Extra funding of over £2 million will be available for specialist consultancy support in 2004-05 in order to help local authorities meet the national target of recycling and composting 25% of total household waste by 2005/06.

Targets for the 2003/2004 period stand at 17% and the latest figures show less waste going to landfill and a slight increase in recycling (see related story).

All local authorities were invited to apply for Defra’s waste implementation programme (WIP), in June, for targeted support to help them deal with specific local barriers to improved recycling performance. The scheme had such a good result, Defra have said, that it is providing separate grants of up to £20,000 as well as targeted support for approximately 250 local authorities who provided clear evidence of need along with high quality proposals.

John Enright, head of WIP Local Authority support said: “We are delighted to see such a high proportion of applications for joint strategic projects. This will also help to encourage closer and more effective working between authorities.”

The support is designed to help local authorities plan for such things as the introduction of the Landfill Allowance Trading Scheme, as well as for developing good quality waste strategies across the range of waste collection and disposal services.

By David Hopkins

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