The West London Waste Authority met to discuss the 2026-27 budget, an update on contracts and operations, and health and safety performance for 2025-26. The meeting was scheduled to take place at the Harrow Council Hub, in Harrow.

2026-27 Budget

The West London Waste Authority was scheduled to discuss and approve the draft budget for 2026-27, prior to consulting with constituent boroughs. The report pack included a recommendation to approve the budget for consultation, as well as approving the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) rates, the Fixed Cost Levy (FCL), a new capital budget, and the target level of reserves.

The proposed budget for 2026/27 aimed to provide boroughs with greater stability and predictability. The levies to be passed on to boroughs had remained relatively stable, with a 1% increase from 2025/26. This increase was attributed to waste volumes projected by boroughs and current trends identified by the authority.

The report pack noted that the authority takes a prudent and risk-based approach on contracts and aims to build mitigation within our contracts. It also noted that while the Public Private Partnership (PPP) contract is dampened by the impact of inflation, it also has mechanisms to allow for additional income if certain criteria are met.

The report pack stated that the authority's strategic direction is to work towards a carbon neutral West London and create the new accepted model for how waste and resources are managed. It also stated that to achieve this, investment in systemic change for the benefit of all boroughs is needed.

The report pack stated that the authority had been notified in late November 2024 that a sum of £11.3m would be paid to them in relation to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). It was noted that since this communication, the total amount paid by PACK UK had been adjusted to £8.9 million, with the remainder underwritten by the provider as this was committed spend.

Contracts and Operations Update

The West London Waste Authority was scheduled to receive an update on the authority's waste treatment arrangements.

The key points in the report pack were:

• The Abbey Road transfer station is now receiving borough waste and site improvements are being delivered. Options are being explored to begin receiving trade waste again as soon as possible.
• The Mattress Processing and Recycling contract has been successfully procured.

The report pack stated that the Severnside Energy Recovery Centre (SERC), part of the WLERL contract, has been operating well since the outage ended in the summer. It also stated that over September and October there had been some network rail disruption impacting slightly on the movement of waste by rail, but that these issues were mainly resolved.

The report pack stated that at the Transport Avenue and Victoria Road waste transfer stations, Suez were undertaking a number of site improvements over the coming months, including installation of odour suppression systems.

The report pack stated that residual waste up to the end of October was slightly lower than the previous two years but remains slightly higher than prior years.

2025/26 Health and Safety Performance

The West London Waste Authority was scheduled to receive an interim report reviewing the authority's health and safety performance for 2025/2026 to date. The report pack stated that the authority remains committed to the highest health and safety standards across its operations.

The report pack stated that the authority is continuing to make significant progress in managing and complying with health and safety requirements. Key areas of activity include the introduction of a digital hazard reporting system, increased staff engagement following a period of high turnover and a number of vacancies at Abbey Road, and the appointment of third-party consultancies to support site management and close resource gaps.

The report pack stated that reported incidents have increased, reflecting a more robust reporting culture rather than a rise in actual incidents, and that site compliance ratings have improved, particularly at Abbey Road, following targeted interventions, and regular audits are being conducted. It also stated that no RIDDOR reportable incidents have occurred, and financial resources remain within budget.

The report pack included a copy of the West London Waste Authority Health and Safety Policy, last updated in September 2025.