Early last year, Defra ran consultations on extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging, consistency in household and business recycling in England and introducing a DRS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
While Defra published its response to its EPR consultation in March, it said only that it would release its responses for the other policies in “due course”, since when nothing has appeared (see letsrecycle.com story).
The South East Waste Partnership Managers Group is an informal group representing 93 local authorities across the south and east of England.
In their letter to environment secretary George Eustice, dated 3 May, the Group highlights the issues the authorities face due to the delays.
Decision-making is being delayed, the signatories claim, as strategies and plans cannot be finalised until it can be checked that they align with the requirements under the consistency rules.
Four authorities have already delayed their strategy decision date due to the lack of the government’s responses, they write.
The letter reads: “The quicker that decisions on strategies can be made, the quicker authorities can start to implement them.”
The signatories concluded their letter by reiterating their desire to “improve services and make the changes needed as soon as possible”.
Signatories
The letter’s signatories include representatives from the East Sussex Joint Waste Partnership, Kent Resource Partnership, Medway council, Oxfordshire Resources and Waste Partnership, Project Integra, Surrey Environment Partnership, West Sussex Waste Partnership, Norfolk Waste Partnership and Hertfordshire Waste Partnership. Brighton and Hove as well as Essex are also understood to be supportive of the message to the secretary of state.
Abigail Cooke, head of Project Integra in Hampshire, sent the letter on behalf of the group which comments that although the signatories largely represent the south and east of England, they know that the challenges they face are “reflective” of many authorities across England.
Delays
The letter says delays in the councils’ ability to make decisions has two subsequent effects: delays to implementation and procurement.
The longer the decision-making is delayed, the more difficult it will be to make sure changes are in place to meet government timelines
– South East Waste Partnership Managers Group
The letter reads: “Service changes as big as these will take a long time to implement, and the longer the decision-making is delayed, the more difficult it will be to make sure changes are in place to meet government timelines.
“Secondly, many authorities will be looking to procure new bins, caddies, and vehicles, and as many highlighted in their consultation response, the number of authorities all looking to procure these items at a similar time will only add to the current backlog being experienced, again leading to further delays in the start of new services.”
Budgets
The letter goes on to say that the changes required have “significant budgetary impacts”.
It reads: “Although there is the promise of some funding through New Burdens for food waste and funding through EPR; until more information is known about how this will be calculated, accessed, and the timeframes, it is near impossible for authorities to do the long-term budget planning they need to enable them to make the required investment.
“Local authorities have been undertaking years of savings initiatives as a result of austerity since 2010; and without knowing when and how much they are likely to be funded, gaining sufficient funding and approval for service changes of this nature is extremely challenging.”
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