resources for the most effective service delivery; bespoke dashboards measure performance against set objectives; improved employee performance and satisfaction; reduced potential downtime for critical assets; improved, streamlined internal communication channels; single source of information for all property real estate and FM professionals; real-time, two-way communication enhances overall experience and customer satisfaction; simplified budget forecasting and planning; dynamic condition surveys continuously updated through maintenance and project records Most organisations could point to a cost or efficiency saving from these gains. Not only is the management of services an area for developing marginal gains but engineering services are also at the centre of the technology revolution that will drive those efficiencies.

under 25, especially) joining the industry has been decreasing over the last ten years. While women who make up 46 per cent of the UK workforce as a whole, only account for 1 in 8 of engineering occupations. Research from a bespoke extension of Working Futures 2014-2024 forecasts there will be demand in engineering enterprises for 265,000 skilled entrants annually through to 2024, of which around 186,000 will be needed to meet both replacement and expansion demand. Based on these estimates and assumptions, projected supply will fall short of demand by at least 20,000 per year and this does not take in to account the unknown Brexit effect.1 Technology solutions for engineering The statistics are a stark reminder that the challenges are significant for the building services industry. Technology can hold the key to reducing an organisation’s reliance on the engineers themselves, at least in the short term. The increase in the use of robotics is increasingly key. Using profiling to determine performance across the life cycle of the asset and IoT sensors for monitoring, software platforms such as Concerto, by Bellrock fed by the data, can be setup to predict potential failure, and utilise resources only when needed. This also means managing maintenance requirements, not just around those parameters but also against criticality and risk of the asset. With a clearer understanding, it is possible to build a more robust and streamlined maintenance schedule. The other factor to consider is the ability for robotic technology not just to predict, but also diagnose and analyse issues before an engineer visits site. Armed with a diagnosis, the role of the engineer becomes less about technical solutioning and more about practical implementation and first fix. That means the

labour pool can include more technicians to fill those types of activities, employing fewer but more highly qualified engineers. Recognising the balance between technology and people is important. Using technology to improve first time fix rates and reducing risk doesn’t just have an impact in terms of efficiency but increased client satisfaction. An output may be a reduced reliance on engineers visiting site, but the value when they do increases as they are the customer’s human experience of the brand they represent, which, at the moment cannot be replicated or fully replaced by technology.

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As a result, the operating workflows are unified and will offer up the raw data for analysis. Often the source of the data is owned by other suppliers or departments servicing the FM function. Take security for example. They may ‘own’ the access control or visitor management system, yet once analysed this data may be essential in creating a more efficient cleaning schedule. Unlocking the paths to the data, so that the system becomes the data aggregator of building and asset information, requires an advanced data import engine or open API platform in order to integrate all interrelated information. The possibilities to create a truly integrated system harnessing machine learning, artificial intelligence and IOT mean we will need to rebrand CAFM to reflect the value, not just in terms of efficiency. There is an opportunity to free facilities managers of process and operational management and focus on aligning the environment to business needs and exceptional customer experience.

Managing risk We are rising to the challenge with improved use of technology yet there is a need to remain focused on the outcome and managing potential risks. Understanding risk and putting together a robust transition plan is key to a cohesive approach that is backed by senior stakeholders. Breaking it down in to small incremental changes removes the barriers to change while continuing to meet the demands of the tightening public sector purse. Harnessing technology, whether that be from a management and analysis perspective, or in terms of how services can be deployed, is proven to drive improvements and cost efficiency. The sum of these marginal gains helps public sector organisations to challenge the norm, improve customer satisfaction and reduce public costs.

Taken from Engineering UK 2017 Synopsis and Recommendations Report www.engineeringuk.com/media/1356/ enguk_report_2017_synopsis.pdf (1611 words) L 1

FURTHER INFORMATION www.bellrockgroup.co.uk

Managing critical asset maintenance Supporting public sector mechanical and electrical critical assets is an important responsibility. It is therefore essential to keep focused on not only the technical trends and developments, but macro factors as well. The two main trends are the operational changes enabled by technology to both the assets themselves and the way in which maintenance can be deployed. The other is the shortage of adequately trained engineers. Nearly 5.7 million people work in engineering enterprises in the UK, representing just over 19 per cent of total UK employment. As with every other sector the engineering workforce is getting older. The proportion of young workers (aged

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The Flood Expo has recently announced the lineup of keynote speakers for this September’s edition. We look ahead to the show, as well as some recent flooding news from across the UK At the start of May, the Environment The strategy called for all infrastructure to be Agency called for a new approach to ensure flood resilient by 2050, suggesting that an communities are resilient to the threat of average of £1 billion will need to be invested flooding posed by climate change. Emma each year in traditional flood and coastal Howard Boyd, chair of the agency, opened an defences and natural flood management. eight-week consultation on the new strategy, Among the recommendations in the strategy, which has now closed, saying that ‘we the Environment Agency has committed to cannot win a war against water’ by building working with partners to develop consistent higher flood defences. She also revealed standards for flood and coastal resilience across that the Environment Agency is preparing the country. To achieve these standards, for 4°C rise in global temperature communities should have access and will develop new standards to a range of tools which give of flood resilience for them control of how they Thousa n communities to tackle this. prepare for and respond d s of peop to flooding and coastal l e w ere evacua change, based on the town in ted from a challenges or flood D e risk that particular r b ys becaus location may face. e pa hire

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Learn from flood experts this September These tools could include traditional defences, temporary barriers, natural flood management, sustainable drainage systems, effective flood warnings and emergency response, alongside designing and adapting existing properties and new development so they can recover quickly from a flood. Since then, thousands of people were evacuated from a town in Derbyshire because part of a reservoir wall has collapsed in floods. Engineers pumped water from the 300-million-gallon Toddbrook Reservoir amid fears it could burst and swamp Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire. This followed bridges being washed away and hundreds of homes and businesses flooded during flash flooding in the Yorkshire Dales on 30 July. The government consequently announced flood relief money for Whaley Bridge, activating the Bellwin Scheme so local authorities can be reimbursed for costs responding to the floods, with the Department for Transport also agreeing to pay £3 million for bridges destroyed at Grinton Moor and Cogden Beck. E

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Hearing from experts The Flood Expo team has recently announced the lineup of keynote speakers for this September’s edition. Alongside returning favourites from 2018’s keynote lineup, such as Mary Dhonau, from Know Your Flood Risk, and Daniel Rosenberg from Gravitas, we have a fantastic lineup of incredible speakers from across the whole flood industry. From case studies, to addressing sustainable challenges in the flood industry, this is undoubtedly the strongest keynote speaker lineup The Flood Expo has ever seen. Livia Hollins from United Nations Climate Change (UNFCCC), will address the seminar ‘Climate change, sustainable development goals, resilience and disaster risk reduction – what’s the UN doing about floods?’

Flood Expo

 The Flood Expo The Flood Expo is the world’s largest exhibition and conference designed to help the most progressive flood professionals and property owners discover the latest innovative products, services and strategies that transform the way flooding is predicted, prevented and managed. Being the biggest event of its kind, the Flood Expo seeks to form partnerships with the best of the best with regards to associations and organisations that represent the needs of the industry. The Flood Expo is already a truly stacked event for its visitors, delivering on its promise of cutting edge exhibitors, world class educational opportunities, and a visitor base of decision makers and management teams. 150 CPD accredited seminars will complement the exhibitors displaying their cutting edge products, services, and technologies. With brands such as UNFCCC, MET Office, BAM Nuttall and Mott MacDonald the Flood Expo will have representatives from all over the globe. This is an unrivalled chance to meet these professionals, understand their products, and assess the capabilities against your own personal needs. Supported by The Environment Agency and sponsored by Aquaclear Water Management, this year’s exhibition promises to be the most forward-thinking to date. The Environment Agency is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and, among other critical responsibilities, are responsible for managing the risk of flooding from main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea. The Environment Agency will host its own Theatre with a dozen of seminars among the 11-12 September. Meanwhile, Aquaclear Water Management are leading the water management industry, operating a national contracting service specialising in waterway, reed bed and wetland management.

Sun Yan Evans, technical director and flood risk management practice leader at Mott Macdonald will talk about the exciting ‘Enabling Resilient UK Energy Infrastructure: Natural Hazard Characterisation’ project, funded by the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI). David Nash from the Zurich Foundation will share the work of Zurich’s Flood Resilience Alliance in building a systembased methodology, which goes beyond grey infrastructure solutions. He will show how their approach creates locally relevant actions, helping communities globally develop in a climate-smart and risk-informed way, and show how we can measure resilience as a result. Fai Fung, from The Met Office, will speak about the future climate projections for the UK. UKCP18 is designed to help inform the management of future risks from climate variability and change, providing updated probabilistic estimates of the ranges of future climate change and results from a new suite of global, European and UK-scale climate models. Tim Beech will speak about Thames Water’s innovative approach to managing surface water in partnership. They are working in one of the most densely populated and urbanised regions in the UK, placing a lot of pressure on drainage. He will outline their shifting emphasis towards reducing the volume of surface water entering their sewers with partnership in mind. Alastair Moseley from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) will explain the key elements of the new Code of Practice for Property Flood Resilience, how to access it and the huge benefits that it will bring to

The Flood Expo will be running alongside three other shows: Contamination Expo Series, RWM Exhibition and Future Resources Expo, allowing for unrivalled networking opportunities across all of the events

installers, insurance companies and millions of property owners alike throughout the UK. Russell Turner from the Flood Forecasting Centre will explain the 10 years of partnership between the Met Office and Environment agency showing key flood events, learning points and improvements introduced to better forecast floods and provide the best information to continue to protect lives and livelihoods from the impacts of flooding. Geordie Palmer from what3words will speak about the challenges of location in emergency response. For those delivering emergency assistance, knowing exactly where they are going is crucial and this can be a challenge when address information isn’t available. What3words gives an address of 3 simple words every 3x3m in the world. allowing precise locations to be described very easily. Professor Dapeng Yu, from The University of Loughborough, will focus on surface water flood forecasting in a changing climate where the weather is becoming increasingly untypical and uncertain. Neil Parker, from BAM Nuttall, will then speak about the Sustainable Challenges for the Collaborative Delivery Framework Partners. As the Environment Agency (EA) moves to its new Collaborative Delivery arrangements the presentation will focus on how the Suppliers will work in partnership with the EA and supply chain to implement sustainable solutions and meet the increasing efficiency and carbon challenges. L

The Flood Expo 2019 will be running alongside three other shows: Contamination Expo Series, RWM Exhibition and Future Resources Expo, allowing for unrivalled networking opportunities across all of the events. Free tickets to The Flood Expo will grant access to the surrounding shows over both days, opening up visitors to all the benefits of the surrounding events. All of these shows will be providing their own valuable seminars and masterclasses, so the opportunity to learn from international professionals has never been larger. FURTHER INFORMATION www.thefloodexpo.co.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Recycling

The state of waste collection systems in the UK Lee Marshall looks at how local authorities in England are quantifying the impact of emerging waste policy upon recycling and waste management services A deposit return scheme of cost for packaging after its intended The first set of post-strategy consultations purpose completely with the producers were released in February this year, and began of that packaging rather than with the putting in place the detail on the main policy public purse. It is widely agreed that local areas within the strategy. They covered the authorities currently pick up 90 per cent of consistency agenda, EPR, a possible tax on the costs of dealing with used packaging plastic packaging and a possible deposit return and the producers only 10 per cent. scheme (DRS) for England and Wales. Although This funding issue is something LARAC issued as separate consultations there is large raised in a policy paper in April 2018, The elements of cross over between them and Future of Local Authority Waste Funding. In so they had to be considered in the round, this paper, LARAC highlighted several possible no mean feat when you realise there were ways in which funding could be channelled over 300 questions contained within them. into the waste collection services of local The proposition to implement a DRS is an authorities, after a decade of budget cuts as interesting one for local authorities. Prior to the a result of austerity measures. An overhaul of move towards EPR, local authorities were not the current producer responsibility regime for in favour of a DRS as it would remove materials packaging was one recommendation. Another from the kerbside collections. These materials was the research and possible implementation normally have a value and so an income to of direct charging for waste services, or ‘pay local authorities, depending on the state of the as you throw’ as it is sometimes referred to. markets at that time. This would have meant It was disappointing to see that this policy further pressure on already stretched budgets. area was not covered by the Resource and Some in the industry felt that this Waste Strategy, in fact a word loss of income would be offset search of ‘pay as you throw’ The by savings in collections, less and ‘direct charging’ in the govern vehicles needed because document both drew a ment there were less materials. blank. So, it appears in w However, evidence on this relation to funding at authori ants all t was very slim and the one least the government i e s to colle food w meaningful study done is not keen on c t a s about 5 te (currentl was based on just four having individuals’ y 0 per c councils. The outputs of shoulder some of e and are nt do) the study showed that it the cost burden manda looking to was collection authorities directly, for the te this a seeing a decrease in their E waste they produce.

well

Written by Lee Marshall, chief executive officer, LARAC

The resource and waste world have had a hectic past few months that started back with the launch of the government’s Resource and Waste Strategy in December 2018. This strategy was the first real national strategy of any substance in several years and will possibly bring about some of the biggest changes in how household waste is organised and funded in the UK since the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The key themes in relation to household waste that the strategy outlined were in relation to consistency of the collections that local authorities provide and how the packaging element of that was funded, with the concept of ‘extended producer responsibility’ (EPR) looking to be adopted in the UK. This would place the burden

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Recycling

î &#x2020; budgets and the disposal authorities an increase where there was one, so costs would need to passported between tiers for overall savings by all authorities to be achieved. In theory with EPR layered on to a DRS, where producers pay all the costs, the issue of local authorities losing income could be seen as irrelevant. It would be producers bearing both the costs of the DRS system and the cost of the kerbside systems (for the packaging element). It does however call into question how costs effective it is for the producers to have a DRS collecting some material that is already collected via kerbside schemes and then having to fund the kerbside schemes as well. There is also an issue around public appetite to take bottles and cans back to the supermarket to gain their deposit when at the moment they have the ease of putting it in a box, bag or bin at their home. Despite misgivings from large parts of the industry and an evidence base that is still lacking the government have announced that they intend to press ahead with introducing a DRS. Local authorities will have to plan how they adapt to this. Collection routes will need rationalising and a whole new set of communications to residents will needed, outlining which bottles and cans go where. It seems at odds with the aims of the consistency policy area that wants to get make things as simple as possible for the average resident to recycle. The consultation on consistency will bring about changes in the way in which local authorities run recycling services and maybe the way they collect it. The consistency debate has been clouded somewhat by the issues around plastic packaging. It may surprise many people to know that collections are

Councils will adapt and react just as they have done over the past 20 years to increase the recycling rate form virtually nothing to 46 per cent, a feat that is often forgotten in the current debate largely consistent already with 99 per cent of UK local authorities collecting paper, card, cans and plastic bottles at the kerbside. For glass the figure is 88 per cent and for plastic pots tubs and trays the figure is 76 per cent, higher probably than some people would guess. Food waste The government want a core set of materials to be collected by all authorities and is looking to mandate this. They also want all authorities to collect food waste, currently about 50 per cent do, and are looking to mandate this as well. Most local authorities agree with the environmental benefits of collecting food waste and are supportive of the principle. However, for the majority of local authorities with out food waste collections now it would increase their costs to add it to their services. Food waste is not covered by EPR so there is a question mark over how the government will fund this new burden. They have ben very clear that it is a new burden and will be funded, but details on the source of the funding have so far been lacking. Providing collections and getting people to use them are two separate issues. All Welsh local authorities have had food waste collections in place for a number of years,

but they are still seeing 20 per cent of the residual bin containing food. The strategy and consultations have been light on how councils will be supported to get more people using more services more of the time. Ultimately without this then higher recycling rates will not be achievable, regardless of how consistent services might be. There is still a lot more work and a lot more detail to be put into consistency, DRS and EPR before they resultant legislation and regulations come into force. There are due to be a new round of consultations on these in Spring 2020 and at that point it is likely local authorities will really be able to see just how their services need to evolve and change to meet these new requirements. Councils will adapt and react just as they have done over the past 20 years to increase the recycling rate form virtually nothing to 46 per cent, a feat that is often forgotten in the current debate. It will be interesting to see how residents also react and adapt and if these new systems will deliver the increases in recycling that are hoped for. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.larac.org.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Future Resource

Aspiring to run greener businesses Future Resource, the UK’s leading sustainability event, returns on 11-12 September to help connect businesses that aspire to be greener and more sustainable Future Resource boasts a 3,000 strong crowd, comprising: the Renewables Zone, Smart comprised of leading local authorities and Water Innovation, Energy Efficiency Tech, Zero government departments, large retailers, Emissions Zone, and Energy from Waste. commercial and industrial end users, as well as energy and water suppliers, and trade The Renewables Zone associations. This substantial audience of More and more businesses are looking at industry leaders and influential buyers come investing in renewable projects for a selfto Future Resource with the primary purpose sufficient energy supply and a sustainable of discovering new solutions and meeting future. Whether it’s saving money, making suppliers to make their visions a reality. money by selling back to the grid or a In addition to growing your business motivation to be greener (CSR), this is the network, attending Future Resource is a sureonly place you’ll find the UK ’s top suppliers fire way to discover potential collaborations, of renewable energy solutions is at the generate leads, or purely as a valuable Renewables Zone at Future Resource. knowledge sharing opportunity. In 2018, there was a very The UK’s leading event for real and positive shift energy and water efficiency, towards renewable energy On Future Resource provides and low carbon energy the mo e of s t a platform for the latest sources, as they became t a lked about t solutions and industry the leading sources o p ics at Future insights shaping the of energy for Britain future of the utilities for the first time and its Resource c o sector. Specifically last year. Overtaking l o c shows designed for businesses fossil fuels and being in 2018ated aspiring to be greener the main producer of pollutio was and more sustainable. energy for the country, n Visitors to the 2019 renewable energy show will have access really began to prove its to five fundamental zones, worth to the greater public

last year and Future Resource is immensely keen to keep this momentum as high as possible going forward. With renewable and low carbon energy sources accounting for a total of 53 per cent of energy in 2018, having a Renewable Energy Zone at Future Resource is not only essential to the show itself, but also to the industry. In 2018 it was revealed that renewables were seeing even faster growth than the ‘dash for gas’ that happened in the 90s, showing just how intent the country is on becoming even more reliable on these energy sources. The Renewable Energy Zone will be a hub of product and solutions that will not only benefit those who invest but also for the continued reliance on renewable energy sources. With wind, solar, bio-fuel and hydro being the main sources of renewable energy, visitors will be able to discover the best solutions for their personal energy needs and truly aid in the development of a Britain powered by Renewable Energy. Smart Water Innovation Water is a finite resource and prices are set to rise as demand starts to outweigh supply, which will have a huge impact on millions of businesses around the world. Smart Water Innovation shows off the latest and most cutting-edge products on the market helping businesses reduce their overall water usage. Energy Efficiency Tech Technology and innovations to help businesses reduce their energy bills are growing in importance. From smart metres to InfraRed heating systems and LED lighting, the Energy Efficiency Technology Zone is dedicated to helping businesses find solutions to increase profit margins while reducing their carbon footprint. E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Julian P. Klug, Managing Director T: +49 (0) 2366 305 205 E: jp.klug@hycon-energy.com

What can the future of energy supply look like? This is the topic of the engineering and planning company HYCON, presenting itself from the 11th to the 12th of September 2019 at the Future Resource in Birmingham. At our booth (Stand no. W124), experts will provide information on the services and existing infrastructure in the area of power-to-gas and hydrogen-based energy storage systems for green electricity and heat supply of commercial or private real estate as well as residential areas. For the future efficient integration of wind and solar power, it will be increasingly important to use the electricity at its place of production. It is important to solve the problem of regenerative energy storage. It is likely that the economic renewable energy supply will depend to a significant degree on the availability of application-optimized energy storage systems. One solution is the hydrogen-based-energy-complementary-system (HECS) built in Herten. Worlds first system of its kind, running since 2013 and designed by HYCON. More than “simply” saving electricity, HECS can be expanded into multi-functional power stations which provide hydrogen for mobility or hydrogen, oxygen and heat for uses in business and industry. Our simulation-tools and experimentation capacity ensure perfectly tailored systems. Doncaster-Platz 5 -7 45699 Herten | Germany

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Future Resource

î &#x2020; Zero Emissions Zone One of the most talked about topics at Future Resource and its co-located shows in 2018 was pollution. Cars make up only 12 per cent of EU CO2 emissions, so it clear that poluttion problems run deeper than vehicles. This made it clear that a dedicated area at the event was required, to champion the products and services of businesses from all of the sector that not only reduce emissions from vehicles, but for businesses, industries and homes as well. The Zero Emissions Zone is dedicated to environmentally friendly vehicles and its ancillary products. As oil prices rise and businesses look for alternative and more sustainable ways to manage their fleet, they will be looking towards greener, more sustainable alternatives that will save businesses thousands on taxes and fuel. Find the latest products on the market from the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading suppliers in the sector. With the continued progression towards zero emission vehicles and machinery, Future Resource is proud to be one of the only environmental exhibitions to boast a test track for the zero-emissions vehicles on display at the show. The track is a unique feature that offers a fantastic insight into how far zero emissions emitting vehicles have come in recent times, whilst also covering any issues or qualms that the technologies face in the new age of technology.

With the consequences of our wasteful habits keeping the recycling and waste industry very much in the public eye, there are developments being made within the industry in order to begin effectively combat these consequences Energy from Waste The Energy from Waste Zone is dedicated to helping businesses use techniques associated with the idea of a circular economy. In this zone, you will find the most up to date content and innovative suppliers helping businesses turn their waste into a valuable energy resource, helping you save money, become more sustainable and more efficient. With the consequences of our wasteful habits keeping the recycling and waste industry very much in the public eye, there are developments being made within the industry in order to begin effectively combat these consequences. One major area that has seen a lot of focus over recent years has been energy from waste. In 2008 the energy from waste sector only had 24 facilities with capabilities to convert

3.28 million tonnes of waste into effective energy for the British public. A decade later and the UK currently has 71 facilities either running or that are under construction but are still able to deal with waste, with a further 85 in the pipeline to begin work. These facilities are able to convert 17 million tonnes of waste, showing a clear advancement in this sector as well as clear movements towards further expansion. Recognising that energy from waste is a viable solution for both the increasing energy needs of the growing population, but also to stem the creation of further single-use waste is a leading reason why the sector will have its own focused zone at Future Resource. This zone will be a buzzing area of Future Resource with the added benefit of exceptional relevance given the current drive for more energy from waste facilities in the pipeline. If you produce a lot of waste and are curious as to the potential of it all then this is the zone for you to visit. If you are able to provide incineration capabilities, or run energy from waste plants and want to seek new clients, then the sooner you can enquire, the better. Being front and centre in the Energy From Waste Zone will put you face to face with new clients that will not only provide business growth but will continue the further growth of the sector as well. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.futureresourceexpo.com

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Green spaces

The Green Space Index: Mapping health benefits Green spaces are good, do good and need to be protected for good. Alison McCann, policy manager at Fields in Trust, explains why Green Space Index There is overwhelming evidence that parks Yet parks are a discretionary service which, and green spaces contribute health and unlike libraries or waste collection, councils well-being benefits for people who use them regularly; Fields in Trust is an active participant have no statutory duty to provide. Therefore, in developing this evidence base. Our 2018 public green spaces, and the direct and research report Revaluing Parks and Green indirect benefits they provide to people and Spaces concludes that targeted spending on the environment, are not equally distributed. parks and green spaces can help to improve Concerned that people who don’t have a park the health of the nation and reduce future or green space nearby could miss out, we NHS expenditure. Fields in Trust is well placed undertook a comprehensive analysis of green to share expertise about the value of space provision using new Ordnance parks, as a registered charity Survey data. Our Green Space dedicated to championing Index reveals that over 2.5 and supporting our green million people across Great Parks a Britain live more than a spaces by protecting green s nd p ten-minute-walk from a them for people to enjoy a c es deliver park or green space. in perpetuity. Founded over £3 billion o 4 Although Great Britain in 1925, we have over f direct health has a total of 216,160 90 years’ experience and we hectares of publicly of legally protecting benefit ll-being accessible local parks publicly accessible and green spaces (about recreational land. UK resi s to dents one and a half times the Our research shows each ye size of London), less than that parks and green ar six per cent of this space is spaces deliver over £34 legally protected with Fields in billion of direct health Trust. With public sector cuts leading and well-being benefits to UK to pressure on parks and green spaces, residents each year. This means people there is a risk that a lack of legal protection who use parks regularly enjoy a greater life could lead to more being sold off or developed. satisfaction including improved physical It is also likely that any future loss of parks and mental health. Our research used HM and green spaces will disproportionately Treasury approved Green Book methodology impact disadvantaged and underrepresented and demonstrates that access to parks and communities. Fields in Trust campaigns for green space makes a net contribution to the urgent need to protect and maintain the exchequer by improving public health existing parks and green spaces and want and well-being; reducing GP visits and NHS local government and landowners to take spending by a total of £111 million each year.

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

steps to legally protect the ones they own. The Green Space Index ranks Britain’s regions and nations against a minimum standard of provision which finds that London, Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West and the North East regions all fall well below the minimum level, with the East Midlands providing exactly the minimum. In contrast Scotland tops the Green Space Index. It both provides more green space per person than any other part of in Great Britain (45.86 square metres per person) and also has the most legally protected green space (2,143 hectares). The average amount of green space per person in Great Britain is just over 35 square metres, less than half the size of a six-yard box on a football pitch. Westminster Government parks policy Following a Parliamentary inquiry into the Future of the UK’s Parks in 2016, the government convened the Parks Action Group of sector experts to advise MHCLG. However, we are now on our fourth Parks and Green Spaces Minister since the Inquiry with limited progress. Having said that departments across Whitehall have repeatedly referenced the importance of parks and green spaces in delivering a diverse range of policy goals.

Green spaces

DEFRA’s 25-year plan (2018), published under Michael Gove’s tenure, includes proposals to improve air and water quality, enhance wildlife habitats and connect people with green spaces to improve health and wellbeing. The plan recognises the need to focus on disadvantaged areas. With Theresa Villiers taking over Defra we await to see if these long-term commitments are to be continued. Matt Hancock published the Department for Health and Social Care’s consultation on the preventative health agenda on the eve of the Boris Johnson’s premiership and Hancock continues in post to deliver it. Parks and green spaces are directly referenced as ‘assets for good health’ in the document alongside other community infrastructure. The consultation also identifies ‘access to good quality green spaces’, as one of the ‘protective factors that can act as a strong foundation for good mental health’. If, as encouraged, people are to take personal responsibility for their own physical and mental health, then the provision of parks and green spaces in which to exercise and relax are a prerequisite. The government’s Childhood Obesity Plan (2018) references ‘limited access to green spaces’ as a contributory cause and encourages local authorities to ‘ensure access to quality green space to promote physical activity’. Parks and green spaces are also cited in the Social Mobility Commission report An Unequal Playing Field (2019) which highlights disparities in children’s participation rates in extra-curricular activities The loss of parks and green space provision due to austerity is noted in the report which states they ‘represent the necessary structures to give young people the opportunity to take part in activities’. The Commission identify the loss of public provision as having a significant impact on the most vulnerable communities. Work on building childhood resilience, begun under Damian Hinds as Education Minister is expected to continue with new minister Gavin Williamson – another policy area requiring access to parks and green spaces for independent outdoor play.

Concerned that people who don’t have a park or green space nearby could miss out, we undertook a comprehensive analysis of green space provision using new Ordnance Survey data The value of parks and green spaces is referenced in DCMS’s Civil Society Strategy (2018), as well as their Connected Society (2018) plan where the value of parks in tackling loneliness is discussed. MHCLG’s Integrated Communities Action Plan (2019) and a recent policy paper, By deeds and their results: how we will strengthen our communities and nation (2019) sets out future work across government to strengthen communities, and identifies the importance of parks and green spaces as places where people can meet, mix and strengthen local connections. Whatever the final outcome of Brexit, the need to support inter-community engagement has rarely been greater. Joined-up aspirations Joining-up these diverse aspirations across government and recognising and resourcing

the range of social policy goals that the green space sector is tasked with delivering could genuinely bring about some stability to long-term funding of parks and green spaces, commensurate with their impact. If more money is to be made available for public services, we believe that it would be financially efficient to channel this investment into social infrastructure that supports the preventative health agenda and reduces the need for more expensive and intensive interventions further down the track. Recent research from the New Policy Institute indicates that councils are actually having to shift funding away from preventative agendas because of a ‘quiet crisis’, whereas we know that is not a cost-effective decision in the long term. Clearly local authorities across the UK are facing difficult choices about which local services should be prioritised. We believe cutting parks budgets is a false economy. Any decision by a public body to remove a park or green space is completely short-sighted which will be likely to cost more money than is saved. It is vital that such far-reaching decisions are based on the best evidence and our research reveals what we all intuitively know, green spaces are good, do good and need to be protected for good. L

Alison McCann is Fields in Trust’s policy manager. Having worked for the organisation for the last seven years, Alison’s current role focuses on research about the value of green space to better inform policymaking, as well as overseeing the legal support function for sites protected with Fields in Trust. FURTHER INFORMATION www.fieldsintrust.org

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Transport

It is time something is done for buses In taking forward a national bus strategy the key question is not ‘what can our country do for our buses?’ but ‘what can our buses do for our country?’. Claire Haigh, chief executive of Greener Journeys, explains why It seems everyone is now talking about it is the wrong starting point, and ironically it the need for a national bus strategy. It was does the sector no favours. The way to make the Transport Select Committee’s central the case for a national bus strategy, with the recommendation following its recent inquiry requisite funding commitment from central into the health of the bus market. Calls for a government, is to start by identifying which national bus strategy are also growing policy objectives bus networks serve. from MPs across the political Here we are spoilt for choice. spectrum, as well as influential Investment in buses has Owners bodies like the Committee the potential to deliver on Climate Change. The on a whole range of of a na hip National Infrastructure government objectives bus stra tional t Commission has across housing, e g y c annot sit with consistently communities and alone – in transport highlighted the local government, a mean vital importance environment, ingful bus stra of mass transit. business and t e g y will require The chorus is getting industrial strategy, d louder, but too often work and pensions, from a irect input range o the focus is on reversing health, education, f departm the decline in bus trade and investment. ents patronage, as if there is Indeed, perhaps one justification in that for its own of the reasons why a sake. Whilst a worthy objective, national strategy for buses

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

has not been hitherto forthcoming is that it could potentially be very challenging politically to deliver across Whitehall. Ownership of a national bus strategy cannot sit within transport alone. A meaningful bus strategy will require direct input from a range of departments. As a minimum, a cross-departmental policy statement will be needed. And as if the role of central government departments isn’t already extensive enough, a national bus strategy will also require the input and involvement of local decision makers at all levels from across the public and private sector. Bus is a quintessentially local product. Sub-national Transport Bodies, combined authorities, Local Enterprise Partnerships and all other tiers of local government will need to be involved in the development of a national bus strategy, as well as bus operators, bus manufacturers, major employers, Business Improvement Districts, town centre managers etc. The list goes on. This is no small task,

Transport

but the scale of the challenge must not be an impediment. The wider social, economic and environmental benefits of bus are irrefutable. A 10 per cent improvement in bus service connectivity is associated with a 3.6 per cent reduction in social deprivation. £1 invested in local bus infrastructure can deliver £8 of wider benefit to local economies. A modern diesel bus produces fewer emissions than a modern diesel car despite having 15-20 times the carrying capacity. And according to the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership, buses are leading the way on the road to zero. Last year, 4.2 per cent of new buses were zero emission at the tailpipe compared with just 0.6 per cent of pure battery electric cars. The sector has worked hard to develop a powerful evidence base which has helped to convince politicians and key decision makers on the value of bus investment and the need for government to have a bus strategy. The task now for the sector is to develop a common position on bus strategy which moves beyond polarising debates around ownership and control, and which will cut through in spending decisions. There may be different views about the shape and form a bus strategy should take, but there is little disagreement with the principle that something must be done for our predominant mode of public transport. The wider benefits of bus The primary objective of a national bus strategy should be to create a policy framework to realise the wider benefits of bus. The strategy should focus on supporting local economies, reducing pollution and congestion, tackling social exclusion and building more cohesive communities. Importantly, the strategy should be underpinned by some core principles: Firstly, a national bus strategy should not in any way obstruct or reverse the course of devolution. The strategy should support devolution by providing local transport authorities with the necessary funding and resources to invest for inclusive and sustainable growth in their local areas. A national bus strategy should also support key government policies including Clean Growth, Future of Mobility, Clean Air Strategy, Road to Zero, reinvigorating our high streets and town centres, even Loneliness Strategy – a third of people in the UK have deliberately caught the bus to have some human contact. Due consideration should be given to all forms of road mass and shared transit, latest technological innovations and changes to the market, in all areas including urban, peri-urban and rural areas. Bus operators, technology firms and local authorities should be encouraged to form alliances to develop service and product innovations to increase access for all whilst reducing car dependency. A national bus strategy should provide a framework for local decision makers to use the powers in the Bus Services Act to maximise the wider social, economic and environmental benefits of bus. It should also help decision makers identify the costs, benefits and risks associated with alternative interventions.

A national bus strategy needs to provide a framework to support local decision makers in running bus networks that are directly relevant to the communities they serve A national bus strategy Finally, a national bus strategy should complement wider transport policy. Bus policy cannot sit in isolation to policies for roads, parking, traffic management and fiscal measures. A bus strategy will require demand management measures to reduce traffic such as workplace parking levy and road pricing. Building new roads will not reduce traffic congestion. We need to make better use of existing road capacity. A national bus strategy will require a major refocusing of government priorities. Currently the price signals are pointing the wrong way. The freeze in fuel duty since 2011, for example, has caused a four per cent increase in traffic, 200 million fewer bus journeys, 4.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions and 12,000 tonnes of NOx. The 2018 RAC Annual Report on Motoring has shown that drivers’ dependency on the car has increased, with 33 per cent more dependent on their cars and a quarter of these

blaming a deterioration in public transport. A national bus strategy needs to provide a framework to support local decision makers in running bus networks that are directly relevant to the communities they serve. Bus operators and local authorities need to be inextricably linked, and buses need to be fully aligned with local plans for growth, land use planning, new housing, and plans to tackle air quality and congestion. We need to maximise the massive value that bus networks can deliver. The absence of a strategy for our predominant mode of public transport is impossible to justify, especially given that other forms of transport, including even walking and cycling, have national strategies. It is high time something is done for bus. L FURTHER INFORMATION https://greenerjourneys.com

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

MEETINGS MADE IN SCOTLAND

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Conferences & events

Scotland – where ideas become legend VisitScotland Business Events’ campaign ‘Legends’ shines a light on why the world should choose Scotland for their next event. Hamish Hutchinson explains more It is a land of unrivalled history, breath-taking Legends VisitScotland Business Events’ campaign scenery and warm welcomes, but it is also a ‘Legends’ shines a light on the expertise in land of ground-breaking pioneers and dynamic those sectors, working in collaboration with innovators. Scotland has recognised for a convention bureaux, academic institutions, long time that as well as delivering significant and industry associations. It showcases why economic benefits, hosting association the world should choose Scotland for their conferences, conventions and congresses next event, where opportunities to engage provides a platform for new ideas, innovative are plentiful and organisations can discover thinking and puts a spotlight on social change. their next big idea. It is no wonder the country The country is endowed with pioneering has played host to major conferences and research and world-renowned reputations, associations in recent years. and business events held in Scotland The 67th Political Studies have access to that wealth of expertise on its doorstep. Association International Scotlan d This is particularly true Conference held at is truly in key sectors such as Technology & Innovation t h e place w energy, technology, Centre, University h finance, life sciences, of Strathclyde, saw become ere ideas l e food and drink, more than 770 g e through nd creative industries attendees from b u s iness events and medicine. around the world time to - now is the Scotland’s centres coming to Glasgow. crea of innovation and The Aberdeen of your te legends academic institutions Exhibition & own operate at the forefront Conference Centre, these industries, but which will see the results this work is not done of a multi-million-pound in isolation; any endeavour development this year, hosted the requires collaboration, fresh ideas, Alzheimer’s Research UK conference, new perspectives and a pooling of talent. the largest one of its kind in the UK, delivering

insight into new technologies metabolic factors of dementia and new drug discovery. The Edinburgh International Conference Centre, which houses one of Europe’s most technologically advanced meetings and events spaces, was the venue for the first TEDSummit out of North America. It brought together around 1000 of the most engaged members of the global TED community for community brainstorms, discussions, performances, workshops, outdoor activities and an eclectic programme of mainstage talks. Significant developments in Scottish venues In Edinburgh’s city centre, the £850 million St James development is set for completion in 2020. A central pillar of the masterplan is a 210 room, luxury five-star W Hotel by Starwood Hotels & Resorts. The 12-story building will offer panoramic views of the city from its roof top terrace and restaurant. Edinburgh St James is one of the UK’s largest and most significant regeneration projects. Last year saw the opening of V&A Dundee, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Part of the redevelopment of the city’s waterfront, the international centre of design for Scotland features more than E

Scotland’s largest city is home to the Scottish Event Campus, with five interconnected exhibition and meeting spaces and a combined area of over 22,500sqm

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Conferences & events

Edinburgh International Conference Centre - Pentland Suite ©John Need

The GDS-Index scores cities by measuring the social and environmental sustainability strategies, policies and performance of participating destinations and by sharing best practice from around the world  1,500 square metres of flexible gallery space with first-class opportunities for conferences. Head further north and the £333 million P&J Live in Aberdeen is due to open its doors this year. The city’s new, multi-purpose exhibition and conference centre, a short drive from Aberdeen International Airport, includes flexible plenary space for up to 5,000, flexible exhibition space of 48,000 m² and 21 various sized break-out rooms. In Inverness the same owner and team behind the fourstar Kingsmills Hotel in the city have opened Ness Walk. This new hotel, with 48 bedrooms, takes its influence from the seasonal landscape with a flow of soft colours and textiles. The original building, which is being sensitively recreated, brings to the city the stunning new restaurant Torrish. Glasgow continues to be at the forefront of business events and was ranked in the top ten cities in the world for promoting sustainable growth in the ‘meetings and events’ space by the Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index. The GDS-Index is a collaborative business initiative created to help destinations, convention bureaux, event planners and MICE suppliers drive the adoption, promotion and recognition of responsible practices in the business tourism and events industry. E

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Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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Year of Coasts and Waters Scotland is renowned for its history – indeed it is one of the main drivers for visitors – and conferences and meetings can get a flavour of the country’s rich and fascinating past with the many heritage venues on offer. These

Conferences & events

 It scores cities by measuring and comparing the social and environmental sustainability strategies, policies and performance of participating destinations and by sharing best practice from around the world. Scotland’s largest city is home to the Scottish Event Campus, with five interconnected exhibition and meeting spaces and a combined area of over 22,500sqm. The campus includes prime event venues such as the iconic 3,000 seat SEC Armadillo and The SSE Hydro – a 13,000 capacity concert, sporting and special events arena. In the Scottish Borders, Düsseldorf-based project developer and hotel operator 12.18. Investment Management GmbH has acquired the Roxburghe Hotel & Golf Course, which has now reopened following a €35 million investment. 12.18. has enhanced the 19th century property, with its existing 22 rooms, by building a separate extension that houses 57 additional rooms as well as a luxurious spa and a state-of-the-art meeting space. In Perthshire, the Gleneagles Hotel, which will host the Solheim Cup this year, has opened an exciting new hotel wing, Ochil House, creating a flexible range of meeting spaces, breakout rooms and event zones for groups of up to 100.

P&J Live in Aberdeen is due to open its doors this year

Scotland is renowned for its history, meaning conferences and meetings can get a flavour of the country’s rich and fascinating past with the many heritage venues on offer range from its castles – Stirling, Dundas and Edinburgh to name just a few – country houses, such as Hopetoun House in West Lothian and Winton House in East Lothian, to its five-star attractions, including the National Museum of Scotland and the Royal College of Surgeons. Next year Scotland celebrates the Year of Coasts and Waters – from water inspired myths and legends to historic harbours, sweeping coastlines to the very best in seafood, whisky, wildlife and wellness. There are many hotels and conference spaces available across the

country, all within touching distance of many of these unique features and experiences. Scotland is truly the place where ideas become legend through business events and, with its wealth of knowledge and expertise, now is the time to create legends of your own. L FURTHER INFORMATION scotland.org/legends businessevents.visitscotland.com

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Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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UK Construction Week

The UK’s largest built environment event UK Construction Week (UKCW) is taking place from 8 October at Birmingham’s NEC and will offer an opportunity for those working within the built environment to discover, develop, discuss and do business We are entering an interesting period in UK Construction Week the construction industry. With a new Prime Now entering its fifth year, UKCW brings Minister in Downing Street, the NHS has been together all stakeholders within the built the apparent early victor in Boris Johnson’s environment across design, build and eagerness to spend government funds. He has supply; promoting innovation, projects, announced a one-off funding sum of £850 learning and networking. As the largest million to fund new and expanded health care event dedicated to knowledge sharing, facilities at 20 hospitals across the country. best practice, problem solving and product Spread over five years, the investment sourcing, the show provides all the releases a pipeline of hospital improvement answers for how we build for our future. projects varying in size from £12 million to This year, the show is expected to welcome £100 million. This includes: £99.5 million for more than 35,000 visitors through its doors, a new block at Luton & Dunstable University including over 650 exhibitors and more than Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to provide 300 experts speakers from the industry. As critical and intensive care, as well as a such, UKCW encourages industry groups delivery suite and operating theatres; and communities to organise £97.1 million to provide a new networking events at the purpose built hospital facility show. This can be done This yea for University Hospitals through Breakfast r, UK Con Birmingham, replacing Briefings, boardroom structio outdated outpatient, meetings, seminar W n eek is e treatment and diagnostic sessions, or via the to welc xpected accommodation; £41.7 conference agenda. o than 35 me more million to improve Disruptors are ,000 vis Paediatric Cardiac Services now present in through itors at the Newcastle upon Tyne many different its Hospitals NHS Foundation markets, so this d oors Trust; and £72.3 million to year UKCW is build a new adult mental health shining a spotlight inpatient unit in Manchester. on the serious change-

makers in construction. The aim is to promote productivity, speed, quality, sustainability and social cohesion, showing how innovation can create new value in the industry and stop the short-term, purely cost-driven ‘race to the bottom. To aid the search for what is genuinely new and valuable, a new Innovation Zone has been established in partnership with the Construction Innovation Hub – an organisation focused on transforming construction through digital and advanced manufacturing technologies. The Innovation Zone is a non-sales environment where visitors can explore the new ideas, learn and be inspired. Seminar sessions The UKCW stage is where industry leaders and keynotes from outside of the sector deliver insight and thought leadership. With innovation at the heart of this year’s event, this programme will tackle key issues in the sector around house building, productivity and skills. Construction will change fundamentally in the years ahead and the seminar sessions take a look at the impact that is likely to have, and at the promising innovation already taking place. Key themes on the UKCW Stage will include: community building projects; the digital revolution; diversity in the workforce; innovative products and services; modern methods of construction; new generation of pioneering construction professionals; new ways of working; and sustainability in construction. E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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A Regeneration Hub will also form a part of this year’s show, looking at regional regeneration with developers, local authorities, and contractors analysing the positive effects of projects on their local communities From funding housing innovation to new crowd-funding initiatives, innovative capital raising strategies to engagement with institutional investors discover new pathways to funding available for affordable and social housing. On the second day of UKCW, 9 October, four experts will discuss the funding challenges and opportunities for housing, before Jonathan Moore, a board member at the Norther Powerhouse Partnership, will lead a session on HS2 and the north. We often hear that HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail are much more than the development of tracks and stations. It will drive regeneration within our cities and regions and will ‘eradicate’ UK’s northsouth divide. If that’s a realistic expectation, Moore asks, what is the vision for economic development and growth in each region? What opportunities will become available for the built environment and construction? The role of digital in construction Construction is perfectly placed to capitalise on the third industrial revolution. Delegates will learn how new technologies can improve productivity and efficiency, and crucially,

UK Construction Week

 Housing and regeneration A Regeneration Hub will also form a part of this year’s show, looking at regional regeneration with developers, local authorities, and contractors analysing the positive effects of projects on their local communities. Panel debates and keynotes will take a look at housing, infrastructure, and commercial regeneration around UK’s fastest growing regions. The hub kicks off with a session on new strategies for unlocking land to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing. Ken Glendinning, head of Strategic Land for Homes England, will headline the panel discussion which will outline new landled development opportunities, planning, collaborative approaches and the innovative ways for developing challenging sites. The decline of high streets and town centres across the country has been well documented this year, with increased government funding and heightened public awareness so far leading to little chance. So, how can we create places that thrive? In a world increasingly dominated by e-commerce, flexible working and instantaneous delivery, this session on future proofing our town centres will highlight what we can we learn from big disruptors such as Google, Appear Here or WeWork and how we should adapt to stay relevant. Among the panel of regeneration and placemaking experts for this stream is Rachel Campbell, head of Regeneration, Cities and Local Growth Unit at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as Richard Roe, director of Place, Economic Growth, Environment and Infrastructure for Trafford Council.

profitability in the Digital Construction Hub. Topics in this zone will include best practice in digital strategy, business transformation through digitisation, digital innovation, BIM, cloud, blockchain, and big data. Perhaps the stand out session will be from Louise Downe, Homes England’s director of Design and Transformation, who will explain why solving the housing crisis begins with data. Looking at the asset delivery lifecycle, a presentation from Lewis Watts, BIM lead and asset information manager at Gatwick Airport, considers how information management can be used from inception to realisation to create predictability in delivery, de-risk the process and provide surety of outcome. Taking each stage in turn, the presentation will consider what information should be leveraged and to what advantage, while comparing the benefits available to the end user. Consideration will be given to the transition between the capital project information model and the operational asset information model. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.ukconstructionweek.com

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Waste management

How taking back your empties will transform recycling in Scotland Iain Gulland, chief executive of Zero Waste Scotland, explains why Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme will aid the fight against climate change by encouraging better recycling If you’re doing your weekly shop in Scotland in a couple of years’ time, you’ll see an unfamiliar sight. People won’t just be taking their shopping away with them – they’ll be bringing a part of last week’s shop back at the same time. The reason for the change is Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme, which will play a crucial role in the fight against climate change by encouraging more and better recycling. At its heart is a simple idea. When you buy a drink, whether that’s a soft drink or a bottle of wine, you pay a 20p deposit for the bottle or can that it comes in. You get your money back when you return the container to a collection point to be recycled. That 20p deposit acts as a powerful incentive for people to do something good for the environment. Scotland’s scheme is designed to meet the needs of the country, but we’ve taken inspiration and guidance from the many successful schemes already operating elsewhere. The scheme is ambitious in the scope of materials to be included. Following extensive consultation and review of evidence from existing schemes abroad, Scotland’s scheme will include PET plastic bottles – used widely for soft drinks – glass bottles and aluminium and steel cans.

It has also been designed to be easy and accessible. All retailers that sell drinks will be part of the scheme. This will make sure that all consumers, wherever they live, are able to access a local return point. Since you’ll be able to return your empties to wherever you bought them from, cutting your carbon footprint will be as easy as doing your weekly shop.

Whether it’s been the Blue Planet effect or the galvanising influence of Greta Thunberg, more and more people are calling for action to tackle the climate emergency we face. Scotland’s scheme will reduce emissions of CO2eq by an average of around 160,000 tonnes a year. That’s the equivalent of taking 85,000 thousand cars off the road, making an important contribution to that goal. Educating and engaging the public will Pushing against an open door be key to delivering a high capture rate. For Zero Waste Scotland, the announcement But stakeholders – from drinks producers, was a milestone in a long journey. We to retailers, to local authorities – will first started scoping out the policy in have an equally crucial role to play. 2015 and have been advising the Scottish Not long after the announcement was Government on its design since the made, we held an event at Edinburgh’s Royal First Minister announced her intentions Botanic Gardens to set out more detail on the to introduce a scheme in 2017. scheme and answer stakeholders’ questions. The scheme published in May followed Looking around the room at the broad range considerable public consultation. Last year, of attendees really put the scope of the policy Zero Waste Scotland undertook in perspective. To see representatives public engagement events in of local authorities and waste each of Scotland’s 32 local management, brewers and People authorities. It became distillers, supermarkets and pretty clear that, as newsagents, airports and still be will b far as the public is environmental charities u y i n t h g e drink concerned, we were all gathered in one room l pushing against shows how many people always ike they did. an open door. have a stake in this. Bu

t th only be ey’ll really bor the bot rowing tle

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Waste management

Zero Waste Scotland has involved stakeholders throughout this process. But there’s a sense of excitement at being able to talk with them about the details of the scheme that we’ve been working on for so long and to shift gears towards making it happen. Delivering a scheme that is as ambitious as what has been set out will require extensive planning and the contribution of industry. That’s why the Implementation Advisory Group has been set up. The expertise contained on that group is one of the reasons that we’re so confident that this will work – it includes representatives of sectors that are already involved in schemes across the world and their experience will be invaluable. A change in mindset It’s also important to remember that deposit return on its own cannot deliver the transformation to a circular economy that Scotland is looking to achieve. While deposit return might be hitting the headlines at the moment, we can’t forget the role of kerbside recycling. Well-functioning kerbside recycling will be essential to meeting our wider ambitions for recycling in Scotland. And deposit return isn’t the only policy change on the horizon – the Scottish Government has also been clear that the forthcoming extended producer responsibility (EPR) reforms and deposit return will need to work hand in glove. Deposit return is representative of change in mindset. People will still be buying the drink like they always did. But they’ll

When you buy a drink, whether that’s a soft drink or a bottle of wine, you pay a 20p deposit for the bottle or can that it comes in. You get your money back when you return the container to a collection point to be recycled really only be borrowing the bottle. The shift to shared responsibility for resources is something that Zero Waste Scotland wants to see embedded across Scottish society and economy much more widely. That change can be small scale. Not far from our offices in Stirling, a local tool library gives people the chance to borrow a power tool to help them put together flatpack furniture or undertake some repairs without necessitating every household having one gathering dust for the other 364 days of the year. It can also be large scale. Zero Waste Scotland’s Circular Economy Investment Fund is investing £18 million in circular economy and resource efficiency projects, thanks to support from the European Regional Development Fund. One of the many businesses to benefit from that support is EGG Lighting, who produce energy efficient lighting. Rather than owning the fittings and bulbs themselves, customers pay EGG for a smart, energy-saving lighting service.

This approach – known as ‘product as a service’ – is one strand of Scotland’s growing circular economy. The circular economy is about maximising the lifespan of products and resources and making things last. Scotland’s deposit return scheme will have a role to play in this too. By collecting separated streams of glass, plastic and aluminium for recycling, the scheme will generate a steady stream of high quality and high value recycled materials. This will be a benefit to industry based in Scotland, which has an increasing demand for recycled materials of high quality. If we’re going to tackle the climate emergency, then many of our habits will change. Scotland’s deposit return scheme is an example of how that can be done in a way that is easy, accessible and will have real impact. It’s our challenge to replicate that kind of transformation for all of our resources. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.zerowastescotland.org.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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G-Cloud 11

G-Cloud spend expected to rise through 11th iteration At the start of July, the Crown Commercial Service announced that thousands of small businesses had won the chance to bid to supply cloud computing services to government bodies through a major government procurement framework G-Cloud 11, live on the Government’s Digital The benefits of using G-Cloud 11 is listed Marketplace, has in excess of 4,200 suppliers, on the Crown Commercial Service website 90 per cent of which are SMEs. Like the as providing access to over 30,000 services ten iterations before it, G-Cloud 11 allows and over 4,000 suppliers, alongside a quick UK public sector bodies to choose and buy and easy route to market. Furthermore, it cloud computing services. More than 31,000 provides reduced costs and reduced total services will be available for customers to cost of ownership compared to running your access, subject to a process of additional own service in house and scalable services, assurance, with the agreement giving central meaning that users pay for what they use, government, local councils, NHS trusts and increase or reduce what they need easily. and other public sector bodies a way to Since 2012, more than £4.79 purchase cloud-based services billion of cloud and digital such as web hosting from a services have been procured single, central website. by public bodies through G-Clou d The agreement runs G-Cloud, with almost 11, live for 12 months but may 45 per cent of that o n t h e Gove be extended up to a spend going directly rnment Digital maximum of 12 months to SMEs. G-Cloud ’s M has in e arketplace from when the initial 11 categorises , agreement is due to its products and supplie xcess of 4,20 0 rs, 90 p end. As usual, any callsuppliers over three off will have an initial Lots. Lot 1 covers of whic er cent ha maximum duration of 24 Cloud Hosting: IaaS SMEs re months, with those using and PaaS services that the framework allowed can help users deploy, two extension options of up manage and run software, to 12 months each and must with the provision and use of specify this in the initial contract terms. processing, storage or network resources.

Lot 2 is for Cloud Software: Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, usually accessed over the internet or private network and hosted in the cloud. Meanwhile, Lot 3 covers Cloud Support to help set up and maintain cloud software or hosting services. Post Office signs up British Post Office has joined the G-Cloud 11 marketplace, with a suite of identity services on offer to all government departments and agencies. Being part of the framework streamlines the entire procurement process for any government department seeking to work with Post Office. Martin Edwards, managing director of Identity Services at Post Office, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our services through G-Cloud 11. We are uniquely placed to serve customers who may be digital natives, while also supporting those who prefer to engage with our services face to face. We look forward to working with our government partners in the identity space. We share many common goals, including tackling issues such as digital and financial exclusion. By helping customers to prove who they are in an easy and inclusive manner, we believe we will E

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

G-Cloud 11

 remove barriers that impede access to key services such as Universal Credit, and passport applications.” There are three Post Office Identity Services available on the framework, covering: Digital Identity – enabling millions of users to prove who they are and to share verified data and documents straight from their device; in-branch verification – providing support for specific customers who require face to face identity verification; and document certification – certifies copies of original documents with additional digital image capture available, if required. Offering government partners the flexibility of ‘bricks and clicks’, Digital Identity focuses on helping users to create a reusable identity that can be shared across all sectors and use cases, from government and financial services, health and welfare, travel and age restricted retail. Once a user has created their digital identity they can use it time and time again without the need for further verification. Document Certification provides up to three copies of an original document, certified to state that they are a true likeness to the original. This includes all common forms of ID: passports, driving licences, utility bills and bank statements. Cloud First policy Through the introduction of the Cloud First policy, the government confirmed in 2013 that purchases through the cloud should be the first option considered by public sector buyers of IT products and services. In a bid

The benefits of using G-Cloud 11 is listed on the Crown Commercial Service website as providing access to over 30,000 services and over 4,000 suppliers, alongside a quick and easy route to market to drive wider adoption of cloud computing in the public sector, Francis Maude, the then Minister for the Cabinet Office, said that public sector organisations should consider and fully evaluate potential cloud solutions first when procuring new or existing services. This approach is mandated to central government and strongly recommended to the wider public sector. Departments remained free to choose an alternative to the cloud if they could demonstrate that it offers better value for money. Maude said: “G-Cloud brings a step change in the way government buys IT. It’s quicker, cheaper and more competitive, open to a wider range of companies, including a majority of SMEs, and offers more choice and innovation. Many government departments already use G-Cloud, but IT costs are still too high. One way we can reduce them is to accelerate the adoption of cloud across the public sector to maximise its benefits. The Cloud First policy will embed the skills a modern civil service needs to meet the demands of 21st-century digital government and help us get ahead in the global race.”

The start of the cloud In February 2012 the CloudStore was launched, marking a big step change in the way that suppliers and buyers do business on ICT services in the public sector. Operating like an App Store, it meant that a full selection of over 1,700 services, from some 257 suppliers, became available for everyone to see in a user friendly and easily searchable catalogue. In his blog post detailing the launch, Chris Chant, programme director for the programme, who then retired that following April, said that CloudStore was very much just the first version of the organisation’s plans for cloud procurement, suggesting that it would possibly be seen in the future as the ‘Alpha release’. Even whilst celebrating its launch, Chant and his team were already looking ahead to the next version of the G-Cloud framework, writing that he was aiming to make developments that were ‘more dynamic, allowing monthly refreshes to bring onboard new services or new suppliers’, and make high speed change possible. Just before announcing his retirement, Chant wrote in a blog on the government’s E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

 G-Cloud website that chief information officers (CIOs) and fellow civil servants were ‘hiding behind the comfort blanket’ and had to change how they buy IT. Citing himself as an example, Chant said IT leaders had been taking the ‘easy path’ for years, by agreeing expensive contracts with big IT suppliers, therefore ‘failing to innovate and thereby causing end users to suffer’. Chant was not only the only one criticising methods. Despite the G-Cloud plan calling for 50 per cent of new government IT spending to move to cloud computing services by 2015, and aiming to reduce government IT costs by £200 million per year, a report released in May 2012 claimed that the government may miss its cloud computing targets because of a lack of enthusiasm from public sector IT staff. CloudStore prided itself in its infancy on making it cheaper and easier for public sector organisations to choose and buy ‘off the shelf’ IT services, such as email, word processing, enterprise resource planning and electronic records management, but Smart Savings 3, G-Cloud Progress, commissioned by VMware, showcased how 59 per cent of the IT staff surveyed for the report said

they were undecided on whether to use CloudStore to buy cloud services. The main reasons were fears for being tied in to existing contracts, concerns about security and a lack of understanding about cloud technologies. Improvements and further innovation The Home Office’s Denise McDonagh took over from Chant at the start of May 2012, with G-Cloud team planning to launch the second version of the cloud within that time frame (Gii). The change would incorporate a new approach where the department would be able to add new suppliers and services on a quarterly basis at a minimum. Built as part of the government E-Marketplace and using an existing government platform, the catalogue was still made up of the services from the first iteration and included the services from the first round of the G-Cloud OJEU. In mid-May, the benefits for buyers were outlined as improved search engine capabilities that allowed for free form search alongside the ability to filter on G-Cloud attributes, plus the ability to view supplier service definitions, terms and conditions, rate

cards and other useful documents, compare services and standard configuration prices side by side, and purchase through the store (if you’re registered to use the eMarketplace). For suppliers, it meant the ability to make changes to CloudStore entry directly, a more open and fairer marketplace through side by side service comparisons, and quicker and easier payments. Furthermore, the value of the total procurement possible through Gii was increased from £60 million to £100 million and would run for 12 months not six. Although the limit of the contracts remained 12 months, contracts could run up to 24 months in exceptional circumstances. Once it opened for business, Gii had over 3,000 services available from 458 suppliers, double that of the first version. Of the 458 suppliers, 75 per cent were SMEs, a key part of making supplying to government simpler and opening up a more competitive marketplace. The first agreement, Gi, closed on 13 November 2012.

G-Cloud 11

British Post Office has joined the G-Cloud 11 marketplace, with a suite of identity services on offer to all government departments and agencies

Covering buyer needs The government announced that it would be carrying out a review of the effectiveness of government ICT framework agreements in October 2012, meaning that all new planned frameworks, including proposals for Giii, were paused. At the start of 2013, the green light was given to G-Cloud. Both the G-Cloud framework and the CloudStore celebrated their first birthday in February 2013, although plans to produce Giii by April are already looking unlikely to be met. McDonagh again reiterated that G-Cloud was ‘a game changer for E

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G-Cloud 11

Since 2012, more than £4.79 billion of cloud and digital services have been procured by public bodies through G-Cloud, with almost 45 per cent of that spend going directly to SMEs  the way government buys, manages, delivers and operates IT’. Discussing 12 months of operations, Francis Maude, Minister for the Cabinet Office, said: “In just 12 months, G-Cloud has shown itself to be a model for efficient public sector IT procurement, establishing a dynamic marketplace for cloud-based IT services. We have simplified the procurement process through G-Cloud to make it more accessible to a wider range of companies, leading to more choice, better value for the taxpayer and growth for the economy. Suppliers are asked what they can offer government, rather than being issued with complicated specifications that stifle innovation. This is the way we want government IT to be – simpler, quicker, cheaper and focused on matching solutions to business requirements, reducing waste and cutting costs.” Having survived its first year, sales then appeared to increase with nearly 1,000 invoiced purchases, sales of over £18.2 million to the end of March 2013 and McDonagh writing in May that the Home Office alone was putting through more than £6 million of orders due to the success of the CloudStore. With the Public Expenditure Cabinet Committee having agreed to put

in place a Public Cloud First mandate for central government, whereby departments had a target to achieve 50 per cent of new IT spend on cloud and 25 per cent use of SMEs by value by 2015, G-Cloud iii went live on 4 May alongside the launch of a new CloudStore. With the commencement of the third procurement iteration, the CloudStore now offered more than 800 suppliers and more than 7,000 services across all types of cloud service models, including public, private and hybrid. No longer stand alone Now that Giii was live, Denise McDonagh, the government’s G-Cloud director, signalled that it was right for G-Cloud to continue moving to ‘business as usual’, especially now that there had been three procurement frameworks successfully launched, as well as the CloudStore improvements, acceptance of the Public Cloud First mandate across central government and sales rising close to £22 million to the end of April 2013. Therefore, responsibility and instruction for G-Cloud moved across to the Government Digital Service (GDS) at the beginning of June 2013. The previous month had seen the publication of the Major Projects

Authority’s (MPA) annual report, revealing the performance of the government’s most expensive and important projects for the first time. Amongst other things, the report highlighted some concerns about how the G Cloud programme was resourced, leading to GDS to increase the budget for the programme and to nearly double the size of the team working on the next iteration of the service - G-Cloud 4. At the start of August 2013, the Cabinet Office and GDS announced that G-Cloud 4 had been launched and welcomed the next procurement round for applications to join G-Cloud. In a blog post to mark the launch, the Digital Marketplace team said that improvements in the new agreement included clearer instructions on how to apply for suppliers new to G-Cloud, as well as clearer instructions on how to carry forward services for suppliers already on Gii or Giii. The department also highlighted the benefits of the Government Procurement Service (GPS) eSourcing suite for responses to mandatory questions to meet procurement regulations and the GDS Service Submission Portal to make it easier for suppliers by ensuring documentation is a mandatory upload so there is no possibility of suppliers failing compliance for non-submission of documents. This made the process of uploading documents to the CloudStore simple. The opening of G-Cloud 4 also marked a further increase in sales. By the end of October 2013, there were 1,183 suppliers, 83 per cent of this being SMEs, as well as more than 13,000 services, and an impressive £44.7 million in sales up to September the same year. Approximately 63 per cent of these contracts were agreed with SMEs. E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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The G-Cloud 11 agreement is set to run for 12 months but may be extended up to a maximum of 12 months from when the initial agreement is due to end Platform As A Service (PaaS); Lot 3: Software As A Service (SaaS); and Lot 4: Specialist Cloud Services (SCS). G5 brought the total number of suppliers on CloudStore to 1,518 and over 17,000 services, 9,236 of them new and 88 per cent of which were SMEs. By July, G-Cloud sales figures broke the £200 million barrier with a total spend of £217,455,674.39. CloudStore revealed that £116 million of this was with SMEs. The same month it was announced that the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead would be the first UK local authority to move to an entirely cloud-based infrastructure, with the authority spending just £100,000 setting it up. The solutions used to establish this included services bought through the G-Cloud framework. The next challenge Both the CloudStore and the Digital Services Store were to be replaced by the Digital Marketplace, providing one place for the public sector to buy digital and IT services and be the new home for G-Cloud services. The idea of the Digital Marketplace was initially conceived to simply replace, feature-for-feature, the existing CloudStore, but as G-Cloud developed the brief and requirements also progressed. With total sales reaching over a quarter of a billion pounds, the next iterations of the G-Cloud and Digital Services frameworks were given a launch date of the end of October, with the aim of getting the new frameworks in place as early in 2015 as possible (February 2015). The lots for G-Cloud 6 (G6) remained exactly the same as they were for all previous iterations, looking at Infrastructure as a

G-Cloud 11

 More milestones paving the way for 5 October 2013 also saw the CloudStore reach another milestone, with sales figures having exceeded the £50 million mark, reaching £53.5 million by the end of the month. The percentage of spend on SMEs rose again, up from a reported 55 per cent to 58 per cent in the space of six weeks. A further rise of £10 million was recorded in November, with just shy of £63.5 million held in sales. In total, 70 per cent of the number of sales were through central government; with 30 per cent through the rest of the public sector. Total sales recorded towards the end of December 2013 reached £78 million. The end of 2013 also revealed the share of public sector IT business SME suppliers win, with 56 per cent of total public sector spend by value through the G-Cloud framework going to SME suppliers. The SME percentage share of central government IT spend including through G-Cloud was even higher at 68 per cent. This is in stark contrast to the 10.5 per cent of central government spend in 2012/2013. As well as sales, a Digital marketplace blog of the same time predicted that savings of between 25 per cent and 75 per cent are not uncommon when using SMEs. Entering the new year, Francis Maude gave a speech at the Sprint 14 event setting out plans for a further £100 million to be spent with SMEs offering digital services by the next General Election, which happened to be in may the following year. Despite the obvious successes, and plans for G-Cloud 5 (G5) beginning to take shape, research carried out by the 6 Degree Group in early 2014 claimed that nearly 90 per cent of local authorities had still not heard of G-Cloud. The GDS therefore set about sharing success stories from users and increasing awareness of G-Cloud across the wider public sector. G5 started accepting submissions in February and went live in May 2014 with 1,132 suppliers. The lots remained the same as previous framework iterations: Lot 1: Infrastructure As A Service (IaaS); Lot 2:

Service, Platform as a Service, Software as a Service and Specialist Cloud Services to support transition to SaaS, PaaS and IaaS. At this point G-Cloud had been a resounding success, delivering a ground-breaking commissioning framework that provides businesses of all sizes the same opportunity to offer commodity cloud services to government. It helped create a transparent and competitive market that opened up barriers to entry for small and medium-size businesses. In August, sales continued to grow at a fantastic rate and hit £314 million. £168 million (53 per cent) of sales were with SMEs. The previous July, when G-Cloud moved into GDS, monthly sales were averaging £8 million. By August 2014, monthly sales have increased to £27 million – nearly two and half times more. The Crown Commercial Service also introduced a new tool (BravoSolution) as part of G6 to improve the G-Cloud procurement. This iteration saw 1,453 suppliers, up by over 15 per cent on G5 applications and 10,827 new services added to the Digital Marketplace. It also saw 516 new suppliers added to the framework, bringing the total number of suppliers on the Digital Marketplace to 1,852 (87 per cent SMEs), with 19,966 services available. By the end of the year, sales reached over £345 million, averaging £27 million a month. Nearly three yers on from the introduction of G Cloud, the department prided itself on the knowledge that 53 per cent of total sales by value and 61 per cent by volume had been awarded to SMEs. Crown Commercial Service then opened submissions for G-Cloud 7 (G7) at the end of August 2015. The G6 framework was due to end at the beginning E

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

 of February 2016, but was extended several times to ensure that existing suppliers had time to apply to be on the G-Cloud 8 (G8) framework. New suppliers keep arriving G7 services went live on the Digital Marketplace on 23 November 2015, meaning the public sector now had access to more services and suppliers of different sizes across the UK. G7 attracted a higher number of new suppliers than any previous iteration of the G-Cloud framework. Crown Commercial Service now boasted of 709 new suppliers on the G7 framework, 95 per cent of which were SMEs. There were 516 for G6, 89 per cent of those being SMEs. The total number of suppliers on the G-Cloud framework (G6 and G7) now stood at 2,566 and the public sector now had access to 22,080 services. The Digital Market Place also began working more closely with Crown Commercial Service and the Government Legal Department (GLD) to find an efficient, legally compliant way for G-Cloud suppliers to update their services.

As of March 2016, the total sales made through G-Cloud since its inception four years ago surpassed the £1 billion mark. This total was helped by a significant number of sales, totalling £47 million, for the first month of 2016. This continued use of G-Cloud suggests that the public sector was becoming increasingly involved with cloud based services, products and consultancy, quashing previous views regrading adoption, and also proving that government organisations had become accustomed to choosing the framework to procure these. The average deal made in January 2016 was £14,329, with the largest deal made between Deloitte and the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust for £1 million of undisclosed cloud services. This was followed by a £530,000 deal between the Ministry of Justice and Liberata, as well as a £400,000 contract between Maindec and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust. The G-Cloud framework agreement continued to offer off-the-shelf, payas-you-go cloud solutions which span

the same four ‘Lots’: infrastructure as a service, platform as a service, software as a service, and specialist cloud services. Infrastructure as a Service covers the provision of processing, storage, networks and other fundamental computing resources that allow the consumer to deploy software, such as operating systems and applications. This is effectively providing organisations with the capability to control their own operating systems, storage and deployed applications, without managing the underlying cloud infrastructure. Platform as a Service operates slightly differently, in that it provides the consumer with the capability to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming languages, libraries, services, and tools supported by the provider. The consumer has control over the deployed application and possibly configuration settings for the application hosting environment, but does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure, which includes network, servers, operating systems and storage. Software as Service provides consumers with the capability to use the provider’s applications running on a cloud infrastructure. These applications are generally accessible from various devices through a client interface, such as a web browser (think web-based email), or a program interface. Consumers may have limited ability to manage user-specific application configuration settings, but the underlying cloud infrastructure, including E

G-Cloud 11

During their journey to the cloud, public sector organisation IT departments will need to refine their IT delivery models, based on an improved understanding of cloud technology and its potential

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G-Cloud 11

 network, servers, operating systems, storage and most individual application capabilities, are controlled by the provider. Lot 4, Specialist Cloud Services, continues to support the design and implementations of cloud based services and is split into a number of sub-categories: business analysis, legacy to cloud rationalisation, design/consultation, transition management and service management. Business analysis is the provision to offer skills to identify and analyse organisational needs and how transferring some or all existing IT systems to cloud based systems could increase efficiencies and savings. Legacy to cloud rationalisation is where suppliers offer the skills to identify which parts of a legacy system or infrastructure could be migrated onto a cloud based system. This kind of service is usually reserved for organisations that have identified potential efficiencies in moving to the cloud, but require some additional support in how to design and implement this transition. The provision to offer cloud based system designs inclusive of iterative design, development and ongoing maintenance of existing cloud services falls under the design/consultation sub-category of Lot 4. These designs can include the specification of what a solutions could/should look like, and consumers can then purchase that solution ‘off the shelf’ via other Lots or designed by teams and development sourced from other frameworks. Once a customer had a system design in place, they could then call on suppliers to handle the transition management, in which they manage the actual transfer of services onto the cloud based system, including the the on boarding and off boarding of data, the migration of existing services between data centres and end user training. Customers could also use the G7 to find a supplier that offers continuous service management of their cloud solutions. This would likely include service integration, management of multiple cloud solutions

Although any large-scale IT transformation will undoubtedly cause some disruption, for those public sector organisations looking to make the move, a sound migration strategy will be vital to success and the integration of cloud and noncloud services. Additionally, cyber security consultancy is also available on the framework, but this service varies considerably between suppliers based on their area of expertise, meaning that consumers should carefully consider if a supplier matches their specific needs. Services excluded from the G7 framework include co-location services, non-cloud related services, products or consultancy, bespoke digital project build services and hardware. Increased procurement confidence August 2016 saw the 8th version of G-Cloud (G8) go live on the government’s Digital Marketplace. Targeted at easing the procurement of cloud computing based information technology services by public-sector bodies, the G-Cloud consists of a series of framework agreements with suppliers, from which public sector organisations can buy services without needing to run a full tender or competition procurement process. It aims to offer simplicity and ease the procurement burden. Suppliers sign up to frameworks on the Digital Marketplace, a government online procurement store in kind, from which anyone in the public sector can select their services accordingly. The development of the G-Cloud was the government’s response to the potential efficiencies of the cloud and the need for the public sector to achieve more while spending less money. According to government statistics of the time, G8

attracted the largest number of suppliers since the creation of the G-Cloud, with 94 per cent of the 757 new suppliers being a SME. Over half of the £1.3 billion spent through the G-Cloud went to SMEs. On Cloud 9 The G-Cloud 9 framework agreement, launched in May 2017, was the latest iteration of the framework which allows UK public sector bodies access to cloud computing services via a compliant procurement vehicle. New iterations of the framework were considered at a varying frequency of six-12 months, depending on the demand for and/or availability of new services as the IT cloud market develops. Launched with 2,847 suppliers, G9 underwent several changes with the aim of providing a more flexible maximum contract length. Earlier versions of G-Cloud were designed to run parallel with its predeceasing agreement by design. However, G9 was run as a single framework, requiring all aspiring and existing suppliers to have registered to offer services. This means that buyers and suppliers would be able to use one set of contracts for all their G-Cloud services. G7 and G8 were removed from the Digital Marketplace when G9 service went live. Meanwhile, Tony Singleton, best known for creating and developing G-Cloud, announced the day before G9 launched that he was to leave the civil service after 35 years. In a blog post on the Government Digital Service he said he would be looking for ‘new challenges’ that would involve ‘helping the public sector turn ideas into reality’. Singleton said his period E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Innovation. Passion. Learning

 in government had seen ‘incredible change’ that continues to gather pace, but that more dynamism is needed. Mike Bracken, the former head of the GDS, called Singelton ‘the man who, more than anyone, defined the digital transformation for public servants’ in a Twitter message. Node4 was one of the companies awarded a place on G9, with the N4 Private Cloud, Cyber Security Services, NetApp Private Storage as a Service (NPSaaS), Storage as a Service (STaaS), Backup as a Service (BUaaS), Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS), Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) powered by Cisco and Amazon Web Services (AWS) solutions listed on the framework, making these available to UK public sector organisations. Paula Johnston, head of Public Sector at Node4, said: “A number of public sector organisations are increasing their use of cloud services due to its flexibility and cost savings. G-Cloud 9 makes it easier for organisations to check which types of suppliers meet the CCS approval criteria and readily engage with them. Being a G-Cloud 9 supplier means that public sector services have better access to Node4’s solutions to run mission-critical systems and services.” UKCloud was another vendor that celebrated its approval to the agreement. The company committed to delivering more for less on G9, offering further cost reductions across its service catalogue, including its Cross Domain Security Zone (CDSZ), which predicted price falls of up to 50 per cent. Simon Hansford, CEO, noted: “As a committed supporter of G-Cloud, we welcome the latest iteration which promises to be the best yet, thanks to the comprehensive consultation process undertaken by the Government Digital Service and CCSe. As a supplier to the framework since the very beginning, we are delighted to continue our tradition of releasing several new and enhanced service offerings on the innovative new G-Cloud 9.”

Reaching for G-Cloud 10 The 3,505 suppliers on the G-Cloud 10 framework, which expired on 2 July 2019, gave central government, local councils, NHS trusts and other public sector bodies a way to purchase cloud-based services such as web hosting from a single, central website. There were 649 more suppliers than featured on the previous iteration of G-Cloud 9 (this time there are more than 700 new suppliers on the new iteration). G-Cloud 10, which would eventually prove to be worth £600 million, remained for use by the UK public sector to buy cloud computing services covering hosting, software and cloud support on a commodity based, pay-as-you go service. Alongside the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework, the G-Cloud framework is transforming government procurement. These two frameworks mean government can buy the right technology and services from the right suppliers at the right price. By making procurement clear and simple, they are opening up the marketplace to suppliers of all sizes and from all parts of the country. They are creating a level playing field that means that all private sector enterprises can be involved in helping government work better for everyone. Discussing the G-Cloud 10 framework agreement last year, Oliver Dowden, Minister for Implementation, said: “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, delivering innovative solutions in partnership with the public sector, fuelling economic growth and supporting the delivery of efficient, effective public services that meet the needs of citizens. The success of G-Cloud demonstrates how we are breaking down the barriers for SMEs who want to supply to government.” Cloud adoption Analysis of cloud adoption across councils, public bodies, universities and emergency services at the start of the year revealed

G-Cloud 11

Moving all your IT systems to the cloud may be appealing, but in practice, this is unrealistic. Many applications and services are still not optimised for virtual environments, let alone the cloud

slow progress and hurdles to climb. The report by Eduserv and Socitm raised concerns that progress in the public sector still faces some serious challenges, six years on from the 2013 launch of the government’s Cloud First strategy. The research, based on data from 633 organisations and interviews with IT leaders across the public sector, found that universities top the public sector cloud rankings, with 36 per cent storing at least 10 per cent of their data in the cloud, followed by public bodies (29 per cent) and local authorities (21 per cent). Meanwhile, 91 per cent of public bodies still use on premise data centre storage, compared to just 34 per cent of local authorities. This figure rises to 61 per cent of emergency services and 72 per cent of universities. In terms of having a cloud infrastructure policy or strategy, public bodies lead with 79 per cent having a strategy in place, followed by universities (55 per cent), emergency services (51 per cent) and councils (44 per cent). Andy Powell, CTO at Eduserv, said in January: “As the report highlights, the journey will start on-premise and will almost certainly transition into a hybrid phase, possibly for quite some time, as many organisations are insufficiently mature in their IT management and information governance. During their journey to the cloud, public sector organisation IT departments will need to refine their IT delivery models, based on an improved understanding of cloud technology and its potential, new governance models and opportunities of information and data. There is no better time to start thinking about those issues than right now.” Cloud migration With the widespread adoption of mobile devices and flexible working practices, the public sector is increasingly turning to the cloud seeking greater IT agility, scalability and business continuity. Cloud migration the process of moving data and applications from IT infrastructure on-site to the cloud - is a key priority for many organisations. Slow cloud adoption within pubic sector Yet, despite recognising the multiple benefits of cloud-based IT, adoption has been slower than anticipated since the launch of the government’s ‘Cloud First’ policy in 2013. Many organisations in the public sector have been hesitant to make the leap, primarily because of privacy concerns, shrinking budgets and complex regulatory requirements. The process of migrating IT systems to the cloud - while simultaneously ensuring ‘business as usual’ for staff, members of the public and local service providers - is not without its challenges. A robust strategy will allow local authorities to best reap the rewards, while making the process as efficient and straight-forward as possible. Strategy before action Moving all your IT systems to the cloud may be appealing, but in practice, this is unrealistic. Not everything can or should be moved. E Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Critical interim planning required The long-term plan may be to move 80 per cent of your applications and data storage to the cloud; however, in the short term, you will need to consider how you will maintain accessibility and security of existing data, hardware and applications during the migration. Third party suppliers can help maintain legacy systems and hardware during the transition to ease disruption and ensure continuity of services. Integration between cloud and on-site technology Public sector organisations must develop ways to integrate premise-based hardware with cloud systems to ensure data and applications can work in tandem, with smooth data transmissions between various information sources. However, this can be incredibly difficult. Cloud computing depends on a significant amount of oversight to ensure vendors are meeting service level agreements, keep budgets under control and avoid cloud sprawl. This vital work requires a different skill set, so you will need to consider upskilling and retraining staff.

G-Cloud 11

 Many applications and services are still not optimised for virtual environments, let alone the cloud. You will also need to consider the order of migration and impact on operations and staff. Considering your unique needs is critical to unlocking the benefits of the cloud without compromising security, daily activities, existing legacy systems or wasting budget.

The success of the G-Cloud framework agreements demonstrate how the Crown Commercial Service is breaking down the barriers for SMEs who want to supply to government Careful disposal of legacy hardware Cloud migration will inevitably involve the retirement of some hardware. It’s imperative to ensure any stored data is secured to avoid the risk of data breaches. Many organisations underestimate hard drive related security risks or assume incorrectly that routine software management methods provide adequate protection. Reducing ongoing hardware costs Following cloud migration, as retained legacy IT systems age, dedicated hardware maintenance and operating system support strategies enable local authorities to reduce their costs compared to OEM extended warranties, while also accessing more flexible services. A third-party maintenance provider can provide required support for almost half the cost. Consequently, public sector organisations can free resources to support the systems that remaining in the on-site environment. Hardware maintenance

plans provide a consistent source of fiscal and operational relief that makes it easier for local authorities to manage their data storage issues as they arise. Sound migration strategy Although any large-scale IT transformation will undoubtedly cause some disruption, for those public sector organisations looking to make the move, a sound migration strategy will be vital to success. While some organisations are understandably hesitant about the impact of cloud migration in terms of operational disruption and costs, it’s worth remembering that, in the long-term, moving to the cloud will allow local authorities to unlock the potential of a more flexible, scalable and resilient IT system so they can focus on delivering improved public services and increasing innovation. L FURTHER INFORMATION https://www.crowncommercial. gov.uk/agreements/RM1557.11

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Frameworks

Spark: The Technology Innovation Marketplace Rob Whitehead, category lead for Technology Products and Services at the Crown Commercial Service, discusses how Spark will work, how it has been designed, as well as its desired outcomes agreement as suppliers only need answer selection questions. The DPS has an inbuilt matrix to assist customers and suppliers match capabilities to needs, and all this is married to a proactive programme of customer and supplier support to make using it as straightforward as possible. Totally market-led, Spark developed from work within CCS’s Technology Products and Services category, and has been designed with customers and suppliers in mind. By speaking with customers we identified a need for a more open, flexible approach to our emerging technology suppliers. They told us they wanted to trial technologies in a small, agile manner with a compliant route to market once they were ready to scale. Once they get easier access to the public sector market, successful Spark suppliers may then ‘graduate’ on to other frameworks. Ultimately, citizens benefit through the step changes in service provision that such technologies can deliver. But suppliers won’t be able to sell just any new tech product or service. The core So how does it work? ‘backbone’ of the DPS will be a filter system First of all, it’s a Dynamic Purchasing System so customers can search for products within (DPS) which allows it to remain continually defined fields that have been developed open to new suppliers. This has several in partnership with customer input. advantages, including: suppliers can apply to The emerging technologies we’ve selected be part of the marketplace at any time; an are those predicted to have the largest impact unlimited number of suppliers can join; over the next five years: the internet of and far less work is required up things; AI and automation; simulated front by suppliers to join a and enhanced environments; DPS than would be engineering and materials the case with a Spark w science; data; wearables; framework designe as transport, and security. There d to encour are further sub-categories within each field and proven age new, but t e products outside these c h no where e cannot be offered within veryday logies, the DPS. E o b ca je We want our customers to have access to the latest products and services, and for innovative tech companies to work with the government and the wider public sector. Spark does all of this as part of a suite of wider government initiatives to bring cutting edge technology into the public sector: it compliments the GDS government technology innovation strategy, the GovTech Catalyst challenge and other similar projects. It was designed to encourage new, but proven technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI); wearable tech; and the internet of things - where everyday objects can send and receive data. Spark will enable true innovators, who have developed products through catalysts or catapults, to commercially exploit them by opening them up the entire public sector - a market worth approximately £14 billion. Spark provides a flexible yet compliant route to market which adapts and scales as capabilities change.

n sen receive d and data

Written by Rob Whitehead

For many years, there has been a strange disconnect which has made it difficult for organisations in the public sector to bring on board technologies which are truly cutting edge. Let’s be clear - that’s not because innovation was a dirty word in the public sector. Far from it: the UK government has been very active in funding product development which makes the UK a world leader when it comes to emerging technologies. But what we have not been so good at is providing a route to market for those customers within the public sector who wanted to access such technology once the products were developed. Spark: The Technology Innovation Marketplace was launched in April to address exactly this issue - identified through conversations we, Crown Commercial Service (CCS), held with our stakeholders. CCS helps organisations across the entire public sector get the best deals on the goods and services they need to run their organisations and we have been at the heart of Spark’s development.

cts

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Frameworks

 In order to gain a place suppliers also need to provide a contract example, corroborated by a customer, to demonstrate their capabilities and show how their products meet our definition of innovation by detailing its novelty, usefulness for the customer, and impact. The customer must also have access to any relevant pre-existing intellectual property, either through ownership or licencing. As with all CCS commercial agreements, customers remain in control throughout the process. We recommend pre-market engagement with all potential suppliers asking how they can solve their problem and allowing them to innovate. Spark’s simple DPS sign-up and buying features encourage public sector customers to use new suppliers and adopt their innovations. The sign up process is quick and easy for customers. They need only to register as a buyer by completing their contact details, confirming acceptance of the terms and conditions and clicking ‘register’. By completing this they are submitting an access request to CCS for approval. This means that from the homepage customers can reach the page where they apply their filters to shortlist suppliers for their further competition in no more than four steps. That’s an innovation. We’re confident customers will want to use it, not just because it is so easy to use, but because we intend to attract the best new technology innovators through an open and supplier-friendly agreement. Spark will remove the barriers which have prevented the true public sector exploitation

We want our customers to have access to the latest products and services, and for innovative tech companies to work with the government and the wider public sector of innovation, by taking a more flexible, open approach than may have been the case with traditional frameworks. For example, the supplier application process for Spark is very simple and quick; suppliers should not need a bid writer to apply for them. If it works as we hope, we’ll see a £20 million spend in the first year with 70 per cent of that spend being with SMEs. We should also see the seven suppliers we had at launch growing to 100. But we see Spark as just a starting point - our first step on a greater journey which will enable CCS to onboard innovative technologies for our customers

at speed, and improve their approach to exploiting new technology. Spark is the first time we have targeted an emerging market and so also the first use of a DPS for this market. Previously, DPSs have been used for established supplier markets only. The approach we are taking is an innovation in itself. CCS will learn from the process, good and bad, and we plan to iterate and improve the agreement. L FURTHER INFORMATION https://www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/ agreements/RM6094

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Planning a major fireworks display? Then choose one of the UK’s leading suppliers to local authorities, festivals and capitals of culture. With a wealth of experience working nationally and internationally, Walk the Plank Fireworks have amazed audiences with their original, breathtaking displays in a range of locations. From parks and city centres to castles and country houses, we’ve lit up the sky with fantastic displays that have captured everyone’s imaginations. Why not call Nathan or John to talk about your next amazing display on 0161 736 8964. We’ve created displays for LB of Tower Hamlets, Manchester City Council, Newcastle City Council, Liverpool ‘08, Milton Keynes, Salford City Council and many others.

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As we near the close of summer 2019, we revisit some advice from Jon Wilson, who looks at the importance of risk assessment when planning large scale firework or pyrotechnic displays There seems to be more and more firework and event special effect performances taking place, with many of these occasions now attracting larger and larger audiences who anticipate even more elaborate and complex performances. Due to this recent market growth, competition has inevitability increased, causing some clients concern as to how best to measure one supplier offering their services against another, both artistically and in terms of trusting their ability to provide services, confident in the knowledge that the chosen operator is able to demonstrate their competence, especially with regards to safety. Very often selection seems to just come down to better marketing or who can put the biggest risk assessment on the table. The assessment of risk With any fireworks or close proximity special effects separation from operator, other performers and audience must be paramount. The planning phase of any pyrotechnic performance must consider site to product selection. To begin the risk assessment process one needs to accept the notion that there is no such thing as a totally safe, risk‑free display. The nature of all fireworks is that they will nearly always produce hot dropping embers and all aerial effects will always have a level of hazardous fallout associated with their normal functioning. To suggest otherwise is either through misunderstanding or possibly a clear demonstration of inexperience. Pyrotechnics and energetic inert special effects for stages, festivals and sporting grounds, that are specifically designed to provide close proximity effects, have minimum separation requirements dependant on user experience and therefore are not risk free either. It must, therefore, be reasonable to accept it is incumbent for any display operator to initially consider the two main concerns.

Firstly, the products normal function coupled with their many possible malfunctions and, secondly, to combine the allowable maximum wind strength and direction as to whether the site and its exclusion is of a suitable size to manage any possible fallout. Careful consideration should also be given when an attempt in offsetting the risk from one hazard may sometimes present elevated consequences to another. An historical example could be where reports advised that aerial shells were not always operating correctly and returned to ground as a dud. The reason was due to the single internal delay fuse failing to ignite the contents of the aerial shell with consequence that presented an obvious hazard to operators within the firing site. To overcome and reduce this risk of malfunction, the inclusion of a secondary time delay fuse was incorporated, that reduced the frequency of a dud occurring but improved the risk because now the effect payload has been subjected to a further weak spot that could be susceptible to a violent in mortar explosion. The consequences to this malfunction could now disrupt other effects in the same racking system and send items in an unintended direction, if towards the audience it would be unthinkable. The industry reaction was to improve mortar rack designs to better cope with that type of product misbehaviour but also keep the twin fuse option. So in a roundabout way there was benefit eventually. How far is safe enough? Within the industry there are ‘rules of thumb’. For every 1mm of calibre, diameter equates to one meter of separation to audience – there are even guidance documents from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that specify values for default display separations. Caution should always be taken with these distances and are not completely reliable as

Fireworks

Lighting up your event

neither provide any consideration for wind or effect size nor equipment. Debris drift and ballistics calculators do provide some benefit but equally, as it is based on maths rather than individual product, equipment and rigging methods should only be taken as guidance. The only true way to subjectively measure practical separation values is by the thorough worst case (off site) testing to destruction of equipment, products and rigging methods to establish the basis and clear understanding of those separation requirements and to do so in any likely firing conditions. These results provide clear suggestion of a justifiable separation value. Only the company providing the service should be able to demonstrate those details. The assessment of risk is therefore based on tolerable levels, specific to site, product and equipment knowledge, as well as the knowledge of the limitation is essential. The regulations The firework, pyrotechnic and energetic special effect industry has some of the most restrictive legislation governing its operations. The simple reason for this is the fact that all fireworks and pyrotechnics are classed as explosives and therefore have a need to be securely stored, transported and used with the greatest of care. The process to completely understand these many explosive regulations, its legislation and guidance is complex and possibly deliberately vague. But whatever the reason, they seem to remain open to some individual interpretation possibly due to confusion. The attempt to define a better way to understand them and to work in a safe manner has been widely debated. There have been a few industry practices adopted, but even within these modern practices some debate unfortunately remains. One of the many conversations The industry has evolved in recent years, particularly with the progression of sophisticated electronic firing systems and digital choreography software that, when combined, create highly entertaining but complex performances. The consequence of these methods has required a more enhanced use of pyrogenic electrical igniters that are used to initiate the effects. Hundreds or even thousands are used in these modern displays. The trouble with this is that sometimes, under the right circumstances, they can unintentionally go off. Unfortunately a number of incidents have already occurred in the last ten or so years and have resulted in a number of fatalities that were directly attributed to the use of igniters away from the place of intended use, often at storage sites in the fusing and preparation for displays. The industry could remove most of this risk by simply fitting these igniters in their secured firing positions at the place of intended use. It’s just a matter of a bit of cultural change and has little discernable difference in site set up time. L FURTHER INFORMATION www.pyropass.co.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Recycling bins with a range of visual graphics Trojan Bins is a wholesaler supplying to B2B mail order and e-commerce businesses specialising in supply to the industrial, catering and medical sectors. Maintaining stock in three locations has helped the company achieve a 95 per cent plus delivery performance on standard sized orders within 24 hours of receiving orders. Trojan Bins offers over 200 bins specifically targeted towards recycling systems, from low cost entry products through to more high end, offering product ranges that accommodate most environments and pockets. All of the company’s recycling bins are colour coded to suit the relative waste stream and come with a range of visual graphics, to enhance and identify the waste being collected. Trojan Bins also supplies a range of plastic sack holders into the NHS marketplace and is an approved supplier within the

NHS Supply Chain Framework, Scottish Sack Holder Framework and the Healthtrust Europe Framework. All sack holders carry a 10 year Guarantee, subject to normal wear and tear. In addition to the supply and manufacture of recycling bins and sack holders, Trojan supplies a large range of other products including wood effect external bins made from recycled plastic, plastic step- ons from 10 litres through to 90 litres and comprehensive ranges of traditional waste baskets, pedal bins and ash collectors.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01684 295782 sales@trojanbins.com

WASTE & RECYCLING

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Revolutionising mattress recycling as we know it

They said it couldn’t be done – many companies have tried to develop an automated solution for recycling mattresses and bulky waste, but up to now none have yet succeeded. Textek has invested 18 months into the research and development of the first Bespoke Mattress Shredding Line, that will divert a staggering one million mattresses a year from landfill. Its design enables the successful separation of the flock from the steel, ensuring 100 per cent of the mattress can be recycled. This line provides a stable future for mattress

recycling and reduces the hard, often dangerous, manual work that is required when stripping a mattress by hand. On average a skilled person can strip a mattress in around seven minutes. The Textek Shredding Line is able to dismantle a mattress in under 30 seconds. Textek plans to install more plants around the country to help with the on-going challenges of mattress recycling.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01948840251 www.textek.co.uk

WASTE MANAGEMENT

UK suppliers of waste and recycling products

Patented technology for recycling mixed plastic

Cromwell Polythene is proud to be an independent, familyrun business, committed to supply products for the capture and containment of waste and recyclables. It is the company’s mission to be the most resourceful company in plastics, supplying products that help make the world cleaner, greener, and more resourceful. Cromwell Polythene has an extensive portfolio, from waste and recycling sacks to all bin liners, compactor sacks, clinical waste sacks and compostable liners. That’s in addition to food-grade bags, kerb-side recycling bags, woven sacks, disposable gloves and aprons. The company’s LowCO2t™ refuse sack range is engineered to provide maximum performance using minimal resources, including more than 30 per cent recycled Polythene. Cromwell is also the sole UK distributor for

Wimao has unique patented technology to recycle those mixed and hard-to-recycle waste streams, that are problematic nowadays, such as mixed plastic waste streams, textiles and different fiber materials that usually goes to incineration. Wimao’s technology enables the entire process from the raw material to the final product. The technology enables versatile design possibilities for end products. Technology allows mixed materials and content variations and impurities in the material used. This simplifies sorting and pretreatment and enables the utilisation of mixed materials that are difficult to recycle. The company’s technology provides the possibility to recycle raw material fractions that are difficult or even impossible to utilise using other technologies. The products manufactured using the technology are

compostable bags made from Ecopond® biodegradable resin. Complementing Cromwell’s sacks and bags portfolio is the ‘Wave®’ range of latex-free, disposable gloves for professional use. The range incorporates new, eye-catching packaging, with a fresh logo, better promoting the products environmental and performance credentials. Cromwell Polythene is accredited by the CHSA, whose code of practice provides customers with an assurance of professional conduct, customer service and quality, as well as ISO 9001:2015 standards.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.cromwellpolythene.co.uk

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

environmentally friendly and reduce both the amount of waste and carbon dioxide emissions. The products can be used to replace existing products or components made of plastic, wood, metal, glass fiber, stone, or concrete. Wimao’s operations include project deliveries and licensing of the production technology. There are various collaboration models available for the technology deliveries. Technology delivery includes equipment for the entire process. In the best cases, the payback time for a factory can be less than two years.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +358 (0)207 928 630 wimao.fi/en/

ENERGY

Low carbon heat and power at guaranteed low prices Biosus Energy Ltd is a UK renewable energy company formed in 2013 specialising in heat and power solutions for commercial clients. Experts in Biomass and Natural Gas Combined Heat and Power (CHP), Biosus provides turnkey solutions which reduce energy bills on average by 20 per cent and produce carbon footprint reductions of 50 per cent. The companies’ power and heat demand studies help customers focus on efficient heat and power use. Biosus Energy analyses the trends of customers energy use, listen to the clients’ expectations and analyse which technology will produce the best return on investment. Biosus works with businesses in the long term, keeping a track of energy performance against customer goals. Biosus Energy provides Energy Supply Agreements (ESA), an ESA

will provide customers with energy and carbon savings, avoiding the need for the purchase of generation equipment. It installs equipment on the customers site, retaining ownership and providing a guaranteed seamless supply of power and heat, at a guaranteed discount compared to the sectors average energy cost. Biosus Energy is a group of enthusiastic engineers, electricians and businessmen that can study your future needs and give you the expertise and information to make an informed decision on the best technology combinations.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.biosusenergy.com

LANDSCAPING

ENERGY AND CARBON

A multi-proffesional carbon and energy consultancy Civic Planning & Design, Energy & Carbon Group now provides discursive preassesments for energy and carbon in addition to the full range of services. Civic, an active member of ESTA, assesses best efficiencies, energy and carbon issues and displacement solutions. The company also provides an evaluation of targets and specific operational cost-effectiveness. Priority searches and selective controls are also provided, alongside energy and carbon graded best solutions and research of all scales. Monitoring best practice and new solutions, Civic holds Buildings Energy Performances Certificates; and can help with comprehensive and detailed approaches for waste and recycling. All Public Consultations and

Stakeholders Forums Services, Energy, Waste and Carbon. Civic is an independent consultant and service provider in professional planning, property development, energy and carbon advice, plans, architectural drawings, applications, regulations and law. Contact Civic Planning & Design, Energy & Carbon Group via the details below.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01242 513284 Tel: 0207 806 1406 Tel: 0744 253 2658 headoffice@civicplanning.com https://civic-planning.co.uk

ENERGY

AHS – all your landscaping needs

Helping the public sector with energy efficiency

Amenity Horticultural Services (AHS) is an award-winning, market leader and has been supplying the landscaping, construction and horticultural industries for more than 27 years. AHS specialises in soft/hard landscaping supplies and play safety surfacings to include: Bark and woodchip supplies, which is where AHS began in 1992, and is now the UK’s number one supplier with a product to suit every setting and budget. Paving Grid, which is 100 per cent recycled and recyclable, with complete permeability. This product is hard wearing and load bearing to a capacity of 350t/m2. It can be used for a variety of applications such as footpaths, parking, showgrounds and arenas, and can be filled with grass, gravel sand, earth or stones. Shock pad underlay, for

Local Partnerships is a joint venture between the Local Government Association, HM Treasury and the Welsh Government, working solely for the benefit of the public sector. ‘Re:fit’ is programme created to support public sector bodies wishing to implement energy efficiency and local energy generation measures. It goes across buildings and estate, with the benefit of an energy performance guarantee. Local Partnerships has been a co-owner of the Re:fit Framework since 2016. Re:fit helps accelerate the delivery of energy efficiency and large scale renewable energy projects across London, England and Wales. The current iteration of the framework has supported carbon savings of approximately 23,000tCO2 pa from capital investment of £150m. Local Partnerships provides procurement, commercial and technical support to develop retrofit programmes across

approved play safety surfacing, has a Critical Fall Height (CFH) of up to 3m; it’s free draining and insulating enabling play throughout the seasons. Other products include top soils, sheds, reptile fencing, timber, gravels and more. The team at AHS can offer expert advice for the most suitable solutions, with ongoing dedicated support, competitive pricing and nationwide delivery to ensure your products reach you when you need them. FSC UK, ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified.

FURTHER INFORMATION 0333 207 0440 sales@ahs-ltd.co.uk www.ahs-ltd.co.uk

local authority estates and university campuses. This encompasses the development of renewable energy and smart grid projects incorporating solar PV, battery storage and electric vehicle infrastructure, and income generation, via medium-term contracts. For more information about how Local Partnerships can support your organisation to accelerate the journey to net zero carbon emissions, drive efficiency savings and boost revenue generation please use the details below.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.localpartnerships.org.uk Rachel.Toresen-Owuor@ local.gov.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

TRANSLATION AND INTERPRETING

Intelligible and accurate translations with precision

Absolute Czech Translations

Lingual Legal offers interpreting services from Turkish, Russian, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Azeri, Bulgarian, Romanian and Greek languages. This includes the translation of legal documents and documents for shipping, general correspondence, company memorandum and articles of association. Legalisation of documents in one day. Certified copies - authentication, certified translation certificates, diplomas, birth‑marriage ceritificates, transcripts, family records and passports. Lingual Legal certifies official copies of all the documents using originals presented to the company, which are sent back together with certified, apostilled or legalised copies. The company provides a fast, reliabale service for all countries. To get a free quote on any professional translation,

Established in 2001 by Milada Cogginsova Zajickova – Czech native freelance translator and interpreter, member of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) and the National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI), DPSI qualified court interpreter, translator and ILEX trained paralegal with work experience as a legal secretary with practical knowledge of the English legal system. ISO 17100:2015 Qualified linguist with professional indemnity insurance. Milada is a registered supplier of certified translations of legal documents with the Consular Section of the Czech Embassy in London. She has wide experience of translating official documents, court judgements, expert reports, witness statements, contracts, official correspondence, reports, information leaflets and websites at competitive charging rates with quick turnaround time.

simply send Lingual legal your text to the email address below. The company’s translation rates are significantly lower than other translation services, which makes its services affordable for anyone.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 02081232171 lingualegal@gmail.com www.lingualegal.co.uk

TRANSLATION

TRANSLATION & INTERPRETING

Based in Oxfordshire, Milada provides face to face interpreting in the South East England for businesses and public service organisations. Consecutive interpreting at face to face and telephone consultations, simultaneous interpreting in conference settings and whispered interpreting during court hearings. Interpreted for Czech senators during their three-day visit in the UK (meetings in the House of Lords, Ministry of Transport, DEFRA and the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester).

FURTHER INFORMATION milada.cz@absoluteczech translations.co.uk www.AbsoluteCzech Translations.co.uk

TRANSLATION & INTERPRETING

Overcoming Language Barriers

Expert linguists for Czech and Slovak translations

The nature of the modern world is such that not only are we all different, we also speak different languages. We are clever that way. Speaking the same language is vital in many areas, none more so than areas in which local governments operate. Even people who do not need an interpreter in their daily life, require help to understand their rent account break-down, social services communications, legal advice or court proceedings. Come to think of it, most of us could do with a ‘translation’ of ‘legalese’ or even social care terminology. Burrellines Translations (Ines Burrell) has been providing translation services in the UK and interpreting services in the South West since 2004, translating social services reports, medical records, healthcare guidelines, court documents, police reports from English to Latvian and Latvian to English, as well as from Russian.

Marta Gunn RPSI MCIL is a specialist medical and legal translator and face to face interpreter with over 10 years of experience in the health care and legal systems in the UK and is here to assist in smooth communication with your Czech and Slovak speaking clients and patients. Marta Gunn is a full member of National Register of Public Service Interpreters (NRPSI) and full member of Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL). Marta Gunn can assist with any translation (written material) such as medical reports and assessments and any certified translation as well as interpretation (spoken word) at medical meetings with patients and their families, medical conferences and gatherings. Marta Gunn can also assist with telephone conference calls and video links. Please contact via the details below for professional service from an expert linguist

Having worked in translation sector for almost 30 years, Ines Burrell offers invaluable expertise and experience, supported by the membership of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), as well as current DBS checks for your peace of mind.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0791 7523054 info@burrellines.com burrell_i@yahoo.co.uk www.burrellines.com

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

that is available nationwide. NRPSI is the UK’s independent voluntary regulator of professional interpreters specialising in public service. It maintains a public register of professional, qualified and accountable interpreters. It only use interpreters with proven competence and skills, who are governed by a nationally recognised code of conduct.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 07988 478682 gunn.marta@gmail.com www.translateczechslovak.co.uk

PARKING

NATIONWIDE ENFORCEMENT

Real digital parking enforcement has arrived

Constant & Co: Ethical Effective Enforcement

An increasing number of cities in UK are optimising their parking enforcement process with the PARKIUS Platform. PARKIUS invented and developed the concept of digital parking enforcement and built the first scan car with Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) in Amsterdam. Then, the company added an intelligent data handling and business intelligence platform. Many councils want to cut costs and increase compliance. PARKIUS’ approach to digital parking enforcement dramatically increases the enforcement intensity and cuts costs at the same time by applying a highly efficient Spot-and-Follow-up approach. PARKIUS is the leading advisor and solution provider of digital parking enforcement working with the London Boroughs of Kingston Upon Thames, Richmond Upon Thames and Barnet following successful projects in cities such

Established in 1973, Constant & Co Ltd is a nationwide enforcement company specialising in the removal of travellers, squatters, rough sleepers, trespassers and tent encampments under High Court and Common Law. The company also provides a full range of clearance and security services to deliver a complete package to clients. An extensive client list includes solicitors, local authorities, commercial land agents, management companies and commercial landlords. The company is built on reputation and is well known in the industry as a leading provider of enforcement services. Over the years Constant & Co Ltd has been contracted to work on many high-profile evictions and has consistently met clients’ expectations. The organisation provides a fast-reliable service and the company ethos is Ethical Effective Enforcement.

as Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Lisbon, Stockholm and Antwerp. The PARKIUS promise is to share its knowledge and experience to guide organisations through the transition into public-friendly and highly profitable parking operations. Want to know how PARKIUS does it? Contact using the details below.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +31 (0)6 2189 8901 peter@parkius.io www.parkius.io

RECYCLING

Constant & Co Ltd certificated enforcement officers have a wide range of experience to draw upon from their backgrounds including former members of the police, armed forces, prison service and public sector. All employees are DBS checked, first aid trained and issued with full uniform and PPE. The company is ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO18001, Safe Contractor and IIP accredited. Constant & Co is a corporate member of the Civil Enforcement Association and is subject to the code of conduct contained within the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Company.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01234 340091 admin@constantandco.com www.constantandco.com

PARKING

Enhance your fleet without the upfront costs

Adding colour to the new Glasgow University campus

Nexus Vehicle Rental is the largest corporate vehicle rental provider in the UK enabling mobility through its awardwinning, online rental booking and management platform, IRIS. With the largest vehicle supply chain in the country, Nexus Vehicle Rental offers daily, short, medium and long-term rental with access to over 550,000 vehicles, including 100,000 specialist and commercial vehicles and 50,000 HGVs across 2,000 UK locations. Nexus sources any vehicle, anytime, anywhere with unrivalled delivery lead times and is an approved vehicle rental provider on the CCS RM6013 framework for lots 1, 4, 5 and 6. Outright vehicle purchase is becoming less popular as legislation, such as the 2040 petrol and diesel ban, Clean Air Zones (CAZs) and Ultra Low Emission Zones (ULEZs), comes into force. Rapid depreciation in asset value and additional tax charges are

When the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) built a new £110 million campus in Lanarkshire, Flowcrete UK was called upon to provide colourful, fit for purpose floors that reflected the site’s energetic atmosphere. The facility was designed to create a vibrant, contemporary venue for learning, research and innovation. This ethos was emulated across the site’s floor with a multi-coloured pattern made from multiple resin coatings. Over 1,000 m2 of the methyl methacrylate system Flowfast Terrosso was applied. This fast curing flooring solution was used in Signal Grey and Dark Grey to cover the majority of the public-facing areas, particularly in the atrium. 350 m2 of Flowfresh MF was also used in a number of bold colours, including Ochre, Dark Green and Dark Blue. This resulted in wide sections of flooring in complementary

compounding the ability to plan for the long-term. Rental is becoming increasingly popular as it provides the option to scale fleet capacity up or down quickly, enabling costs to be reduced as there is no commitment to longer contracts. Nexus’ unique rental system IRIS provides complete visibility of the entire rental journey from initial booking to final invoice, along with real time reporting, user profile management, costcentre split billing, customer service case handling, and full damage and fines management.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0871 984 1947 enquiries@nexusrental.co.uk www.nexusrental.co.uk

shades that reflected the campus’ interior design scheme. Dr Gillian Thomson, UWS Lanarkshire project manager, said: “Flowcrete provided sound and relevant advice during the design and installation period. The installation by Flowcrete has created more than a floor covering – through the creative use of colour it gives an informal flow to the entry to the campus and has become a real feature in the UWS Lanarkshire Campus.”

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: +44 1270 753 000 www.flowcrete.co.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

SECURITY GATES

Barrier solutions from the security industry leaders

HID pioneers driving change with LED tech

Newgate has been at the forefront of secure access solutions since 1984, and has since grown to become the UK’s leading manufacturer and supplier of gate and barrier products. Newgate is a British manufacture, who supplies from its purpose built factories in Newark, Nottinghamshire. All of the company’s workforce, from directors through sales and manufacturing, are very proud to be associated with the British product. Newgate offers a complete continued service from the initial enquiry right through from sales and installation and any civil works that may be required. The company is situated in the Midlands, which allows it to service and supply at reasonable notice to anywhere in the UK. The infrastructure of the road ways up and down the country

Since the early 1980s, Venture Lighting has been a pioneer of light source technology, transforming the HID lighting market with the introduction of the revolutionary UNI-FORM arc tube in Metal Halide lamps. Driven by the increasing demand for energy efficient lighting, Venture has taken advantage of the rapid developments in technology by offering its customers a class leading range of LED lighting solutions suitable for indoor and outdoor lighting applications. Venture Lighting’s purpose is to provide lighting solutions that have a positive impact on the environment, whilst enhancing the way that we live and interact with lit spaces. In today’s world light has endless possibilities for new value creation; way beyond the boundaries of illumination. The company’s mission is to be the customer’s preferred and trusted lighting solution partner, offering

give Newgate great access to maintain and deliver on time. The organisation’s very experienced sales representatives are situated in areas of the country that enable it to respond to your enquiry immediately, whether that be by an initial phone call to clarify your requirements or to arrange a site visit. Newgate is there to support you through the whole process. Although it offers a full standard range of products and services, Newgate can also offer tailored services and bespoke items if requested.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01636 700172 www.newgate.uk.com

SPORT

LIGHTING

its commitment to deliver a quality range of products and solutions through continuous innovation. The organisation’s dedicated team of professionals puts its customers at the heart of everything it does. Venture Lighting’s business is built on lasting relationships. As a Venture Lighting customer, you’re assured the very best technology combined with the highest level of service, from a global leader in the lighting industry.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.venturelightingeurope.com

SPORT

Leading manufacturer of sports ground equipment

Bespoke strength and conditioning equipment

Harrod Sport is the UK’s leading manufacturer of sport’s equipment, including football goal posts, hockey goals and general sports ground equipment, with over 60 years of UK manufacturing expertise. Within the company’s 130,000 square foot site in the heart of Lowestoft in Suffolk, Harrod Sport designs and manufactures all its sport’s products in house, where investment into product development ensures Harrod Sport remains at the forefront of the sports manufacturing industry. The company’s goals, posts and nets can be seen at a variety of prestigious sporting events and venues worldwide; including Wembley Stadium, the 2015 Rugby World Cup, London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and most recently the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Harrod Sport is also providing all rugby posts and equipment

What is A unit? A part or group with specified function within a complex machine or organisation. A quantity chosen as a standard in terms of which other quantities may be expressed. A part of a complex whole. A family unit. A-Unit is a family run business with over 30 years of design and engineering experience with a passion to provide athletes with the best bespoke strength and conditioning equipment to suit their individual needs. A-Unit strongly believes it embodies all the above definitions, not just for itself but its clients too. Forging close relationships with leading Strength & Conditioning Coaches, A-Unit is able to develop products to gain the most out of players and enhance its understanding of what pro-athletes need to be at the top of their game.

to the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Harrod Sport’s total commitment to customer satisfaction and product quality is paramount and is proven in the company vision. The organisation delivers excellence in quality and service through innovation, where it continuously improves and develops its products. At the start of 2017, Harrod Sport opened its Innovation Centre, which is an inspiring environment for designing, developing and prototyping new exciting products.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 01502 583515 sales@harrod.uk.com www.harrodsport.com

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

A-Unit now works closely with leading coaches for international and Premiership rugby clubs, Premier League football clubs, schools, colleges and universities on an exclusive one-to-one basis giving them a level of performance that is 100 per cent tailored to their needs. A-Unit treats each client, regardless of size, as part of its team and takes personal pride in watching all its clients succeed!

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 07545 873 309 sales@a-unit.co.uk www.a-unit.co.uk

DRONES

RESURFACING

Why work at height – send a drone to do it

Car park surfacing and maintenance specialists

Quayle Industries Ltd provides aerial photography using drones for businesses and individuals in Nottingham and across the UK. The company is proud to be Civil Aviation Authority approved, meaning that it is fully licensed and works to the highest standards. Before Quayle Industries undertakes any project, the organisation seeks appropriate clearance from the authorities to operate the drone. Quayle Industries works with you to plan what is needed and how the footage will be used to give you the result you need. There are many instances where drone photography or filming is the best option: drones are costeffective and reduce the need for scaffolding or helicopters; the quality of the photographyand videos is of a very high standard; drones can be used to access hard to reach areas inside and outside; data and images can be relayed to you within 24 hours ready to download.

NMC Surfacing is a leading independent surfacing, drainage and civil engineering contractor, providing a 24/7 nationwide car park turnkey solution across the UK for the government, councils and some of the biggest brands in the UK, particularly within the retail and petrochemical sector. NMC’s commitment to safety, quality, and service culture from its senior management right through to operative level, makes the company the ideal choice for partnering to protect brand equity with our key clients. As specialists with vast experience in dealing with high priority prestigious projects, NMC plays a key role in its clients stakeholder management while delivering project with minimal financial or operational disruption. The NMC surveying team is on hand to assist you with often

Quayle Industries can provide stunning photography and videos for a wide range of purposes from, property developers wanting to showcase their properties for sale, individuals that need a roof inspection through to companies that want some aerial views as part of their marketing campaigns. ‘Why work at height, send a drone to do it!’

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0333 2104420 hello@quayleindustries.co.uk www.quayleindustries.co.uk

FIREWORKS

complementary site condition surveys, with surveyors able to visit your site and analyse its current condition before detailing, with a colour coded report that incorporates its findings, evidence of it’s condition, which can assist clients when controlling a budget, prioritising maintenance works and creating a planned maintenance works for the next five years.

FURTHER INFORMATION nmcsurfacing.co.uk

FIREWORKS

Your one-stop shop for Christmas lights events

Specialists in fireworks and pyrotechnics

Need a laser show, a flame show, confetti or the latest Sparkular cold sparks special effects for your Christmas Lights switch-on? Laserfire is the Ronseal of fire and light shows - doing what it says on the tin! Ideal for Christmas lights switch ons, the Laserfire range of effects include: laser projections; dancing flames; cold sparks stage pyrotechnics; large scale colour wash lighting; PA systems; confetti; and fireworks. All this comes with 30 years of experience delivering top quality shows. Laserfire will meet you on

Since Shellshock’s inception over 25 years ago, the company has been providing shows for a wide range of events, from close proximity, to large scale displays. This has led Shellshock to perfect and refine its craft to incorporate a wealth of knowledge and artisanal design into its shows. Shellshock has been pioneering and delivering high impact, low noise, low debris shows which are sensitive to livestock, pets and local residents. The organisation has used its years of firing displays at sporting events and concerts to put it at the forefront of this new style of show. This has allowed Shellshock to put on events in venues that would normally not allow fireworks, from historic venues to confined city spaces. Shellshock likes to work closely with event organisers, bringing its knowledge to the table to successfully fire show after show

site, discuss your plans, design the show to your budget, and deliver a brilliant show. The company also offers ‘close proximity’ and ‘rooftop’ firework displays specially created for town centres where space is limited. Laserfire provides full risk assessments and method statements all backed by £10 million public liability insurance.

FURTHER INFORMATION Tel: 0800 326 5570 info@laserfire.uk www.laserfire.uk

which gives it an impeccable safety record. The company is fully compliant with all relevant UK legislation and regulatory bodies. Shellshock helps many organisations, from the National Trust, local councils and even royal palaces, to organise and prepare stunning events. The company offers safety advice, design consultation, through to planning and engineering an amazing event, be it low noise displays or large scale firework shows.

FURTHER INFORMATION www.shellshockfireworks.co.uk info@shellshockfireworks.co.uk

Issue 26.4 | GOVERNMENT BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Advertisers Index

ADVERTISERS INDEX

The publishers accept no responsibility for errors or omissions in this free service 3G Telecommunications

Lingual Legal

A-Unit 88

Live Active Leisure

Absolute Czech Translation

Local Partnerships

AHS 85

Marriott Hotels

Arcspeed Digital Solutions

Mrs Ines Burrell

AVG Technologies UK

Mrs Marta Gunn

Axial Systems

Newgate (Newark)

Bang the Table UK

Nexus Vehicle Hire

Bellrock 30,31

Nimbus 10

Biosus Energy

NMC Surfacing

Office Depot

Parking Ticketing

Blackthorn GRC British Parking Association

200 6 IBC

C22 20

Parkius 87

Caterpillar 4

PJH Safety Training

Civic Planning and Design

Prysm Group

Combined Knowledge

Quayle Industries

Constant & Co

Recolight 36

Conway 34

Redheat Solutions

Cromwell Polythene

Safety Technology

CtrlPrint UK

Shellshock Fireworks

Daimler Fleet Management

Silxo 62

DCRS 54

Smart Employee Eyecare

Doosan Industrial Vehicles UK

Software for Data Analysis

Dunkfield House Hotel

SPA Group

Storage On Site

Teignmouth Maritime Services

Enecret 40

Tempo Pano UK

Ergochair 16

Textek 84

Evac Chair

OBC

The Outreach Organisation

Flowcrete UK

The Trades Hall of Glasgow

Future Mobility

Thintech 76

Go Direct Access

Trojan Bins

Golden Jubilee Conference

Tuffnells Parcels Express

Graco Distribution Bvba

UDMS-Ulysses 77

Greenblue Urban

University of Stirling Venues

Harrod Sport

Venture Lighting

Hoben International

Walk The Park

HYCON GmbH

Webcurl 72

ISS Mediclean

IFC

Wheeve Consulting

JKN Renewables

Whitelighting Pyrotechnics

Lasersound 82,89

Wildcat Applications

Learning Pool

WIMAO Oy

Dupree International Durable UK

24,25 12

BUSINESS INFORMATION FOR LOCAL AND CENTRAL GOVERNMENT | www.governmentbusiness.co.uk

SAFETY

AIR QUALITY

ACCESSIBILITY

FAIRNESS

TECHNOLOGY

WORKING TOGETHER

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WORLD CLASS. BRITISH MADE.

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Government Business 26.4

Articles inside

Streamlining the parking experience

The reasons why flexible working works

How we build 300,000 of the right homes in the right places

Returning to our council building roots

Devolving further power and control to the North