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Albert Light – Case Study
Support to 60%+ Recycling Project - City & District of St Albans – May 2014 to April 2017
Commissioned by St Albans to project manage the Council’s key priority aim to achieve a
recycling performance in excess of 60% and become a top performing Council. A crucial task of
the project was to retender the Council’s contract(s) for waste/recycling collections, street
cleansing and the processing of dry recyclable materials.
Key achievements and tasks completed during this high profile project included:
o Increasing recycling performance from 48% at the commencement of the project in 2013/14, to
64% in September 2017 within four months of the start of the new contract and recycling
service.
o Turning a budget deficit of £400k/annum in 2014/15 into a break even situation during the
following year and a projected saving of £600k during the first year of the new contract in
2016/17. With a projected saving of £3.0 million in total over the 8 year life of the new contract.
o Project managing and leading an in-house team (including a member steering group) during
the retendering of the new waste management contract. This included liasing with the legal
team at Sharpe Pritchard, who provided selective legal support to the development of the
contract documentation and key elements of the procurement process.
o Completing an options appraisal and public consultation exercise that was used to inform the
final service options to be included in the contract service specification.
o Undertaking a soft market test exercise that was used to inform a number of key features of the
new contract package. Completing a full redraft of the new contract documentation and
designing a new contract package. Providing technical support to the PQQ process and
contractor short listing. Undertaking the technical evaluation of the returned tenders. Providing
a full life cost/performance evaluation of the tenders and making recommendations on the
contract award. Preparing and presenting key updates and reports to the member steering
group and the Council’s Cabinet as required throughout the retendering process.
o Introduction of integrated recycling materials processing and sale as an integral part of new
service. This improved the efficiency of the management, administration and delivery of this
key service area. It also provided the Council with a guaranteed income via a floor price and
profit share element throughout the eight (plus eight) year life of the new contract.
o Project managing the mobilisation of the new contract. The contract successfully commenced
in June 2017 and the Council’s new recycling service was introduced on a phased basis during
July and August 2017.
o Working with Council officers and new contractor to develop bespoke management procedures
included a performance management framework. This is to facilitate a partnership approach to
deliver the new services.
o Project managing the ongoing implementation of the new services and 60%+ recycling project,
during the first ten months of the new service (up until April 2017).
Contact details at City and District of St Albans Council
Richard Shwe – Head of Community Services
Richard.Shwe@stalbans.gov.uk tel: 01727 819390