The contract is the latest deal for the sale of material to be collectively procured under the auspices of the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, with the county council and 10 district and borough councils already having deals in place for exporting paper and selling packaging materials.
It will run for three years initially, with an option to be extended for a further two years.
The councils expect to collectively earn 800,000 a year in additional income during the first three years of the new arrangements by obtaining a higher price for the material left in the banks. Welwyn Hatfield borough council, which is leading and managing the textiles contract, said it alone would benefit by around 30,000 a year in extra income.
Welwyn Hatfield borough councils executive member for environment, Colin Couch, said: This is an exciting recycling initiative on behalf of the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership. Together we continue to work on joint initiatives to generate additional efficiencies or income across the county.
Cost efficiencies
The councils are already making an estimated 560,000 more a year by jointly sending packaging materials such as plastics, cans and glass to two recycling firms (see letsrecycle.com story), and have also highlighted the cost efficiencies of their four-year contract, signed in December 2008, to export paper via Newport Paper (see letsrecycle.com story).
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The significance of the joint-procurement approach was highlighted by councillor Derrick Ashley, chairman of the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, who said: At a time when local authority finances are under severe pressure following cuts in local government support this is yet another example of Hertfordshires councils working together to secure additional value for tax payers.
He added: This contract is set to generate substantial additional income which is vitally important in supporting the extensive range of recycling services provided across the county.
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