Our Waste team help clients to plan strategically, solve complex commercial issues, manage programmes or projects effectively and increase delivery confidence.
We have worked closely with DEFRA for several years managing its Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme and to initiate its savings Programme in 2013/14, which has already secured £145 million of savings. We provide an interface between the policy of central government and local delivery. Our teams offer extensive technical, commercial and procurement experience gained across public and private sector environments.
Waste services’ resources: how councils and contractors may collaborate in response to the COVID-19 emergency
Since the start of the COVID-19 emergency there has been a sharp and significant shift in levels of demand in particular segments of the waste services industry. Domestic purchasing patterns have changed, there has been a decline in demand in areas such as trade and commercial waste and many Household Waste Recycling Centres have been closed.
This situation is creating an imbalance in the amount of resources available to deal with different types of waste supply, with shortages of staff in some areas and under-utilisation in others. Guidance is being updated regularly by government and the waste management industry in relation to local authorities and waste and recycling. Critical advice and guidance may be found at these sources via the embedded links:
- Defra guidance on prioritising waste collection services
- Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum guidance on waste management activities
- CIWM briefing and guidance for the UK waste management sector
- ADEPT’s waste survey provides an up-to-date picture
We have produced a briefing note, “Waste services’ resources: how councils and contractors may collaborate in response to the COVID-19 emergency” to provide further guidance for waste authorities that are experiencing difficulties in balancing waste services resources as a consequence of contracting arrangements that are coming under stress because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Click here to access “Waste services’ resources: how councils and contractors may collaborate in response to the COVID-19 emergency”
In 2019 – 20 we helped our clients achieve:
Waste – England
We supported the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in the delivery of its Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme that helped 26 authorities manage their operational waste Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts with direct one-to-one support. We helped Defra support 40 authorities via its network groups and undertook contract management reviews and contract management training to help the public sector secure value for money from the contracted services.
We supported local authorities to prepare for the expiry of their PFI contracts and the re-procurement of facilities, and supported Defra with the review of projects that have met particularly complex contract challenges.
We undertook strategic waste management system reviews for councils within combined authority areas, which manage 24% of the municipal solid waste in England. This work identifies the potential service and environmental performance improvement and savings opportunities that arise from greater collaboration, consistent with the Resources and Waste Strategy and the EU Circular Economy aspirations. It drives a common understanding across local and central government and demonstrates that significant increases in recycling are possible for modest budget increases.
Our work with the Tees Valley councils showed that the joint procurement of a new energy recovery facility would provide long-term benefits. Waste from Newcastle City Council and Durham County Council increase the scale of the project and reduce annual project costs by a further £100m over the project term, illustrating the substantial benefits of collaborative working.
Waste – Wales
The final facility in the Welsh Government’s Waste Infrastructure Procurement Programme, the 190,000 tonnes per annum Parc Adfer Energy from Waste facility in North East Wales, reached full service commencement in December 2019. We provided commercial and programme management support to help complete the delivery phase of the programme that comprises two Energy from Waste and five anaerobic digestion facilities. We supported the 17 local authorities in the food waste programme and the 14 local authorities in the residual waste programme. This support, which includes commercial advice, contract management reviews and contract team training, aims to ensure the public sector’s investment in the programme is safeguarded.
In order to facilitate reduced frequency residual waste collections and achieve higher recycling rates the Welsh Government is prioritising the collection and treatment of absorbent hygiene products. With our co-ordination, and capital funding provided by the Welsh Government, 16 of the 22 local authorities in Wales have now agreed to collect this waste-stream separately. Working in partnership with the Welsh Government, participating local authorities and the Welsh Local Government Association, we have established a new governance and delivery structure to procure and deliver a treatment solution that demonstrates the benefits of local partnership and collaboration.
We supported the first sub-regional project for wood waste treatment. It seeks to create a cost-effective route for local authority wood waste to be recycled at scale rather than being sent to biomass incineration thus increasing overall recycling rates.
We have worked with the Welsh Government, local authorities and fleet manufacturers to establish the viability, cost and environmental benefits of a move towards an electrically-powered waste and recycling collection fleet.
For more information about what we have helped our clients achieve, see our 2019-20 impact report.
TESTIMONIALS
Local Partnerships’ abillity to step back from a problem and take a look at the bigger picture has been of great value to us. This has been very evident across all the work on which Local Partnerships provides support to Defra. In particular I would highlight the work with combined authorities to help take a broader and more strategic viewpoint on their collective waste management challenges.
Tony Hitching, Programme Manager, Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme, Defra
The relationship with Local Partnerships gives me invaluable access to commercial, procurement and project delivery expertise. They work flexibly, responding to our changing priorities.
Jasper Roberts, Deputy Director, Waste & Resource Efficiency Devision, Welsh Government
RESOURCES
Our Impact 2019-20
REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in the South WestRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in the South West.
Waste services’ resources: how councils and contractors may collaborate in response to the COVID-19 emergency
Our Impact 2018-19To celebrate our tenth birthday we have launched our 2018-19 impact report, celebrating the successes we have achieved over the…
Our Impact 2017-18In 2018 we produced our first impact report and we made a commitment to produce one every year. Our impact…
CASE STUDY: Identifying and delivering efficiencies in Waste, The Lichfield & Tamworth Waste PartnershipIdentifying and delivering efficiencies in waste for The Lichfield & Tamworth Waste Partnership (Shared services).
Planning to succeedThe work that our Infrastructure and Waste teams carry out boosts our clients’ capacity, capability and commercial skills. We act…- CASE STUDY: Identifying and delivering efficiencies in Waste, Hertfordshire Waste PartnershipIdentifying and delivering efficiencies in waste for the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, "Consortia for Recycling Materials"
- CASE STUDY: Identifying and delivering efficiencies in Waste, The Kent Waste PartnershipIdentifying and delivering efficiencies in waste for the The Kent Waste Partnership, "‘East Kent Joint Waste Project"
- REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in the West MidlandsRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in the West Midlands.
- REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in the LondonRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in London.
- REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in the East of EnglandRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in the East of England.
- REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in Yorkshire and the HumberRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in Yorkshire and the Humber.
- REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in the North EastRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in the North East.
- REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in the North WestRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in the North West.
- REPORT: Delivering waste efficiencies in the East MidlandsRegional review undertaken by Local Partnerships focusing on efficiencies achieved in waste management in the East Midlands.
Delivering Waste Efficiencies in the South EastThe eighth regional review undertaken by Local Partnerships. The report focuses on efficiencies achieved in waste and resource management by…
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OTHER AREAS OF OUR WORK
HOUSING
INFRASTRUCTURE
CLIMATE
RESPONSE
COMMERCIALISATION AND REORGANISATION
ENERGY
RE:FIT
ASSURANCE
HEALTH AND
SOCIAL CARE
PPP, PFI
AND MIM
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