Information for local authorities: performance management
Performance Framework up to 2007/08
The previous waste performance framework comprised:
- Best Value Performance Indicators on Waste
- Statutory Household Waste Recycling and Composting Targets
- Local Area Agreements (with from 2006/07 mandatory indicators on Municipal Waste Recycled and Landfilled)
- Comprehensive Performance Assessment
Best Value Performance Indicators on Waste
Authorities were assessed against a number of indicators (the accompanying arrow for each indicator informed the authority which direction to move towards for each indicator year on year):
- Of the total tonnage of household waste arisings (a) the amount in tonnes; and (b) the percentage; that is
- sent by the authority for recycling (BV82a) ↑
- sent by the authority for composting or for treatment by anaerobic digestion (BV82b) ↑
- which have been used to recover heat, power and other energy sources (BV82c). ↑
- sent by the authority to land-fill (BV82d).↓
- The number of kilograms of household waste collected per head of population in the authority's area and the percentage increase or decrease in this amount compared to the previous financial year (BV84). ↓
- The cost to the authority per household of waste collection (BV86). ↓
- The cost of waste disposal per tonne of municipal waste (BV87). ↓
- The percentage of households in the authority's area served by (a) a kerbside collection of recyclables; and (b) a kerbside collection of at least two recyclable materials (B91). ↑
Best Value Performance Indicators were specified under Statutory Instrument 2005/598 under Section 4 of the 1999 Act - see Articles 10-12, and Schedules 8-10 for waste BVPIs.
Figures for these indicators were supplied by each relevant local authority to the Audit Commission each year – who carry out an audit on them. Up to 2005/6, no supporting information was supplied i.e. BV 82a & and BV 82b was a percentage figure only. However, from 2005/06 tonnages were reported additionally for these indicators. From 2006/7 onwards, all waste BVPIs (i.e. those which applied to WCAs and WDAs) were calculated from data entered by local authorities into WasteDataFlow. Defra then supplied the Audit Commission with the BVPIs directly.
Performance data for all waste BVPIs are available in this Excel workbook.
Full Performance Data on all BVPIs can be accessed via the Data page on the Audit Commission website.
Statutory Household Waste Recycling and Composting Targets
Waste Strategy 2000 outlined since local authorities had sole responsibility for the handling of municipal waste, they would be expected to contribute towards achieving the national recycling and composting targets. Therefore, Government set each authority a Statutory Performance Standards for recycling and composting (“recycling targets”) in 2003/04, 2005/06 and 2007/08. The statutory performance standards for local authority household waste recycling and composting are set under Best Value. Performance against local authority statutory recycling and composting targets is measured by adding together BV indicators 82 a and b.
Targets in 2003/04 and 2005/06
Recycling targets were initially set only for the years 2003/04 and 2005/06, although local authorities had obligations to improve waste management under the Best Value regime each year. Article 10 and Schedule 8 of the Local Government Best Value Performance Indicators and Performance Standards Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/530, as amended)[1] provided the basis on which the local authorities.
Broadly speaking, individual local authorities were asked to double the percentage of household waste sent for recycling or composting by 2003/04, as compared to a base year of 1998/99, and treble the percentage by 2005/06
Article 11 and Schedule 9 of Statutory Instrument 2005 No 598 (The Local Government (Best Value) Performance Indicators and Performance Standards (England) Order 2005)[2] introduced a cap of 30% on any 2005/06 targets higher than this, in order to relieve financial pressure on higher-performing authorities in recognition that improvements in recycling rates for those already achieving higher levels is more costly.
Local authorities were offered the opportunity to “pool” their Statutory Performance Standards in 2003/04 and 2005/06 as set out in the DETR Guidance. “Pooling” allowed the participating authorities to have their individual recycling and composting Standards adjusted so long as the overall level of recycling remained the same or increases. SI 2003/864[3] was the original Statutory Instrument that gave effect to revised statutory targets for pooling in 2003/04 and 2005/06 by inserting Schedule 8A into SI 2003/530. Article 12 and Schedule 10 of SI 2005/598 amended the list of authorities pooling in 2005/06 by adding the agreed pooling arrangement for the Greater Manchester Waste Authorities.
Targets in 2007/08
The Statutory Instrument that enforced the recycling targets for 2007/08, and the accompanying Explanatory Memorandum (which included a final Regulatory Impact Assessment starting on page 7) can be found below:
- Statutory Instrument (on OPSI website)
- Explanatory Memorandum, including final Regulatory Impact Assessment (pdf on OPSI website)
Local Area Agreements (with from 2006/07 mandatory indicators on Municipal Waste Recycled and Landfilled)
In the last round of the previous generation of Local Area Agreements, there were two waste mandatory outcomes: to reduce waste to landfill and; to increase recycling. They were supported by two mandatory indicators:
- to increase the percentage of municipal waste recycled; and
- to reduce the percentage of municipal waste landfilled.
LAAs also included a reward element for the achievement of a set number of targets (usually around 10-12). This provided a financial incentive for establishing baseline, trajectory, and quantifiable improvement data (measurable improvement being linked to ‘reward’ grant). These ‘stretch’ targets replaced Local Public Service Agreements (LPSAs) - (those authorities that had already agreed LPSAs integrated those agreements into their LAAs).
21 LAAs were negotiated in 2004/05 (pilot round), with a further 66 LAAs signed-off by Ministers in March 2005/06 (Round 2) and 63 in April 2007/8 (Round 3). Further information these on LAAs can be found on CLG’s website and on details of each agreement on Idea’s website.
Comprehensive Performance Assessment
Under statute the Audit Commission has an inspection role to assess how well Best Value authorities are fulfilling their duty and so in 2002 the Commission established the Comprehensive Performance Assessment. CPA distills a complex set of judgements on local government bodies and the services that they provided into one simply understood rating. As part of this broader audit and inspection framework, the Commission carried out inspections of specific functions or services of Councils - such as environmental services including waste.
The Audit Commission used three BVPI waste indicators as part of the environment services assessment. Recycling and Composting (combined as one indicator) and waste generated per head. Each indicator included a threshold for good and poor performance. CPA served to raise the profile of waste up the political agenda.
Please see the Audit Commission's CPA page for the CPA 2007 ratings for individual authorities. CPA 2008 will report in February 2009 and will be based on the existing set of performance indicators. You can also find on the Audit Commission’s website full inspection reports and general information on the CPA process.
Page last modified:
18 April 2008
Page published: 9 March 2007