Pillar 2: Local authorities

Equipping local authorities
to embed circular practices

Through our work with London’s boroughs and waste authorities, we engage with a wide range of borough teams, including waste and recycling, climate change and circular economy, strategic planning, economic development, procurement, culture and education teams, among others.

In 2023-24 we continued to build and grow our relationship with London’s local authorities. We also gave support far beyond the capital, including 24 UK local authorities outside London, through training guided by their needs and priorities.

Supporting boroughs towards a zero waste economy

London’s boroughs received 3,285 dedicated hours of ReLondon support. This included supporting the development and review of their waste Reduction and Recycling Plans (RRPs) and compiling the RRP database with over 850 searchable actions to deliver their circular ambitions. 26 also benefited from our expertise and help across five or more different projects during the year.


Making a commitment to healthy, sustainable food

One of our most significant achievements in 2023-24 was helping develop the London Food Purchasing Commitment. It’s an ambitious initiative empowering local authorities to ensure that food bought and served across council services is healthy, climate- and nature-friendly and never wasted.

The commitment was developed by ReLondon, London Borough of Hackney and Sustain – the alliance for better food and farming – in collaboration with a working group of 21 London boroughs. It forms part of the One World Living theme of London Councils’ climate programme, to reduce the climate impact of London’s food system.

In July 2023, the London boroughs of Hackney, Hounslow, Lambeth and Newham signed the commitment. This was a ground-breaking move to reduce the environmental impacts of the food they procure, and deliver against their net zero and consumption-based emissions targets. The commitment has sparked interest and conversations with many other London local authorities and several UK cities, who are keen to explore signing the commitment.

2023-24 in numbers

28
London boroughs became more closely involved with ReLondon through our projects including CIRCuIT, and networks like our Circular Neighbourhoods Network, Commercial Waste Network and our Local Authority Circular Food Procurement working group
41 %
events and training sessions delivered to 800+ attendees from London and UK local authorities to enhance knowledge and provide local authority officers with tools to create a circular economy
83 %
of respondents to our borough survey reported that engaging with our work has enhanced their knowledge and competencies, increasing their capacity to take actions
60 %
of borough survey respondents said our work helped them build capacity to reduce waste and increase reuse, repair, sharing and recycling

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