URL: https://northumberland.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=399

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Outcome: Recommendations Approved

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: Statutory obligations have been placed on English LA’s under the Environment Act 2021 to collect a more consistent range of household waste materials for recycling, in accordance with the Government’s National Resources and Waste Strategy Consistency requirements.? From 31st March 2026, the council will have a legal duty to ensure dry recyclable materials and food waste are collected separately from household residual waste. This will include a separate collection of additional: Plastic pots, tubs and trays, glass bottles and jars, tetra packs and flexible plastics; Management of this increased range of materials will require a major capital investment/rebuild of our existing MRF at West Sleekburn. This paper provides cabinet with a detailed look at several collection/processing option and requests a decision based on this information for the way forward.

Content: RESOLVED that:-   (a) Cabinet approves Option 3a (detailed in Section 7 of the report) as the preferred option as it is the most efficient and effective collection model for delivery of expanded household recycling collections in Northumberland in full compliance with Simpler Recycling requirements;   (b) Cabinet confirms that the new recycling bin for paper, card and cardboard to be supplied to each household under Option 3a will be a black bodied bin with a burgundy coloured lid;   (c) Cabinet notes that the earliest realistic but still challenging timeframe for implementation of the new collection service under Option 3a would be October 2026, but that there remain significant risks to achievement of this timeframe and that the firm dates for implementation can only be determined once all PFI Contract negotiations have been concluded. The detail of proposed implementation arrangements will therefore be the subject of further reports to Cabinet in due course; and   (d) authority be delegated to the Executive Director of Place and Regeneration in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment, Rural and Farming to agree the commercial terms and contract amendments to the Waste PFI Contract and to provide the necessary contractual instruction to Northumberland Energy Recovery Limited (NERL), the Councils PFI partner to proceed with Option 3a.

Date of Decision: November 11, 2025