Derby City Council and Derbyshire County Council are preparing for the possible end of their long term waste management contract with Resource Recovery Solutions (Derbyshire) Ltd (RRS).
The councils have issued a formal notice called a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to make suitable trade organisations aware of a potential opportunity to take over their current contract with RRS – a partnership between national construction firm Interserve and waste management company Renewi.
Under the contract, RRS is required to:
- construct, operate and maintain a waste treatment facility in Sinfin
- manage, operate and maintain nine Household Waste Recycling Centres
- manage two waste transfer stations
- transport waste which residents cannot or choose not to recycle and arrange for its treatment or disposal
By issuing the PIN notice, we’re inviting interest from companies who could potentially be interested in delivering our waste management contract into the long term
The waste treatment centre was due to open in Sinfin in 2017, but RRS has to date been unable to resolve ongoing issues with the plant that would allow the facility to pass the certified performance tests required to bring it into full service, the councils say.
The councils says they have continued to “work closely” with the project funders and RRS to drive the project forward since February this year, when they each held Cabinet meetings to make sure both councils could take action to terminate the contract if needed.
The notice to the waste industry follows a formal notice issued by the councils in April to the project’s funders to take action under the contract to progress the project.
“Best value for money”
Councillor Simon Spencer, Deputy Leader of Derbyshire County Council, said: “This contract was established to give us certainty about how we would deal with Derby and Derbyshire’s waste in the future and how much it would cost.
“The waste treatment facility is central to our plans and we remain committed to getting it up and running as soon as possible.”
Chris Poulter, Leader of Derby City Council, said: “The PIN notice issued to the waste industry today is all part of our planning to find a contractor with the necessary experience, technical competence and financial backing to deliver this waste management contract if the current contract with RRS is brought to an end.
“By issuing the PIN notice, we’re inviting interest from companies who could potentially be interested in delivering our waste management contract into the long term.
“If the contract with RRS does come to an end, contingency plans have been drawn-up to make sure existing services can continue.”
Both councils say they are confident that the waste treatment facility still offers the “best value for money” compared to sending waste to landfill sites and other waste treatment facilities in the UK and western Europe.
Once it is complete, the facility will aim to divert 190,000 tonnes of waste per year away from landfill by heat treating waste to produce a gas which is then burned to create enough electricity to power 14,000 homes.