Corporate Performance Report 2023-2024 - Quarter 3

We restore rivers to allow fish migration, reduce flooding, improve biodiversity and create attractive green spaces. The first project is complete. Groundworks have started on the second project on the River Leven in Fife which is part of a wider partnership to develop a network of paths, gardens and parks next to the river to improve biodiversity and to learn from the area’s heritage. Groundworks will start on the third project on the Glazert Water (Lennoxtown) in quarter four. We are on track to achieve this measure.

We have achieved our target to open up 69km of river previously inaccessible to migratory fish with the removal of Garlogie dam and Crossmill Weir. We are continuing to issue licences for fish passage and working on scoping fish barriers for our future years’ programme. We have successfully achieved this measure.

Operators who carry out activities illegally have a detrimental impact on the environment, local communities and legitimate businesses. We are targeting our efforts to disrupt activities which are being carried out illegally. From April, we were aware of 327 illegal sites which mainly related to illegal waste activities, with 58 assessed as posing a high risk to the environment. We have reduced that number by 47 since the start of the year, including four in this quarter. We are on track to achieve this measure. From April, through thorough investigative work, we have added a total of 40 illegal sites (17 high risk) to our register with six of those (two high risk) added this quarter.

Figures taken on 14th January 2024.

The Integrated Authorisation Framework, established by the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018, is part of Scottish Government and SEPA’s Better Regulation Programme and aims to deliver a risk-based, proportionate system of environmental regulation. Planned implementation of the framework is on track with several milestones successfully met this quarter such as the completion of digital discoveries for services. We are on track to achieve this measure.

SEPA’s direct emissions had reduced by 52% compared to our 2006-2007 baseline. Although there has been progress, meeting our target will require significant and sustained reductions in emissions. Continued action on both buildings and travel is being taken. We are working to reduce our estate and share workspaces but remain affected by supply chain issues to replace our fleet vehicles.

Our 24/7 flood forecasting and warning service helps people, businesses, and communities to take action to protect themselves. We have issued all alerts and warnings on time this quarter during periods of exceptional flooding from three storms. A total of 141 regional flood alerts and 236 local flood warnings were issued. We are on track to achieve this measure.

Our updated flood maps will give local authorities, coastal communities and emergency responders the most up to date information on flood risk to allow them to make robust decisions about reducing and adapting to flood risk. In November we published an updated version of the flood maps. We have successfully achieved this measure.

We place a lot of importance on handling and responding to customer service complaints. We met all timescales for responding to complaints, closing 12 complaints in quarter three. We have responded to 91.7% of complaints against a target of 85% within statutory timescales. We are on track to achieve this measure.

We are committed to supporting our customers and openly providing the information they request. The percentage of Freedom of Information requests and Environmental Information requests responded to within statutory timescales has improved steadily over this quarter and a range of development work in this area is being undertaken to meet increasing demands. A key focus ahead of end of year is to achieve our target and measures are in place to support this objective as far as possible.