Improving Sustainability and your business’ profitability – 16th March
We had a very successful event on Improving Sustainability and your business’ profitability at Dallas Dhu House last year, but were unable to run the repeat event in January at Brodie Castle due to poor weather. This, organised in conjunction with Visit Moray Speyside, will now take place at Brodie Castle on 16th March. Although there will be some elements that are most relevant to businesses with an interest on tourism, the event is open to all. Register for your free ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/making-sustainability-pay-for-your-business-tickets-538759603477
Deposit Return Scheme
The Deposit Return Scheme has been much in the press recently. It is a complex scheme, and there have been several changes in the plans, the most recent of which was announced by Circularity Scotland only on Tuesday last week. Although the basic premise of recycling more, especially plastic bottles, is laudable FABA, along with many other businesses and organisations, has concerns about the details of the scheme. These centre on the cost to businesses of the scheme and the very low levels of awareness by both the public and businesses of the scheme and how it will operate .
To remind you the basic idea is that producers will have to add 20p per drinks container they sell to their price and this flows down through the distribution system at the wholesaler and retail levels. Consumers will receive back the additional 20p they have paid on purchase of their drink if they recycle the containers in a Reverse Vending Machine. While this 20p should mostly rotate around the system there are other requirements on producers and retailers that will increase their costs. Increased supplier costs will ultimately either increase consumer prices or squeeze business margins. Neither is desirable.
There are also potential impact on the recycling of items out with the scheme, such as HDPT plastic and glass jars.
FABA has written to the elected representatives for Moray at local and national level and will be meeting with Richard Lochhead MSP this coming week to discuss these concerns .
Please let us know what you think. Are you aware of the details of the scheme? Are you worried about what the scheme means for your business? We do want to hear from you.
More information about the scheme can be found here: https://circularityscotland.com/
Moray Council is seeking your views on the future shape of Moray
Moray Council has launched a consultation and is seeking input from businesses and individuals.
Moray Council is preparing a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) and a new Local Development Plan (LDP). This will set out the long term vision for Moray. The first step in this work is to invite people to share their ideas, thoughts and views about how Moray should develop over the next 10 years and beyond. The RSS and LDP will shape how land and buildings are used which impacts on people’s lives e.g. work, travel, access to open space, play and health.
The Call for Ideas is looking for your input to help shape Moray as a whole and locally. This could include the following:
• Your big ideas for Moray – do you have a vision of Moray in 10-20 years or an idea for a big innovative project
• Your ideas on how we can tackle the climate and nature crisis
• Your ideas to help support town centres and regenerate previously used land or buildings
• Your ideas to encourage and facilitate employment, business and industry
• Your ideas to support rural areas
Ideas must be submitted by 30th June 2023
Further details are available at http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_146726.html?mc_cid=c63c0aa021&mc_eid=baf84117c7
FABA is thinking of holding an event in early May to gather input from members so that we can put forward a collective view for local businesses as well if businesses are interested.
Connectivity
We will be inviting you to a meeting to discuss the business implications of good telecommunications connectivity, or lack thereof, in April. Please look out for your invitation, and if you have a particular expertise or experience that you might share, perhaps as part of the panel, please let us know.
