NLWA statement on the autumn budget

NLWA Chair Councillor Clyde Loakes welcomes Government support for local waste management authorities, including confirmed funding for the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme. 

I congratulate Chancellor Rachel Reeves on the first budget statement from the new Government, which shows a commitment to some key measures that will assist local authorities in managing waste and promoting a circular economy. 

In particular, NLWA welcomes the announcement that local authorities are set to receive £1.1 billion of funding to cover costs associated with the collection and disposal of packaging waste, as part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. After many years of NLWA and other local authorities calling for the implementation of EPR, it is refreshing to see we are being heard by the new Government. It is especially reassuring that this funding has been guaranteed by the Government in the face of any revenue shortfalls, which producers will be made liable for. Indeed, the commencement of the scheme means producers will finally bear the financial burden of the waste they produce, incentivising the use of recyclable materials in packaging manufacture and a reduction in packaging materials altogether. NLWA looks forward to working with the Government to confirm the amount we will receive, ensuring it covers the actual and full cost of collecting and disposing of packaging waste.  

It is encouraging that the Government is heeding calls from local authorities to provide greater assistance with the financial burden of waste disposal and the promotion of a circular economy. NLWA hopes this support will extend to other policy measures we are calling for, such as the exemption of energy-from-waste facilities from the Emissions Trading Scheme, and improvement of food waste reforms. In particular, while NLWA wholeheartedly supports the new Government’s plans for Great British Energy (GBE), we had hoped that – in line with its stated objectives - the budget would specify that publicly owned energy-from-waste facilities like ours would be exempt from the Electricity Generator Levy (EGL). This would ensure our windfall profits flow directly back into local communities, benefitting council tax payers. 

NLWA welcomes the support for local authorities provided in this budget and as always, looks forward to opportunities to collaborate with Government to provide better waste management solutions for our residents. 

Councillor Clyde Loakes, MBE

NLWA Chair