Chairman's Question to Guests (Supplementary) [12]

Sir Edward Lister (Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning):  I do not think that is what we have done.  We have recognised that there has to be a range of different facilities available.  Indeed, in the Infrastructure Plan, which I appreciate is not the London Plan, we have identified that we need about 40 new facilities in London of varying kinds to deal with the waste flows.  We have actually set out in the document where we see getting through the waste content.  You will see by that that we are looking at about 2016 or 2018 - and I will pull the relevant page out in a second - before we estimate that we will break even on this.  However, it does assume that some of this will be incineration.

Joanne McCartney AM:  The concern is - and I am reading from the inspector’s report here - that:

“... by sending their municipal residual waste to incineration or gasification plants operating in combined heat and power mode they would comfortably meet the CIF level.”

The word ‘comfortably’ implies perhaps that you have not set a good enough threshold that means it would be a challenging target and one that would reduce the need for incineration.  I am just wondering if you would review that.

Sir Edward Lister (Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning):  We can certainly look again at it, but I would just say that we have a big waste incineration proposal already coming through to us in north London.

Joanne McCartney AM:  I am aware.  It is in my constituency.  I am concerned about it.

Sir Edward Lister (Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning):  That is on the move.  Our priority was always to get London breaking even in waste terms so that we were actually beginning to consume our own waste.  As I say, we are still a few years off that, but the gap is closing.  We can certainly look again in the full review at incineration, but it has not really been picked up here.

Joanne McCartney AM:  I understand that during the EiP you did make a change and stated - and I am quoting - that:

“... the Mayor will consider reviewing the CIF level in future iterations of the London Plan.”

Given that you have said that, I am just wondering why you cannot do that sooner rather than later.

Sir Edward Lister (Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning):  It is the amount of assessment work.  I will have to come back to you.  I am aware that the Mayor has made comments on that and we can look to see if we can do something as part of one of the other alterations.  Richard [Linton, Principal Strategic Planner, GLA], can you help?

Joanne McCartney AM:  Edmonton has gone to a pre-consultation stage at the minute.  It is interesting that in its whole consultation document, not one time is the word ‘incineration’ used.  I am just concerned about the way that is happening.  I am also concerned that given the CIF level seems to be extremely comfortable for waste users, actually we are going to see a lot more incineration across London rather than less, which is what we should be looking for.

Sir Edward Lister (Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning):  Certainly I am very happy to take that away and come back to you.

Joanne McCartney AM:  Please do.

Sir Edward Lister (Chief of Staff and Deputy Mayor for Policy and Planning):  Apart from the Edmonton one, I am not aware of anything else that is underway.  I do not know if any colleagues know, but I do not think there are any other proposals around at the moment.  There was one down in Merton, but that has already been and gone.

Joanne McCartney AM:  OK.  Thank you.