Waste battle concluded

SITA UK was seeking compensation after it lost out on a 25-year contract awarded by GMWDA to deal with Greater Manchester’s waste in 2009.

The contract was awarded instead to rivals Viridor Laing, in what SITA UK claimed was an unfair procurement procedure.

SITA UK began the action against the Authority in 2009 and appealed the decision of a 2010 judgement, which found against SITA UK’s claim. The claim was struck out by Mr Justice Mann as the case had been lodged outside the three month window for complaints.

Lord Justices Elias and Rimer and Lady Justice Arden dismissed the appeal and SITA UK have confirmed they will not petition the High Court. They will make an interim award of costs to GMWDA.

GMWDA chair, councillor, Neil Swannick, said: “It is good news for the Authority. GMWDA carried out the procurement of its 25 year Recycling and Waste Management contract fairly and according to procurement law, and we are very satisfied with our decision in 2009 to award the contract to the Viridor Laing consortium.”

The contract is a £631 million construction programme, creating a network of state-of-the-art recycling facilities over the next five years.

The Contract is worth £3.8 billion to Viridor Laing over its term. GMWDA says the contract is the most complex waste management contract of its kind in Western Europe.

So far within the contract, 31 facilities out of the 44 have been completed, with the remaining facilities being due for completion by 2012.

Alison Brown