Local government timber procurement policies

1. Local government timber procurement policies Case studies in North East England and Yorkshire & the Humber Duncan Brack Associate Fellow, Energy, Environment and Development Programme, Chatham House Illegal logging update and stakeholder consultation Chatham House, 9 July 2007

2. Public procurement: scale (1) • Environmental Audit Committee, 2002: central government 15% GDP; including PFI and local authorities, 40% • European Commission, 2002: UK 18.42% GDP • (OECD 2001 – average EU 9.24% GDP) • UK public expenditure statistics, 2005–06: total public procurement £130bn – 10.48% GDP • UK local authorities’ procurement (estimate): £35bn – 2.82% GDP

3. Public procurement: scale (2) • National Procurement Strategy for Local Government: local authorities’ procurement, 2003: £40bn (England) – 4.28% GDP (UK) • Procuring the Future: • Total public procurement, 2003–04: £150bn – 13.30% GDP • Local authorities’ procurement, 2003–04: £39.8bn (England) – 3.53% GDP • EAC figures suspect

4. Building regulations • BREEAM promotes use of sustainable and recycled timber in construction and maintenance • Based on accumulation of points • Major school projects must achieve ‘very good’ standard for central government funding • Voluntary Code for Sustainable Homes (2006) – also uses points-based system based on CPET assessment; minimum requirement of legal

5. WWF London survey 2005 • 26 of 33 London boroughs responded • Just over half had policies on timber and paper; only a quarter fully implementing • Just under half included purchasing criteria in tender specifications – strong endorsement of FSC • A third requested documentary evidence • Three councils collected data • Only two assessed as ‘forest-fair’

6. Chatham House case studies • 12 authorities in North East / Yorkshire & Humber • 7 positive responses to Meacher letter (2002) • 2 in contact with CPET • 2 recommended by NECE • 1 volunteered for workshop • Not representative – but ought to be best • Asked for information on procurement and specification policies for timber for construction, furniture for buildings and parks, paper

7. Case studies: findings • General sustainable procurement policy: 10/12 • Timber procurement policy (partial): 2/12 • Timber procurement policy (full): 3/12 • Knowledge of CPET: 1/12 • Of 7 positive responses to Meacher letter, 5 have no timber procurement policy • FSC (or equivalent) explicitly required by Kirklees, mentioned as example by Hull, Leeds, Newcastle; PEFC only mentioned by Newcastle • Only Kirklees had full monitoring (through EMS)

8. Case studies: points to note • Every local council is different • Structures will be different: centralised/decentralised • Responsible officers will be different: procurement, housing/construction, environment/sustainability – very difficult to contact • But general increase in interest in environmental issues, particularly recycling, climate change • Often find one enthusiastic officer • Elected members seem to play minor role

9. Possible steps forward • Compulsion; rewards and incentives; advice and assistance; education and awareness-raising • Legislation/targets? – very unlikely • Financial awards? (note beacon councils) • Inclusion in CPA? – possible • Use schools, housing standards • Networks, e.g. SOPO, RCEs, EMS – not Chief Execs • Elected councillors, LGA • Reputational risk – NGOs