Purpose

Lichfield District Council
works in partnership with Tamworth Borough to deliver a waste
collection service to local households.
 
The service collects dry mixed
recycling (glass, cans, plastics, paper and card) using a
dual-stream collection system, which it disposes through Biffa
Waste Ltd, through a joint contract with South Staffordshire and
Cannock Chase district councils.
 
The current three-year contract
with Biffa Waste Ltd ends on 31 March 2025. The contract provides
an option to extend for three one-year periods. On 6 July 2021,
Cabinet delegated the responsibility to enter contracts to support
the dry recycling service, provided the costs can be met from
within existing budgets, to the Cabinet Member responsible for
waste and recycling and the head of operational
services.
 
The partnership of the councils
is content with the service provided by Biffa Waste Ltd. This paper
proposes extending the contract for one-year to 31 March 2026 on
the basis that the cost increases will be negated through increased
income.
 
It is also felt that extending
the contract is prudent as it will allow more clarity on the future
landscape to emerge, given the impact of local government
reorganisation and the upcoming changes in the waste market, due
extended producer responsibility which will significantly impact
the financial modelling of dry recycling in the UK. 

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Operational Services,
Parks and Waste awarded a one-year contract extension to Biffa
Waste Ltd for dry mixed recycling collected by the Joint Waste
Service, from 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2026.
 
Note that two further one-year extensions may
be agreed by the Cabinet Member responsible for waste and
recycling, Director for Resident and Business Services and the
council’s S151 officer, subject to costs not exceeding
existing budgets.