This article appeared in the Autumn 2003 edition
of CL:AIRE view
Doug Laidler, Secretary of the Soil and Groundwater
Technology Association (SAGTA) and CL:AIRE's Chief Executive, Graham
Norris briefly outline the range of contributions and commitments
that SAGTA, through its Member organisations and representatives,
has made to support CL:AIRE from its formative stages in the mid
1990's
Formally launched in 1999, CL:AIRE has evolved into
a highly effective organisation, able to bring together the many
diverse range of stakeholders involved with contaminated land. From
its early formative stages CL:AIRE has now matured into a stable
well-respected organisation.
As one of the original funders and drivers of the
feasibility study that preceded its formation, SAGTA played a
significant role in CL:AIRE's emergence. Some 30% of the cost of the
initial study was funded by SAGTA and its individual Members
provided committed contributions to the consultation process via its
working groups, as well as hosting a number of the associated review
workshops.
Over the past four years SAGTA's continued
commitment to CL:AIRE has taken shape in a number of ways through
funding and contributions freely provided from its many expert
representatives As part of the initial funding support, SAGTA's
Members provided seed funding with leverage via Landfill Tax
Credits, of over £300,000 to support CL:AIRE's early development
stages. SAGTA's Members also committed to the provision of provide
additional funding commitments in the succeeding years to help
ensure CL:AIRE became stabilised as early as possible. In addition,
SAGTA has endeavoured to reinforce its continuing support for
CL:AIRE, with a further funding contribution as a specific gesture
to reinforce our enthusiasm for the initiative.
SAGTA's Member organisations have also devoted
significant time commitments to support CL:AIRE over this period
through their expert representatives. On an annual basis, this
amounts to some four man-months of dedicated support from senior
experts within the contaminated land community through reviews,
specific representation on the Board of CL:AIRE and through its
expert review panels.
At CL:AIRE's executive management level, SAGTA's
involvement covers:
- Chairman of CL:AIRE. As part of CL:AIRE's constitution, the
Chairman of CL:AIRE is drawn from SAGTA's Members. CL:AIRE'S current
Chairman is Phil Kirby of SecondSite Property Holdings.
- CL:AIRE's Board. SAGTA's Chairman and Deputy Chairman are permanent
Board Members in addition to CL:AIRE's Chairman.
- CL:AIRE's Advisory Boards. SAGTA members also sit on CL:AIRE's
advisory groups. CL:AIRE's User Group is chaired by Dr Seumas Munro,
SecondSite Property Holdings and Dr Gordon Lethbridge of Shell, is
CL:AIRE's Technology and Research Group Chairman.
SAGTA's contributions also extend to the technical day-to-day
outputs from CL:AIRE to support its research strategy and our Member
organisations also have a wide involvement in an array of many of
CL:AIRE's projects. This incorporates contributions and facilities
for research schemes as well as authoritative intellectual support
to the development and refinement of reports.
With CL:AIRE's position now quickly maturing into an essential
fixture of contaminated land management, SAGTA Members are
continuing with these various commitments to its objectives.
|