County council appoints law firm to £300k contract to advise on waste PPP contract

North Yorkshire County Council has appointed law firm Ashfords to a £300,000 contract to provide advice and support on an 'as and when needed' basis to the local authority’s Waste Team who manage the Allerton Waste Recovery Park (AWRP) PPP Contract.

The council said the team are responsible for discharging numerous contractual obligations each year.

AWRP is described as a strategic asset that receives and processes up to 320,000 tonnes of waste each year, and is a key component of North Yorkshire’s long-term waste and environment strategy. AWRP has been operational since 1 March 2018.

The project is a collaboration between the City of York Council and North Yorkshire County Council. 

North Yorkshire said the Government’s Resources and Waste Strategy for England, which was published in December 2018 and sets out how the Government will preserve material resources by minimising waste, promoting resource efficiency, and moving towards a circular economy in England, could – together with four subsequent consultations – have “a potentially significant impact on the PPP Contract and the operations at AWRP”.

It added: “The council is seeking support from the supplier about how best to navigate these reforms and undertake required changes to the PPP Contract.”

The contract with Ashfords started on 14 March 2022 and is expected to run until 13 March 2024.

The appointment followed a call-off from a framework agreement.