Calderdale Council’s waste and recycling collections service will be discussed at its next Cabinet meeting.
Waste and recycling is the biggest service that the Council provides in terms of volume, with over 7.5 million scheduled collections from 95,000 households every year.
The Council’s current waste and recycling collection contract has been with SUEZ since 2016. Following a recent agreement to extend the contract, the current arrangement will now expire on 31 July 2026.
At the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet on Monday 13 November, members will consider a report outlining plans for the future of waste and recycling provision in the borough beyond 2026, with a number of options being considered.
The Council has identified four options: extending the current arrangement with SUEZ; open market tendering; the possibility of insourcing the service; or securing a joint venture arrangement – a partnership with another public sector organisation.
The merits of each arrangement have been carefully considered, with the report identifying the joint venture arrangement as the preferred option. This option would allow the Council to have greater control over the future direction of the service and any changes arising from legislation, as well as offering assurances of a resilient and reliable service for residents. It is also identified as offering the best value for money to the Council in challenging financial times.
As part of work to research this option, the Council has engaged with the Norse Group, an existing public sector joint venture company, to explore the possibility of a joint venture model being created to deliver waste and recycling services in Calderdale.
Cabinet members will be asked to agree for further exploration of an arrangement with Norse Group, including a timeline for implementation. This would then be presented at a future Cabinet meeting.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Cllr Jenny Lynn, said:
“We’re proud of our waste and recycling record, with the efforts of residents and the increased range of materials collected at kerbside, resulting in consistently high recycling rates and low levels of contamination.
“As we look towards the end of our current waste and recycling contract, it’s important that we can continue to keep up this high level of performance, but also recognise the current challenges faced by the waste industry and deliver good value for money.
“We’ll consider a number of options for the future of the service and note the report recommendation of further exploring the possibility of entering into a joint venture arrangement.”
The report outlining options for the future delivery of waste and recycling collection services in Calderdale will be discussed at the meeting of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet on Monday 13 November 2023 at Halifax Town Hall from 3pm. The meeting can also be viewed online at https://calderdale.public-i.tv/core/portal/home(external link)
ENDS