And, Ms Blizzard has also confirmed that she is to step down from chairing the Committee in April, with former chair Lee Marshall returning.
– Joy Blizzard, LARAC
Ms Blizzard, who was previously LARAC's communications officer, took up the chairing role in January since previous chair Lee Marshall was between jobs at Stratford-on-Avon and Powys (see letsrecycle.com story).
She said her work as chair had confirmed her view that for most recycling and waste management council officers, their work is now on a far higher level than in the past.
Ms Blizzard said: “Now this is a mainstream discipline and the range of skills has grown tremendously. Recycling officers today are a very highly skilled group, with involvement in all aspects of waste and recycling policies as well as delivery.”
To match this development among officers, LARAC, she says, is also ratcheting up its activities. “There is an expectation that we will respond to all policy consultations and also go to the wide range of events that are held. Our members are also coming from a wider range of authorities – including regions, unitary authorities, collection and disposal authorities – and we have to try and reflect these different views.”
Expanded
With an office run by Colin Kirkby in Knighton, Powys, the organisation has expanded its team and appointed Melvyn Lilley, formerly with Wolverhampton council, as business manager working on training.
Arrangements are nearing completion for Neil Ferris, recycling officer with North Lincolnshire council, to join LARAC shortly as policy officer on a part time secondment basis. Mr Ferris is responsible, too, for LARAC's input into the DTI's development of policy on implementing the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.
Marshall
Ms Blizzard says she is enjoying her period in office, having stepped up from the communications post. However, she is happy that Lee Marshall is expected to be re-elected as chair in April.
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This will mean that co-ordination in the organisation will be better than ever, with Mr Marshall holding an official post only 20 miles away from where the LARAC office is based.
Mr Marshall told letsrecycle.com he was enjoying his new post as streetscene manager for Powys, a unitary authority. “This is a new challenge for me in a unitary authority and I am working on recycling, collection and disposal issues,” he said.
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