A COUNTYWIDE waste collection partnership has been agreed for Dorset.

All seven of the county’s authorities have signed up to the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP), which aims to achieve savings of up to £2million a year by 2015/16.

The partnership will deliver county-wide waste collection, treatment, disposal and cleansing services and will manage an in-house workforce to collect waste and keep streets and beaches clean.

West Dorset District Council and Weymouth and Portland Borough Council will not transfer services to the DWP until April 2013 because of a planned merger of officer structures and preparations for the 2012 Olympic sailing events.

The other authorities, including Dorset County Council, will join the partnership in April next year.

Savings will be made by sharing spare vehicles, reducing the number of vehicles needed by cross boundary collections and increased income from trade waste.

Authorities will also use cross district and borough working by making use of depots and waste transfer stations located in neighbouring authority areas.

DCC committee member Councillor Hilary Cox said: “Waste services are expected to cost more than £28.5million in 2011/12, rising to more than £30million by 2015/16.

“In the current financial climate, all authorities are facing challenging and tough decisions as we look to deliver services in more efficient and cost-effective ways.

“Working together means we can deliver high quality, low cost services that help us to increase recycling performance.”

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has awarded a grant of more than £400,000 towards the set up of the DWP.

Coun Cox added: “This is a very exciting project, which is generating national interest from other local authorities because we are the first partnership aiming to deliver an in-house waste collection and cleansing service.”