Meeting documents
Cabinet
Wednesday, 6th December, 2006
Appendix E
The Strategic Environmental Assessment and Sustainability Appraisal Process
The process of Sustainability Appraisal is an iterative process. Each significant stage in the preparation of the JWDPD and the JRMWMS will need to be accompanied by a report that appraises its sustainability.
The first stage in Sustainability Appraisal is the preparation
of a Scoping Report for consultation with relevant environmental
authorities and other stakeholders. These are the Environment
Agency, English Heritage English Nature and Countryside Agency (The
latter two agencies are now part of Natural England). The purpose
is to obtain their views and guidance on undertaking the subsequent
stages of the Sustainability Appraisal.
In accordance with Government guidance, the scope of the
Sustainability Appraisal is described in the following
terms:
The key sustainability issues in the West of England,
Criteria for the appraisals, and
Alternatives to be assessed.
These elements are described in the Scoping Report for the
Sustainability Appraisal of the West of England Waste Management
and Planning Strategy prepared on behalf of the four constituent
Authorities by consultants ERM which was funded through the DEFRA
Direct Consultancy Support Fund, part of the Waste Implementation
Programme Local Authority Support Unit.
Following consideration of the views and guidance of relevant environmental authorities and other stakeholders on the approach described in the Scoping Report (Stage A), future stages will be as follows:
Stage B - Developing, appraising and refining options.
Stage C - Appraising in detail the effects of the Preferred
Option(s) and documenting the process in the Sustainability
Appraisal Report.
Stage D - Consulting on the Sustainability Appraisal Report for
the Joint Waste Development Plan Document and the Joint Municipal
Waste Management Strategy.
Stage E - Monitoring and Implementation of the Plan.
In order that other stakeholders and the public may be kept informed as to the approach to appraising the sustainability of both the JWDPD and the JRMWMS, arrangements are being made to place a copy of the Scoping Report for the Sustainability Appraisal of the West of England Waste Management and Planning Strategy on the MACROBUTTON HtmlResAnchor www.rubbishorresource.co.uk website.
When published for consultation purposes, the Issues and Options document will need to be accompanied by an Initial Sustainability Appraisal. The arrangements for the preparation of this document, which will aim to ensure that the waste planning and waste management documents are prepared with the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development, are in hand.