(Avie) more, more, more - Previewing this year's event

The seminar that just keeps on giving, Louise Melville, APSE Principal Advisor for Scotland, provides a preview of the speakers, topics and themes of this year’s APSE Scotland Fleet, Waste and Grounds Seminar...

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

The annual event returns once again to the Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort and 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 rich variety of highly influential and knowledgeable speakers; offering those in attendance 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 Network – so that delegates can debate the latest challenges and opportunities in each sector.

Session One – sponsored by Groeneveld Beka

The Seminar will open with the keynote session: Looking to the future for fleet services – the first of two sessions on the topic over the event. As the momentum for decarbonising road transport continues to grow, we are delighted to confirm that the Head of Low Carbon Fleets and Infrastructure at Transport Scotland, Jamie Dunsmore, will open the event outlining the key net zero objectives of the Scottish Government, and the progress made thus far. Joining Jamie on the opening panel will be Phil Lloyd, Head of Engineering Policy, Logistics UK. Phil will be providing an update on the guide to maintaining roadworthiness and the implication for local authorities. Delegates will also hear from Andy Mitchell, the National Account Manager from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency on the current landscape of DVSA enforcement. 

Session Two

Flytipping is at the top of the litter management agenda in Aviemore this year. In Session Two, delegates will be able to pick the brains of our expert panel on how to develop and plan actions maximising efforts to tackle litter and fly-tipping. Paul Dougall, Co-ordinator of Neighbourhood Services at South Ayrshire Council, will shine a spotlight on the success of his Council’s Locality Neighbourhood Hit Squads. The revolutionary potential of technology in eradicating flytipping will be the topic of our next speaker, Frankie O’Rourke, Neighbourhood Liaison Manager at Glasgow City Council, highlighting how his authority utilises drones to create litter maps.

Session Three 

The issue of Persistent Organic Pollutants will be the topic of discussion for our expert panel. Providing an overview of the issues, delegates will hear from Mark Heggie, Senior Policy Officer at the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. How local authorities are managing POPs south of the border will be the focus of our next speaker, as Stuart Russo, Senior Technical Officer at Bradford Council, will talk through the challenges his authority has overcome so far as well as the difficulties which lie ahead. Our final speaker of the session, Bruce McLean, Managing Director at Optimum Eco Group, will provide analysis on POPs testing, in addition to WEEE recycling.

Session Four

Delegates interested in parks, grounds and green spaces will be invited to look at their services through the lens of sustainability and climate change. Colin Reid, Grounds Services Manager at South Lanarkshire Council, will explore alternatives to spraying weeds with chemicals (mainly glyphosate). Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and its relevance to local authority parks and greenspace teams will be the topic of our next speaker - Fiona Sutton-Wilson, Head of APSE Training. You can read more about APSE Training’s new BNG course for parks professionals on page 29. 

Session Five

Effectively incorporating circular economy ideas into operations is arguably one of the most pressing issues currently facing local authority waste collection services. For that reason, we have invited Jon Havens of the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Division to talk through the Government’s route map to a circular economy; the key priorities and progress made. Sandy Anderson, Service Manager in Waste Operations at Fife Council, will be up next to highlight the importance of a mentally healthy workforce, and what councils can do to drive positive change. Our final speaker of the session, David Gunn of Zero Waste Scotland, will unpack the Recycling Improvement Fund; how local authorities can get involved and case study examples of where the fund has helped.

Session Six – sponsored by Renault Trucks

For the final session of the Seminar, we return our attention to the future of fleet services. First up, delegates will be brought up to speed with alternative vehicle types by Bruce Moffat, Service Manager in Transport and Waste at East Lothian Council. As a member of the APSE Scotland Transport and Mechanical sub-group on alternative vehicle types, Bruce will be on hand to discuss the main aims of the group, how councils can get involved as well as future plans. The theme of investigating fleet replacements will continue with our next speaker, Paul Gray, Fleet Manager at Aberdeenshire Council. 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.

Rising Star Awards

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 Rising Star Awards will take place on the final day of the event at a dinner ceremony.

The Awards were established to celebrate the hard work and commitment of individuals within local authority services in Scotland. Categories include: 

• Parks, Grounds and Street Scene Award
• Waste and Recycling Award (sponsored by Zero Waste Scotland)
• Fleet Award

Entry to the awards are now closed.  

The Seminar will take place at the MacDonald Aviemore Highland Resort on Tuesday 23 to Friday 26 May 2023. 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 contact Louise Melville on 01698 459051 or click here.