The Local Government Association (LGA) is only expecting a small amount of councils to take up pay as you throw schemes as it sends out a letter to gauge council interest in the Government pilots. A proportion of negative responses will not be a surprise as MRWs upcoming State of the Nation report has found that only 21% of the 121 local authorities (LAs) polled would be prepared to implement them. However, LGA policy consultant Alice Roberts told MRW that she thought that interest from a fifth of councils was a good result and a big enough number to justify doing the pilots. Roberts added she would not be surprised if some councils did not want to participate: This kind of option should be a power for councils but we didnt expect every council would want to take it up.
As well as opinions on the incentive scheme, which is going through Parliament in the Climate Change Bill, the LGA asked for councils feedback on forming Joint Waste Authorities (JWA). Roberts explained that the letter was not an official call for councils to take part in pilot incentive schemes or JWA because that was something that the Government would do.
In the recent House of Lords reading of the Climate Change Bill, Lord Rooker refused to name councils interested in the financial incentive scheme but said that there had been some informal discussions (February 1 2008, mrw.co.uk).
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