The contract, which also includes a seven-year deal to operate waste and recycling collections and street cleansing services, was put out to a competitive tender before the waste management firm was awarded the deal. Medway originally awarded Cleanaway Services, which was subsequently purchased by Veolia in 2006, a seven-year municipal waste collection and disposal contract in June 2002, which ran from September 2002 to September 2009.
One of our aims when considering the new waste contract was ensuring that we can provide the best possible service and value for money
Councillor Phil Filmer, Medway council
This arrangement was extended to September 2010, with the council seeking a contractor to take over the arrangements from October 2010. The decision to approve Veolia as the waste contractor was taken at a meeting of the Kent council's cabinet on April 15 2010.
The council is hopeful that the contract extension will enable it to achieve a 40% recycling rate by the end of 2011, having increased its recycling rate from 16% to 32% over the course of the original Veolia contract.
Commenting on the contract extension, councillor Phil Filmer, portfolio holder for front line services at Medway, said: “It is a council priority to make Medway a clean and green environment for all our residents to enjoy and our new waste contract with Veolia plays a critical part in fulfilling this commitment.
“One of our aims when considering the new waste contract was ensuring that we can provide the best possible service and value for money. We believe that all of our residents deserve a weekly waste collection and an excellent service and we are sure that this contract will fulfill this.”
Development
Under the contract, the waste management firm will also develop a new waste transfer station in Strood, which will be used to store recyclables before they are sent to Veolia's materials recycling facility at Rainham in Essex.
And, the site will also house residual waste heading to the South East London Combined Heat and Power (SELCHP) facility in South East London. Currently material is sent to the Pier Approach Road transfer station in Gillingham.
Denis Gasquet, chief executive of Veolia, said: ‘'We are delighted to have won this contract renewal which reflects the existing high service levels provided by our staff and the quality of the partnership we have established with Medway council.
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