Key information
Decision type: Assistant Director
Reference code: ADD2047
Date signed:
Decision by: Colin Wilson, Senior Manager, Planning Decisions
Executive summary
Guidance from Central Government requires the Mayor to provide the London Boroughs with up to date forecasts of waste in the London Plan. The forthcoming review of the London Plan will be required to provide updated forecasts. Specialist waste consultancies have the necessary expertise to undertake this work. Approval is sought to approach these consultancies.
Decision
That the Assistant Director of Planning approves:
1. Expenditure of up to a total of £40,000 to procure by competitive tender the appointment of external consultants to update forecast waste arising and waste apportionments.
Part 1: Non-confidential facts and advice
1.1 This is a new study and seeks a budget of up to £40,000. This budget was derived at after consultation with colleagues in the Environment Team (Waste) who advised this was a realistic sum for the work required.
1.2 Central Government guidance requires the Mayor to give boroughs a forecast of the amount of waste they should be planning for in their local plans. This is a two stage process; firstly forecasts for all the waste streams required by the Government have to be produced for each borough. Secondly, these numbers have to be put through an apportionment model to produce a more even distribution of waste for each borough to manage. Waste forecasts were last updated in 2014 and the apportionment model was last updated in 2006. Not only are the forecast and the model in need of an update, Government has increased the number of different types of waste that have to be planned for. GLA officers lack the necessary expertise to undertake this work. It will be necessary to appoint specialist waste consultants.
2.1 It is envisaged that the consultants will produce updated waste arising for the period 2016-2041, for each of the different waste streams required by central Government guidance. The consultants will devise an apportionment model and give each borough a waste apportionment (required by Government guidance) to plan for, for the period 2016-2041. It is expected that the study will be robust as it will need to stand up to scrutiny at the Examination in Public into the review of the London Plan.
3.1 If waste is not properly managed it can lead to a decline in air quality with adverse impacts on the health of vulnerable Londoners, often the very old and the very young. Providing land for waste uses can create employment opportunities in the waste industry which are well suited to those lacking in formal qualifications. The provision of heat from waste can help those in fuel poverty; this includes the elderly and those from a minority ethnic background.
a) key risks and issues
4.1 The contract will be managed in line with standard GLA risk management procedures. If the work is not commissioned it is possible that the forthcoming review of the London Plan will fail to ensure sufficient land is set aside for waste uses, preventing the delivery of Mayoral aspirations on renewable energy or decentralised energy. Conversely, if too much land is set aside for waste uses then a potential source of land for much needed housing development would be lost.
b) links to Mayoral strategies and priorities
4.2 This study will provide evidence on a specific land use, which will inform the implementation and review of the London Plan. It will support the emerging Mayoral Environmental Strategy, as well as the London Plan. It will provide evidence to London boroughs on the amount of land to allocate for waste uses in the preparation of local plans and in partnership working with the GLA in developing Opportunity Area Planning Frameworks.
c) impact assessments and consultations.
4.3 The work the consultants will do will be guided by the brief (attached below) and a steering group of GLA officers from the Environment and Planning Teams and representatives of the boroughs to ensure their agreement.
5.1 Assistant Director’s approval is being sought for expenditure of up to £40,000 to procure consultants by competitive tender to update the Waste Forecast for the London Plan. The cost of this work will be met from the London Plan 2016-17 Programme Budget.
5.2 As this work relates to consultancy contract, officers have to ensure that the requirements of the Authority’s Contract & Funding Code are adhered to and that the requirements relating to consultancy services within the Authority’s Financial Regulations and Expenses & Benefits Framework are adhered to. Any changes to this proposal, including budgetary implications, will be subject to further approval via the Authority’s decision-making process.
Signed decision document
ADD2047 Waste Forecasts (signed) PDF