- 2 December 2020
- Do Government plans on climate change add up to a Green Industrial Revolution?
For those of you dusting down your action plan responding to climate emergency declarations, following a pause to focus on all things Covid-19, you must have been heartened to hear the fanfare announcing the Prime Ministers ‘Green Industrial Revolution’, but when the noise died down what does it all mean for local government.
In APSE, we have always recognised that if Government wish to meet national targets around carbon neutrality and councils have declared challenging measures locally, then both will be mutually dependent on each other to make significant progress. From wider work we are engaged in this is not only a fact recognised by the Committee on Climate Change but also by the general public in the opinion polling we undertake through Survation.
It is understandable that the Prime Ministers plan has a major focus on job creation, giving a nod to many areas of the country who may benefit from green investment, as part of the levelling up agenda. One criticism would be the scale of the ambition shown, with many calling for much greater levels of spend. A wider package of £12B is welcome but even with the claim that this will stimulate three times as much again, as a contribution from the private sector, it still only takes this to half of the current spend on HS2.- Read More
- 10 October 2012
- A Guide to Solar PV Projects - in Local Government and the Public Sector
Someone who has influenced my thinking on local government greatly over the past couple of decades has this week published a new book, 'A Guide to Solar PV Projects - in Local Government and the Public Sector'. The first books of Stephen Cirell's that I read were thick local government law encyclopaedias around Compulsory Competitive Tendering, followed by similar tomes on Best Value, then the Private Finance Initiative and Charging and Trading. So how does someone go from this background into the arena of climate change, renewable energy and energy efficiency? And do they know anything about the topic?
- By Paul O'Brien
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- 14 November 2011
- A pause before feeding on renewables recommences
Although many Armageddon prophecies have been written about the coalition Government’s proposed cut to Feed in Tariffs for solar PV and its impact on the wider renewables agenda, I have to say that I don’t quite buy this vision of the future.
- By Paul O'Brien
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- 14 November 2011
- A pause before feeding on renewables recommences
Although many Armageddon prophecies have been written about the coalition Government’s proposed cut to Feed in Tariffs for solar PV and its impact on the wider renewables agenda, I have to say that I don’t quite buy this vision of the future.
- By Paul O'Brien
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- 6 June 2011
- Plugged into the renewables grid
When APSE launched its research publication ‘The virtuous green circle: creating a revolving fund for local authority solar energy’, in Birmingham recently, I was impressed by the number of authorities present who were making progress with delivering projects in this area of renewable energy.
- By Paul O'Brien
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- 17 May 2011
- Let it shine
Launch of APSE's new research publication 'the virtuous green circle: creating a revolving fund for local authority solar energy', at Birmingham City Football Club. The report demonstrates a business case as to how you can undertake renewables projects in local government on a self financing basis.
- By Paul O'Brien
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- 17 May 2011
- Let it shine
Launch of APSE's new research publication 'the virtuous green circle: creating a revolving fund for local authority solar energy', at Birmingham City Football Club. The report demonstrates a business case as to how you can undertake renewables projects in local government on a self financing basis.
- By Paul O'Brien
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- 1 April 2011
- How councils can use the green agenda to generate renewable energy and cash
Got this article published on the Guardian's website today on the back of the debate I took part in last week.
With latest ONS figures showing more than 132,000 jobs were lost from the public sector last year and councils grappling with unprecedented budget cuts, green issues are in danger of slipping down the priority list. But in my view, it would be an economic error for local authorities to take their eyes off the environmental ball now.
- By Paul O'Brien
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- 1 April 2011
- How councils can use the green agenda to generate renewable energy and cash
Got this article published on the Guardian's website today on the back of the debate I took part in last week.
With latest ONS figures showing more than 132,000 jobs were lost from the public sector last year and councils grappling with unprecedented budget cuts, green issues are in danger of slipping down the priority list. But in my view, it would be an economic error for local authorities to take their eyes off the environmental ball now.
- By Paul O'Brien
- Read More
Promoting excellence in public services
APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) is a not for profit unincorporated association working with over 300 councils throughout the UK. Promoting excellence in public services, APSE is the foremost specialist in local authority frontline services, hosting a network for frontline service providers in areas such as waste and refuse collection, parks and environmental services, cemeteries and crematorium, environmental health, leisure, school meals, cleaning, housing and building maintenance.
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