Last update:

23rd May 2008

Quick links:

Background

2004 Quality of life survey

Green Flag Awards in the SW

Action to improve local environment quality

What's in your backyard

In your garden– nature's calendar

Chewing gum litter research

Tranquillity

Pollution incidents

Fly tipping

Waste

Air quality

Noise pollution

Light pollution

Bathing waters

Useful websites:

ENCAMs

The Environment Agency - what's in your backyard

Cleaner, Greener, Safer Communities

Phenology - nature's calendar

Marine Conservation Society's Beach Watch 2003 report

Local Environment Quality

What's new on this page...

• Neighbourhood noise maps at the click of a mouse - Bristol & Bournemouth
• Neighbourhood Noise Strategy - due 2008
• Bristol achieves 59% reduction in chewing gum following 2007 campaigns
• Data available on Local Environmental Quality Survey at a local authority level 2006/2007
• Local Environmental Quality of Life Survey 2005/2006 - SW maintains the 2nd best local environmental quality in England

What is local environment quality?

The quality of our local environment (where we live, work or play) can have a dramatic effect on our quality of life.

Encams state that 'the condition of the place where they live – their town or village, or street – matters to most people. They want their home area to be cleaner, safer and more pleasant to live in and this survey is now widely recognised as providing the definitive view about the visible aspects the environment that affect people’s quality of life, whether they are residents, workers, visitors or investors.'

When we think of the environment, we tend to remember the big issues, such as acid rain or rain forest destruction, but overlook the things closer to home. Most of us live in towns and cities, so the design of urban spaces and buildings, the management of traffic, and the delivery of local services can have a dramatic effect on our quality of life. More immediately, uncontrolled anti-social behaviour and litter, vandalism, graffiti and dog fouling can make the difference between an area which is attractive and good to live in, and somewhere which appears run down and neglected. Neglect can lead to further vandalism, alienation of the local community and increased levels of crime.

2006/2007 Local Environmental Quality Survey (local authority level)

ENCAMS are carrying out an independent survey of local environmental issues, such as litter and graffiti, in every district council area in England between April 2006 and March 2008.

The aim of this work is to report on how much litter, graffiti and flyposting are found in each council area - on the street, in parks, town centres and other places that the public visit for work and recreation. It will also give councils detailed information on the nature and scale of any problems, helping them to improve standards.

Between April 2006 and March 2007, 174 council areas were surveyed. You can find the results for your council by selecting the relevant link below and then clicking on the individual council name.

If you can't find results for your council, it will be one of the remaining 180 council areas being surveyed between April 2007 and March 2008. Their results will be available on this site from around June 2008.

Results for South West local authorities can be found here (NB. results for the whole of Cornwall, parts of Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire & the Former Avon area are not yet available)

2005 / 2006 Local Quality of Life Survey (regional)

The fifth Encams Local Environmental Quality Survey was published in November 2006. This survey is produced from a representative sample of 54 local authorities across England and that captures over 12,000 individual items of data.

Key results include:

• An improvement in the headline litter indicator, which moved up to satisfactory for the first time.
• Litter at bus stops moved back into satisfactory, following a decline in the 2004 / 2005
• No move in the overall score of detritus since the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 surveys, although there was a significant decrease in standards on rural roads and other highways across the country. This deterioration had a negative impact on the BV 199a Benchmark, which fell from 19% to 24%.
• Leaf Fall, which mulches into detritus if not removed, has deteriorated in several land-uses and most regions.
• Weed growth standards deteriorated in residential areas, main roads and open spaces. However, this indicator remains satisfactory.
• Flyposting, Fly-tipping & Graffiti, the key environmental crime indicators remained good overall.
• The new cleansing-related indicator of wastes placed out came in at an overall Good.
• Smokers’ materials remained the most frequently recurring items of litter being present at 79% of all sites surveyed.
• Following the changes to the Licensing Laws in November 2005, there are as yet no indications of an increase in alcoholic drinks related litter on the streets.
• For the second consecutive year, West Midlands was the cleanest region in England.

Understanding the report

The Encams Local Environmental Quality Survey aims support Defra and other departments in raising the standard of
local environmental quality across England by providing data on a range of key indicators, including the sources and causes of poor quality environments and analyses of this data both by land-use class and region.

However, the report does not only inform, it also enables Government to set and monitor cleanliness targets through the Best Value Performance Indicator suite of BV 199 and so raise standards across the country.

The report measures trends in terms of Standard Quality Intervals, with one Standard Quality Interval (SQl) repsenting the a period over which a surveyor can reliably detect changes in standards. The scale ranges from +8 SQI (the highest score possible) to -8 SQI (the lowest score). These Standard Quality Intervals are then grouped into:

• Good (+8 - +5 SQl)
• Satisfactory (+4 - +1 SQl)
• Unsatisfactory (-1 to -4 SQl)
• Poor (-5 to -8 SQl)

Calculating the Local Environmental Quality Target Index is rather complicated but very simply equates to the following equation:

number of good & satisfactory scores for each element covered by the survey ÷ maximum score possible x the total number of local environmental elements covered under the land-use type multiplied by 4 = x 100 to express the result as a %

Full details of how the survey is calculated are available from Encams.

Local Environmental Quality Survey ranking and target index for the regions 2003/2004 - 2005/2006

NB. Removing public toilets from the survey means that it is not possible to make direct comparison between 2003/2004 and subsequent years. The Target Index by region for 2003/04 has now been recalculated, with the original scores represented in brackets.

South West results

The South West was awarded a Target Index of 65% in the 2005/2006 Encams Local Environmental Quality Survey (Encams, 2006). Key points raised by the survey of the region included:

• The amount of litter in the South West was satisfactory (scoring +1 SQl), mirroring the national average.
• Weed growth was also satisfactory (scoring +4 SQl), an improvement of 2 points on 2004/2005
• The amount of staining was satisfactory. However, the South West was one of only three regions to experience an overall improvement in staining between 2004/2005 and 2005/2006 (improving by one point from the unsatisfactory score of -1 to +1 SQl )
• Litter in landscape areas was satisfactory and improved by 1 point (from +2 SQl in 2004/2005 to +3 SQl in 2005/2006). This score was higher than the national average.
• Maintenance of landscaped areas was unsatisfactory, though improved by one point (from -2 SQl in 2004/2005 to -1 SQl in 2005/2006). This score was higher than the national average.
• Litter at bus stops was satisfactory and improved by one point (from +3 SQl in 2004/2005 to +4 SQl in 2005/2006)
• Staining at bus stops was unsatisfactory, declining 2 points from satisfactory in 2004/2005 (from +2 in 2004/2005 to -1 SQl in 2005/2006)
• Leaf fall was good, though declined by one point (from +6 SQl in 2004/2005 to +5 SQl in 2005/2006)
• The condition of litter bins was unsatisfactory, declining one point on 2004/2005 (from -1 SQl in 2004/2005 to -2 SQl in 2005/2006)
• The degree of fill of litter bins was good and remained at the maximum score of +8 SQl.
• The condition of steps was unsatisfactory and declined by one point on 2004/2005 (from -3 SQl in 2004/2005 to -4 SQl in 2005/2006).

Local authorities reduce chewing gum litter by two thirds through Government backed campaigns

Local authorities that have taken part in public awareness campaigns have cut chewing gum litter in their areas by an average of 58%, figures published by Defra (2007) show.

Building on the success of last year, 16 local authorities took part in this year’s round of campaigns that aimed to educate people about the responsible disposal of chewing gum and the financial penalties that offenders face.

This year’s average reduction is an improvement on the 37% achieved in the last round of campaigns, with authorities in Blackpool and Oxford reporting as much as 85 and 86% less chewing gum litter.

The public awareness campaign adverts were designed, co-ordinated and supported by paid-for advertising provided by the Chewing Gum Action Group, which is chaired by Defra and made up of industry representatives.

Local authorities supported the campaigns by running their own initiatives, to inspire positive behaviour change from gum droppers. Initiatives included a diverse range of activities: local launches, “grime scene investigations”, street theatre, stalls and pledges, that were supported by local business as well as community and youth groups.

An important element of the campaigns was an increase in the visibility of enforcement and fines for gum litter. Each local authority campaign ran for a four week period between August and September 2007. Streets were cleansed of chewing gum litter before the campaigns were launched and after they had finished, so that accurate counts of chewing gum litter could be taken to provide this year’s results.

2007 participants, and the reduction in gum litter as a result of the campaigns were:

The Chewing Gum Action Group is making plans for further campaigns in 2008. More information about this will be available in the New Year.

Action to improve local environment quality

The Government launched the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill on the 8th December 2004. Specific measures of this bill include:

• Powers to remove abandoned cars from the streets immediately, before they can become eyesores which attract criminal behaviour
• New powers to gate nuisance alleyways that attract anti-social behaviour
• A range of new powers to deal with fly tipping and litter
• New measures to help local authorities deal with noise from burglar alarms and pubs
• Greater use of fixed penalty fines, which for the first time will be made available to parish councils

For a simple overview of this bill and its powers visit the Defra focus page on the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill or for full details of the bill (including a full outline of powers) visit the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill website.

Green Flag Awards

The Green Flag Award is the national standard for parks and green spaces in England and Wales. The award scheme began in 1996 as a means of recognising and rewarding the best green spaces in the country. It was also seen as a way of encouraging others to achieve the same high environmental standards, creating a benchmark of excellence in recreational green areas.

Awards are given on an annual basis and winners must apply each year to renew their Green Flag status. Throughout the land the owners, managers and staff of many parks and green spaces work tirelessly to ensure their application for the prestigious Green Flag Award is successful. The number of applicants increases year after year and, with this increasing interest in the scheme, it is clear the Green Flag Award scheme is a resounding success.

A record 423 Green Flag Awards have been awarded to sites across the country for 2006 / 2007, a 32% increase on 2005 / 2006. In addition, 74 community run sites were awarded Green Pennants and 21 sites achieved Green Heritage Site Accreditation.

41 sites in the South West have been given the Green Flag Award in 2007/2008, an increase on 33 in 2006/2007, the 27 awards in 2005/2006 and the 17 awards in 2004/2005.

48 sites in the South West have been awarded the Green Flag Award, a record number for the region and the 3rd highest in England & Wales. This reveals a significant increase on the 27 awarded sites in 2005/2006.

South West Green Flag Award Parks

Source: Green Flag Award, ODPM (2008)

Happy planet index

The Happy Planet Index is an index of human well-being and environmental impact, from the New Economics Foundation (NEF). It aims to show that people can live long, happy lives without consuming large amounts of the Earth's resources.

The Happy Planet Index (HPI) is an innovative new measure that shows the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered. It is based on consumption levels, life expectancy and happiness, rather than national economic wealth measurements such as GDP.

Results of the 2006 178-nation Happy Planet Index lists the south Pacific island of Vanuatu as the happiest nation on the planet, while the UK is ranked 108th. The small island state of Vanuatu is situated in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean, and has a population of 209,000. Its economy is built around small-scale agriculture and tourism.

Latin American nations dominate the top 10 places in the index, while African and Eastern European nations fill most of the bottom 10.

Among the world's largest economies, Germany is ranked 81st, Japan 95th, while the US comes in at 150th.

Nef is calling for the adoption of a "global manifesto for a happier planet" that will list ways nations can live within their environmental limits and increase people's quality of life. The recommendations include:

• Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger
• Recognising the contribution of individuals and unpaid work
• Ensuring economic policies stay within environmental limits

How happy are you?

Find out how happy you are by completing the simple personal Happy Planet Index survey

How happy are we in the South West?

A recent YouGov questionnaire has been finding out how happy we are in England. Middle class people in the South West had the highest number responding 'very happy', whilst the South East had the lowest with just 28%.

Which region is the happiest - happiness index chart

1. South West
2. West Midlands
3. East Midlands
4. East of England
5. London
6. North East/West
8. Yorkshire and The Humber
9. South East

YouGov quizzed more than 2,500 people from social classes A, B and C1 across England, asking them four questions about happiness at home and at work, work-life balance and stress.

It is though that the key reason behind the high levels of happiness in the region are the less frenetic lifestyle in rural areas compared with urban areas. More industry and large populations do not mean that people talk to each other.

Cary Cooper, professor of psychology at Lancaster University, said the sheer physical glamour of the South West's environment - from its beaches to the moors - helped produce a feeling of well-being, but that was not enough. "The key is that people like to live in a community and that's not possible in a big city. There's everything in urban areas - films, theatre, public transport, but there is an anonymous feel to the big urban area."

When compared with the rest of England average, people in Cornwall reported higher levels - up to 4% - of well-being at home (37%) and at work (18%), work-life balance (12%) and lower stress levels (27%).

The South West also enjoys one of the lowest stress figures. Business leaders hope it will encourage more to relocate to Cornwall, which while being apparently happy, is also the poorest county in England. The current annual gross domestic product in the region is just 65% of the UK average.

Liveability funding for a better quality of life

Whether you live in a crowded town or out in the country with poor transport connections, having useful communal green spaces on the doorstep can add hugely to the quality of life.

But, they can be seen as a low priority when councils are juggling their budgets - which is why the Government introduced a ‘Liveability Fund’; a special pot of cash to develop and preserve public open spaces, encourage community involvement and provide training in ‘green’ skills.

GOSW processed the South West bids for a share of the money on behalf of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Three were successful; one in Cornwall, another in Gloucestershire and the third in North Dorset, where a £3.7 million grant is already being put to great use.

Further information: tel 0117 900 1747 steve.bone@gosw.gsi.gov.uk

Litter: chewing gum

New research has just been published by Defra (1st November, 2004) which looks into the reasons behind why people throw chewing gum onto the floor rather than into a bin.

Research into Gum Droppers was intiatied in October 2003, when the Chewing Gum Action Group was formed by Defra Minister Alun Michael. This group brings together gum manufacturers, the Local Government Association, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management, Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS), the Department for Education and Skills and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to seek sustainable solutions to irresponsible gum disposal.

Work has concentrated on campaign activity, education, dissemination of good practice and more effective enforcement. The Group commissioned Marketing Works Ltd to do detailed market research into the behaviour of gum droppers, which will inform a public awareness campaign.

Details of the Gum Droppers Segmentation Survey are available from Defra.

Cleaner, Greener, Safer Communities

If you want more information on improving your local environment or find out about how others are going about it then visit the Cleaner, Greener, Safer Communities website.

Government, community groups and charities are working hard to deliver projects, funding and ideas to help make all our communities cleaner, safer and greener creating places that people feel proud of.

This website brings together information (including web links, relevant policies & reports) and support to inspire individuals, communities, local authorities, businesses and others to use, improve, maintain and own their parks, green spaces and streets.

Cleaner communities includes information on:

• Litter
• Graffiti
• Fly tipping
• Clean ups
• Gum deposition
• Dog fouling
• Fly posting

Greener communities includes:

• Countryside conservation
• Parks and gardens
• Streets and neighbourhoods

Safer communities includes:

• Abandoned vehicles
• Begging
• Wardens
• Noise
• Harrasment
• Transport and roads
• Prostitution
• Vandalism
• Street lighting

Communities includes:

• Teachers and youth leaders
• Voluntary and community groups
• Local authorities
• Businesses
• Charities and agencies

What's in your backyard?

'What's in your backyard/?' is an online facility giving access to the Environment Agency's environmental data for England and Wales. Date currently available includes:

• Bathing Waters - What's the water quality like at my local beach?
• Discharges to Sea - What substances are being released to the sea?
• Groundwater - Where are activities restricted to protect water supplies?
• Floodplains - Is my house near a potential area of flooding?
• Flood Warning Areas - What is the current flooding situation?
• Landfill Sites - Do I live near a landfill site?
• Pollution Inventory - What pollution is being emitted from industrial sites in my area?
• IPC OPRA Scores - How does the Agency rate the pollution hazards and operation of my local factory?
• Waste OPRA Scores - How does the Agency rate the pollution hazards and operation of my local waste facility?
• River Quality - What's the water quality like at the river near my home?
• River Quality Targets - What targets have been set for my local river?
• Agency Offices - Where is my local Environment Agency office?
• Catchment Abstraction Management Strategies (CAMS) - How is water managed in my local area?
• Urban Waste Water Treatment - "What affect does my local sewage works have on the nutrients of it's associated sensitive area?"
• Hi-Flows - "What is the peak flood level recorded at my local gauging station?"

To find out what's in your backyard visit the Environment Agency's website

What's in your garden - nature's calendar

Phenology, the science of recording natural regularly occurring events, already provides some of the longest written biological records in Britain.

In autumn 2000 the Woodland Trust forces joined with the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology to promote phenology to a far wider and larger audience.

Over 15,000 people across the UK are now actively involved with the UK Phenology Network, collecting valuable information on seasonal occurrences in order to help to demonstrate how climate change is affecting our wildlife and habitats.

Live maps, trends and data is all available online to help track nature's calendar, such as the first signs of spring or species distribution.

For more information or to get involved, visit the Nature's Calendar website