Contract Support Manager

Council renews waste collection and street cleaning contract with Biffa. South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils this week announced they have awarded their joint Waste Collection and Street Cleansing contract to waste contractor, Biffa Waste Services, following a rigorous procurement process. The new contract will begin on 29 June 2026. The councils' existing shared contract with Biffa currently runs until June 2026 after it was extended by two years in 2024. The successful partnership has helped keep the two districts in the top 10 of the English recycling tables for over a decade. With the introduction of the new contract, the councils are not currently proposing any major changes in how household waste is collected, but following the publication of the Waste Resource and Street Cleansing Strategy Waste Resources and Street Cleansing Strategy they are encouraging people to maximise the value and lifespan they get from the things they buy. The councils are also preparing for law changes with the national 'Simpler Recycling' scheme that come into effect in 2027 - which will mean residents can recycle soft plastics. The main significant change will be a proposed move to a new council owned vehicle depot, alongside a new Dry Mixed Recycling transfer station contract. The councils' joint contract with Biffa has run for 16 years in South Oxfordshire and 15 years in Vale of White Horse. The councils' recent waste satisfaction survey has yielded encouraging results for its household waste collections, indicating a high level of resident approval with this side of the service. Eighty-one per cent of respondents expressed satisfaction, or high satisfaction, with the overall quality of the service provided. Cllr Sue Cooper - South Oxfordshire District Council Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "Its waste partnership has been successful over the last 16 years - and I'm proud of the fact it has played a big role in setting Henley Herald amongst the top recycling areas in the country, which is also thanks to the great effort made by its residents. I'd like to congratulate Biffa for coming out of the robust procurement process as the preferred contractor. "We clearly need to have an eye on the future reorganisation of councils when making contract decisions, but a contract of this magnitude couldn't be delayed so it has a range of flexible options built into it, to reflect the potential future needs of a new council structure, whatever that may look like." Steve Cole, Managing Director at Biffa Municipal, commented: "Biffa is very proud and honoured to continue its partnership with South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils, building on its shared commitment and successes in delivering reliable, sustainable, and innovative waste and street cleansing services. "We look forward to supporting the councils and their residents in preparation for changes in law over the next few years, working together to provide quality collection services and cleaner streets for residents and visitors alike." The new contract could run for a maximum period of 16 years (subject to agreed extension/s), with a minimum period of eight years and a break possible after four years to give maximum flexibility.

5-hectare solar farm at M4 interchange proposed in new plans. Find, save and share Public Notices that affect you in the Wiltshire area. Plans to build a solar farm behind a garden centre near the M4 at Swindon have been revealed. Biffa Waste Services wants to build the 6.5-hectare solar farm - the size of nine football pitches - on a former landfill site at Studley Grange. The applicant says alternative land uses are "limited" due to the site's former use for landfill since the 1990s. The restored land now features modified grassland, wildflower strips, woodland areas, ponds, and low-grade agricultural grazing land, designed to increase biodiversity and create ecological corridors. The land lies south of the proposed new site of the Swindon speedway stadium. The solar farm would have the capacity to generate 2.2MW of electricity - enough to power between 600 and 800 homes. In its application for planning permission to Wiltshire Council, Biffa says: "The proposed development aims to deliver a sustainable energy supply through the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on land formerly used for waste management activities. "It seeks to establish a renewable energy source on a restored, under-utilised site that benefits from an existing electricity grid connection with sufficient capacity to accommodate the solar farm as landfill gas-generated electricity output reduces." Full access to all of its articles online and on the app, fewer adverts, a better reading experience, exclusive competitions and more - all for less than the price of a cup of coffee. | Subscribe now! - https://t.co/WMk7dnx2V0 pic.twitter.com/tZ5fiHf9VF - Swindon Advertiser (@swindonadver) April 13, 2026 The applicant says that during the eight-week construction phase, an estimated 100 HGV movements - four a day, five days a week - would be expected to and from the site. HGVs would access the site south from the M4 on the B4005. A decision from Wiltshire Council is expected by the end of July. For the latest public notices and planning applications in your area, visit www.publicnoticeportal.uk

Litter Heroes across the North West pledged to pick up 48,128 bags of rubbish during Great British Spring Clean. Keep Britain Tidy today thanked an army of litter-pickers across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Merseyside who pledged to collect 48,128 bags of litter in the region during the 2026 Great British Spring Clean. The North West's contribution has been hailed a huge success after individuals, community groups, businesses and local authorities in the region joined forces to protect the environment - and local wildlife - throughout the annual movement. Over the course of the campaign, ancient and bizarre treasures have been collected across the nation, including toy soldiers, underpants and food packaging 40 years past its sell by date! The Wigan-based charity, which is the leading organisation in the country campaigning against litter, has also announced that a school in the region has scooped a Great British Spring Clean award. Mill Green School, an SEN school in St Helens for students aged 14-19, won the Super Students Award after the charity heard during the campaign, 152 students got involved with litter picking activities on school grounds, the surrounding area and local community park. They contacted other local high schools to engage them in litter picking activities, helping them clean up their school grounds and surrounding area. In addition, waste management firm Biffa's Manchester-based Social Value and Canvassing team has won the Best in Business Award after the charity heard staff pulled out all the stops to help make this year's campaign in Manchester the best yet. The small team responded to every request to attend litter picking events across Manchester including eight Keep Manchester Tidy events and dozens more community and neighbourhood team events. They even took an information stall with freebies to most events to encourage people to get involved and put on family activities such as decorating food waste caddies. Using data from those who shared their region, the charity revealed tens of thousands of Litter Heroes across the North West removed rubbish from the region's streets, parks and beaches. At the same time, thousands of pupils in schools across the region took part in the Great Big School Clean, learning about the impact litter has on our wildlife and seeing for themselves that small actions, when taken together, can make a big difference. Keep Britain Tidy's Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, said: "Thanks to the collective force of determined North West residents we are celebrating an incredible number of bags picked across the region's counties. "It's clear that the impact of people-power here has been huge, proving that the people of the North West really do love where they live. "We remain truly in awe of the efforts of our supporters and volunteers across the region's communities, schools, voluntary organisations, businesses and local authorities - thank you to all of you." Around 95% of people surveyed after 2025's campaign agreed that they made a difference to their local area during the Great British Spring Clean, with 88% agreeing they feel part of a national movement that is taking action to tackle litter. The Great British Spring Clean is the nation's biggest mass-action campaign. This year's event was made possible thanks to players of People's Postcode Lottery, media partners Bauer Media Outdoor, Magic Radio and The Mirror, and supporting partners KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald's, Nestlé, Pepsi MAX and Walkers.