The Department's subsequent action to improve programme management

2.4  In July 2006, the Department set up a delivery unit, the Waste Infrastructure Delivery Programme (WIDP), to accelerate the delivery of waste infrastructure. WIDP is supported by Partnerships UK and 4ps, the project advisory bodies for central and local government. WIDP's annual budget is over £4 million. Currently it has around 30 full time equivalent staff comprising a mix of departmental staff, staff contracted from Partnerships UK and 4ps and specialists seconded from other agencies (Figures 8 opposite and 9 overleaf). Programme management activities undertaken by WIDP are listed at Appendix 7.

2.5  WIDP has overseen major changes to both the financial resources associated with the programme and the way in which projects are organised and prioritised:

■  The 2007 Spending Review allocated a substantial increase in PFI Credits for waste projects. The Department has received a provisional allocation of £2 billion (figure 7). The Department is using this increase both to fund more projects and also to provide individual projects with more PFI Credits. There is no longer a limit on the PFI Credits available to each project although the credit is capped at a maximum of 50 per cent of the capital cost.

■  WIDP has improved the organisation of the forward programme. It now invites local authorities to develop projects for the Department's approval in organised procurement rounds. This replaces the previous 'first come, first served' approach. The Department publishes the forward programme on its website to allow contractors and other authorities to see what projects are likely to be coming to market.