Overview
The South West Centre of Excellence (a member of the LIFT SW Partnership) has set-up a new Waste Services Programme to assist local authorities identify and realise efficiency savings in this important sector. The programme is particularly focused on progressing partnership or coordinated working.
Eunomia Research & Consultancy, a Bristol-based waste consultancy, have been engaged to set-up and run the first phase of the programme which is intended to strengthen cross-boundary links between regional LA waste services professionals (and other stakeholders) and to support the identification and development of multi-authority projects to achieve more efficient service delivery.
Background
South West Local Authorities manage approximately 3 million tonnes of waste per annum at a cost of some £300 million. Waste is a key focus for the achievement of service efficiencies and there is a need to build on existing successes in the region.
Objectives
The Waste Service Programme will:
- Help local authorities achieve efficiency savings in their waste management activities
- Provide focused support / interventions on business case development, partnership working and collaborative contracting
- Share regional and national good practice in waste management across authorities
- Increase the utilisation and sharing of technical and contract documents
- Map sub regional plans and contract pipelines (including disposal facilities)
- Convene and support regular network meetings of SW Waste Officers
- Prove case (or otherwise) for a regional resource in waste management.
Types of Engagement
Delivery of business support packages are at the heart of the programme. By building a local and practical evidence base, proving the gains that can follow from partnership working, it is intended that the programme will build skills and momentum to support further collaborative working. Examples of the types of business support that may be provided include:
- Supporting Local Authorities in the preparation of business cases supporting partnership or co-operative working
- Assisting authorities to develop recyclable material marketing consortia to increase sales prices
- Managing or supporting multi-authority procurements of goods or services
- Investigating and developing depot sharing opportunities.
The South West Waste Officer Network (SWWON)
Regional inter-authority links are relatively weak. A key outcome of the programme will be the development of a functional network to support the dissemination of best-practice, the formation of informal peer support groups and the co-ordination of cross-regional procurements.
A launch event in early December 2007 will draw together professionals from across the region to hear speakers from central government and elsewhere explain the policy platform and outline practical examples of partnership working.
Timescales
Eunomia is to lead the programme until June 2008. Thereafter a decision will be made based upon the results of this engagement as to how best take the programme forward.
Eunomia Research & Consulting
Eunomia is a specialist waste consultancy based in Bristol with extensive experience of supporting Local Authorities in the development of their services to achieve better performance affordably.
Recently Eunomia has worked as the lead delivery agent with the County and five district councils of Somerset to reorganise the provision of waste services. This has led to the formation of a single ‘virtual’ waste authority and the letting of a joint contract for collection of waste across the County.
Mike Brown is directing this project for Eunomia with James Fulford project managing.
James Fulford can be contacted at jamesfulford@eunomia.co.uk or on 0117 945 0124.
