Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010
Under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 we have, along with other public bodies in Scotland, a duty to publish annual public statements relating to our expenditure in the following areas:
- Public relations
- Overseas travel
- Hospitality and entertainment
- External consultancy
There are further duties to publish certain information relating to the purchasing of goods, the remuneration of employees, and the steps we have taken to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and economy in our performance as well as the promotion of sustainable growth. The statement covers the period April 2023 – March 2024.
Public relations
| Area | 2023-24 costs |
|---|---|
| Communications & Marketing | £1,167,138 |
| Digital Communications | £13,987 |
| Employee Engagement & Public Affairs | £27,035 |
| Advertising | £151,707 |
| Total Public Relations | £1,359,867 |
Public relations costs reflect the total cost of communications for SEPA incurred in the promotion or publicity of SEPA or the services it provides.
Overseas travel
| Type of cost | 2023-24 costs |
|---|---|
| Flights/rail | £14,573 |
| Hotels | £10,697 |
| Expenses | £1,013 |
| Conference costs | £507 |
| Total overseas travel costs |
£26,790 |
The above costs include travel to and from the UK; the full cost of travel in connection with the trip from departure until return, and not simply the cost of the journey itself.
Hospitality and entertainment
| Type of cost | 2023-24 costs |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | £1,332 |
| Catering | £12,891 |
| Room hire including catering | £35,892 |
| Gifts | £140 |
| Total hospitality and entertainment costs | £50,255 |
Hospitality and entertainment include any gifts, meals, receptions accorded by a public body to its members or employee or third parties for whatever reason. The payment of travel and subsistence allowances and the reimbursement of expenses that are reasonably incurred in relation to service as a member or employee of a public body are excluded.
Hospitality includes the cost of gifts, receptions, and events. Catering includes the provision of lunches and refreshments for meetings and training on or offsite.
External consultants
| Area | 2023-24 costs |
|---|---|
| Flood | £134,085 |
| Regulation | £96,778 |
| Organisation and corporate | £87,921 |
| Total external consultants costs | £318,784 |
Scottish Government guidance on consultancy used a definition of ‘external consultancy’ as “Investigating problems, providing analysis or advice, or assisting with the development of new systems, new structures or new capabilities within the organisation. The main areas of spend within this area include assistance with the creation of a new Job Evaluation Service, Stakeholder Engagement and Research & Development work.
Payments with a value in excess of 25k
Payments include all individual payment transactions, including payments for goods and services, grants or grant-in-aid to third parties and transactions with government departments or other public bodies. It does not however include information relating to remuneration or other payments made to an individual in relation to their service as a member or employee of a public body (including officeholders and company directors or secretaries), such as salary, bonuses, allowances, fees, pension, voluntary severance, compromise agreements or redundancy payments. The below table provides a full list of individual transactions in excess of £25,000, in alphabetical order of account name.
| Supplier | Description of spend | Amount (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Hardware maintenance | Insight Direct UK | 47,302 |
| Computer Hardware PCs | HP Inc UK Limited | 24,603 |
| Computer Hardware Servers | Insight Direct UK | 50,803 |
| Computer Hardware Servers | Kisters AG | 62,007 |
| Computer Hardware Servers | Pulsant (South Gyle) Limited | 54,944 |
| Computer Hardware Servers | Pulsant (South Gyle) Limited | 263,411 |
| Computer Hardware Servers | Pulsant (South Gyle) Limited | 317,566 |
| Consultancy Fees | BDO LLP | 46,297 |
| Consultancy Fees | Bemeans Ltd | 66,360 |
| Consultancy Fees | BT Global Services | 63,000 |
| Consultancy Fees | Chatter Communications Limited | 25,860 |
| Consultancy Fees | Chatter Communications Limited | 25,860 |
| Consultancy Fees | Forton Coaching Limited | 43,200 |
| Consultancy Fees | Jacobs U.K. Limited | 30,745 |
| Dilapidations | Forestry and Land Scotland | 134,497 |
| Dilapidations | HAK Properties | 65,000 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 26,024 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 28,070 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 28,091 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 31,260 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 41,555 |
Electricity |
EDF Energy | 42,287 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 46,867 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 47,098 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 47,326 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 47,590 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 47,989 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 48,126 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 48,169 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 50,000 |
| Electricity | EDF Energy | 54,729 |
| Equipment Maintenance Contract | Carekem Limited | 26,125 |
| Equipment Maintenance Contract | Scrimsign (Micro-Electronics) Limited | 37,228 |
Equipment Purchase |
CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science ) | 60,000 |
| Equipment Purchase | CEFAS (Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science ) | 60,000 |
Equipment Purchase |
Daxan Limited | 35,947 |
| Equipment Purchase | Gasmet Technologies (UK) Limited | 46,463 |
| Equipment Purchase | Insight Direct UK limited | 51,880 |
| Equipment Purchase | OTT HydroMet Ltd | 95,089 |
| Equipment Purchase | Parks of Hamilton Ltd | 30,372 |
| Equipment Purchase | Parks of Hamilton Ltd | 30,372 |
| Equipment Purchase | PerkinElmer AES (UK) Limited | 80,365 |
| Equipment Purchase | Quorum Cyber Security Limited | 100,302 |
| Equipment Purchase | Wolf Laboratories Ltd | 37,968 |
| Equipment Purchase | Xylem Analytics UK Ltd | 81,468 |
| Equipment Purchase | Xylem Water Solutions UK Ltd | 26,840 |
| Equipment Purchase | Xylem Water Solutions UK Ltd | 55,440 |
| Equipment Purchase | Xylem Water Solutions UK Ltd | 55,440 |
| Equipment Purchase | Xylem Water Solutions UK Ltd | 83,758 |
| External Audit Fee | Audit Scotland | 25,387 |
| General Advertising | STV Central Ltd | 50,000 |
| Hydrological Supplies | Kisters AG | 29,423 |
| Hydrological Supplies | Thistle Design (MMC) Ltd | 27,426 |
| Insurance Running Costs | James Hallam Limited T/A James Hallam Corporate | 38,031 |
| Legal Contingency | Pinsent Masons LLP (Glasgow) | 31,680 |
| Legal Contingency | Pinsent Masons LLP (Glasgow) | 37,361 |
| Licences | CDSM Interactive Solutions Ltd | 33,594 |
| Licences | UK CEH Enterprise Limited | 51,711 |
| Maintenance Contracts -Hardware | Insight Direct UK Limited | 45,985 |
| Met Office Supplies | Meteorological Office | 110,916 |
| Met Office Supplies | Meteorological Office | 110,916 |
| Met Office Supplies | Meteorological Office | 110,916 |
| Met Office Supplies | Meteorological Office | 110,916 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Aberdeen City Council | 25,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural affairs) | 25,908 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Dumfries & Galloway Council | 75,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Dumfries & Galloway Council | 95,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | East Renfrewshire Council | 650,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Ebsford Environmental Limited | 33,273 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Edinburgh and Lothians Greenspace Trust | 115,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Environment Agency IMR - Digital Services | 43,212 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Fife Council | 850,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Glasgow City Council (Funding/Grants) | 35,375 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Glasgow City Council (Funding/Grants) | 35,375 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Glasgow City Council (Funding/Grants) | 100,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Glasgow Science Centre | 28,800 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Green Action Trust | 40,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Havforskningsinstituttet | 200,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Inverness College UHI | 200,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | JBA Consulting | 45,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | JBA Consulting | 31,081 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | National Oceanography Centre | 400,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Renfrewshire Council | 85,000 |
Partnership Project Contributions |
Tweed Forum | 150,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | Tweed Forum | 187,000 |
| Partnership Project Contributions | West Lothian Council | 422,000 |
| Professional Services | Anderson Marine Surveys Ltd | 97,462 |
| Property Maintenance | Castle Group Scotland Limited | 30,499 |
| Property Maintenance | M.A.M. Contracting Limited | 53,794 |
| Property Maintenance | M.A.M. Contracting Limited | 105,882 |
| Property Maintenance | Morrison & Murray Engineering Ltd. | 35,280 |
Property Maintenance |
Morrison & Murray Engineering Ltd. |
38,298 |
| PRW Monitoring Recharge | Environment Agency | 351,876 |
| Rates | Aberdeen City Council | 219,556 |
| Rates | Highland Council | 41,902 |
| Rates | North Lanarkshire Council | 260,952 |
| Rates | Stirling Council | 144,100 |
| Recruitment Advertising | Conexia Limited T/A Veredus | 30,600 |
| Recruitment Fees | Conexia Limited T/A Veredus | 55,200 |
| Rent | Knight Frank LLP | 95,038 |
| Rent | Knight Frank LLP | 95,038 |
| Rent | Knight Frank LLP | 95,038 |
| Rent | Knight Frank LLP | 95,038 |
| Rent | Shelborn Asset Management Limited | 204,015 |
| Rent | Shelborn Asset Management Limited | 206,798 |
| Rent | Shelborn Asset Management Limited | 207,075 |
| Rent | Shelborn Asset Management Limited | 207,075 |
| Rent | Shelborn Asset Management Limited | 207,075 |
| Rent | The City of Edinburgh Council | 66,744 |
| Rent | The City of Edinburgh Council | 80,093 |
| Rent | The City of Edinburgh Council | 80,093 |
| Rent | The Scottish Government | 50,566 |
| Rent | The Scottish Government | 26,626 |
| Rent | The Scottish Government | 26,626 |
| Repairs | CBRE Managed Services Ltd | 39,663 |
| Repairs | CBRE Managed Services Ltd | 217,850 |
| Repairs | CBRE Managed Services Ltd | 268,235 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | Food Standards Agency | 36,292 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | UK Health Security Agency - CRCE (Glasgow) | 30,747 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | UK Health Security Agency - CRCE (Glasgow) | 88,477 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | UK Health Security Agency - CRCE (Glasgow) | 99,502 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | UK Health Security Agency - CRCE (Glasgow) | 99,502 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | UK Health Security Agency - CRCE (Glasgow) | 99,502 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | UK Health Security Agency - CRCE (Glasgow) | 104,477 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | University of Stirling | 29,133 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | University of Stirling | 30,626 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | University of Stirling | 34,578 |
| Radioactive Substance Monitoring | University of Stirling | 35,330 |
| Service Charge | Forestry and Land Scotland | 152,596 |
| Service Charge | The Scottish Government | 31,387 |
| Software – Information systems | Academia Limited | 27,879 |
| Software – Information systems | Quorum Cyber Security Limited | 179,593 |
| Software – Information systems | Quorum Cyber Security Limited | 83,615 |
| Software – Business | BT Global Services | 60,000 |
| Software – Business | BT Global Services | 60,000 |
| Software – Business | BT Global Services | 60,000 |
| Software – Business | BT Global Services | 252,800 |
| Software – Business | DHI Water Environments (UK) Ltd | 31,910 |
| Software – Business | UK CEH Enterprise Limited | 38,250 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Deltares | 65,966 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 39,882 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 46,752 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 47,954 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 51,218 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 52,610 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 55,407 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 57,088 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 57,272 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 68,680 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 67,750 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 29,807 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 80,346 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Insight Direct UK Limited | 67,436 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Jacobs U.K. Limited | 30,500 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Kisters AG | 65,198 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Police Digital Service | 41,675 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Revvity Signals | 75,230 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UK CEH) | 25,140 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Unit4 Business Software Limited | 60,810 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Wallingford Hydro Solutions Ltd | 25,420 |
| Software Maintenance - Business | Wallingford Hydro Solutions Ltd | 30,011 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | Company Net Limited | 71,837 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | Computacenter Ltd | 71,076 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | ESRI (UK) Ltd | 167,691 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | Insight Direct UK Limited | 42,029 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | Labware Ltd | 63,486 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | Methods Business & Digital Technology Ltd | 85,306 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | NCC Group Security Services Limited | 47,532 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | NCC Group Security Services Limited | 47,891 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | NCC Group Security Services Limited | 83,211 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | Quorum Cyber Security Limited | 66,928 |
Software Maintenance – Information systems |
Quorum Cyber Security Limited |
538,778 |
| Software Maintenance – Information systems | Softcat | 690,010 |
| Subcontracted Work | JBA Consulting | 37,951 |
| Subscriptions | Bureau Van Dijk Electronic Publishing Limited | 27,240 |
| Survey Vessel Hire | The Scottish Government | 41,383 |
| Survey Vessel Hire | The Scottish Government | 49,899 |
| Survey Vessel Hire | The Scottish Government | 55,868 |
| Survey Vessel Hire | The Scottish Government | 101,594 |
| Survey Vessel Hire | The Scottish Government | 28,800 |
| Survey Vessel Rep/Maintenance | WB Bruce Ship Painters Ltd | 96,036 |
| Telephone | Environment Agency IMR - Digital Services | 49,563 |
| Telephone | Environment Agency IMR - Digital Services | 205,546 |
| Telephone | Vodafone Corporate | 29,606 |
| Telephone | Vodafone Corporate | 40,315 |
| Telephone | Vodafone (PNN) Cable & Wireless Comms | 230,226 |
| Training | The Scottish Government | 26,626 |
| Wide Area Network Costs | Capita Business Services Ltd | 31,142 |
| Wide Area Network Costs | Charterhouse Group | 105,299 |
| TOTAL | 17,555,801 |
Staff paid more than £150k p.a.
None.
Shared services
In the financial year 2023-2024, we provided accommodation for NatureScot at our Stirling building, Joint Nature Conservation and NatureScot at our Aberdeen building, and NatureScot at our Ayr building. These accommodations and associated services, including reception, were delivered by SEPA. We received a total contribution of £157,259 from these bodies for the year. Additionally, we received £9,146 as a shared partner contribution for essential roof repairs at Strathallan House, Stirling.
We contributed £605,216 towards the costs of nine buildings in 2023-2024. This included payments to the Scottish Government £213,079 for accommodation in Perth and Thurso, Forestry and Land Scotland £152,596 for accommodation in Edinburgh, NatureScot £32,257, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority £47,723, Department of Works and Pensions £80,217 for Shetland, and the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration £12,600 for Lochgilphead. We also paid the City of Edinburgh Council £66,744 for Waverley Court, Edinburgh.
When vacating Silvan House, Edinburgh, in 2023-2024, we paid £134,497 in dilapidation costs to Forestry and Land Scotland.
Partnership contributions (expenditure)
SEPA has committed to “partnership” being its principal way of delivering its outcomes.
SEPA supports partnership working projects, such as Scotland’s Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS) and participates fully and actively in the Rural Affairs, Food and Environment Delivery Board. Additionally, SEPA administers the Water Environment Fund on behalf of Scottish Government.
SEPA has continued to explore opportunities for shared services and shared accommodation to reduce costs, build on our record of partnership working, and reduce our impact on the environment, and supports a number of other organisations by contributing to an extensive range of projects. In 2023-2024 SEPA incurred costs of £4,553,779 that related to Partnership Contributions. 19 organisations received contributions of more than £25k totalling £4,241,934. These are listed in table 5 above.
Sustainability
Regenerative SEPA
We have set ourselves an incredibly ambitious target to become a regenerative organisation. By 2030 we aim to reduce all of our emissions and environmental impacts to zero or net zero, while, at the same time, taking action that repairs the environment. We have developed a two-year Regenerative SEPA routemap to start us on this journey.
By March 2024, we had reduced our direct emissions by 53% from 2006-2007. A fundamental component of our routemap is to involve our people in helping us meet our target. We have rolled out a bespoke Carbon Literacy training course for our staff which is accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project and enables them to achieve certification. This will be a key part of our work to become a regenerative organisation.
Our contribution to Sustainable Development Goals
Our work is integrated with environment goals set by Scotland and internationally. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
We are dedicated to contributing to the ambitions of the United Nations 17 sustainable development goals and the National Performance Framework for Scotland.
The National Performance Framework sets out 11 national outcomes and explains which sustainable development goals each outcome contributes to:
- Sustainable Cities and Communities - We provide advice to avoid development in areas of flood risk so that we are not increasing risk to people. We warn people so they can take action when flood is likely.
- Reduced inequalities - We regulate activities that could pollute water, air or land to keep communities safe. We apply the polluter pays principle to ensure that the costs are borne by those that impact our environment most.
- Industry innovation and infrastructure - We adopt Best Available Techniques when regulating industry to protect the environment in the best way possible. We are working with regulators and industry in Grangemouth to enable competitive strength to grow whilst transitioning to net zero.
- Responsible consumption and production - We are working with partners to deliver digital tracking of waste. This supports more efficient use of resources. We regulate waste management activities to protect communities and encourage recycling.
- Good health and wellbeing - As Scotland’s principal environmental regulator, we regulate activities that could pollute water, air or land.
- Life on land - We administer the Water Environment Fund, to restore rivers. We create new green river corridors in urban areas which can be used for active travel and recreation.
- Climate action - We monitor, forecast and report water scarcity and provide advice to water users to protect the water environment. We reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions and aim to become a regenerative organisation by 2030.
- Life below water - We monitor and report water quality at Scotland’s 89 bathing waters so people can enjoy them safely. We deliver River Basin Management Plans to protect and improve our rivers, lochs, estuaries, coastal areas and groundwater.
- Partnerships for the goals - We undertake work with international partners so that we can help them to build their capacity to protect and improve the environment.
- Clean water and sanitation - We provide regulator-to-regulator capacity building with Malawi’s key environmental institutions to help them to develop more resilient environmental systems.
Efficiency
We are expected to deliver annual recurring efficiency savings of at least 3% of our cash revenue grant in aid. The 2023-2024 budget was balanced by setting a staff vacancy savings target of circa 7% of our cash revenue grant in aid.
We have adopted and aligned with the Scottish Government’s procurement benefits reporting. In 2023-24 the organisational efficiencies achieved as a result of procurement activity equated to 6% of our contract spend with £415,670 cash savings and £396,351 non-cash savings realised.
Our annual expenditure was within the resource budget set by Scottish Government.