Instead of allocating £60 million of government funding over a three-year period, which started in April 2008, the money will be given out in a two-year timeframe.
Whether we can get projects to start in 2009/10 depends a lot on the state of the project and what we can add to it
Paul de Rivaz, LWARB
Delays were caused partly because of the refusal of the former Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, to support the Board, known as LWARB, and the Board has only been able so far to give money to the existing 'Recycle for London' campaign.
With the publication of an outline priorities plan by LWARB, which was issued last week, it has emerged that energy-from-waste and recycling are the two core target markets for funding.
In particular energy-from-waste has been listed as having a high impact on tonnage as well as a high impact on “energy/climate change”.
Developing energy-from-waste facilities, says the plan, will help reduce energy supply risks, decentralise energy provision and help in technology evolution.
Recycling work will look at projects such as government procurement and market development as well as supporting infrastructure and capacity building.
Paul de Rivaz, who has been appointed as interim chief operating officer, said: “Whether we can get projects to start in 2009/10 depends a lot on the state of the project and what we can add to it.”
Business plan
He explained that LWARB's business plan will be available early in February 2009 and will contain criteria for funding which bidders will have to look at. The first set of bids will then be sought by April 1 2009 for consideration at a meeting of LWARB in May.
However, LWARB has warned there is potential that projects which “will happen anyway” will not get support and that funded projects and/or programmes “must have a compelling business and investment case that deliver tangible outputs and/or outcomes”.
Benefits to London boroughs and businesses have also been listed by LWARB. For councils, it says they will face lower financial costs through avoiding landfill tax and gate fees. For businesses, among the benefits will be market stability for price, shared risk exposure and energy security.
The Board has also emphasised that it considers handling and treatment of waste as a business. Mr de Rivaz, who has experience in the oil sector and in the setting-up of major government-backed organisations, said: “The Board considers that the waste generated in London should be viewed as a resource and therefore as a business opportunity. This is a chance for all who have an interest in improving the handling and treatment of waste to be involved.”
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