Decision details

The Head of Environmental Services submitted a report which sought approval for the future of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership in light of the decision taken by the Partnership Board on 4 April 2014.

Resolved

(1)          That the following decisions taken at the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership (OWP) meeting on the 4 April 2014 be ratified:

1.    To terminate the agreement under which the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership is constituted (under paragraph 25.1 of the partnership agreement) with effect from the earliest possible date after:

a.    contracts have either been terminated, or responsibility for management and funding of any ongoing contracts has been transferred to Oxfordshire County Council; and

b.    all contractual obligations to staff employed by the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership have been discharged and their employment properly terminated.

2.    That the termination date shall be the date 1a and 1b above have been or will be completed and shall be notified to all partner authorities by the host authority.

3.    That committed Oxfordshire Waste Partnership budgets for 2014/15 will not be redeployed by the partner authorities until after the agreed date of termination.

4.    To note that as set out in paragraphs 25.1, 25.4, 25.5 and 25.7 of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership agreement, the agreement shall not terminate until all contracts have been or can be terminated without incurring any avoidable costs; and each partner authority remains liable for any accrued obligations and liabilities properly incurred as a result of its membership as well as liabilities and costs arising from the decision to terminate the agreement; and that the formula for determining contributions shall apply to determining payments towards these costs.

5.    That the agreement between partner authorities as set out in the Deed of Variation dated 5 September 2013 relating to waste management financial arrangements (principles, revenue and administration), attached to this decision, shall continue.

6.    That each partner authority shall continue to support the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy, recognising that joint implementation shall cease on termination of the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership agreement.

7.    That informal arrangements to ensure partnership working shall continue as follows:

·          the officers’ strategy group shall continue to meet regularly;

·          the Cabinet/Executive members with responsibility for waste and environmental matters shall continue to meet at least twice per year;

·          the terms of reference, meeting dates, and administration of these two groups shall be decided at the next meeting of the officers’ strategy group, currently scheduled for 30 May 2014.

8.    That all partner authorities shall offer the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership staff assistance in finding alternative employment.

9.    That in addition to the publication of this decision by each authority within two working days of receipt, this decision shall be published by each partner authority as an individual cabinet/executive member decision or if necessary taken as a decision of Cabinet/Executive in accordance with their constitutions.

10. That the tremendous contribution that Wayne Lewis has made, not just to the work of the OWP and to reducing waste in the county, but also nationally be recorded.

11. That the tremendous contribution Paul Mocroft has made to the work of the OWP and to note the reputation ha has built up nationally within the industry be recorded.

12. That David Dodds be thanked for his chairmanship of the partnership since June 2012 and for his support for its work.

(2)          That, in light of the dissolution of the OWP has been dissolved, support to informal working arrangements to continue a co-ordinated approach to waste management in Oxfordshire be agreed.

Reasons

The Oxfordshire Waste Partnership has helped reduce the amount of waste being sent to landfill and increased the recycling rates across the County. However with new treatment facilities in place and all collection authorities having implemented new collection systems over the past few years many of the significant waste management issues have been addressed.

Dissolving the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership would save each collection authority £25k/year and the disposal authority £125k/year. The partners agreed unanimously to dissolve the partnership at their meeting of 4 April 2014.

It is appropriate for the Executive to formally ratify the decisions taken by the OWP on 4 April 2014.

Alternative Options

The following alternative options have been identified.

Option 1: Support the decision to resign from March 2015 and continue with an informal Oxfordshire Waste Partnership.

Option 2: Continue to support a formal Oxfordshire Waste Partnership

Option 3: Ask officers to develop alternative options