The Issue of Waste

There is an old Yorkshire saying that goes "where there is muck there is brass". So it is totally unsurprising that when waste disposal issues arise the 'Muck Vultures' can be seen circling the scene looking for a free lunch.

Here "waste" is an interesting word because typically what is passed off as waste is in fact a resource. LCC using "Launceston Waste Centre" to brand its 'tip' is a rather revealing Freudian slip that reveals a mindset. It would be much better to brand the site as Resource Recovery Centre to not only market the site but also to engender a somewhat different mindset within the community.

It seems fairly clear that an organisation looking for a solution would normally proceed 'top down' in dealing with waste (?) issues.

Overall the process might look like this...

1) Identify opportunities or threats in existing waste management operations

2) Explore the possible implications of the items found at 1) - COMMENT - Good time for public participation to establish whether opportunities/threats are valid and their implications for those represented by the Council

3) Devise alternative means of dealing with the issues and their implications at 1) & 2)

4) Commission independent reports to identify and validate all options

5) Discuss implications of report recommendations - COMMENT Good time to get back to public to explore implications of report recommendations

6) Tender or similar to develop approaches to the issues

In the case at LCC this might have meant....

1) Waste management is both costing too much and creating pollution issues for surrounding areas (e.g. SWOT analysis)

2) Rates and charges too high, lost opportunities to achieve revenues, groundwater toxin threats

3) Review all possible means of dealing with issues at 2)

4) Select alternative means of dealing with issues at 2) (e.g. cost/benefit etc)

5) Public meeting to discuss options, opportunities and approaches

6) Impartial tender for services etc

The "community workshop" to be held on Monday 19 July 2010 from 6.00pm in the Reception Room, Town Hall might be a bit like this then again maybe not. It might go the way of other LCC consultation processes where all the consultation has been done "within Council," a report is produced and the meeting is merely held to inform 'the public' of the outcome rather than engage them in the problem solving.

The process set out above might be a reasonable yardstick to measure the meeting, its outcome and past performance against.