Environmental Protection UK may be the oldest NGO in the country but chief executive James Grugeon is intent on making it an organisation of the 21st century.

For James that means utilising the benefits of having 1,800 environmental practitioner members.

He says, “They are academics, people working in the business community or local authorities, but all at the sharp end of delivery of national policy looking at air pollution, contaminated land, noise and nuisance.”

To take full advantage of the expertise available to them, EPUK has set up a social enterprise arm which delivers local community projects linked to various national focuses such as planning, energy, waste and climate change, in order to find out what does and doesn’t work and make recommendations back to policy makers.

James says, “We’re a national charity but we’re based in Brighton and Hove and we have to be part of the city and part of the action happening here. That’s a real priority for me.”

Those local projects include working closely with Brighton and Hove 10:10, exploring the recent proposals for 20mph speed limits around the city and helping Brighton and Hove City Council deliver its sustainability strategy and One Planet Living agenda.

“I genuinely think Brighton and Hove can be one of the most sustainable cities in the UK, particularly with the current political leadership.

“What we’re doing here, we’re talking to other authorities across the UK, effectively being an extension of their sustainability arms and helping join together all the people in the town and city that need to be talking and working together to cut carbon and build sustainable communities.”