Annual Operating Plan 2024-2025
Introduction
Agency board report number: SEPA 24-25/002
Our Framework Document with the Scottish Government requires SEPA to have a corporate plan, agreed with Scottish Ministers, in place and published on our website. The corporate plan should inform the development of a separate Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for each financial year.
The approved Corporate Plan 2024-2027 was published on 28th March 2024. This paper sets out the development of the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) 2024-2025 and seeks agreement from the Agency Board.
SEPA is required to publish an annual operating plan for each separate year of the Corporate Plan. Our Corporate Plan 2024-2027 was recently published, and this report sets out the development of the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) 2024-2025, seeks feedback and agreement for its publication.
The Agency Board is asked to discuss the AOP 2024-2025 and provide feedback, including ahead of the Board meeting.
The Agency Board is asked to agree the AOP 2024-2025 for publication, subject to feedback provided.
The Agency Board is asked to note the timetable for publication of the AOP 2024-2025.
Donna Brodie, Fiona Carlin and Neil Deasley
- Nicole Paterson, Chief Executive
- Kirsty-Louise Campbell, Chief Officer Governance, Performance and Engagement
05 April 2024
Overview
The draft AOP is attached in Appendix A. It focuses on the five strategic priorities established in the Corporate Plan:
- Net zero
- Climate resilience
- Water environment
- Resource efficiency
- Business environmental performance
Each priority includes ‘what we do’ describing our core activities and business as usual as well as areas of focus for 2024-2025. These areas of focus are:
Net Zero
- Pilot an outcome based and collaborative approach to regulation in the Grangemouth Industrial cluster.
- Identify priority sites for industrial decarbonisation.
- Implement our net zero route map 2024-2026.
Climate resilience
- Enhance our flooding approach, systems and products based on community and partner research and feedback.
- Consult on and publish an updated set of Potentially Vulnerable Areas.
- Publish updated surface water flood hazard maps.
- Implement the recommendations of user research on our drought information products.
- Deliver a programme of engagement with land managers to discuss options for drought adaptation to improve their water resilience.
Water environment
- Deliver projects that restore rivers and remove or ease barriers to migratory fish.
- Implement our Sea Lice Regulatory Framework at marine pen fish farms.
- Implement innovative e-DNA and chemical screening methodology.
Resource efficiency
- Deliver actions in the National Litter and Fly-tipping Strategy on digital disruption of illegal waste collection and landowner roles and responsibilities.
- Prepare for the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility reforms.
- Progress the implementation of digital waste tracking.
Business environmental performance
- Enhance capability to tackle environment crime.
- Consult on proposals for a new environmental performance assessment scheme.
- Progress the implementation of an integrated and simplified authorisation framework.
The AOP also contains some performance measures. It is recognised that there is scope to improve our strategic planning and performance framework to ensure the golden thread running from Government priorities and policies, through our Corporate Plan and AOP and through to operational delivery and performance measures. The AOP reflects our commitment to develop that framework over the next 12 months.
The AOP reflects the budget settlement for SEPA 2024-2025 and all areas of focus are resourced for delivery.
An Equality Impact Assessment has been carried out for the AOP and will be published ahead of the internal launch. An Island Communities Impact Assessment has also been carried out.
The AOP 2024-2025 has been developed to align with the Corporate Plan 2024-2027. In doing so, a strategy mapping exercise was carried out with the Corporate Leadership Team and Portfolio Leadership Teams, highlighting key milestones from the Corporate Plan, areas of focus and performance measures. This exercise provided a strong foundation from which to build the key components of the AOP.
Throughout the development of the AOP, engagement and consultation has been held with the Corporate Leadership Team, Portfolio Leadership Teams and the Scottish Government to receive feedback and refine content. The AOP will be designed once all feedback has been received and final amendments made. The design will mirror the style adopted for the Corporate Plan and a sample design will be provided to the Agency Board prior to its meeting on 16 April 2024.
The AOP should be published as close to the beginning of the financial year as possible. An internal launch is planned for 25 April 2024 followed shortly thereafter with an external launch on 30 April 2024.
It is appreciated that Board Members may wish to discuss the development of the AOP in more detail and provide feedback ahead of the Board Meeting. Should this be the case, the AOP team would welcome the opportunity and meetings can be arranged with the team (Donna Brodie, Neil Deasley and Fiona Carlin) via the Clerk to the Board.
Recommendations
The Agency Board is asked to discuss the AOP 2024-2025 and provide feedback.
The Agency Board is asked to agree the AOP 2024-2025 for publication, subject to feedback provided.
The Agency Board is asked to note the timetable for publication of the AOP 2024-2025.