New Year's Reception 2012: Localism and sustainable resources

18 January 2012
House of Commons

Keynote Address:

Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

Further speakers included:

Mark Bensted, Managing Director, Powerday
Barry Sheerman MP, Co-Chair, Associate Parliamentary Sustainable Resource Group


The annual APSRG New Year's reception provided an opportunity to celebrate the work of the Group and thank our members and all those who had contributed in 2010. This years event heard from Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP on how local services are taking part in the waste management debate, as well as the scale of the waste challenge. Mark Bensted, Managing Director of Powerday, also provided his views on the impact of the localism agenda on waste management.

Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP commented:

'We do get very exercised about rubbish. We have to make progress on this – local communities should get on and find a system that works for them, but we have to see real progress because I’d say it is one of the three great challenges the world faces. The lesson from that is we really should value what we have taken for granted for far too long.'