Decision details

TDC is the collection authority for domestic waste, KCC is the disposal authority. An existing inter authority agreement describes the collection methodology and a mechanism for payments (known as enabling payments) associated with the waste service to be made by KCC to TDC The current 10 year agreement is between the 4 East Kent districts and KCC. This existing agreement expires on 15 January 2021. The existing agreement includes the standards required for collection and transfer of the various domestic waste streams along with waste from street bins, dog bins, bulky waste collections and street cleansing arisings.

A new agreement has been drafted with the intention of this coming into force on 16th January 2021 thereby avoiding a gap between the old and new agreements. This agreement will also set out the model for the sharing of income and savings by KCC with TDC for waste recycled and therefore diverted from landfill. This report therefore seeks Cabinet’s agreement to enter into the agreement and delegated authority for the Director of Operations to negotiate and agree final terms and enter into this new agreement.

Cabinet approved Option 1 which is as detailed below:

1.  That the Council enters into a new Inter Authority Agreement with Kent County Council for a period of 5 years from 16 January 2021;

2.  That the Director of Operations is given delegated authority to undertake all steps to negotiate and agree the final terms of the agreement (in consultation as necessary with the Portfolio Holder);

3.  That the Director of Law and Democracy is given delegated authority to sign the final agreement.

The current agreement is coming to an end on 15 January 2021 and any new agreement to be put in place ought to bring in some income as the current one does. The propose agreement does have an income sharing arrangement between TDC and KCC.

Option 2

That Cabinet does not agree to enter into a new agreement with KCC. Note this would not affect the obligation of KCC as disposal authority to accept recyclate and waste from Thanet via the contracted waste transfer station. It would however mean that there would be no obligation on KCC to share income and savings resulting from the diversion of waste from landfill.

Option 3

As option 1 but with a varied contract term as recommended by Cabinet.