Review Topic

(name of Review)

Energy from Waste

Review Reference Code

EN008 v.3

Lead Scrutiny Committee

Environment Scrutiny Committee

Lead Member Review Group

(Cllr’s involved)

Cllrs Joslin, Greene & Bearder

Officer Support

(Scrutiny Review Officer lead)

Mike Cohen

Rationale

(key issues and/ or reason for doing the Review)

Reducing reliance on landfill by 75% by 2020 is a central government policy objective and targets have been set for local authorities, in pursuance of this.

Fines for non-compliance with these requirements and the landfill tax, means that inaction would have significant financial implications for the County Council.

The Council must develop its processes for the disposal of household waste in a financially and economically sustainable way. In recognition of this, the Council is engaged in negotiations for a new waste treatment contract.

Energy-reclaiming processes of waste disposal have received local media attention and are of public interest and political sensitivity.

Purpose of Review/Objective

(specify exactly what the Review should achieve)

1. To consider the acceptability to the public of energy-recovering methods of waste disposal.
2. To undertake an objective evaluation of competing public and political viewpoints on energy-generating alternatives to landfill for the disposal of domestic waste.
3. To contribute to the Council’s aims of environmental protection and sustainable development.

Indicators of Success

(what factors would tell you what a good Review should look like)

1. The review conducts an even-handed evaluation of competing viewpoints on energy from waste.
2. The Review arrives at an understanding of the range of waste disposal processes and their relative merits and deficiencies.
3. The review identifies a potential market/use for energy so generated.
4. The Review makes succinct recommendations to the Executive that reflect the financial cost and political and community acceptability of Energy from Waste.

Methodology/ Approach

(what types of enquiry will be used to gather evidence and why)

1. Desk-based review of documents.
2. Site visits.
3. Interviewing Council officers
4. Calling ‘witnesses’ to give expert evidence

Specify Witnesses/ Experts

(who to see and when)

• Adam Symons – Head of Waste Management
• Patrick Coulter
• Harriet Waters (or other from Oxford Brookes)
• Mark Hinnells (or other from Oxford University)
• Eric Dougliss – Senior Countryside Officer
• Representative of Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
• Representatives of environmentalist groups (e.g. Friends of the Earth)

Specify Evidence Sources for Documents

(which to look at)

• DEFRA guide to waste disposal
• WRAP materials
• Waste Incineration (England and Wales) Regulations (2002)

Specify Site Visits

(where and when)

• An energy from waste site (possibilities include: Basingstoke, Slough, Grenoble, Southampton, Deptford)
• Ofquest, Chalgrove.
• Future Energy Solutions, Didcot

Specify Evidence Sources for Views of Stakeholders

(consultation/ workshops/ focus groups/ public meetings)

• Attendance at workshops/conferences
• Surveys
• Citizen’s panel
• Youth Parliament / other youth forum

Publicity requirements

(what is needed – fliers, leaflets, radio broadcast, press-release, etc.)

• Scoping document to be posted on internet
• Public meetings to be publicised

Resource requirements

• Person-days
• Expenditure

• 30 days
• £5000

Barriers/ dangers/ risks

(identify any weaknesses and potential pitfalls)

1. Overextending the scope of the review, to encompass other waste disposal methods.
2. Focussing too narrowly on incineration as the method of generating energy from waste.
3. The emotive nature of some issues involved may affect the objectivity of the review’s analysis.

Projected start date

22/12/04

Draft Report Deadline

23/02/05

Meeting Frequency

2x per month. Next meetings: 10/01/05; 17/01/05.

Projected completion date

July ‘05