A Reform-run council has delivered a £73million saving for taxpayers after refusing to wave through a waste removal contract, instead pressing forward with a new incinerator project in the North East.

Durham Council conducted an independent assessment into the previous procurement, which found that the deal, first initiated under Labour and signed off by the Liberal Democrats in April 2022, “was poor value and needed to be challenged”.

Durham County Council leader Andrew Husband said the new multi-million-pound saving was secured last week due to appointing operator Viridor.

The Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF) is set to open in 2029, taking household waste from seven areas, and plans to burn up to 450,000 tonnes every year.

It would generate energy and has received a permit from the Environment Agency, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A statement by Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Policy and Communications at Durham County Council, Darren Grimes, said the authority “rejected the underwhelming agreement, which would have tied taxpayers into a long-term, high-cost arrangement”.

“By standing firm and demanding better, the Council has secured a position that not only saves County Durham a minimum of £73million, but almost £250million across all councils involved,” Mr Grimes added in the statement.

“Despite punitive withdrawal costs baked in by the previous administration, Reform refused to be held hostage.

“Instead, a stronger deal has been achieved – one of the best outcomes anywhere in the North East, combining state-of-the-art environmental performance with long-term financial gain.”

Reform’s move has ensured “security of treatment for non-recyclable residual waste, avoiding landfill and costly, inefficient technologies”.

It also includes “profit-sharing opportunities through Durham’s part-ownership of the facility”.

Mr Grimes said that means “revenues now flow back to residents, not away from them”.

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He also said it ensured “future proofing through energy-from-waste capacity, capable of powering new industries such as AI data centres, and carbon capture technology to meet modern environmental standards”.

“Reform’s focus on value for money will not come at the expense of recycling – improvements remain a priority for the administration,” Mr Grimes added.

Mr Husband added that Labour “started it”.

“The Lib Dems signed it, and taxpayers would have paid for it,” he added.

“Reform challenged it, fixed it, and delivered savings – not just for Durham, but for councils we haven’t even won yet.

“This is what listening to residents and standing up for value looks like.”

Mr Grimes told GB News this move was an example of “what happens when Reform runs a council”.

“We go through every line of spending and stop signing bad cheques on behalf of taxpayers,” he said.

The councillor echoed the sentiments from Mr Husband, saying it was Labour which started this “waste-burner deal”.

But, it was the Liberal Democrats who “waved it through” and it would have left the authority “stuck with it for 50 years”.

“We said no, challenged the figures, and saved residents £73million,” Mr Grimes added.

The Deputy Leader of the authority called for other councils to take note.

“If other councils want to know what a vote for Reform means, it’s simple,” he said.

“Value for money, not virtue signalling.

“We’ll keep fixing the messes Labour and the Lib Dems leave behind until taxpayers everywhere get the deal they deserve.”

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