UK – Government to create London Waste and Recycling Board

Plans to set up a statutory London Waste and Recycling Board have been announced by the Government. The Board will help deliver increased sustainable waste management in London. It will manage the London Waste and Recycling Fund, and may also provide advice on strategic London waste issues to London Boroughs and the Mayor.



The Government announced (July 2006) a new London Waste and Recycling Fund, with a commitment of £19m in 2008/9, in recognition of London‘‘s unique position as the only metropolitan Region, and taking account of the strategic role of the Mayor. After discussions with stakeholders, Government has now decided that the best approach for London is to put the body to manage this Fund on a statutory footing. This will provide focus, clarity and stability.



This approach will respect the strategic role of the Mayor and the delivery role of the Boroughs. It will seek to bring these together and build upon them, to enable delivery of the Mayor‘‘s strategy and the Boroughs‘‘ obligations.



The Board will focus on getting things done in London. It will not take functions from existing bodies, and it will not be a waste disposal or collection authority.



In July 2006, Government announced a London Waste and Recycling Fund, the details of which would be worked up in consultation with stakeholders. It was announced that the Fund would be created through contributions from the GLA plus re-diversion of the element of existing London local authority waste funding currently provided by the Waste Performance and Efficiency Grant (WPEG). The precise position will need to be decided in the spending review, but on the basis of current figures, Government envisage a £25 million per annum fund, consisting of £19 million from local authority waste funding (WPEG) and £6 million which the GLA have indicated they could make available. It was proposed that this would be managed by a forum of stakeholders. The proposed London Waste and Recycling Board puts the body managing the Fund on statutory footing.



This complements additional strengthening of the Mayor‘‘s role regarding London‘‘s waste in the GLA Bill including stronger powers for the Mayor to determine strategic waste planning applications and a requirement for the boroughs to act in general conformity with the Mayors

Waste Strategy.