The Project Integra partnership was formed in 1995 following the award of a 25 year waste disposal contract to Hampshire Waste Services Ltd. The partnership between the local authorities is underpinned by a memorandum of understanding, income share agreement and a joint service planning agreement.

At the end of 1999, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) awarded Project Integra Beacon Council status for sustainable development in dealing with waste.  Since the introduction of the partnership, Hampshire had seen dramatic results and many achievements.  At the time of the Beacon award these included:

• Over 75% of households offered kerbside collection of recyclables
• Materials Recovery Facilities sorting over 56,000 tonnes of recyclables per annum
• Over 75,000 local authority subsidised home composters distributed
• More than 40,000 tonnes per annum of green waste centrally composted
• Planning permission for a 90,000 tonne per annum Energy Recovery Incinerator
• High profile countywide publicity campaign
• Beacon Council Status

Beacon Councils represent some of the best in local government, leading the way in particular areas of activity that make a real difference to the quality of the lives of local people and to the community as a whole. Beacon status is awarded so that others can benefit from the experience of those councils which have excellence to share.

During their time as Beacons, councils will undertake a variety of activities to spread their best practice to others:

• Attending roadshows
• Hosting open days
• Offering work shadowing placements

More information on Integra's Beacon programme can be found on the Beacon pages.