The EU and Local Government

Local councils and councillors operate within a framework of law made by central government and the European Union.
Local councillors' ability to make changes for the communities that elect them is often constrained by rules which originate from EU directives and which are frequently goldplated by central government civil servants in Whitehall.
The following are just some of the EU directives in force in the UK which affect local government, and shows how EU law now permeates many aspects of the work of local councils.
Waste and Recycling Costs: The Recycling of Hazardous Waste Directive 91/689/EEC is resulting in the need for massive investments in new recycling technologies. This, together with the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive 2003/108/EC, is leading to higher disposal costs which are being passed on to council taxpayers. The Landfill Directive 99/31/EC means that local councils must reduce landfill waste by half of 1995 levels by 2013 or face fines of up to £180 million per year, leading some councils to move to fortnightly bin collections. The Audit Commission estimates EU waste law could add £30 to each council tax bill. The European Commission recently suggested reducing landfill waste through building more incinerators despite local concerns over their cost and damage to the environment.

Surrey Green Steps

To help Surrey businesses become legally compliant in dealing with business waste., the county council has developed a new online environmental toolkit, Surrey Green Steps, which has just gone live. click here. Green Steps aims to help businesses take steps towards becoming greener and smarter about dealing with their waste and improving environmental credentials. It includes databases to search for recycling sites and collection services, as well as case studies of businesses who have seen improvements from adopting greener practices and a link to a carbon footprinter. There is also the option for businesses to create their own individual Environmental Management System (EMS) to improve their company’s green credentials through an online training tool. The url for the toolkit is www.surreygreensteps.com
The Environment Agency will also offer businesses in the county a postcard giving details on Green Steps when they visit them.

May Sugery

The May councillor surgery in Ashford Library will be on Saturday 1st May from 11am to 12noon. Borough Councillor George Trussler will attend with me.

Transport for Surrey Conference

Help shape the future of transport for Surrey.

Date Thursday 25 March 2010Venue County Hall, Kingston

Time 9.15-15.40 Registration starts at 9.15 and the first session at 10.00 sharp

With keynote address by SIR DAVID ROWLANDS

Other speakers and workshops include
BAA, Allan Gregory, Director of Surface Access
Transport for London, Mike Keegan, Transport Strategy Manager
Freight Transport Association, Gordon Telling, Head of Policy for London, SE and East of England
Government Office for the South East (GOSE), David Cooper: Where’s the money coming from?
South West Trains, Phil Dominey: Adopt A Station
Stagecoach, Andrew Dyer: Goldline’s first birthday, does quality work?
Spelthorne Borough Council, Sandy Muirhead: Help shape Surrey’s climate change strategy
Woking Borough Council & Surrey County Council, Ellie Guttridge & Paul Fishwick: Cycle Woking: A success story
Rural Transport Forum, Marcus Dodé: Buses for rural non mainstream users
Surrey's Transport Coordination Centre, Matthew Winnett: Coordinating transport needs in the community
Surrey County Council, Fiona Lowe: Surrey’s infrastructure facts and figures
Surrey Police, Rachel Tills, Drive Smart: Surrey’s antisocial driving campaign
Surrey Travel, Tim Brown & Abi Fielder, Surrey’s new traffic information website
Surrey County Council, Katie Dawkins: Travel planning training for young people and adults with special needs

Purpose of conference:
To raise awareness of current transport issues
To raise awareness of possible solutions, however radical
To challenge, and inspire debate
Share views, opinions, good ideas and success stories
To engage partners in Transport for Surrey Partnership decisions e.g. Surrey’s Transport Plan
Show success through partnership working

Conference topic areas:
We rely on our road and transport networks and have high expectations of them
We must reduce our carbon emissions
Money is scarce
How should we plan for Surrey's future transport?
How can we resolve conflicting issues?
Where will the money come from and how much of it will there be?
How radical will the solutions have to be?
What successes can we learn from and repeat?
What further opportunities for are there for partnership working?
Surrey's next Transport Plan is under development, help us get it right
Delegates
Include representatives of health, education, heritage, rail, bus, air and community transport, access groups, businesses, residents, voluntary sector, public utilities, rural interests, Police, local, regional and central Government

To apply for a place email tfspartnership@surreycc.gov.uk

http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/LookupWebPagesByTITLE_RTF/Transport+for+Surrey+Partnership+Conference?opendocument

Business Continuity Awareness Week 2010 at Surrey County Council

The annual Business Continuity Awareness Week is taking place from 22nd-26th March 2010.
Business Continuity Awareness Week is led by the Business Continuity Institute; it aims to show the growing importance of Business Continuity Management (BCM) as an integral management tool and raise awareness amongst colleagues and customers.
Business Continuity Awareness Week is an opportunity for me to raise awareness about Surrey County Council’s business continuity programme and to promote the value of business continuity to business and voluntary organisations in the area.
As an elected Member, I have a very important role to play with regard to business continuity. Firstly, it is important that I hold Surrey County Council accountable for its business continuity planning to ensure that the council can continue to deliver essential services to the people of Surrey in the event of a disruptive incident.
Surrey County Council is a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and as such has a statutory duty to have tried and tested business continuity plans in place.
Secondly, I can play a key role in encouraging local businesses and community or voluntary organisations to develop their own business continuity plan.


· Learn more about business continuity – visit the websites detailed below for further information

Surrey Continuity – http://www.surreycontinuity.org/

The Business Continuity Institute – http://www.thebci.org/

Continuity Central – http://www.continuitycentral.com/

Continuity Forum – http://www.continuityforum.org/


Or alternatively, email SCC on sccemt@surreycc.gov.uk

Regular Surgery

The regular surgery in Ashford Library for April has had to be moved as it will be the Easter holiday weekend. It will now be on Saturday 1st May from 11 to 12 noon, and Borough Councilor George Trussler will be attending with me.

Funding Surgery - Community Foundation for Surrey

Want to find out about potential funding
opportunities for your group?


You are invited to a
Funding Surgery
for community groups



Wednesday 24th February 2010
from 10.00am
at Ashford Community Association
The Centre, Woodthorpe Road, TW15 3NJ




Aimed at voluntary and community groups which are meeting
a priority need within local communities

To book a one-to-one slot to discuss your group’s funding needs
and seek guidance on the funding opportunities available
via the Community Foundation for Surrey

please contact:


Laura Thurlow or Emma Wolfe

Programme Manager / Grants Officer, Community Foundation for Surrey

on 01483 409230
or email laura@communityfoundationsurrey.org.uk


We look forward to hearing from you