Decision details

The Project Director, Local Partnerships gave a PowerPoint Presentation to Scrutiny on the Tees Valley Joint Waste Management Strategy which was currently being developed by the five Tees Valley Local Authorities and which outlined the options for the future waste treatments/disposal post 2025 when the existing contractual arrangements came to an end.  Cabinet had given its approval to enter into consultation on the Joint Waste Management Strategy (JWMS) for the Tees Valley at its meeting held 11 September (Cabinet report also previously circulated).

The submitted report stated that the five Tees Valley Authorities were currently developing an Outline Business Case (OBC) for options on future waste treatments and disposal and that the new refreshed JWMS would cover the period from 2020-2035.

The Project Director, Local Partnerships gave further details and in doing so outlined the background to Local Partnerships, a joint venture between Local Government Association and HM Treasury and its role to help the public sector to delivery infrastructure projects more effectively and obtain commercial advantage and value for money.

In relation to waste management in the Tees Valley, it was reported that recycling and residual waste was collected by the five Tees Valley Councils using a range of different frequencies and systems with 34 per cent of waste being recycled and the remaining residual waste being sent to an energy waste facility for treatment.  In Darlington’s case this was 40 per cent.  Waste flows of the five Tees Valley Authorities were highlighted within the Presentation.

Further details were provided on the content of the OBC, including, Strategic Waste Management Objectives; Procurement Strategy and Reference Project; Risk Management; Risk Allocation and Contractual Structures; Project Team and Governance; Sites, Planning and Design; Costs, Budget and Finance; Stakeholder Communications; and Timetable.

Particular references were made to the development of the JWMS; collection options modelling; the residual waste options appraisal; and strategic environmental assessment.

Scrutiny was informed that the preferred option was adoption of prevention, reuse and recycling initiatives; introduction of high recycling performance collections including separate food waste collections; and a new energy recovery facility with the ability to utilise the heat produced, through the development of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) facility and that systematic approach had been adopted to identify site(s) for future strategic waste infrastructure.

The next steps were to undertake an eight week consultation process, financial modelling and stakeholder engagement prior to delivery of the draft OBC in March 2019.

Discussion ensued on the life span of the new strategy and whether one facility would be sufficient for the whole of the Tees Valley. 

In relation to perspective sites for the facility it was confirmed that the entire Tees Valley had been considered and that three preferred sites had been identified.  It was stated that the sites were in industrial areas and that residents and the environment had to be taken into consideration.  None of the identified sites were in the Borough of Darlington.

RESOLVED – (a) That the thanks of this Committee be extended to the Project Director for his informative presentation.

(b)  That the Project Director be invited to a future meeting of this Scrutiny Committee prior to delivery of the draft outline business case in March 2019.