This week we attended the joint CIWM, LARAC and Craemer event hosted at the Craemer site in Telford. This is an annual event, free to members of the organisations listed, which provides a valuable bit of networking and learning about municipal waste management issues. Plus an interesting site visit!
It was great to see clients presenting on the changes they had made to their services which yielded both cost savings and environmental improvements. Julie Lewis of Stratford on Avon Council spoke about her experience with both Daventry and then in heading up the joint procurement of Warwick & Stratford Councils in moving to a 3,2,1+ collection system, where residual waste is collected very three weeks (reducing carbon impacts of transport, and incentivising greater food waste and recyclables separation). Recycling is collected comingled and sent to the hi-technology materials recycling facility at Sherbourne, Coventry, garden waste is on a subscription model and collected fortnightly and food waste collections on a weekly basis.
We wrote in our last newsletter about the importance of seeing our project work turn into improvements in systems on the ground, and this is an example in three respects, firstly we undertook an options appraisal on changing collection systems in Daventry, which led to the 3,2,1+ system there. The successful implementation of this system by the team at Daventry (now part of West Northants), was important evidence to support the changes in neighbouring Stratford on Avon (which now has the third highest recycling rate in England, at 61%) & Warwick. We also provided technical advice on the Stratford and Warwick joint collection procurement that delivered the service, now three years into its operations and working well. We also, to close the circle, supported the Coventry and Warwick Councils in the feasibility assessment for the Sherbourne MRF which accepts the recycling from all three Councils.
In our thinking, there has always been the potential for greater joint working from Councils / the public sector in terms of services, materials marketing and infrastructure and these examples in the Midlands are positive examples of this.
It often starts with something theoretical like an options appraisal, but can end up with service transformation and substantial environmental and economic improvements for those willing to take on the change.
For more information on service transformation, see www.frithrm.com or to talk to one of our technical advisers call us on 01746 552423 or email info@frithrm.com