The Government’s plans to plough ahead with its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will have dire consequences for councils.
For those who haven’t heard of this, let me explain in short. The aviation industry currently forks out cash for the carbon emissions it emits and this is set at a standard market price.
The Government plans to expand this to other sectors, including waste incineration, which will clearly have a direct impact on councils.
“This will cripple our councils with responsibility for waste disposal”
With the support of the LGA Conservative Group, the LGA has pulled the numbers together and we believe this will hit local government to the tune of £747 million in 2028 alone and a further £1.1 billion by 2036.
The unavoidable costs for waste incineration services will just be passed onto councils.
Previous spending reviews have failed to acknowledge the direct impact on local government.
To that end, the LGA, through its Neighbourhoods Committee, and alongside other local authorities, has formally written to the Government asking for a review of the ETS implementation date and for a delay until there is a genuine commitment that councils will be recompensed for these costs.
Without it, I fear this will cripple our councils with responsibility for waste disposal. Plus, I am concerned about the unintended consequences: increases in fly-tipping, reduction in recycling rates, fewer household recycling centres – this could spiral out of control very quickly.
Separately, I am delighted to see that the LGA and the Conservative frontbench team in the House of Lords have backed Lord Bichard’s amendment to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.
It will place a legal duty on public service providers such as utility companies to meet with strategic authorities to discuss issues of contention within local communities.
I sincerely hope the Government will accept it so it becomes part of the bill as we head into report stage.
- For more information about the LGA’s political groups, see LGA website.