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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2018/jan/15/gove-waste-plans-uk-councils-join-up-services
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| How Michael Gove's waste plans could bring local councils together at last | How Michael Gove's waste plans could bring local councils together at last |
| (25 days later) | |
| Michael Gove’s proposal to standardise waste collections across the country should be welcomed by environmentalists and taxpayers. As Gove points out, rules and regulations for waste disposal differ vastly around the UK, making the collections confusing for many families. | Michael Gove’s proposal to standardise waste collections across the country should be welcomed by environmentalists and taxpayers. As Gove points out, rules and regulations for waste disposal differ vastly around the UK, making the collections confusing for many families. |
| This has not escaped the notice of Whitehall, where civil servants calculated, in a 2015 report (pdf), that standardised waste collection could save £70m a year. If that were combined with more joint procurement by councils, the savings would be even greater. | This has not escaped the notice of Whitehall, where civil servants calculated, in a 2015 report (pdf), that standardised waste collection could save £70m a year. If that were combined with more joint procurement by councils, the savings would be even greater. |
| Standardisation and joint working can also create jobs. The former leader of Tameside council, the late Roy Oldham, was ahead of his time in developing the idea of converting plastic waste into products such as outside seating, fencing, paving and children’s playground equipment. Other councils were less keen, and a promising opportunity to create many jobs in the north west was lost. There are companies today doing a similar thing, and local government should be actively working with them. | Standardisation and joint working can also create jobs. The former leader of Tameside council, the late Roy Oldham, was ahead of his time in developing the idea of converting plastic waste into products such as outside seating, fencing, paving and children’s playground equipment. Other councils were less keen, and a promising opportunity to create many jobs in the north west was lost. There are companies today doing a similar thing, and local government should be actively working with them. |
| There are other plastic waste recycling businesses in the UK, mainly turning plastic into fuel. However, local government has preferred to see 2.7m tonnes of plastic waste shipped to China since 2012 – and put 1.2m tonnes annually into landfill. With a ban by China on importing plastic waste, the UK’s haphazard approach to waste collection and disposal appears incapable of handling the consequences. | There are other plastic waste recycling businesses in the UK, mainly turning plastic into fuel. However, local government has preferred to see 2.7m tonnes of plastic waste shipped to China since 2012 – and put 1.2m tonnes annually into landfill. With a ban by China on importing plastic waste, the UK’s haphazard approach to waste collection and disposal appears incapable of handling the consequences. |
| Local rivalries and poor working relationships have played a big part in UK local government’s failure to standardise waste collection. | Local rivalries and poor working relationships have played a big part in UK local government’s failure to standardise waste collection. |
| As director of the North West Centre of Excellence from 2004 to 2008, my remit covered 47 local authorities in the north west of England. Despite some visionary personalities, personal (and often longstanding) disputes, and defensiveness and rivalry between leaders, chief executives and senior managers of different councils prevented greater joint working. | As director of the North West Centre of Excellence from 2004 to 2008, my remit covered 47 local authorities in the north west of England. Despite some visionary personalities, personal (and often longstanding) disputes, and defensiveness and rivalry between leaders, chief executives and senior managers of different councils prevented greater joint working. |
| One failure, for example, was the attempt to persuade several councils in Greater Manchester to harmonise waste collection fleets, with potential savings of £16,500 per vehicle. The councils involved offered up such lame excuses as “we are different” or “waste collection is the issue that causes most complaints”. | One failure, for example, was the attempt to persuade several councils in Greater Manchester to harmonise waste collection fleets, with potential savings of £16,500 per vehicle. The councils involved offered up such lame excuses as “we are different” or “waste collection is the issue that causes most complaints”. |
| In Cheshire, waste vehicle depots in one district council were often almost adjacent to a neighbouring council’s depot. The same applied to waste recycling depots. Despite a study showing that a single regime could save 15%, the councils would not agree to join forces. Now, with local government reorganisation, Greater Manchester, Cheshire East and Cheshire West each have their own common regimes. | In Cheshire, waste vehicle depots in one district council were often almost adjacent to a neighbouring council’s depot. The same applied to waste recycling depots. Despite a study showing that a single regime could save 15%, the councils would not agree to join forces. Now, with local government reorganisation, Greater Manchester, Cheshire East and Cheshire West each have their own common regimes. |
| The argument for standardisation applies to all significant categories of procurement spend and will also apply to in-house teams. It is one of the most powerful tools that procurement professionals have. | The argument for standardisation applies to all significant categories of procurement spend and will also apply to in-house teams. It is one of the most powerful tools that procurement professionals have. |
| Past reluctance to standardise on waste collection and adopt innovative ideas has killed off UK business opportunities, with similar instances in other service sectors. | Past reluctance to standardise on waste collection and adopt innovative ideas has killed off UK business opportunities, with similar instances in other service sectors. |
| Although joint working and standardisation has become more acceptable in local government and has been given a boost by the creation of combined authorities, the huge potential benefits from comprehensive and innovative standardised services are still eluding too many councils. | Although joint working and standardisation has become more acceptable in local government and has been given a boost by the creation of combined authorities, the huge potential benefits from comprehensive and innovative standardised services are still eluding too many councils. |
| I hope chief executives, council leaders and senior managers will now step forward and provide the proactive leadership to work together to secure the real benefits. | I hope chief executives, council leaders and senior managers will now step forward and provide the proactive leadership to work together to secure the real benefits. |
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