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Somerset Shares Pioneering Waste Experience
One hundred waste managers from around the UK visited Somerset to attend 2 events in the last week to learn about the Somerset Waste Partnership's pioneering approaches to waste management.
On 4th April, a conference was held at the Exchange Conference Centre in Bridgwater to share Somerset’s experience on being the first to set-up a single county-wide organisation to manage household waste and recycling services on behalf of all the local authorities within the county boundary. Speakers included Beth Child from DEFRA and Steve Sears, Chief executive of ECT, who are the new single contractor providing recycling and waste collections in Somerset. Six months into the new arrangements, Steve Sears outlined how the synergy between Somerset’s ambition and ECT’s corporate values had helped build a strong partnership.
Chairman of the Somerset Waste Board, Councillor Nigel Woollcombe-Adams, stressed the value of keeping the issues apolitical in developing partnership working. Somerset Directors gave presentations on the process of setting up the SWP as a single organisation and how this was kept on track. One delegate commented that, “There were some extremely challenging issues that were dealt with great aplomb – but what really came over was the passion and commitment from the whole team, and the real pride in achievement”.
On 8th April, results of DEFRA-sponsored research on food waste collections were presented at a seminar at County Hall in Taunton hosted by the SWP. The research compared food waste collections in various parts of England and found that Somerset’s were amongst the most successful, achieving very high levels of public support and participation.
David Mansell, Strategy and Communications Team Leader for the SWP, said “The research showed that Taunton residents had taken very well to using our food waste collections and that this was related to providing a good reliable service with good communication materials”.
Steve Read, Managing Director of the Somerset Waste Partnership, said, “Somerset has developed a national reputation for innovation, leadership and partnership working in the provision of our waste and recycling services. Both events attracted a wide range of delegates keen to learn from our experience in Somerset and we are delighted with the exceptionally positive feedback.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
About the Somerset Waste Partnership:
The Somerset Waste Partnership provides waste and recycling services on behalf of Mendip, South Somerset, Sedgemoor and West Somerset District Councils, Taunton Deane Borough Council and Somerset County Council.
09 April 2008
For further details contact David Mansell
01823 625713
Email: David.mansell@somersetwaste.gov.uk
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