Pesticide Usage in Scotland: Local Authority Integrated Weed Control Survey - 2019

Appendix 3 – Financial burden of LA weed control survey

In order to minimise the administrative burden on LA this survey was conducted by email with a follow up email if necessary.

To determine the total burden that the survey placed on those providing the information, respondents were asked to estimate the time taken to provide the data requested.

Of the 28 LAs who provided information, 20 provided information about how long was spent on the data request.

The median time local authorities took to provide the information was 2 hours.

The following formula was used to estimate the total cost of participating:

Burden (£) = No. surveyed x median time taken (hours) x typical hourly rate*

(* using median "Full Time Gross" hourly pay for Scotland of £15.52⁽⁷⁾)

The estimated total financial burden, accounting for all local authorities' participation in the 2019 weed control survey, was £869.