To Trevor Askew, Strategic Director, Stratford District Council

From Mr Paul Galland, Strategic Director for Environment and Economy, Warwickshire County Council

9 June 2008

Dear Trevor

Landfilling of Green Waste

I just wanted to follow up on our recent meeting which followed your Executive's decision to landfill green waste for three months and then to stop green waste collections completely until April 2009.

As I said at our meeting, this decision causes us serious concerns for a number of reasons. Firstly, it is bad for the householder who wants to see green waste composted; secondly, it is bad for the environment because it increases the amount of biodegradable waste to landfill; and, of course, it is bad for the council tax payer who ultimately pays for the increased costs. Although this is a relatively short term situation, the longer-term impact of losing householder 'buy in' to recycling could be significant!

For all of these reasons, we would urge you to reconsider your Council's position and continue to collect green waste (without kitchen waste) in order that the service to the householder is protected and green waste can be composted. We also ask you to delay the start of segregated kitchen waste until 'in vessel composting' facilities are in place to receive Stratford's mixed green and kitchen waste.

It would also be helpful to receive clarification on a couple of points. Firstly, does your collection contract give you any flexibility to delay the start of separate kitchen waste without incurring additional costs? If there are additional costs, would you be prepared to let us know what they amount to?

The decision taken by the District Council transfers a significant, additional and unplanned disposal cost to the County Council. You are aware of the significant financial pressures my service is currently facing. Regrettably, if we have to meet this additional cost it will inevitably mean the financial support we have been looking to

provide Stratford to assist with recycling will have to be reduced by the amount of the additional disposal costs.

I am very keen to work with you on pursuing our aims to reduce, reuse and recycle as much waste as possible. It would, therefore, have been particularly helpful if we could have had a discussion about the options that went to your Executive on this matter before the paper was submitted.

Whatever happens as a result of this unfortunate situation, please be assured of our commitment to work in a positive way with you to tackle the challenge of household waste.

I would appreciate an early response on the questions and suggestions in this letter.

Kind regards.

Yours sincerely

Paul Galland

Strategic Director for Environment & Economy

cc Cllr Martin Heatley, Environment Portfolio Holder, WCC

Cllr Alan Farnell, Leader, WCC

Jim Graham, Chief Executive, WCC

Paul Lankester, Chief Executive, SDC

Cllr Les Topham, Leader, SDC

To Mr Paul Galland, Strategic Director for Environment and Economy, Warwickshire County Council

From Paul Lankester, Chief Executive, Stratford District Council

10 June 2008

Dear Paul

Stratford-on-Avon District Council Waste Contract -

Landfilling of Green Waste

I refer to your letter dated 9 June 2008 addressed to Trevor Askew which concerns the above contract. Trevor is currently on annual leave and in view of your request for an early response I am replying now rather than leave the correspondence for his return.

The points of concern you make in the second paragraph are well understood. While I believe there is a risk of the loss of householder 'buy-in' to recycling over the long term, this Council does not agree it will be as significant as you suggest. My officers have been promoting the new service arrangements at many events across the district for some weeks now and will continue through to August. I believe that by planning and delivering a similar campaign jointly with County Council colleagues as we approach the re-introduction of the garden/kitchen waste collection service in April 2009, residents will very soon return to using the service.

You may be aware that the Executive decision made on the 22 May 2008 has been called in for review by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and this is scheduled for Friday 13 June at 2.00 pm. Any recommendation made will then be considered by the Executive which will be meeting immediately afterwards. I will ask Trevor to keep you informed of the outcome from this process. (For your information, your letter and this response is being copied to all of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and to Executive).

In response to your specific points:-

The contract does not include the separate collection of kitchen waste, however, this was presented to the Executive at a meeting on 22 May 2008 as an option for use during the period before the IVC is available and involved the use of split bodied vehicles. I understand that this report, including financial implications has already been supplied to you and your staff were invited to, and did, comment on the implications.

The financial implications of the decision made to send kitchen and garden waste to landfill were presented to the Executive within the report and I share your regret over the predicament we now face. I also agree that this may not have been the case had our staff been in meaningful discussion before the paper was finalised. However, as confirmed at the recent meeting by Martin Stott, I understand your officers were reported to be under instruction from your Council Leader and Environment Portfolio Holder, not to discuss this matter with officers from Stratford, after initial meetings held in January this year identified that landfilling this matter was an option.

After this instruction was issued my officers could not get the County Council's perspective included in the decision-making process. The only exception was that your waste officers were able to confirm the additional County Council costs arising from the landfill options.

This Council has sought to work with your officers at every opportunity and it is very disappointing that a mutually acceptable solution has not, so far, been forthcoming. Without your Council's positive support and suggestions, this matter is likely to cost the taxpayer in both financial and environmental ways. However, in the absence of more proactive support, the Executive have selected what they view to be one of the least worst options for the public.

Your intervention in this matter is appreciated and I am also very keen for our officers to work closely to overcome the present difficulty and any future implications arising from this situation. Subject to my Council Leader's agreement, I would be happy to arrange a Special meeting of the Council's Executive to consider any better option.

Yours sincerely

Paul Lankester

Chief Executive

Copy to:

Cllr Martin Heatley, Environment Portfolio Holder, WCC

Cllr Alan Farnell, Leader, WCC

Jim Graham, Chief Executive, WCC

Paul Lankester, Chief Executive, SDC

Cllr Les Topham, Leader, SDC

*Members of Executive and Overview & Scrutiny