Introduction
A sustainability analysis is a way of making sure environmental considerations are part of how the council makes decisions.
What a sustainability analysis is
A sustainability analysis is a structured assessment of how a proposed decision, project or service change could affect the environment. It helps the council meet its legal duties and the process helps:
- identify any possible sustainability impacts and how significant they are before a decision is made
- determine appropriate actions to maximise benefits and reduce any negative impacts.
Impact
The impact is the outcome of a proposed change to council decisions, policies, strategies or service delivery. It may be considered as:
- positive - improves sustainability
- neutral - no net impact
- negative - worsens sustainability.
Positive environmental impact examples
Some examples of a positive impact include:
- Insulating new or existing buildings to reduce energy use.
- Considering the full lifespan of goods and services, for example reusing or refurbishing IT equipment rather than replacing it.
- Planting native trees and plants around council assets to support local wildlife.
- Updating policies and strategies to take biodiversity into account.
Negative impact examples
Some examples of a negative impact include:
- Locating services away from public transport links, increasing the need for car travel.
- Procurement of non-recyclable materials, such as single-use plastics, which create unnecessary waste.
What the analysis considers
Our sustainability analysis looks at areas such as:
- resource and energy efficiency
- water use
- transport and fuel use
- preventing pollution
- waste management
- conserving and enhancing nature
- community, economy and education.
When to carry out a sustainability analysis
You should carry out a sustainability analysis for:
- reports going to cabinet, Full Council or a committee
- key decisions
- new services
- significantly changed services
- capital projects and major works.
You should also consider one for:
- smaller projects
- policy reviews that could affect land use or resources
- work involving third parties or contractors with an environmental impact.
Sustainability analysis stages
Our sustainability analysis is split into the following three stages:
- screening tool (stage 1) - considers the potential impacts of proposed changes
- sustainability analysis (stage 2) - completed if positive or negative impacts have been identified
- impact monitoring (stage 3) - records the actual impact during and after implementation.
Follow the steps below to complete stage 1 of the sustainability analysis.
Stage 1: Screening tool
The screening tool helps you to consider the potential (negative, neutral, or positive) impacts of a proposed change. It should be completed by the senior officer or manager responsible for the change.
1Fill in the paper form
If you are a senior officer or manager responsible for the change you should fill in the stage 1 form.
What you’ll need to include
You should evaluate both the positive and negative sustainability impacts, considering both internal and external factors.
You’ll need to include the:
- start date of the analysis
- officer, team and director details
- title of the proposed change
- type of change
- reasons for the change
- key performance indicators (KPIs) for the project
- impact of each sustainability areas and reasons and evidence to support this.
2Submit the form
Send your completed form to the sustainable development team. You can:
3What happens next
Once you have submitted your form, the sustainability team will review it and respond within 10 working days. Their response will include:
- a copy of your completed form, which will show an allocated reference number in the top right-hand corner
- whether you will be required to complete a stage 2 analysis and how you do this. If potential positive or negative impacts are identified you will be asked to complete the next stage.
Questions or concerns
If you have any questions or concerns or you’d like further advice on the sustainability analysis process, you can: