Loch, stock and thought-provoking panels

Surrounded by lush Highland scenery, Aviemore remains one of Scotland’s most charming locations. APSE is therefore delighted to once again announce we will be returning to the picturesque town as part of APSE Scotland’s Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar 2022. The event features Scotland’s largest trade exhibition of its kind, as well as ample opportunities for learning though our panel discussions.

Against the glorious backdrop of the Cairngorms, local government specialists in fleet, waste and grounds services will gather with the UK’s leading suppliers to debate the future of these services and to explore new and exciting innovations within the industry.

The annual event – our first since 2019 – features Scotland’s largest trade exhibition of its kind with over 120 exhibition stands confirmed. Delegates have the unique opportunity to question suppliers about their latest products and pricing.

However, Aviemore is far more than just an exhibition. The Seminar – kindly sponsored by ACL Hire – draws in a wide variety of highly influential and knowledgeable speakers; offering attendees a fantastic opportunity to network and bounce ideas around other members of local government.

We will also be holding four discussion forums – Transport; Parks, Streets and Grounds; Waste; and Litter Managers – so that delegates can debate the latest challenges and opportunities in each sector.

The Seminar will open with the keynote session: Transport responsibilities and alternative fuels – the first of two sessions on the topic over the two-day event. As the momentum for decarbonising road transport continues to grow, we are delighted to confirm that Scotland’s Traffic Commissioner, Ms Claire Gilmore, will open the event on Wednesday 18 May and discuss compliance with Local Authority Transport Managers (LATMs). Joining Ms Gilmore on the opening panel will be: Paul O’Brien, APSE Chief Executive; Pam Walker, Waste and Recycling Manager at Aberdeen City Council; and André Lagendijk, Sales Manager at HYZON Motors.

Drawing on APSE’s latest research and surveys, Paul will detail the opportunities and challenges for local authority transport teams as the sector grapples with net zero targets, spiralling fuel prices and recruitment difficulties. Pam Walker will provide a case study on how her Council has introduced the UK’s first hydrogen RCV; the initial barriers to implementation and the benefits the project has wrought so far. On a similar note, André Lagendijk will offer a second overview of Aberdeen’s system, as well as a more general look at the future possibilities of hydrogen.

Scotland’s revised National Litter and Flytipping Strategy is at the top of the litter management agenda in Aviemore. Delegates interested in litter picking will be able to pick the brains of our expert panel of speakers, providing their perspectives regarding the new revised strategy and what the provisions will mean for local authorities. The panel includes: Paul Wallace, Campaigns and Social Innovation Manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful; Craig Fraser, Policy Officer, Scottish Environment Protection Agency; Kim Young, Manager – Litter and Flytipping Prevention, Zero Waste Scotland; and Stephen Egan, Head of Parks and Streetscene, Glasgow City Council.

On Day Two of the event, delegates interested in streetscene management can also hear from Debbie Sutton, Amenities Manager at Highland Council on undertaking a strategic review of play areas, along with Debbie Johns, Head of APSE Performance Networks, who will be shedding light on APSE’s Land Audit Management System (LAMS); a quality inspection app-based system for local authorities to monitor grounds maintenance and/or street cleansing.

Meeting the ongoing challenge of reducing food waste is arguably one of the most pressing issues currently facing local authority waste collection services so we hope our dedicated food waste session will give delegates something to chew on as they attempt to find solutions to the issue – 10 years on.

Alison McKinnie, Project Manager Organics at Zero Waste Scotland, will provide a general overview of the progress of food waste recycling across Scotland. Andy Sheridan, Team Manager of Collections and Street Cleansing at Aberdeenshire Council, will present a local perspective on the matter - information on the Council’s collection method and how it allows them to collect from their whole area despite much falling under the rural exemption. Delegates can also hear an islands-perspective on the issue, as David MacLeod, Head of Municipal Services at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, will discuss the vital role food waste plays in the Outer Hebrides Local Energy Hub.

Waste data and technology will also be a focus at the event. Mark Heggie, Senior Policy Officer at the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency will provide an in-depth look at the aims of a UK wide digital waste tracking service. With South Ayrshire Council investing in a bin app, John Morrison, Coordinator of Waste Strategy and Paul Dougall, Waste Management and Recycling Team Leader, will outline the motivation behind adopting the app and evidence of its success. Fife Council’s new in-cab technology will fall under the spotlight at Aviemore with Sandy Anderson, Service Manager of Waste Operations and Shaun Kenyon, Team Manager for Waste Operations, outlining the benefits of an integrated telematics and camera solution for accident investigation.

For the final session of the Seminar, we return our attention to alternative fuels for transport. Pat Taggart, Fleet Service Manager at Falkirk Council, asks whether Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil can be a stepping stone before going fully electric, outlining the progress of his Council’s trial. The reliability, ethics and running costs of electric fleets will be explored in detail by Dr Euan McTurk, Consultant Battery Electrochemist at Plug Life Consulting. For those delegates who are curious as to how to they can access funding for fleet decarbonisation, Gordon Manson, Programme Manager of Technical Projects at the Energy Saving Trust, will be on-hand to offer an overview of the support available to local authorities and any relevant funding.

Besides providing ample opportunities for learning though our Seminar sessions, APSE Scotland’s Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar is a key event for local government decision-makers and heads of service to come together and share best practice, while providing the opportunity – via the largest Scottish trade exhibition of its kind - to get to terms with the latest technological developments in fleet, equipment and ancillary supplies; from salt spreaders to asset management software. It is a space in which new partnerships can be developed with a view to transforming and enhancing local government frontline services.

As well as a chance to share best practice and network, the event in Aviemore is also an opportunity to recognise and reward excellence in the sector. The APSE Scotland Striving for Excellence Awards will take place at the end of Day Two at a dinner ceremony. The Awards were established to celebrate the hard work and commitment of individuals within local authority services in Scotland and this year over 30 submissions were received across the three categories – the largest number since the Awards were first introduced over 10 years ago. These categories include:

Parks, Grounds and Street Scene Award (sponsored by Brigade Electronics)
Waste and Recycling Award (sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland)
Fleet Award (sponsored by Geesinknorba Ltd)

Entry to the awards are now closed. You can view this year's finalists for the Gold Award here.

The Seminar will take place at the MacDonald Aviemore Highland Resort on Tuesday 17 to Friday 20 May 2022. It is an extremely valuable resource for local authorities and is not to be missed.

• To learn more about the APSE Scotland Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar please click here or contact Louise Melville on 01698 459051

Loch, stock and thought-provoking panels

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