Major reshuffle of North London Waste Authority board prompted by local elections

With scores of new Green Party councillors across the seven boroughs that run the waste disposal body, a change of leadership at NLWA will soon take place, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter

A cross-borough organisation overseeing waste disposal in seven London boroughs will undergo a drastic reorganisation following big Labour losses in this month’s local elections.

North London Waste Authority (NLWA) is in charge of rubbish in Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Waltham Forest.

The statutory authority provides services for two million residents and handles rubbish disposal – including the long-delayed development of the new Edmonton Eco Park incinerator – as well as bin lorries.

A new NLWA chair will be appointed at an annual general meeting slated for Thursday, 25th June, once all seven member councils have put forward their own members.

Waltham Forest Council’s previous nomination to the board was the outgoing Labour council’s co-deputy leader and environmental lead, councillor Clyde Loakes, who served in the top job at NLWA for more than 14 years.

But following a Green Party victory in Waltham Forest at the local election on Thursday, 7th May, Cllr Loakes will no longer be involved with NLWA. Instead, the Greens’ new council leader Paul Perkins and cabinet member for finance Em Dean will represent the borough.

It is not yet known if a Waltham Forest councillor will continue in the top role.

Previously, the majority of the 14 members of the committee – two per borough council – belonged to local Labour groups.

Earlier this month, Labour also lost Hackney Council to the Greens, in addition to a Green minority administration forming in Haringey. In Enfield, meanwhile, the Conservatives have taken minority control.

Labour held onto Camden and Islington, while also agreeing a deal to remain in control of Barnet despite being one short of a majority.

All of which means the likely composition of the new NLWA board will be six Green, five Labour and three Conservative councillors.

It will be their job to make decisions relating to the disposal of North London’s waste and hold NLWA accountable for meeting its responsibilities.

A major focus will likely be the controversial new incinerator at Edmonton Eco Park, which is currently under construction but has faced strong opposition from environmental campaigners, with air pollution and carbon emissions being cited as concerns.

The NLWA has previously argued, however, that the new incinerator is the “best long-term environmental solution for the waste generated by millions of people”.

Cllr Loakes previously said: “Not everything can be recycled, and councils will still need a solution to deal with waste.”

Due to construction delays, the new incinerator will likely not be finished until after 2030 – three years later than when it was supposed to come into use.

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