The inspection report rated the London borough's 'C;leaner Greener' waste management service as a 'fa;ir, one star service that has promising prospects for improvement'. The department covers waste management, recycling, street cleaning and parks and green spaces.
Brian Wilmor, London regional director for the Audit Commission, said: “A cleaner and greener Lewisham is clearly a corporate priority for Lewisham council which has invested additional funds to improve refuse collection and parks. The challenge now for the council is to develop plans to deliver on the statutory recycling targets.”
The Commission reported that Lewisham council has decided to withdraw from the South East London Waste Disposal Group, which will save the council around 100,000 a year. A council spokesperson told letsrecycle.com: “The agreement is no longer working to the benefit of Lewisham and Greenwich. Both councils are working together on the best way forward.”
Estates recycling
The inner south east London council has a population of around 249,000. The Audit Commission report said: “Lewisham’s economy is ranked 30th out of the 33 London boroughs. It is one of London’s least wealthy boroughs, with household incomes well below average.”
The Commission praised the council for securing a 1.1 million grant from the London Recycling Fund to introduce to its estates recycling facilities for paper, glass and cans. The council has already distributed over 700 bulk bins to 76 estates. The report added: “The council is working with residents on each estate to ensure that the recycling bins are conveniently located. They are visible and convenient to residents of the estates, but are also accessible to other residents who live close by.”
The council spokeswoman explained: “The estates recycling scheme fits with our strategy to provide all households with a 'd;oor-step' collection of recyclables.” The council expects from the scheme 740 tonnes of mixed glass, 2130 tonnes of paper and cardboard and 370 tonnes of cans and plastic bottles.
Targets
The council's recycling rate for 2001-02 was 5.3% and it has estimated a 2002-03 rate of 7.1%, which the Audit Commission criticised for being below the average of 11.5% for the 'top performing' London boroughs. The report added that with the introduction of the estates recycling and expansions of kerbside collections, the council should easily reach its 2003/04 recycling target of 10%.
However, the report criticised the council for not having a municipal waste management strategy which sets out its plans to meet future recycling targets. The report said: “We found the plans for achieving the 18 per cent target by 2005/06 to be less clear which is a weakness in the council’s approach to recycling.”
In 1993 the council began a 30 year waste treatment and disposal contract with Onyx at the South East London Combined Heat and Power (SELCHP) plant. Because of this contract, Lewisham diverts almost 80% of its waste from landfill. The report said: “The council has an effective waste disposal service and achieves a high level of diversion from landfill through incineration with energy recovery, exceeding national recovery targets.”
The council's contract with SELCHP demands a minimum guaranteed tonnage of 100,000 tonnes per year. The audit commission report said that Lewisham council should consider either reducing this amount or subcontracting out to other councils the tonnage in order to allow higher recycling. The council spokesperson said that discussions are underway with SELCHP but no decisions have been reached.
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