NISP - the flagship business sustainability project run by International Synergies Ltd of Kings Norton, Birmingham - has had its Defra funding cut by about 40% for the next financial year.

And, another business-related programme, Envirowise, has also had its funding reduced substantially, down to £9.4m from about £20m.

The cuts were part of Defra's budget announcement last week for the 2008/09 financial year and NISP - the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme - appears to have taken the hardest hit.

All groups are now expected to take part in a Landscape Delivery Review to be carried out by Defra. This will look into the various bodies who deliver support and activities in waste and recycling and beyond and the general need for such work.

NISP

NISP now looks set to see a shake-up of the organisation's activities with a budget next year of only £5 m compared to £8m in the current year.

International Synergies has described NISP as delivering "exceptional results" and has commented that with NISP it "boasts the fastest growing business opportunity programme in the UK". However, with budgetary pressures facing Defra, the department appears to have decided that its contribution to the work of the business programme can be scaled down.

Peter Laybourn, managing director of International Synergies - and also the programme director for NISP - was in Mexico last week to launch a new pilot Industrial Symbiosis programme in Mexico City but issued a statement responding to the cuts.

He said: "We should be immensely proud of the success of NISP and its ability to deliver exceptional economic and environmental results across the country. However, given that this settlement is less than this current year's funding NISP will now start to undertake a review of its operational structure across all 9 English regions so that NISP continues to deliver a cost effective and beneficial programme for business."

Mr Laybourn added: "In the meantime, it is business as usual and we will be continuing to focus on delivering key outputs for Quarter 4."

Envirowise

Offering "practical environmental advice to businesses", Envirowise is now to develop a new forward plan, director Adrian Cole told letsrecycle.com.

Mr Cole explained that Envirowise operated on a year-on-year business plan and would now be looking at how it delivered its work with the 50% reduction.

In the future, said Mr Cole, "we are likely to be focusing on more generic forms of support for business and will be talking to Defra about their proposals for taking the programme forwad."

He added that Envirowise, which is run by Serco TTI and AEA Technology, will be working closely with other programmes involved in the business sector.

CIWM view

Commenting on the Defra Budge Settlement announcement, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) voiced concern at the cuts and called for greater clarity on what this will mean for key programmes. The CIWM has recognised the work of NISP in the past, giving awards to two of its projects last year.

CIWM chief executive Steve Lee said: "The substantial cuts for delivery bodies, including a 30% cut for WRAP (Waste & Resources Action Programme), could undermine the ambitious objectives in the Waste Strategy for England 2007, including higher recycling and composting targets for local authorities and a greater emphasis on tackling commercial and industrial waste."

He added: "We have yet to see the more detailed thinking behind the strategic budget decisions that have been made, including the impact on work that was funded through the Business Resource Efficiency & Waste (BREW) programme. However, these cuts are likely to see an end to crucial support for local authorities and business and industry at a time when that support is most needed."