Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme

Community engagement on Female Genital Mutilation 1 Executive summary

At a time when councils face difficult choices about services in the light of reducing budgets, the LGA’s Waste and Recycling Programme supported several projects involving councils across England to run projects to help councils make productivity savings in delivering waste services.

There were a number of aims that were common to more than one of the projects. These included minimising the amount of waste generated, increasing the level of reuse and recycling and combatting fly-tipping, an activity in itself that costs taxpayers tens of millions of pounds every year as well as being a burden on businesses and residents. Other aims included increasing the efficiency of a service, reducing costs and generating income. One project aimed to explore ways of reducing nitrogen oxide pollution through changing the refuse fleet to run on a different source of fuel.

In the delivery of these aims, the projects used different tools and approaches. These included working with residents to help boost recycling rates, taking a more concerted enforcement and compliance approach where appropriate and working jointly with other partners. Other tools used by the projects included taking new approaches to procurement and refining specification, learning from other councils and making use of data.

A table summarising how these tools were used to deliver projects’ aims can be found on page 4.

In part due to the differences in the nature of the projects, and in part due to delays, there has been some variation in the outputs and outcomes achieved to date. Furthermore, because of some inconsistency in monitoring returns, it is difficult to provide a sum-total of the outputs from projects. However, the table on page 3 gives an indication of some of the outputs achieved by individual projects.

2 Community engagement on Female Genital Mutilation Project Examples of outputs to date

Slough Borough • options appraisal produced Council • conversations had with National Grid regarding infrastructure changes • options appraisal available for other councils to use. Five London • financial modelling undertaken boroughs • business case presented to London Waste and Recycling Board • trading company established. Staffordshire Waste • detailed financial modelling undertaken Partnership • options appraisal produced. Cumbria County • intelligence on councils’ existing bulky waste collections gathered Council • review of third sector organisations able to undertake reuse of bulky waste in Cumbria • draft report produced. All London • partner councils recruited boroughs and • specialist consultant commissioned NHS England • discussions with NHS England held. Liverpool City • 70 recycling bags and boxes distributed Council • five recycling champions recruited • press release about project sent out • mass leafleting campaign delivered • two university reps recruited. Ipswich Borough • increase in recycling collected from 500kg to 800kg Council • new bins, bin frames and bin stickers provided • alleyway clearance and vegetation cut back • newsletters delivered. Bath and North • 146 labelled recycling boxes delivered East Somerset • 50 trolleys delivered • 100 flats moved to box stand collections. South Holland • a step-by-step ‘how to’ guide on establishing a company to deliver District Council environmental services is available for other councils. Manchester City • staff induction delivered Council • pro forma developed • section 46 and 87 processes signed off by legal department • in-cab data analysed.

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 3 A further positive impact of the project The projects have been running since was in bringing different partners together. summer 2015, and as expected have In some projects, delivery partners made varying degrees of progress to date. included the council and a range of A number of factors have influenced the outside organisations, including housing progress made by projects. These include: associations, local voluntary sector organisations and the police. In other cases, • Reduced funding from government and the the projects were led by several councils, resulting cuts to back office services brings bringing together politicians and officers about inevitable challenges in collaborating at different levels from different councils. with other councils. Where projects involved several councils, this sometimes The Waste and Recycling Programme has caused difficulties if partners were slow to also provided opportunities for networking respond or to share the necessary data. across projects. This has included attendance • Unforeseen circumstances – for at a national workshop to share best practice instance, severe flooding in December between the projects and to encourage 2015 had a significant impact on councils to work together on these and delivery of Cumbria’s project. future projects. • Restructuring of organisations – in some There is also learning to be taken around cases, restructuring within the council or what didn’t work. For example, it is possible within external partners caused delays that projects run through grant programmes to projects. like the Waste and Recycling programme are ‘doomed to succeed’. That is to say, • Conflicting priorities with other council grant recipients may be reluctant to allow departments – for example, colleagues projects that are unviable or underperforming in a council’s planning department to come to a halt due to the perception raising questions around the delivery of that they must demonstrate the value of interventions in some areas versus others. the project and the funding. However, This report, along with some of the project projects have been forthcoming about any outputs and other tools from the projects changes they have made to plans and any will be available on the LGA’s website at challenges experienced, and we do not www.local.gov.uk/topics/ think that this has been a major issue for environment-and-waste the Waste and Recycling Programme.

Some projects tried to use rewards as a tool for bringing about behaviour change. While it is difficult to assess the contribution this made to the projects’ success, research from elsewhere suggests that levels of success are variable, and often the cost of such schemes exceed the savings generated1.

1 http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module =More&Location=None&ProjectID=18513

4 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme Introduction

Shared Intelligence were commissioned Context: efficiency by the LGA in October 2015 to carry out an evaluation of the Waste and Recycling and innovation in local Programme. The programme was open service provision to English councils, and involved a mini- competition of bids from councils for Local councils are facing significant pressure around £20,000 each to help develop and make reductions in spending and identify promote innovative approaches to waste and efficiencies and savings. Funding from recycling. The funded projects each aimed to central government to councils is reported bring about efficiencies in councils’ services to have been cut by 40 per cent during the that could be replicable in other councils. course of the coalition government, and demand for council services is increasing. This report sets out the findings of the evaluation and is structured as follows: As such, councils across the country are challenging themselves to think • the context surrounding the Waste differently about how to deliver services and Recycling Programme while coping with reductions in funding. • the Waste and Recycling Programme Councils spend around £852 million per year • the evaluation and our methodology on waste collection2. Small savings therefore • summaries of the projects amount to considerable sums. For example, a saving of five per cent on councils’ collections • the aims of the projects and tools used spend would amount to £42.6 million. to deliver them In addition to cost pressures, attitudes, • case studies of the individual projects approaches and the wider legislative context • the impacts of the LGA Waste are driving councils to become greener. and Recycling Programme. Councils are becoming more reluctant to send waste to landfill, favouring disposal options higher up the waste hierarchy including waste prevention, minimisation, reuse, and recycling. Councils are also thinking more and more about air pollution and their carbon footprint, and the health and economic benefits associated with these.

2 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/ attachment_data/file/418767/150320_Waste_Goods_ Procurement_Savings_Opportunities_final.pdf

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 5 The Waste and The evaluation Recycling Programme Our approach to the research was split into three separate phases. In light of the contextual factors set out above, the LGA’s Waste and Recycling Phase one involved a light touch review of all Programme was developed with the intention projects, including application bids and any of developing and promoting innovation in available monitoring data. We also considered approaches to waste and recycling that are other schemes and research into efficiency replicable across the local government sector. and innovation in waste and recycling, namely:

The LGA submitted a call for applications • The Department of Communities and for grants of around £20,000 to the Waste Local Government (DCLG) Weekly and Recycling Programme in summer 2015. Collection Support Scheme Conditions attached to the grant included: • DCLG Household Waste Collection Study • publication of the project and findings • The Chartered Institute of Waste • commitment to share learning across the Management’s Waste on the Front Line report sector through participation in external assessment of project outcomes • The Association for Public Service Excellence’s State of the Market Survey • signing of a Memorandum of Understanding 2015 – Local Authority Refuse Services. between the council and the LGA. We considered each of the projects’ The programme’s stated objective was monitoring data alongside the listed reports ‘to enable councils to work on initiatives and schemes, pulling out key themes, that seek to provide innovative solutions similarities and differences. This allowed and efficiencies in waste and recycling’. us to properly understand the nature of the One of the main intentions of the programme innovative activities delivered through the was to share learning from each of the projects project, along with the project’s scalability and from the programme as a whole across and replicability across the sector. local government. The programme received Phase two of our research involved carrying 49 bids in total involving over 200 councils out interviews with key stakeholders as well as other public and private sector involved with each of the projects, including bodies which demonstrates that councils senior officers and project leads from are keen to consider alternative ways of the councils and other stakeholders. working and share knowledge in this area. Phase three, our sense-making and reporting phase involved a sense-making workshop with key stakeholders at the LGA as well as individuals involved in delivery of the projects. We then refined our conclusions and findings in light of what we heard at this session.

This report describes the aims of the projects and the tools deployed in delivery of these aims. This is followed by a table which sets this out visually. We then provide a short ‘pen portrait’ summary of the projects in section three, followed by a detailed case study of each in section four.

6 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme Summaries of the funded projects

In this section we provide a ‘pen One part of the projects involves refining portrait’ summary of each of the specifications with Biffa to embed a specially trained Waste Investigation Team projects as set out in their initial in their collection round. The team will obtain application forms. More detailed evidence of who is responsible for fly-tipping, summaries of the projects can be and use this to inform residents about appropriate recycling and waste disposal found in Section four. practices. The council will take compliance action ranging from fixed penalty notices Liverpool City Council to prosecution against fly-tippers. Liverpool City Council’s project focuses on the densely terraced area of Kensington Ipswich Borough Council Fields. Storage and collection of waste and Ipswich Borough Council is aiming to recyclables in this area is difficult. Therefore combat fly-tipping, increase recycling the council, with support from Granby Toxteth rates and reduce the amount of waste Development Trust, is trying to minimise produced in communal and high density waste and increase recycling in the area. areas. The council is working in partnership with Sanctuary Housing Association, The approach involves changing behaviours charitable organisations, the police, Anglian through community engagement, educational Water and others to reduce costs. interventions and equipment and design. Volunteers and officers are spending time Their approach involves educating residents speaking to residents to address their in order to bring about behaviour change. needs, whilst educational literature is This is being achieved through activities helping to inform better recycling behaviour. such as an interactive community Partners hope that the new equipment roadshow, information campaigns and provided to residents will make recycling community groups. New equipment easier and help keep down waste. such as reusable bags and improved signposting is hoped by partners improve Manchester City Council . The Manchester City Council is targeting back- the overall recycling experience project is serving as an opportunity for soft to-back terraced properties. In partnership market testing for potential cost savings with Biffa Municipal, the council is using and scalability through joint procurement. enforcement and compliance and behaviour change initiatives to reduce fly-tipping and reduce costs. The council intends for the project to result in increased recycling and waste minimisation.

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 7 Bath and North East Somerset Council By commissioning a report to look at Bath and North East Somerset Council these options, the councils hope to achieve is trialling a project in residences of a more effective bulky waste management multiple occupancy and urban areas. The system and reduced waste disposal costs. project aims to cut costs, improve the The project aims to achieve knock-on quality and quantity of recycling among savings to the council’s welfare assistance residents and create efficiencies. spend, with some of the bulky items being reused for people in need of The project involves installing and delivering furniture or household goods. new equipment to bring about change in recycling behaviours. This includes kerbside Slough Borough Council boxes and labelled box stands in communal Slough Borough Council’s project is areas of properties, as well as on-street a report looking at changing to a recycling bulk bins. This means redesigning gas powered refuse collection fleet waste collection approaches so that one and associated infrastructure. of the interventions becomes part of the It is hoped by the council that the report will council’s commercial collection round while set out arising the others are collected alongside standard significant cost savings from lower fuel consumption and unit household collections. Other interventions are cost. Carbon and pollutant emissions and tailored to the specific needs of residents. improved air quality are also in the report’s Staffordshire Waste Partnership scope. The project could eventually lead The Staffordshire Waste Partnership is an to improved fuel security and could be informal joint working agreement between 10 replicable by all councils in the UK who run Staffordshire councils. It is running a project a Diesel powered Euro V or Euro VI fleet. that aims to improve efficiency of and All London boroughs, NHS England reduce costs from waste management. and Resource London The project involves carrying out a series of All London boroughs, Resource London research exercises which will map out the and NHS (London region) are looking at current costs for all waste services for the jointly procuring a new clinical waste councils. This will be followed by an options contract. The new contract involves appraisal using the data gathered from the appointing a managing agent to act as the costing exercise. The options appraisal first point of contact for enquiries and to will explore a range of ways of bringing apportion waste to the appropriate party. about the projects aims, including new Project partners hope that this will approaches to joint working. The research reduce activities will provide a template methodology costs, increase efficiency and reduce of clinical waste collection for the to be used by other partnerships. duplication parties involved. The contract will also improve Cumbria County Council the customer experience by providing a Cumbria County Council and six surrounding one-stop-shop for clinical waste enquiries. district councils are running a project around bulky waste. They are investigating options for more effective disposal options for bulky household waste, and increased reuse of bulky items.

8 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme LWARB and five London Boroughs The London Waste and Recycling Board is supporting five London boroughs to establish a publicly-owned trading company offering commercial waste and recycling sales and marketing services on behalf of councils. The funding was used to hire a third party consultant to evaluate the current and future cost of collection and disposal and develop a business case for each council.

The project aims to reduce costs through revenue generation and achieve high recycling rates. The trading company will also support London boroughs in tackling the problem of businesses disposing of their waste at kerbside without a licence.

South Holland District Council South Holland District Council is running a project to establish a company to deliver environmental services.

The project will result in an improved customer experience and will help to reduce costs through income generation. This will enable them to backfill council staff shortages which would previously have required agency staff. This too is intended to result in cost savings. The project will leave a replicable legacy in the form of a step-by- step ‘how to’ guide for other councils.

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 9 Aims of the projects and tools used

Each of the projects set out a • Increased efficiency and effectiveness particular aim or set of aims, or service: all London boroughs and NHS England; South Holland District many of which are common to Council; Ipswich Borough Council; several projects. The projects have Liverpool City Council; Bath and each made use of one or more North East Somerset Council; and Staffordshire Waste Partnership. tools to deliver these aims. • Reducing carbon emissions: In this section we will explore Slough Borough Council. the aims of the projects, before looking at the tools deployed The tools used by in delivering these aims. the projects The aims of the projects In delivering the aims set out above, each of the projects used one or more Broadly speaking, the aims of the tools. Though the exact nature of the projects included: waste minimisation and tools and ways in which they were increased reuse or recycling; reducing used differs across projects, these can costs or generating income; increased broadly be split into seven categories: efficiency and effectiveness of service; and reducing carbon emissions. • working with communities

The projects intending to deliver these • more concerted enforcement aims were: and compliance • procurement, contract management • Waste minimisation and increased and refining specifications reuse or recycling: Liverpool City Council; Manchester City Council; Ipswich Borough • learning from other areas Council; Bath and North East Somerset • making use of data Council and Cumbria County Council. • joint working • Reducing costs and/or generating • design, equipment and technology. income: Ipswich Borough Council; Bath and North East Somerset Council; We discuss below each of the tools Staffordshire Waste Partnership; Cumbria individually, giving examples of how they County Council; Slough Borough were used across the projects. Council; Manchester City Council; all London boroughs and NHS England; Helping communities do the right thing LWARB and five London boroughs; Instigating behaviour change is at the core and South Holland District Council. of a number of projects. Approaches to

10 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme changing behaviour vary across different Enforcement and compliance projects. In Liverpool for instance more where appropriate than 10 different interventions centred Linked to but distinct from behaviour change on changing behaviours have been approaches are some projects’ efforts implemented. These include educational to use more concerted enforcement and interventions such as information boards compliance. Compliance is at the core of for lamp posts, community newsletters the project run by Manchester City Council, and other literature. Other approaches to where a dedicated waste investigation team behaviour change involved more direct, has been deployed to identify residents bespoke engagement including face-to-face who are fly-tipping in passageways, and conversations between officers, volunteers to take steps to combat this. The team use and residents, and bespoke ‘thank you’ a vehicle liveried with ‘waste investigation rewards for good recyclers. Research from team’, giving them legitimacy and visibility, the Department for Environment, Food and and visit areas alongside the contracted Rural Affairs (Defra) suggests that this latter waste collection provider Biffa. approach can vary in terms of effectiveness3. An initial information campaign was run to The Liverpool project has also made use inform individuals and businesses about of citizen volunteers, called ‘recycling and the project and to encourage their support. waste champions’ to drive improvement The initial campaign also described the in their area and bring about changes in appropriate waste disposal and recycling behaviour. This was intended to devolve methods and the sanctions associated responsibility and ownership of the project with fly-tipping. Where appropriate, the to local people, as opposed to it being team informs residents who have been fly- perceived as a purely council-led initiative. tipping about appropriate waste disposal and recycling procedures, and marks the Approaches to changing behaviours were fly-tipped waste with highly visible stickers also used in the Ipswich and Manchester or tape. Commercial fly-tipping is also within projects. In Ipswich, the council and partners the scope of the project, and the council will have spent time engaging residents directly, work with businesses known to be fly-tipping including at an interactive ‘community to make sure an adequate commercial waste roadshow’ event, where residents saw how contract is put in place. The necessary action to recycle different materials properly. The is taken against fly-tippers, ranging from fixed interactive elements of the project were penalty notices to prosecution. Enforcement directed at children, who tend to influence against repeat fly-tippers also plays a small the behaviour of adults. The project also role in Liverpool City Council’s project. used printed campaign materials to change residents’ behaviours, as well as taking While enforcement and compliance approaches steps to give them ownership of the project. can be seen as a tool in their own right, This included establishing resident-led these did also have the effect of reinforcing focus groups and meetings, and running behaviour changes among residents. practical activities like planting shrubs and bulbs in their neighbourhood to improve Procurement, contract management open spaces. In Manchester, activities and refining specifications include initial communication with residents A number of projects have set about about the project through leaflets, as well as delivering their aims through new further communication about the council’s approaches to procurement and contract intention to carry out compliance activities. management, or through refining specifications. The deployment of a waste investigation team alongside the 3 http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Modul e=More&Location=None&ProjectID=18513 collection contractor in Manchester meant

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 11 refining specifications so as to embed the Manchester City Council’s project makes team within the contractor structures. use of data gathered from collections. The council is analysing in-cab and in-house The project run by South Holland waste management data along with fly- District Council to establish a trading tipping reports and local intelligence to company offering environmental services identify areas which are most affected by will require drafting of the necessary residual and fly-tipped waste. The Waste contracts and governance arrangements Investigation Team will also be gathering to allow staff working for the company primary data on who is responsible for fly- to provide cover for council staff. tipping by checking through the fly-tipped Joint procurement is a central aspect of the waste. Success of the project will be project involving all London boroughs, NHS measured against comparator ‘control areas’, England and Resource London. The project where no interventions will be implemented. involves the boroughs and NHS England Furthermore, a key component of the jointly procuring a managing agent to take project involving LWARB and five London customer enquiries and to apportion waste boroughs is the use of data on the likely to the appropriate party, as well as the operational cost for commercial waste drafting of a new framework for clinical waste collection and disposal for each council. contractors. Staffordshire Waste Partnership’s This will inform the later establishment project is also exploring options for jointly of a new trading company offering procuring collection and disposal contracts. commercial waste and recycling services.

Refined specifications also have a role Some projects have targeted specific to play in Bath and North East Somerset. areas in pursuit of their aims. Liverpool City Their project is trialling a range of different Council’s project targets terraced housing interventions to improve recycling where storage, presentation and collection behaviours and cut costs. One of the of waste are more difficult. Ipswich Borough planned trial interventions involves the Council’s project also focuses on areas installation of on-street recycling bulk bins where recycling and waste disposal can in urban areas, which will be incorporated be difficult, including communal and high into the commercial recycling round. density areas. The project will serve as a Learning from other areas pilot and will give an indication as to the The report commissioned by Slough scalability and replicability of the interventions Borough Council looking at the potential in these types of location. In both Liverpool for a gas powered refuse fleet will also and Ipswich, residents are being directly feature case studies or procurement engaged to find out their specific needs. In examples from other areas. Liverpool this takes the form of conversations between volunteers and other residents. Making use of data In Ipswich residents are encouraged to Using data to achieve their intended aims take ownership of solving the problems is common to a number of projects. In through focus groups and meetings. Slough, the project budget is being used to commission a report which will evaluate the Back-to-back terraces are the focus of potential for new gas powered vehicles as Manchester City Council’s project. The part of their refuse fleet. The procurement passageways at the back of these houses contract issued by the borough places are hot spots for fly-tipping, and residual importance on the ability to use the data that waste levels are generally higher. Again, the informed the report in future. This includes project will serve as a pilot for extending emissions analysis by service/vehicle and passageway-specific interventions to the financial options appraisals and business rest of the service. In Bath and North East cases for the fleet and infrastructure. Somerset, the focus is on flats and urban areas. In city centre locations, many buildings

12 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme are split into flats and residences of multiple Groundwork and other organisations occupancy. Residents in these areas find it including the police and a local social housing difficult to store and segregate recycling in provider. In Bath and North East Somerset, their flat or communal areas. The council is the council is working with the social therefore running a project to trial different housing provider and recycling collection interventions to facilitate higher recycling contractor to deliver the interventions. rates. Using several different interventions, the council will be able to see what Design, equipment and technology works, where, and in what circumstances Many of the projects made use of design, and replicate this on a wider scale. equipment and technology-based interventions as tools for delivering their Joint working aims. In Ipswich, for example, the council Staffordshire Waste Partnership’s project is trying to change recycling behaviours will consider new and innovative ways of through the installation of new waste and working in partnership to improve efficiency recycling facilities at a series of strategic and reduce costs. The partnership currently locations. The council hopes that this will help takes a less formal, unrestrictive approach to disrupt the trend of residents dumping which allows councils to seek greater their waste and recycling around randomly efficiencies whilst maintaining their own placed bins throughout the neighbourhood. identity and the freedom to participate in any formal joint working. Their project involves Examples of the use of technology for delivering carrying out an options appraisal exploring the aims of a project can be seen in Manchester new opportunities for joint working from both and Slough. In Manchester, the waste investigation an operational and geographical point of team made use of in-cab waste management view. The options considered could include technology to identify and monitor areas with establishment of a joint disposal authority, fly-tipping issues. Slough Borough Council is or more formal partnership working. exploring the opportunity of moving to the cleaner, less polluting technology of refuse collection The project to establish a commercial waste vehicles that run on alternative fuels to diesel. and recycling trading company for five London boroughs also hinges on effective Bath and North East Somerset Council’s joint working. The trading company, which project is trialling a range of different design has now been set-up, provides a shared and equipment-based interventions to assess back office function and receives all revenues their efficacy. Methods used by the council before distributing these (minus its own include providing individual kerbside boxes running costs) back to the partner boroughs. for easier segregation and presentation of recyclable waste. In terms of design, the Partnership working is at the core of the council is also exploring the potential of project involving NHS England and all installing larger bulk bins at strategic locations London boroughs. The approach in this throughout the city centre. This is hoped to project is particularly innovative, as it is alleviate the problems faced by residents the first time that councils and an NHS living in flats above shops where there is little special health authority have worked so space in the street for bins to be put out. closely on achieving joint efficiencies. A further example of design and equipment- Other examples of partnership working based intervention can be seen in Liverpool. can be seen in Manchester and Ipswich. Residents in the target areas are being In Manchester for example, the council is provided with reusable indoor sacks for working with private sector contractor Biffa storage of recycling. Moreover, to make to embed a waste investigation team in their presentation and collection of waste and collection round. In Ipswich, the council is recycling easier, the council is installing bin working with the volunteer organisation ‘parking bays’ and communal outdoor bins.

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 13 Aim of the projects

Waste minimisation and Reducing costs or generating Increased efficiency or Reducing carbon emissions Combatting fly-tipping increased reuse or recycling income effectiveness of service

Helping communities do Liverpool City Council Manchester City Council Ipswich Borough Council Manchester City Council the right thing Manchester City Council Ipswich Borough Council Ipswich Borough Council Bath and North East Somerset Council Cumbria County Council

Enforcement and Manchester City Council Manchester City Council Manchester City Council compliance LWARB and five London boroughs Liverpool City Council

Procurement, contract LWARB and five London boroughs All London boroughs, NHS All London boroughs, NHS Slough Borough Council Manchester City Council management and refined England England Bath and North East Somerset specifications Council LWARB and five London boroughs South Holland District Council South Holland District Council Staffordshire Waste Partnership Staffordshire Waste Partnership Bath and North East Somerset Council Bath and North East Somerset Council Learning from other areas Slough Borough Council Bath and North East Somerset Council Tools used to deliver the aims used to deliver Tools Targeting individuals, Manchester City Council Manchester City Council Bath and North East Somerset Manchester City Council areas and using data Council Bath and North East Somerset Council

Joint working LWARB and five London boroughs All London boroughs, NHS All London boroughs, NHS England England Cumbria County Council LWARB and five London boroughs Cumbria County Council Ipswich Borough Council Cumbria County Council Staffordshire Waste Partnership Liverpool City Council Ipswich Borough Council Bath and North East Somerset Council Bath and North East Somerset Council Staffordshire Waste Partnership

14 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme Aim of the projects

Waste minimisation and Reducing costs or generating Increased efficiency or Reducing carbon emissions Combatting fly-tipping increased reuse or recycling income effectiveness of service

Enforcement and Manchester City Council Manchester City Council Manchester City Council compliance LWARB and five London boroughs Liverpool City Council

Targeting individuals, Manchester City Council Manchester City Council Bath and North East Somerset Manchester City Council areas and using data Council Bath and North East Somerset Council

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 15 Case studies of the projects

Liverpool City Council role in managing their street is intended to recycling on the terraces encourage a sense of ownership and provoke good behaviour from other residents. A total of Liverpool City Council’s project 400 volunteer and officer hours is being spent engaging residents to address their needs focuses on a densely terraced part and encourage good recycling behaviours. of Liverpool – Kensington Fields. On top of this is a range of design and The terraces in the area open equipment interventions. This includes directly onto the pavement and only distributing reusable sacks for storing have small rear yards. This makes it recycling indoors, and installing communal difficult to store, present and collect outdoor storage areas and bin parking bays to facilitate better storage and presentation households’ waste and recycling. of waste and recycling. The project also The council, in partnership with Bulky involves investment in communal bulky Bob’s and volunteers from Granby Toxteth bins and temporary mobile bulky waste Development Trust is trialling a range of points for the removal of bulky waste. interventions to minimise waste and fly-tipping Through the combination of volunteer and and to increase recycling rates. Before the officer hours, educational interventions and intervention, recycling rates in the area were design and equipment interventions, the 11.4 per cent. Through the project the council council hopes to increase the recycling rates intends to bring this up to 50 per cent. in the area and halve the amount of residual The project also includes educational waste collected. Although the council does interventions and design and equipment not anticipate making large scale savings, interventions. In terms of educational the project was designed with replicability interventions, these range from information in mind, with the potential for scaling up boards fixed to lamp posts, to newsletters successful interventions across the city, and bespoke ‘thank you’ rewards for possibly resulting in bigger savings. good recyclers. The project also involves The Waste and Recycling Programme enforcement against fly-tippers. presented an opportunity for the council At the core of the project is securing to think specifically about how to address behaviour change through a community these issues and provided some of the development approach. Working with resources needed to realise their ideas. Granby Toxteth Development Trust, the For more information about the project, council is recruiting volunteers with grass please contact at roots connections and knowledge of the Billy Maxwell Liverpool City Council community. The thinking behind this was [email protected] that residents in an area tend to follow ‘good 07801 453 981 neighbours’. Giving these neighbours a

16 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme Manchester City Council waste. The baseline would serve as a measure of progress at the projects three and six-month passageway waste assessment stages alongside the control group. investigation team This team is embedded within the structures of the council’s refuse collection contractor Manchester City Council’s project Biffa. This allows for coordination between aims to address problems with the waste investigation team and Biffa’s fly-tipping and high levels of collection round and for intelligence about residual waste in the passageways fly-tipping hotspots to be fed straight into the project. Visibility of the project and the team between back-to-back terraces. is important. Any fly-tipped waste found by Levels of residual waste in the target areas the team is highlighted with highly visible were generally high, with back-to-back tape or stickers explaining that the fly-tipped terraces accounting for seven per cent of the waste constitutes an environmental crime. council’s total housing stock, but 13 per cent Staff working within the waste investigation of the total residual waste collected in the city. team are being trained by council Unlike Manchester’s ‘four-bin’ households, enforcement officers which enables and 1,100 litre containers were used for disposing authorises them to apply the appropriate of household waste from back-to-back legislation for fly-tipping. The team’s terraces. This method accounted for 15,700 duties include collecting evidence from properties. Collections, though scheduled fly-tipped waste of who it belongs to and once per week, often took place three or informing residents of how to recycle more times per week. These areas were properly. Individuals identified as fly- characterised by domestic and commercial tipping will be investigated and where fly-tipping, low levels of recycling and littering. necessary compliance action will be taken against them through the council’s Growth Targeting the passageways, the project and Neighbourhoods department. involves establishing a dedicated waste investigation team. The main aims of the In addition to the LGA support, the project and the team are to reduce fly- council provided match funding to deliver tipping and the amount of residual waste the project. The Waste and Recycling in the passageways, and to make budget Programme catalysed the council into savings. The council estimates that if levels thinking about how to address the waste and of residual waste in the passageways were fly-tipping problems in the target areas. reduced to those of four-bin households, If the project is successful in significantly this would result in a reduction of 6,000 reducing the amount of waste collected tonnes per annum, amounting to a budget from the passageways, then the savings saving of £1.8 million per year. The project resulting from this will mean the intervention focuses on around 7,500 properties, leaving is self-funding. It will therefore be replicable a further 7,500 to serve as a control group. in other areas in the city and in similar The team’s first aim was to identify areas terraced areas across the country. and passageways with the most serious For more information about the project, fly-tipping issues. This is being achieved please contact Phil Appleby at through analysis of collection data from Manchester City Council in-cab technology, local intelligence and [email protected] fly-tipping reports. These areas were then 07956 132 789 defined and an initial baseline reading taken. This involved taking photographs of the areas affected, counting bags and weighing the

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 17 Ipswich Borough Council The high-level aims of the project are to reduce costs, improve the quality and quantity improving the level of of recycling in target areas, and reduce engagement for waste fly-tipping in terraced housing. The project also aims to leave long lasting changes, reduction in communal educating and inspiring residents to behave and high density areas – differently in the way they dispose of waste. improving infrastructure The project targets 400 households: 152 flats and 248 terraced houses. At the time of the bid, the former produced 1.5 tonnes Ipswich Borough Council is of residual waste per household per annum, leading a project to reduce waste with a recycling rate of four per cent. The latter had a recycling rate of 12 per cent, and collection and disposal costs, fly-tipping incidents were particularly high. reduce fly-tipping, and increase the The households targeted through the project quality and quantity of recycling amount to one per cent of the council’s total in certain target areas in the housing stock. Opportunities for upscaling and replication are therefore high, especially south west of the borough. in terms of bulk buying and joint procurement, The project is heavily centred on partnership either borough-wide or at a regional level. working, with the council leading a To foster a change in behaviours around partnership involving Groundwork Suffolk, waste and recycling, Groundwork are Sanctuary Housing and Norfolk and Suffolk engaging residents and leading resident community payback team (a team of meetings to encourage buy-in and ownership individuals serving community sentences). of the project. The council has also held The police safer neighbourhood teams and two community roadshows. The roadshows Neighbourhood Watch are also involved. included a mini-MRF (materials recycling The partnership approach has a number facility), an interactive display used for of advantages. A multi-agency approach demonstrating how to sort recycling. The results in reduced service delivery cost mini-MRF gives the project visibility in and enables the project to address the target areas. Children in particular multiple issues across a neighbourhood. were the target of the roadshows as they tend to influence adults. The council and The partnership approach helps keep the volunteers also engaged in face-to-face conversations, led by Groundwork Suffolk, conversation with residents to understand focused on waste issues. This minimises the their specific issues and needs, and risk of conversations getting side-tracked by resident groups ensure ownership of the other council-related issues. Where residents project is devolved into the community. raise other issues, volunteers are able to signpost them to the relevant agency. The installation of new equipment is also helping to influence behaviours. New waste Utilising the community payback team and recycling bin units which are clearly for neighbourhood improvements is cost labelled with informative images make it effective, and working with a social housing clear where residents should dispose of partner means the project is embedded their waste and what type of waste goes in more deeply in the areas it is targeting. which bin. They also discourage dumping of Encouraging residents to get involved waste around randomly placed bins in the fosters a sense of ownership of and neighbourhood, one of the key issues the responsibility for the project, while volunteer project seeks to address. This is supported time gives the project visibility within the by campaign materials such as leaflets, community and keeps costs down. fridge magnets and newsletters which

18 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme are consistently branded, making sure the project’s messages are coherent and present.

The use of design and equipment and other interventions to bring about behaviour change is highly replicable across the country. The multi-agency approach is also replicable by other councils, and could prompt other areas to think about adopting a similar approach and exploring joint procurement opportunities.

The areas and issues addressed through the project were of concern to the council before the Waste and Recycling Programme. Engagement with the programme helped push the council towards taking the initial action, which will be sustained in the longer term.

For more information about the project, please contact Elisabeth Axmann at Ipswich Borough Council [email protected] 01473 432 094.

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 19 Bath and North East also reported more awareness of the range of materials that were collected and Somerset Council help to target materials often overlooked exploring efficiencies eg batteries, small waste electrical and in collecting recycling electronic equipment (WEEE), textiles. The second intervention targeted homes from flats of multiple occupancy and properties split Bath and North East Somerset into apartments. These areas were selected because of their typically low recycling rates Council is leading a project and problems with communal storage of supported by its recycling collection waste. The council provided these homes contractor Kier and social housing with ‘Trolibocs’, three separate boxes for recycling different materials mounted on a partners to trial a range of wheeled stand. These have proved really interventions to increase recycling successful at small blocks of flats, particularly rates and create efficiencies in flats above shops, where multiple boxes their methods of collection. cause obstructions and slow down the collection crews. They have since been At the time of the bid to the LGA, the council’s removed from a high density student road, recycling collection service from flats was where it was hoped they would improve the running inefficiently and had reached collections and improve the street scene, capacity. On average, four separate collection but dense urban parking and neglect of the vehicles were visiting communal collection boxes after collection proved problematic. points on a weekly basis to separately collect It is the council’s intention to now roll these a range of recycling and refuse from 4,073 out to other small blocks of flats to improve flatted properties. The need to streamline the efficiency and service provided. the collections was clearly recognised by the council and their contractor, Kier. The third intervention aims to introduce fixed stands containing six labelled boxes for In a bid to increase the quality and quantity of different materials. These recycling stands will recycling through the kerbside sort scheme, replace the current communal ‘mini recycling’ the first intervention involved providing 35 bins at a number of blocks of flats within the properties on one road with an additional district to assess whether this proved a more two kerbside boxes for storing and sorting effective way of collecting the recycling, the 13 different recycling materials collected incorporating these properties back onto by the council. Residents were requested to the regular kerbside collection rounds. use three clearly labelled boxes to segregate materials in a bid to increase awareness of This intervention is hoped to bring about the materials collected and capture more significant improvements in recycling in the recycling, as opposed to the existing one area and reduce the number of collection box and reusable woven bag for card. vehicles travelling to each site. The locations were chosen based on their remoteness The introduction of the three box system (situated at the end of a long road), proximity has prompted behaviour change among to existing kerbside collections or where some residents, for example residents were collections were proving challenging for observed to flatten and rip their cardboard the contractor. Under the ‘mini recycling into smaller pieces for storage in the boxes, centre’ system, the sites had up to five as opposed to cramming oversized pieces large communal bins for six segregated into the bag. There is no compaction on the materials which required collection from collection vehicles for card so this helps three separate vehicles. The new services make the service more efficient. Residents will enable to resident to recycle over 16

20 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme different materials and be collected by one collection vehicle. This has involved close working with the housing association and collections contractor to ensure a smooth transition from one service to another.

The fourth intervention was aimed at installing five large bulk bins at strategic locations throughout Bath city centre. The key aim was to make recycling more accessible for residents within the heritage urban area and increase the volume of recycling collected to help the services run more efficiently. Unfortunately planning and space restrictions stalled this element of the project. However we are still exploring the potential future development of this along with communal food waste bins to improve the street scene.

The project as a whole aims to trial a variety of methods to improve the efficiency of its operations whilst also improving the services offered to residents. The council is also seeking to make budget saving through implementation of the methods on trial, primarily by easing pressure on the ‘mini recycling centre’ service and increasing the volume of recycling captured.

The authority’s approach to trialling different interventions to test what works and in what circumstances is highly replicable, particularly in relation to multiple occupancy buildings and in areas where recycling can be difficult for residents.

For more information about the project, please contact Tim Rawlings at Bath and North East Somerset Council [email protected]

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 21 Staffordshire Waste In light of budget cuts, discussions around making savings were taking place among Partnership council leaders, chief executives, directors, a holistic options appraisal members and waste managers. The joint waste management board –which manages for further savings and SWP – met in July 2015 and created a plan improved efficiency and to achieve medium and long term savings over a four to eight year change programme. value for money for the All bar one of the SWP partner councils Staffordshire and Stoke have recycling rates of higher than 50 on Trent tax payer per cent, so they wanted to consider more advanced options.

Staffordshire Waste Partnership SWP’s bid to the LGA was for support to (SWP) is using the LGA Waste and commission an options appraisal exploring Recycling Programme funding to opportunities to make savings and provide value for money for tax payers, while avoiding commission an options appraisal shunting cost between the SWP councils. exploring how to deliver improved The first part of the appraisal is a detailed efficiency and value for money. costing exercise which gives a true indication SWP is an informal joint working of the cost of waste and recycling services agreement between Staffordshire to each council. This will inform a detailed County Council, eight district councils options appraisal for how the councils and Stoke on Trent City Council. can save money. SWP intend for the costing exercise to provide a replicable and adaptable The partnership employs one full time template methodology, so that other member of staff, who manages all of SWP’s partnerships can use the approach in future. collaborative projects. SWP takes a less rigid approach to partnerships than is traditional. The work explores a range of savings options. The partnership deals with collaborative One aspect of this is different approaches projects individually, determining the to joint working, both operationally and operational and geographical suitability geographically. This includes more formal of projects for different partners on a case arrangements like a joint disposal authority by case basis. This allows councils to or joint collection authorities between have flexibility and freedom to participate neighbouring councils. A further opportunity in any joint working, and to maintain their is to collaborate more in joint contracts in own identity and control over services. order to achieve economies of scale.

This type of informal partnership is Other opportunities include exploring advantageous in several ways. Because opportunities in the circular economy. the partner councils have flexibility, they The investigatory nature of the project means engage with one another more actively on that detailed savings figures have not been projects that are of interest to them, and are identified. However, SWP hopes to achieve not forced into collaborative arrangements a basic saving of five per cent. This equates that they feel are unsuitable or not beneficial. to a significant saving when considering Good working relationships are maintained, that Staffordshire councils spend around and partner councils have a shared £40 million per year on waste services. vision on any collaborative projects.

22 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme In terms of progress, the project is currently at the stage of the initial detailed financial modelling. Project partners expect the likelihood of achieving their five per cent savings target to become clearer over the next six months.

For more information, please contact Kay Cocks, Staffordshire Waste Partnership [email protected] 01283 508022

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 23 Cumbria County Council household waste from the waste stream. This included gathering intelligence around councils’ reuse and recycling options existing bulky waste collections, the existing for bulky waste services Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) and capacity of local third sector councils in Cumbria organisations’ to undertake reuse activities. Cumbria County Council along The project was set to be completed by with six surrounding districts are the end of February 2016, but significant flooding during the winter in Cumbria meant running a project exploring ways that the project had to be delayed. of improving reuse and recycling Opportunities for deconstruction of bulky of bulky waste collected at the waste and use of this as a biomass fuel kerbside from households. proved unviable at this time. However, the Cumbria is a waste disposal authority, so is report did provide information on future responsible for the disposal of all household opportunities for this to be considered. waste collected by surrounding councils. One of the main outputs of the project was a Bulky waste to be disposed of by the council series of recommendations for Cumbria as includes that deposited at one of Cumbria’s the main driver for waste prevention activity in 14 household waste and recycling centres. the county. Some of these were achievable in At the time of the project’s inception, the short term, including making better use of alternative reuse information published on social media to promote bulky waste disposal their website or at time of booking a collection options. Longer term recommendations was inconsistent. One of the district councils included embedding reuse activity within engaged in reuse and recycling activity once the HWRC network, which would involve the bulky waste had entered the waste stream contract negotiation with the existing long term but the remaining five councils did not. contractor. The report also recommended Between them, the councils collect resurrecting a reuse forum in Cumbria, to around 3,000 tonnes of bulky waste provide a more sustainable approach to bulky per annum, most of which is sent to waste reuse for third sector organisations. landfill at a cost of around £450,000. The project also resulted in recommendations Cumbria acted as lead partner for this project for district councils. These included reviewing which included carrying the feasibility of the charging model for bulky waste services, deconstruction of bulky waste. The scope to procuring a third sector organisation also included looking at the use of bulky to carry out bulky waste services. waste as a biomass fuel. Furthermore, In terms of the recommendations around the the project considered how an increased county council’s Ways to Welfare programme, amount of bulky waste could be diverted to these included reviewing existing informal support the county council’s ‘Ways to Welfare’ arrangements for service provision an social need, and how this need could be identifying alternative reuse organisations that further met by an increased number of third cover a larger area of Cumbria than currently sector organisations across Cumbria. exists. Third sector organisations also received The aims of the project included achieving a recommendation to review their practices and cost savings in the long term through diversion the way they communicate about their services of bulky waste out of the waste stream. In in order to be better placed to procure services addition to a better service meeting the on behalf of Cumbrian councils in the future. needs of the Ways to Welfare fund. In addition to the recommendations, the The councils commissioned a consultant consultant also developed a communications to explore local options for diverting bulky plan as a separate document to be

24 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme used by partner councils and third • working with district councils to provide a sector organisations to address the ‘script’ for contact centres to encourage recommendations. The document is being greater re-use of bulky waste when used to provide the basis for opening residents contract districts for bulky discussions around progressing the issue disposal. of diversion of bulky waste from landfill. For more information about this project, The project was designed to be replicable please contact Barbara Jones at by other councils across the UK. Since the Cumbria County Council abolition of crisis loans and community care [email protected] grants in 2013, councils have been responsible 01228 221 398 for welfare assistance programmes, which include things such as offering access to free or low cost household goods for those in need. The project gave the partner councils the opportunity to carry out the work and take the learning from it, which will help inform their future approach to bulky household waste collection and disposal.

Since completion of the project, Cumbria County Council’s ‘Ways to Welfare’ project meeting social needs in Cumbria have been able to secure further third sector organisations to provide greater coverage throughout Cumbria of furniture for those in need. Cumbria has also developed a service level agreement with those providers to ensure that there is a written and understandable accepted level of service from those third sector groups. This has helped both sides.

In addition improvements have included:

• the number of district councils with an agreement with a third sector organisation to undertake bulky waste collection has now increased from one to two and a new contract with another third sector organisation began in April 2017 • the use of social media has been increased to provide better information to the public of options regarding bulky waste. Increased engagement with the third sector organisations has led to a greater understanding of the services they provide • exploring with our contractor greater possibilities for re-use across our network of HWRC’s

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 25 Slough Borough Council local, national and international practice, as well as to make best use of the most waste management up-to-date technologies and ideas. infrastructure in Slough This project was therefore not only seen as an opportunity to further advance Slough Borough Council secured the thinking around their waste strategy, funding for an options appraisal but also as an opportunity to “unite the delivered by Low Emission environmental disciplines”, that is to say: Strategies Ltd. The scope of the • improve air quality by reducing NOx appraisal includes evaluating emissions, thereby boosting health the potential for a gas powered • reduce carbon emissions refuse collection fleet. The work • reduce the cost of energy, reducing also considers the necessary the cost to the council and reinvesting elsewhere within the council infrastructure changes to serve a gas powered fleet. • redevelopment of a key strategic asset to enhance waste management and The aims of the project include: recycling for the borough and region • achieving cost savings through the • enable self-sufficiency and security of switch to a cheaper source of fuel fuel supply • reducing pollution • give the council the opportunity to play a • exploring options for improving and place-leadership and market shaping role enhancing fuel supply (therefore • support energy self-sufficiency reducing dependence on imported and place resilience. fuel and increasing fuel security). Off the back of the project, the council At the core of the review is an options are pressing ahead with rollout of a gas- appraisal for reducing emissions from the powered fleet, subject to sign-off from elected refuse collection fleet. This is the council’s members. At first this will only apply to refuse preferred option, but is dependent on collection vehicles, but it is anticipated that legality and feasibility, and its future impact this will extend to the full fleet, including street in terms of planning and place shaping. cleansing and grounds maintenance vehicles.

A further key element of the work is to For more information about the project, look at the possibility of linking up to please contact Nick Hannon at national gas pipes at a local waste transfer Slough Borough Council station in order to service the vehicles. [email protected] 01753 875 275 The level of savings for migrating the fleet from diesel fuel to gas are estimated at around £60,000 per year for the waste fleet. Migrating more of the council’s vehicle fleet to gas would lead to a greater level of savings.

Slough Borough Council won funding from Defra in 2015 to deliver a low emissions strategy. At the same time the council was reviewing its waste service contracts (which will be up for re-tender in 2017). The council is keen to draw on learning from

26 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme London boroughs, NHS the resources to take the project further. England and Resource The project has enabled the councils, along with Resource London to take the initial work London improving the even further. The project has secured the delivery of clinical waste services of a specialist consultant, whose role has involved liaising with London boroughs collection services across to secure buy-in and raise awareness of London the project as well as working with London waste authorities and NHS England to deliver The London Borough of Bromley the procurement aspects of the project. is coordinating a project involving It is anticipated that there will be involving Resource London and two main outputs of the project:

NHS (London region) for all London • a framework for clinical waste boroughs. collection and disposal contractors The overarching aim of project is to • the appointment of a managing agent make efficiency savings on clinical to act as a ‘call centre’ for individuals or waste disposal and collection costs. organisations affiliated with NHS London. This will be achieved through: The agent will act as a single point of contact for all parties and ensure that • ensuring clinical waste is only collection and disposal responsibilities are collected by the appropriate authority appropriately allocated to the relevant party. (local councils or the NHS) • procuring clinical waste collection The intended outcomes of the project are and disposal contracts through a joint that the waste collection and disposal unit NHS and local authority framework price is reduced for all parties as a result of the joint framework, and that the appropriate • improving service user experience through organisation is responsible for the costs. Re- the use of a central managing agent who procurement of clinical waste services in the will operate a central contact hub to arrange Royal Borough of Kingston-upon-Thames collection and disposal of clinical waste. along a similar line to the proposed approach, Since March 2015, Resource London produced savings of 40 to 50 per cent. Based (a partnership between the Waste and on an average service cost of £100,000 per Resources Action Programme (WRAP) and borough, potential savings for all boroughs London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB)) were estimated at between £240,000 per had been working with NHS England to annum and £1.98 million, depending on the look at improving clinical waste practices number of boroughs involved. The project has in London. Their work included looking at suffered unforeseen delays over recent months procurement of a clinical waste collection, due to restructure within the NHS England. disposal and management contract, Resource London are currently working intended to deliver efficiency savings. with a London clinical commissioning group (CCG) representing the NHS in London to Resource London have been working to deliver on the outputs by the end of the year. liaise with councils to raise awareness and to think jointly about coordination of The lessons from the project will be replicable collection activities and delineation of waste at both a regional and national level. Despite to the appropriate party. This initial work clinical waste services generally making identified potential options for savings to up a small part of local councils’ waste London boroughs in their clinical waste bill, subsequent regional or wider roll-out costs, but Resource London did not have is likely to result in significant savings.

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 27 Beside its intended aims and objectives, the project – a pan-London collaboration between London boroughs and NHS England – has had the added benefit of giving waste officers from different boroughs the chance to get together and talk about their services. This is unlikely to have happened otherwise, and has encouraged more interaction between councils, which are thinking increasingly about harmonisation of services.

For more information about this project, please contact Antony Buchan at Resource London [email protected] 07766 698 313

28 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme London Waste and There are around four million tonnes of commercial waste produced across London Recycling Board per year. The five named councils are new revenues, better currently turning-over an estimated £4 million per annum from these services with most services and more councils only breaking even. Through the recycling – a new approach creation of the LBWR the aim is to achieve fair margins for providing good services and to commercial waste to increase turnover. As well as aiming to increase revenues, the project also aims to The London Waste and Recycling target the capture of at least 75,000 tonnes Board (LWARB) has supported a of new material for recycling, diverting this project to explore the establishment material away from the residual waste stream. of a commercial waste trading The funding application to the LGA was company to provide commercial made to allow detailed modelling and market waste and recycling sales and testing to be undertaken to develop outline business cases for the initial five boroughs marketing services on behalf identified above. The outline business of London local councils. cases provided the recipient boroughs with The project initially saw engagement with market information and detailed analysis that five London boroughs to develop outline would help inform their choice of direction business cases. The lead borough submitted for their commercial waste service and the an application to the LGA Waste and viability of the partnership with LBWR. Recycling Programme for funding to procure Following successful engagement with technical consultancy services to support the named local councils it was decided the development of these business cases. that the project was viable and London The trading company, London Business Business Waste and Recycling Limited Waste and Recycling (LBWR), will be was established in March 2016. entirely owned by LWARB, and will The project allowed business cases to enter into joint venture partnerships with be produced for a total of eight London London boroughs. All profits will be boroughs, exceeding the original estimate passed back to the partner councils. of five. These business cases and the LBWR will help partner councils to accompanying financial models have now professionalise and grow their commercial provided LBWR with a useful template waste portfolios, focusing on increasing that can be utilised to produce bespoke revenues and boosting recycling. The business cases for other councils across company will also support London boroughs London that are interested by this proposal. to improve their enforcement efforts to So far one council has cabinet approvals reduce the problem of businesses putting to proceed and a further two councils their waste out on the street, without are expected to make decisions to contract, and expecting the council to proceed by the end of July 2016. pick it up under their clear-all policies. For further information about this project, LBWR will work with each of its partner please contact James Fulford at London boroughs to develop the right service delivery Business Waste and Recycling model for that borough, undertaking the [email protected] collection service in-house where feasible or 020 7960 3680 partnering with third party providers where this will provide better value to customers.

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 29 South Holland putting the necessary governance and staffing in place and developing branding District Council and marketing materials for the company. establishing a Other activities include setting up a website which will advertise the service, detail rates trading company for and costs, and have an online booking environmental services and payment service. The council will also establish a ‘sales representative’ post to South Holland District Council carry out soft market testing and competitor is running a project to establish analysis. The sales representative will acquire clients and will monitor the company’s a revenue-generating company effectiveness against budget and resources. for environmental services. Replicability is designed into the project, part The trading company will offer clients a of which is to develop and make available number of services, including waste collection a step-by-step guide for councils on how for fly-tipped waste and void clearances to set up a trading company. The guide will (clearance of waste from empty properties). be useful to any councils with an interest in The company will also offer commercial commercialisation of any service, and will paper recycling collection, street cleansing set out any learning experiences from the services on private property, household and project, along with legal advice and potential commercial cleaning services, and household savings. As the council continues to make and commercial ground maintenance services. further progress with the project, officers will A particularly innovative element of the project produce and make available the how-to guide. is its approach to staffing. The company’s For more information about the project, structure will allow for it to undertake both please contact Glen Chapman at external and internal work. This enables South Holland District Council it to offer services to external public and [email protected] private sector clients, whilst also providing 01775 764 503 where necessary internal resource. This is particularly useful for covering internal staff leave, which is normally undertaken by agency workers and is both inefficient and costly.

The overarching aim of the project is to create efficiencies. A trading company will reduce the council’s bill for environmental services while generating revenue at the same time. The company will also create efficiencies in terms of staffing and time. In its first year, the company anticipates that the competitive charge out rate of three operatives will produce a return of around £4,800, representing a positive return of 5.99 per cent on an £80,000 base budget. This means that the costs of employing the operatives will not only be covered, but also generate a positive return.

There are a number of different strands of activity in delivering the project. This includes establishing the company and

30 Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme Impacts of the LGA Waste and Recycling Programme

Overall, the existence of the programme has and initiatives. For projects where the council had a galvanising effect on the projects in has also contributed funding, the programme the areas benefiting from it. As can be seen has helped to limit the risk to which the council from the case studies, the impact of the is exposed through running the programme. support provided through the LGA Waste and Where projects were run entirely using the Recycling Programme differed across projects. funding from the LGA, the element of risk was significantly limited. In some cases, without the opportunity for support from the LGA, projects would not This work sits amongst a wider set of tools and have gone ahead. This includes Cumbria, programmes to help councils. For example, Manchester and Staffordshire. In these cases, developing revenue-generating services, making the councils were already aware of the issues efficiency savings, in addition to information that their projects went on to address, but did about shared services and the use of digital not have a fully-fledged idea. The programme tools to transform public services. These tools therefore helped these councils to think more can be found at www.local.gov.uk/productivity specifically about how to tackle the issues they There is also learning to be taken from were facing. In other cases, such as Ipswich, the programme in terms of the difficulties all London boroughs and NHS England, faced by individual projects and across and Bath and North East Somerset, the the programme as a whole. For example, idea for the project already existed in some there is the perception that project teams form within the councils and/or partners. For must prove the value of their project and these councils, the programme provided the the funding, which can sometimes result opportunity to put their ideas into practice. in projects being ‘doomed to succeed’. Some councils used the LGA grant as the In other cases, difficulties arose where multiple primary source of funding for their project partners were involved in the delivery of but topped this up with money from the projects. For instance, where several councils council. For example, in Liverpool the were leading the project, some partners were council contributed some money towards quicker than others in their communication with equipment and infrastructure. In Manchester the rest of the project partners. Furthermore, the council made a match contribution, some projects faced difficulties in moving effectively doubling the project budget. forward as a number of different conversations Overall, participation in the programme has were taking place at different levels across had different impacts for different projects. In different councils. This lack of joined-up many cases, it has simply allowed officers and communication sometimes meant that projects other partners to put into practice an idea that did not have such a clear vision on next steps. already existed. However, for other projects the For a couple of projects, organisational programme has helped to foster the conditions restructures provided an unanticipated hurdle. for ideas generation, either helping to crystallise One project for example faced setbacks due to an idea that was not fully developed or a major restructure within the council, whereas prompting councils to develop innovative ideas. another project faced similar difficulties after The programme has also helped to remove an external partner underwent a restructure. the risk associated with running pilot projects

Evaluation of the Waste and Recycling Programme 31 Local Government Association Local Government House Smith Square London SW1P 3HZ

Telephone 020 7664 3000 Fax 020 7664 3030 Email [email protected] www.local.gov.uk

For a copy in Braille, larger print or audio, please contact us on 020 7664 3000. We consider requests on an individual basis.

REF 4.28