Free WRAP training for councils to end in April

The charge comes in as WRAP hands over management of the training to the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan). From April 1 2013, UCLan will be responsible for delivering the programme which has been run by WRAP since 2002.

At present, delegates from local authorities can attend the courses for free; while non-local authority delegates have to pay.

However, WRAP said it has set up a bursary with UCLan which will see local authorities offered the courses at a subsidised rate following the handover. It added that funding arrangements for Scottish local authorities will not change.

Commenting on the handover, Linda Crichton, head of collections and quality at WRAP, said: We indicated as part of our new four-year business plan in 2011 that our intention would be to pass on the responsibility for delivering the highly-respected Recycling Managers Training Programme to another organisation. The time is right to make that change, and were confident that UCLan is well-placed to take on that role, and will continue to deliver high-quality training.

While it will no longer be possible for the training to be offered to local authorities free of charge, given the financial pressures LAs face, particularly at the moment, WRAP has set up a bursary scheme with UCLan. This will provide 75% of course fees for local authority delegates, and will be administered by UCLan.

Training

The scheme offers training for waste and recycling managers in a number of areas, including: communications; improving efficiency; working with the local community; and, reviewing and retendering services.

The programme will fit within the universitys continuing professional development workshops and postgraduate teaching provision within the Centre for Waste Management in the School of Built and Natural Environment.

WRAP said it will continue to play an advisory role in the scheme which has so far seen more than 3,000 delegates take part in the training courses.

In the meantime, WRAP said it has been working with UCLan to develop and pilot a new set of distance learning materials which will help reduce course costs and increase training accessibility for delegates.