Agenda item

            The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1        To provide an update to Members on the progress made by SoLACE in conjunction with a Waste Forum made up of TAG (NI) officers, supported by NILGA, in assessing councils needs in terms of collaborating on waste and related Services.  This a work in progress, but it is important that Members are aware of this emergent collective approach being undertaken by the 11 councils.

2.0         Recommendations

2.1         The Committee is asked to note;

·        the update and agree to the resource recommendations.

3.0         Main report

              Background

3.1         Prior to the RPA (Review of Public Administration) in 2015, the councils were organised into three voluntary Waste Management Groups;

1.     arc21 (11 x councils)

2.     NWRWMG (North West Region Waste Management Group) (7 x councils)

3.     SWaMP2008 (Southern Waste Management Partnership) (8 x councils)

3.2         Each group operated through a Joint Committee, albeit on a slightly different basis whereby arc21 and SWaMP2008 were incorporated corporate bodies, whilst the NWRWMG was unincorporated.  SWaMP2008 was dissolved in 2015.  Arc21 can award contracts as a separate entity and hold assets, while SWaMP2008 did not enter into direct contract award.  Similarly, the NWRWMG facilitated joint procurement across its councils (with Derry City Council as lead council), third-party contract awards were made through the individual councils. 

3.3         The principle objective of the three Groups was to work collectively for their partner councils and others to develop three Waste Management Plans and deliver the various recycling and landfill diversion targets set out in European and domestic legislation.

3.4         Since RPA the picture has fragmented.  Currently, there are two Waste Management Groups:

Ø  arc21 representing Belfast City, Ards & North Down, Mid & East Antrim, Antrim & Newtownabbey, Newry Mourne & Down and Lisburn & Castlereagh City

Ø  NWRWMG representing Derry City & Strabane and Causeway & Glens

3.5         The three remaining councils (Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Fermanagh & Omagh and Mid Ulster), sometimes referred to ‘NI Other’, are not part of any Waste Management Group although they have worked together and produced a Joint Waste Management Plan.

3.6         These arrangements, however, are not seen as sustainable in the longer term.  As a consequence, SoLACE NI (Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) requested that through the Technical Advisors Group (NI) (Local Government Technical Advisors Group), the councils review the current set-up with a view to making proposals for future arrangements.  TAG subsequently established a Waste Forum.  The timing is apt as reviews of DAERA’s ‘Delivering Resource Efficiency - Northern Ireland Waste Management Strategy’ and councils’ Waste Management Plans are scheduled for the near future.  Organisational changes within the Waste Management Groups also reinforce the need for a strategic review of current arrangements.

3.7         Given the increasing demands on councils to improve recycling quantity and quality to deliver government targets, develop the Circular Economy, while reducing dependency on landfill, achieving these goals would be enhanced through greater collaboration between councils.

3.8         Members should be aware that NI councils spend in the region of 25-35% of their revenue budget on waste and related environmental services.

3.9         Main Report

              Following on from a workshop involving both Chief Executives and senior officers from the eleven Councils in October 2018, TAG (NI) were requested to take forward a Strategic Review of the current arrangements for collaboration between councils for waste and related services. 

3.10       Following the establishment of the Waste Forum drawing upon senior officer representation from the eleven councils, a specification was developed and agreed for an independent organisation to undertake a review the current arrangements and develop options for potential future structures and governance arrangements (see Appendix 1).   

3.11       At its September 2019 meeting, the Specification was signed off by SoLACE NI.  Given the need to engage an experienced organisation to carry out this review, it was agreed that the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) should be appointed to undertake this work as they have the necessary skills and experience having worked with many councils and the Waste Management Groups, and are public sector providers. 

3.12       SIB’s engagement is carried out in accordance with and for the purposes described in The Strategic Investment & Regeneration of Sites (NI) Order 2003 – namely the exercise of strategic investment functions in relation to the Executive and bodies carrying out major investment projects.

3.13       Members should be aware that the review officially commenced with a workshop on 13 September.  It is anticipated that the final report will be available in early 2020 and, following approval by SoLACE NI, the outcome will be reported to councils for their consideration. 

3.14       Financial & Resource Implications

              The fee to support the delivery of the SIB report will be approximately £2,200 per council.  This is being supported as part of our waste framework development and within existing budgets.  There will also be officer time required to support the process and through the Waste Forum.

3.15       Equality / Good Relations Implications / Rural Needs Assessment

              None.”

            The Committee adopted the recommendations.