Sandwell announces 1 billion contract shortlist

And, the council has also revealed that it has secured the £3.2 million purchase of 10 acres of land for the development of new recycling, composting, treatment and transfer facilities which will be built in partnership with the successful bidder.

Following cabinet discussions, the five remaining contenders are waste management firm Biffa, services company Enterprise, Spanish-owned waste company Focsa (a sister company to WRG), Hampshire-based service management firm Serco and French-owned waste management firm Veolia Environmental Services.

Councillor Mahboob Hussain, Sandwell's cabinet member for neighbourhoods and housing, said: “I'm delighted at the interest shown in our plan by the waste industry.

“Top names in the field have responded to our invitation to bid, and I'm confident our talks with these five firms will result in proposals to put the transformation of our waste and cleansing services into practice,” he added.

The collection and treatment contract represents the second aspect of the West Midlands council's waste management plans, alongside the agreement it secured in July 2008 with Staffordshire county council to send 60,000 tonnes of residual waste to its proposed Energy-from-Waste plant (see letsrecycle.com story).

Eco Park

The acquisition of 10 acres of land at Pikehelve represents a further boost for the council's waste improvement plan, paving the way for it to develop an 'Eco Park' at the site, near Wednesbury, in partnership with the successful bidder for the deal.

While Sandwell has said that details of the 'Eco Park' will not be finalised until it awards the collection and treatment contract, it suggested the development could include a Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) and an in-vessel composting plant.

Cllr Hussain explained that: “Acquisition of the estate is a big step forward for the improvement plan and signals our determination to press ahead.”

As part of its waste improvement plan, Sandwell is aiming to reach a 50% recycling and composting rate by 2014/15 and reduce the proportion of waste it sends to landfill to just 5% by 2020.

And, Cllr Hussain claimed that “the plan amounts to a transformation of Sandwell's waste and cleansing services, although we will continue to provide a weekly collection and have ruled out any 'pay as you throw' charges.”