Environmental News: Consultation on proposals for establishing Joint Waste Authorities in England
A new consultation paper published by Defra details options for how Joint Waste Authorities (JWAs) will work.
JWAs are voluntary agreements between two or more local authorities to deal with waste.
Any group of two or more authorities will be able to apply to Government to voluntarily transfer waste collection, disposal and street cleaning to a JWA. Government introduced powers to establish joint waste authorities in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. This provides local authorities with another model for partnership working - one which allows them to put the partnership on a statutory footing.
The powers allow two or more local authorities to submit proposals to the Secretary of State to transfer one or more of their waste functions (waste collection, waste disposal and/or street cleansing) to a new joint waste authority. Under the Act, the Secretary of State may make Regulations to make provisions as to matters to be included in a proposal and information that must accompany a proposal.
The Secretary of State may also issue guidance as to what a proposal should seek to achieve and matters that should be taken into account in formulating a proposal. Local authorities will be obliged to have regard to any such guidance issued by the Secretary of State in making their proposals. Views are now being sought on draft Regulations and draft guidance.
JWAs are voluntary agreements between two or more local authorities to deal with waste.
Any group of two or more authorities will be able to apply to Government to voluntarily transfer waste collection, disposal and street cleaning to a JWA. Government introduced powers to establish joint waste authorities in the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. This provides local authorities with another model for partnership working - one which allows them to put the partnership on a statutory footing.
The powers allow two or more local authorities to submit proposals to the Secretary of State to transfer one or more of their waste functions (waste collection, waste disposal and/or street cleansing) to a new joint waste authority. Under the Act, the Secretary of State may make Regulations to make provisions as to matters to be included in a proposal and information that must accompany a proposal.
The Secretary of State may also issue guidance as to what a proposal should seek to achieve and matters that should be taken into account in formulating a proposal. Local authorities will be obliged to have regard to any such guidance issued by the Secretary of State in making their proposals. Views are now being sought on draft Regulations and draft guidance.
The deadline for responses is Monday 9 June 2008.
Consultation letter
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