Consultation

To date consultation on dealing with real rubbish has focused on the issues that were considered important when looking at different technologies. Currently there are five technology scenarios that could meet the county council's needs.

The council feels it is better to focus on what we need, rather than just what is most commonly available. Waste is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, so the council wants to be able to consider new and different ways of doing things right up until it makes a final decision in 2010.

Therefore, the council will be inviting the private sector to put forward solutions as to how we deal with our real rubbish in Gloucestershire based on our needs – or the technical term: an output specification. This means that we will explain to the market what we need any technology to do, rather than specify the actual technology. Suggestions will be assessed using evaluation criteria that will include environmental issues, social issues, sustainability flexibility, deliverability and cost.

The most recent consultation carried out during the summer included two phases looking at issues the council needs to consider when evaluating different solutions. Phase one involved asking a representitive sample of Gloucestershire residents and selected stakeholders with an interest in waste to complete a questionnaire. A more in-depth phase two of the consultation involved 21 workshops with various interest groups.

The council is now looking at the results of the consultation and will publish the results on the website later in the autumn.