The South London Waste Partnership Joint Committee is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 17 June 2026 to review the performance of waste management contracts, discuss communications and engagement strategies, and consider the partnership's work programme and budget. Key topics for discussion include the performance of residual waste treatment, household reuse and recycling centres, and dry recyclables management, alongside updates on carbon management and the partnership's future work programme.

Contracts Performance Report

The committee will receive an update on the performance of the South London Waste Partnership's (SLWP) various waste management contracts. This includes the residual waste treatment services provided by Viridor at the Beddington Energy Recovery Facility (ERF), which handles waste from Croydon, Kingston, Merton, and Sutton. The report will detail volumes managed, facility availability, and landfill diversion rates. It will also address operational aspects such as vehicle turnaround times at the ERF and emissions performance, including specific exceedance events for pollutants like Carbon Monoxide and Sulphur Dioxide.

The performance of Household Reuse and Recycling Centres (HRRCs) and Waste Transfer Stations managed by Veolia ES (UK) Ltd will also be reviewed. This section will cover site user experience, recycling performance, and specific projects such as soil separation, reuse shops, and rubble charging schemes. The report will also detail volumes handled at waste transfer stations in Merton and Kingston.

Furthermore, the performance of Organics Waste Treatment Services for food and green waste will be presented, noting any compliance issues and investments made at facilities like Biocollectors. The management of Dry Recyclables, handled by contractors including Suez and Edwards Recycling, will be detailed, including volumes collected by borough and contractor, and the composition of recycled materials. Finally, the report will cover the recycling of Mechanical Street Sweeping wastes.

Communications and Engagement Update

This report will provide an overview of communications and stakeholder engagement activities undertaken by the SLWP between November 2025 and April 2026. It will cover sub-regional waste awareness campaigns, efforts to improve trust in recycling systems through initiatives like the Waste Watch annual report and facility tours, and the promotion of social value projects. The update will also detail activities related to raising awareness of carbon emissions reduction efforts, maintaining resident support for energy recovery as an alternative to landfill, and ensuring high resident satisfaction with Household Reuse and Recycling Centres. The development of the SLWP website and digital communication channels will also be discussed.

Carbon Management Plan - Residual Waste Treatment Contract

This item presents the Carbon Management Plan and Annual Reports prepared by Viridor concerning the SLWP's residual waste treatment contract. The reports detail the progress made in reducing carbon emissions associated with waste treatment, showing an average reduction of over one-third since 2017. The reports will also provide an apportionment of these carbon emissions to each of the four partner boroughs: Croydon, Kingston, Merton, and Sutton. The committee will be asked to note the contents of these reports and agree to their publication on the SLWP and/or Beddington ERF websites.

South London Waste Partnership Budget Outturn 2025/26

This report summarises the outturn position of the Partnership's budget for the 2025/26 financial year. It details any variances against the approved budget, including an overspend of £15,511 against the total budget of £643,355. The report will explain the reasons for these variances, such as the NJC Pay Award for Local Government Services and increased subscription costs for document management systems, as well as underspends in other areas. Additional costs outside the agreed budget, specifically legal support costs totalling £10,702 for finalising contract documentation for new recyclates contracts, will also be detailed.

SLWP Work Programme 2025 to 2030 with Social Value Update

This report provides an update on the SLWP Work Programme for 2025 to 2030 and presents further details on the SLWP's social value activities planned for this period. The SLWP is moving towards a consistent approach to social value across all future contracts, allocating 10% of evaluation criteria to ensure measurable community benefits. This includes a ring-fenced social value fund managed by contractors, with oversight from the SLWP. The report will detail the SLWP's commissioning plan, outlining which contracts are due for extension or re-procurement, and will present the SLWP Social Value Plan 2025 to 2030. Case studies of social value delivered through existing contracts with contractors like Viridor, SUEZ, and Veolia will also be included.