Examination of Witnesses (Questions 400-405)
MR ANDY
MOORE AND
MS JANE
STEPHENSON
WEDNESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2003
400. It sounds to me as though you are very
lean. You do not have much management hierarchy.
(Ms Stephenson) No, but as our organisations grow
we will develop the management structure to cope with that.
(Mr Moore) Sufficient to purpose.
401. How would you compare yourself with a typical
local authority?
(Mr Moore) That is really hard to do.
(Ms Stephenson) The other advantage we have is that
we do not have all the other statutory duties.
402. Is that not maybe the reason why you are
picking up extra business? You are focusing very successfully
on something you know a lot about and are very committed to; whereas
local authorities are just doing it because they have to.
(Mr Moore) Yes, which is why they should consider
coming through us for delivery of that service.
403. So massive out-sourcing from local authorities.
(Mr Moore) They can out-source to us, certainly.
Joan Walley
404. In terms of community education and capacity
building, are you aware of the role of local education authorities
and schools in terms of raising awareness?
(Ms Stephenson) Yes.
405. I wonder how you see the role of wider
educational awareness and the curriculum in schools.
(Ms Stephenson) As well as the job I do in Bristol,
I am also chair of Waste Watch who do a lot of national work with
schools but in my own organisation too we have four education
officers. We do a lot of work on the curriculum. We have done
literature and material specifically on waste. The trick is to
get waste introduced to as many subjects in the curriculum as
possible and it is not that difficult. Even the history of waste
management is quite fascinating. Yes, I think it is terribly important,
as I do the whole community education side of things, which is
why we have set up these local waste action groups and work with
volunteers and local people. Before I came into the room I did
say that that has to be seen as part of the necessary infrastructure
making the rest of it work. It needs funding, of course.
Chairman: Thank you both very much indeed. It
has been a very interesting session. We are very grateful.
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