ADEPT Newsletter- July 2016

From your ADEPT President

It’s been another month of twists and turns in the corridors of Westminster, some predictable, others less so! I will be writing to new ministers at Defra, DCLG, DfT and the department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy introducing ADEPT and the contributions we have, and will continue to make to shaping policy and delivery.

I am also writing to the Secretary of State for the Department for Exiting the European Union offering ADEPT’s input. As part of this, I’m establishing a working group to ensure our input is representative of ADEPT’s interests and geography. Drop me a line if you’re interested.

In other news – I participated in a workshop on geological disposal facilities at the LGA annual conference and attended the ADEPT South West Board meeting. I’ve also done some media work on the recent Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017 Evidence Report. Finally – I’m delighted to see our corporate partner membership is already being taken up.

Have a great summer.

Rupert Clubb

Westminster Update

There will be no Westminster update due to Parliament going into recess. Please click here to see the Parliamentary Monitoring document for July.

Brexit- what next?

The UK’s political situation has moved on since the last ADEPT newsletter, with David Davis the new Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union.

Although in many ways it is ‘business as usual’ for councils, there is great uncertainty about the future. There is already some anecdotal evidence that funding streams may be affected, investment delayed, and speculation about which areas of legislation and enforcement will be affected. We want to ensure that ADEPT makes a positive contribution to the debate going forward. Our contribution is hugely enhanced by local evidence. We would be grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete this survey to let us know your thoughts. The survey is open until the 22nd August. If you are interested in joining the ADEPT Brexit working group (See Rupert's commentary at the top of the newsletter), please email Rupert.

Board/Working Group updates

Environment Board – 7^th July
The Environment Board welcomed a new Chair, Paula Hewitt from Somerset County Council and a new Secretary, Amilia Holland from East Sussex County Council.

A key topic of the morning was a discussion about the EU Referendum, and how Brexit could affect regulation and environmental protection. We concluded that we needed to collate evidence to help inform the debate (see Brexit- where next?).

The afternoon workshop, which included a number of external guests, focused on Natural Capital and Heritage and where ADEPT could add value. The group discussed issues such as biodiversity interests and landscape character to archaeological features, heritage interests and public health benefits. A key message was that natural capital and heritage is a driver for growth and not a barrier.

If you’d like to join the Environment Board or the Natural Capital and Heritage Working Group, please amilia.holland@eastsussex.gov.uk.

South West Sub-National Board – 14^th July
The SW Board hosted a well-attended workshop session on Managing the Environment. There were presentations from Devon Local Nature Partnership (LNP) and Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust on the collaborative and partnership roles of LNPs; from Wessex Water on catchment area investment in adaptation and resilience; and from Plymouth City Council on integrated area-wide planning to drive growth.

Colleagues from the SW Highways Alliance presented their 2015/16 end of year report and 2016/17 business plan. Overall, last year had been a very positive one with good progress on projects, collaborative procurements and co-ordination of many different working groups, although some elements had not moved forward as quickly as planned. A lively discussion broadened into concern about skills shortages in the construction industry affected by restrictions on the use of the Apprenticeship Levy, Brexit and the impact on recruitment of skilled professionals from the EU, and the impact of major national infrastructure construction projects on costs and capacity.

Future meetings will cover the impact of leaving the EU, highways and transport (including infrastructure funding bids, the Buses Bill and Total Transport pilots), and energy (including update on Hinkley Point C, and innovative approaches in SW councils).

For more information contact the Chair nigel.riglar@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Transport Board – 15^th July
At the ADEPT Transport Board meeting they discussed their concerns for Infrastructure funding in light of Brexit, the creation of Sub-National Transport Bodies and the skills deficit. The Board also agreed their key issues and priorities which will feed into the new ADEPT Policy Prospectus.

South East Board – 22^nd July
This was a slightly unusual meeting in that it was held jointly with the 4 south East LEPs - Thames Valley Berkshire, Enterprise M3, Coast to Capital and Solent – to discuss the transport needs of the South East. Network Rail, the Department for Transport and Highways England also attended. Earlier in the year the LEPs had commissioned WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff to undertake an assessment of the economic benefits of strategic transport corridors (both existing and potential) in the area, focusing on the wider economic impacts of the corridors and how they can boost connectivity and improve productivity. This work was presented during the meeting, generating much discussion and leading to agreement that the two groups should continue conversations following the summer.

ADEPT Annual Conference 2016

Look out for the ADEPT Annual Conference programme arriving in the post very soon!

This year, our conference is entitled Enabling good growth everywhere: Place leadership in uncertain times. With a significantly changing national and international landscape, place leadership and place services have never been more vital. The UK needs more housing, sustainable economic growth, better connected and more resilient places. And as we face 2020, we will require healthy local economies to secure funding for vital local services through retained business rates. Plenary sessions will discuss issues such as where next for devolution; enhancing resilience to a changing climate; public sector finances – how will we pay for it all; 21st century infrastructure plus a series of workshops focusing on housing, and innovative technology amongst other topics.

We are back at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Manchester Airport for this year’s event, where access by public transport is excellent. We are offering a better value package for ADEPT members, with no increase in the delegate fees since 2013 thanks to the generous support of the event sponsors. Book early to avoid disappointment!

Please click here to see the electronic version of the conference leaflet which has been sent to all ADEPT members.

ADEPT Website- the place to go!

I hope you have now all had chance to look at the new and improved ADEPT website! The webpages are updated daily with all the latest information making it the ‘go to’ place. Click here to go online and see the latest news, events, etc. Please note that the ADEPT Secretariat now manage the website, so please direct any queries to secretariat@adeptnet.org.uk (and not Alison Young at Aldercross).

Local Adaption Advisory Panel

The Local Adaption Advisory Panel, or LAAP, played a key role in shaping the Local Government Chapter of the National Adaptation Programme report, published in July 2013. It is now chaired by ADEPT vice president Nigel Riglar and includes representatives of Climate UK, LAs, Defra, the Environment Agency and the Local Government Association.

The LAAP has started a series of meeting to better understand the risks to areas that are being impacted by climate change. ADEPT will help to input technical advice, with political input via the LGA.

The first session in July focused on the issues around infrastructure and specifically on three questions:

By what mechanisms can we ensure that new and existing infrastructure is resilient to the climate it will experience over its entire lifetime?
What mechanisms and what infrastructure can local government influence or control?
What policy levers can enable or push local government to ensure resilience?

The recent publication of the second Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) evidence report is welcomed by the LAAP and future meetings will follow the themes of the receptors as identified in the evidence report, the next being Heat and the Built Environment in September 2016.

The output of the work of the LAAP will help to identify any gaps in existing government policy and allow the LAAP to suggest any modifications to policy to improve the country’s resilience to climate change. The output of the LAAP will be submitted for inclusion within the next iteration of the National Adaption Programme due to be published in 2018.

If anyone is interested in becoming more involved or have colleagues who might assist, please contact nigel.riglar@gloucestershire.gov.uk.

ADEPT technical workshops

‘Development around Stations’ workshop – 15^th July
The ADEPT Transport Board held a very successful joint workshop with the Campaign for Better Transport on ‘Development around Stations’ supported by BIS.

The workshop was well attended by a wide variety of people including LA Directors, civil servants, RTPI, HCA and representatives from the rail industry.

North Somerset and Swindon shared their experiences of development around stations and transport hubs including the successes and barriers. The workshop then explored the issues LAs have faced with this type of development and how this can be improved going forward. They also identified where it has been successful and how this can be built upon.

A note of the workshop will be available shortly, check the website or contact the Chair mike.ashworth@derbyshire.gov.uk

Shale workshops – Northallerton 14^th July and Liverpool 18^th July
ADEPT hosted two technical workshops on shale development, supported by DECC. The workshops were aimed at those mineral planning authorities that were granted Petroleum Exploration and Development Licences as part of the 14th Onshore Oil and Gas Licensing Round. Several LEPS also attended.

The main purpose of the workshops was to improve the operational understanding of MPA officers involved in spatial planning matters arising from applications for shale developments, to aid in effective and timely decision making. There were speakers from DECC, the Oil and Gas Authority, the regulators (Environment Agency, HSE and Public Health England) as well as a speaker from North Yorkshire CC / Lancashire CC recounting their recent experiences. These will be available as case studies in the next couple of months.

Upcoming ADEPT Meetings

East of England Board meeting – 1^st August, Cambridge
Waste Panel meeting – 8 September, London
President's Team meeting & Management Board meeting – 13 September, London
ADEPT Street Lighting Group - 22 September, London
SEDEEPT Board meeting – 23 September, Woking

Please click here to find a full list of all the ADEPT meetings scheduled for 2016.