In a delegated Officer Key Decision, Sean McDermid, Corporate Director of Environment & Sustainable Transport, approved the purchase of six Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCVs) for food waste collection, which will support the council's obligations under the Environment Act 2021¹. The purchase, valued at £761,383, will be funded by a capital grant from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Purchase of Food Waste Collection Vehicles

Sean McDermid approved the purchase of six Hillend Engineering Micro XHD food waste collection vehicles, each mounted on a DAF 12-tonne GVW chassis. This decision was made to support the borough's statutory obligation to implement weekly food waste collections by Autumn 2026, as mandated by the Environment Act 2021. The vehicles will be Euro 6 compliant, contributing to improved air quality in line with Newham's Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP).

The vehicles are essential for the second stage of the borough's food waste collection roll out, which will extend the service to include schools within the London Borough of Newham.

The purchase will be funded through a capital grant of £2.07 million from DEFRA, which was received in 2024 and approved by the Cabinet in February 2025. Each vehicle is priced at £124,950, with a total expenditure of £761,383. The procurement represents value for money, as the vehicles will be sourced through the TPPL vehicle procurement framework, which is an approved route for vehicle acquisitions by the London Borough of Newham.

Alternative suppliers listed under the TPPL framework were considered. However, they were discounted due to inability to meet the required delivery timelines, which would risk delaying the implementation of the food waste collection service. The option to hire RCVs was explored but dismissed due to high costs and limited availability of suitable hire vehicles within the market. The purchase of fully electric vehicles was also considered, but deemed unfeasible at this time due to the lack of charging infrastructure at the Central Depot and the unavailability of electric RCVs within the required timeframe.

The decision aligns with the council's strategic priorities, as it directly supports the delivery of the Building a Fairer Newham Corporate Plan, particularly in relation to improving borough cleanliness, advancing climate action, and enhancing service efficiency. The use of Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) fuel further contributes to reducing emissions and supporting the council's environmental objectives.

The decision is subject to call-in².