Purpose

Proposed
decision:
Adoption of the revised Kent County Council
Environment Policy
 

Reason for the decision

 
Kent
County Council is certified to the international standard for
environmental management (ISO14001:2015). To meet the requirements
of the ISO14001:2015 Environmental Management standard, the Council
must regularly update and publish their Environment Policy to
ensure it is aligned to any new Strategies and Plans issued by the
UK Government and current environmental objectives and targets,
strategic direction and context of the organisation, including
aligning with county wide plans such as the Environment
Plan.
 

Background
 
The
Environment Policy revision has been prepared by the Environment
and Circular Economy team to ensure current information is included
and it meets the requirements of the ISO14001:2015 environmental
management standard.
 
The
Environment Policy is reviewed annually by the Corporate Management
Team to confirm the policy remains valid. The policy has a full
review/revision approximately every 3 years, unless there are any
significant changes which will lead to the policy being updated
sooner.
 
Options (other options considered but discarded)

 
1: Do nothing -
Retain existing policy which was last revised and published in
September 2020.
2: Approve a
revised policy - Approve a revised policy, which reflects
current priorities set out in new Strategies and Plans issued by UK
Government and at County level.
 
Preferred Option 
Option 2 is the
preferred option as to meet the requirements of the ISO14001:2015
Environmental Management standard, we need to update the
Environment Policy to align it with current strategies and plans,
UK and county wide. Option 1 is not an option if we wish to
continue meeting the requirements of the ISO 14001
standard.
 
How the proposed decision supports the

Framing Kent's Future
- Our Council Strategy 2022-2026
The decision supports
Framing Kent’s Future 2022-2026 priority 3 –
Environmental Step Change, which makes specific reference to our
environmental targets and objects, compliance with legislation,
protection of the environment, reducing our impact to the
environment, protection and enhancement of biodiversity and
ecosystems, sustainable resource use and climate change mitigation
and adaptation.
 
How the
proposed decision supports Securing Kent’s Future 2022
-2026: Securing Kents Future - Budget
Recovery Strategy.pdf 
The decision supports
Securing Kent’s Future as the updated policy will be there to
significantly reduce the risk of non-compliance with environmental
legislation. Not updating the policy will mean there is outdated
information and a greater risk of KCC being fined due to
non-compliance.
 
Secondly, having the
ISO 14001 certification opens up more funding opportunities, as
some funders may require this standard. Not updating the policy
will put KCC at risk of losing the certification and reducing
external funding opportunities, meaning to achieve our
environmental targets we will have to rely more on internal
funds.
 
 

Decision

As Cabinet Member for
Environment, I agree to:
 
(i)   
APPROVE the revised Policy for adoption and
implementation through the ISO14001 Environmental Management
Standard framework; and
 
(ii)  
To DELEGATE authority to the Director of Environment
and Circular Economy to take necessary actions including but not
limited to entering into relevant
contracts, or other legal agreements to implement this
decision