The Twinning and Mentoring is a pan London project established to:

• give London waste authorities the opportunity to share experiences openly and honestly
• provide an effective method to achieve cross pollination of ideas and knowledge
• provide a forum which does not duplicate the work of other projects

In 2005 Government Office for London (GOL) commissioned ERM to research and test potential options to establish a local authority Twinning and Mentoring scheme in London in order to improve overall recycling performance.  ERM recommended that the project be based on cluster group meetings.  Cluster groups are groupings of local authorities facing similar service related issues brought together to discuss challenges, potential solutions and good practice on one specific topic.

In early 2006, GOL commissioned Impetus Consulting Ltd to manage the second phase of the project by piloting four cluster groups meetings focusing on: flats recycling, bulky waste, incentivisation, and kitchen and garden waste.  The project team concluded that cluster groups are an effective way to improve local authority performance on recycling.

Click here to view the reports from the previous two phases.

The third phase of the project built on the methodology developed from the previous two phases and on the recommendations and conclusions drawn.

GOL worked in partnership with London Councils and engaged London Remade to manage the delivery of eight cluster group meetings focused around four different topics: organics, estates and flats above shops, trade waste and enforcement to encourage recycling and minimisation. Two cluster group meetings were held on each topic.

London Remade delivered the work as part of the London Waste Reduction and Recycling Support Service. The project was funded through Defra WIP-LASU Regional Support Fund, and through funding from London Councils.

Summary reports of the eight events are now published on this website and are available for downloading below.

The cluster group meetings on organics were held on 28 March and 19 September 2007.  Overall 20 local authorities engaged in at least one of the two sessions.

The main topics covered were:

• benefits and barriers to the introduction of organic collection schemes
• collection systems
• technologies available and treatment facilities
• communications
• increasing efficiency of collection schemes

The cluster group meetings on estates and flats above shops took place on 11 April and 27 September 2007.  21 local authorities engaged in at least one of the two sessions. 

The main topics covered were:

• collection systems
• planning and developing collection schemes
• impact of social issues on recycling
• health and safety

The cluster group meetings on trade waste were held on 20 June and 5 December 2007.

15 authorities engaged in at least one of the sessions

The main topics covered were:

• trade waste collection services
• trade recycling collection services
• policy and legislation

The cluster group meetings on enforcement to encourage recycling and minimisation were held on 27 June and 12 December 2007.  Overall 17 authorities attended at least one of the two sessions.

Key topics discussed were:

• enforcement legislation, powers and procedures
• associated enforcement issues
• policy and legislation

A final evaluation report was also produced to provide the steering group with additional information on the project’s deliverables and general recommendations for the next phases of the Twinning and Mentoring project.