Waste and resource management program

The Waste and Resource Management (WaRM) Program is managed by the Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet (CM&C). The purpose of the WaRM Program is to provide regional and shire councils grant funding to assist with addressing issues specific to Waste and Resource Management.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Support the Northern Territory Government's strategies and policies.
• Assist councils to improve their compliance with waste management regulations.
• Facilitate the development of targeted Waste Management Strategies specific to individual regional and shire councils, or through collaboration between councils.
• Provide councils opportunities to leverage additional funding to assist with waste management infrastructure, maintenance and projects into the future.
• Provide a mechanism for councils to demonstrate commitment to their waste management priorities and outcomes.

The WaRM Program is a non-application based program with an allocation amount offered to councils.

The allocation amount offered to regional and shire councils is derived from a methodology that provides for a base amount to be given to each council, plus an amount for each waste management facility (sourced from the NT Grants Commission) that council maintain.

The funding pool under the WaRM program is approximately $1.8 million.

• Establishment of a Waste Data Management System to enable the collection, monitoring and reporting of data related to waste transfer stations and landfills managed by council.
• Expenditure related to lease negotiations relevant to use of land for waste management sites; including the negotiation of section 19 leases for waste management sites.
• Infrastructure development as appropriate at waste management sites such as construction of access gatehouses, segregation bays, cages for aggregation of recyclable material, concreting receiving areas and fencing etc.
• Plant and machinery acquisition for use in the collection, sorting and management of waste at established waste management sites in regional and remote communities.
• To address waste management requirements and/or issues raised with councils by the Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA). This includes remedial actions and waste and contaminant related requirements specified in instruments issued by the NT EPA or its officers under the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998 including but not limited to Environmental Audit Programs (section 48), Performance Agreements (section 66), Authorised Officer Directions (section 72), and Pollution Abatement Notices (sections 77 and 78).
• Engaging a consultant to prepare a Waste Management Strategy;   or   revise   an   existing Waste Management Strategy for council. A content example is provided at Attachment 1 to this funding guideline.
• Undertaking any action(s) identified in an existing Waste Management Strategy adopted by resolution of Council.

• Employment costs of either a one-off or an ongoing nature (e.g. salaries).
• Purchase of operational vehicles (passenger carrying/recreational vehicles – 4WDs, troop carriers, buses, quad bikes etc.).

Councils will receive a letter of offer and acceptance documentation from CM&C. This advice will comprise the total grant amount being offered to the council.

Regional and shire councils eligible to receive these grants will need to comply with the following:

• Consider the funding amount and formally resolve at the next council meeting what project(s) it has selected from the acceptable purposes detailed in Part 4 of this guideline and provide an extract of the agenda and resolution to CM&C.
• Return the signed acceptance form back to the Department with appropriate authorisation.
• Ensure that there are no outstanding grant acquittals relevant to CM&C local government grants.
• If a council wants to deliver a project that is not listed in this guideline then a formal detailed request is to be submitted to CM&C for consideration in the required template (available on request).

Grant funding will be released once the signed acceptance form is received.

• This grant must be fully expended within 2 years of receiving the funds.
• Councils may, under extenuating circumstances, request CM&C for an extension to this timeframe with any requests to be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Acquit all, partial or nil expenditure of the WaRM as at 30 June each year.
• Provision of the completed acquittal form accompanied with a copy of the Waste Management Strategy (if applicable), copies of ledger entries, invoices, photos and any other relevant supporting documentation must be provided to CM&C no later than 31 August each year.
• The acquittal must be laid before a council meeting for formal ratification and a copy of the meeting minutes attached with the acquittal.
• Goods and services are to be procured in accordance with the Local Government Act 2019 and the Local Government (General) Regulations 2021; and Northern Territory Government "Buy Local" policy if applicable.
• An administration fee is not to be apportioned to the grant.
• Changes to the purpose of the council approved project must be formally ratified at a council meeting and notified to CM&C within 2 weeks of the council meeting.
• On completion of the approved project(s), unspent or surplus funds will be required to be returned to CM&C.
• CM&C reserves the right to request the full value (or a portion) of the grant to be returned if the council disposes of an asset acquired via this grant within four years of the payment of the grant.
• Councils must acknowledge funding by the Northern Territory Government in all media announcements and events.

If you require further information regarding Grant Administration, please email lg.grants@nt.gov.au or contact: 08 8999 8820 or 08 8999 8576.

• A detailed description of the areas of future focus, associated actions and quantifiable targets that council aims to achieve during the validity period of the Local Government WMS, including:
  • Regional collaboration opportunities and advantages.
  • Specific measures to be used (i.e. cost per tonne of waste).
  • Timeframe for action (i.e. by early, mid or end of any particular calendar year or ongoing)
  • Capital considerations (i.e. costs for tender process or sponsored initiative to be run by council etc.).
  • Operational considerations (i.e. foregone fees, auditor, investigator or contractor costs, staff and material costs etc.).
  • A prioritised list of either new or existing infrastructure that has been identified as requiring upgrading and will be subject to future funding proposals to enable procurement or rejuvenation.
• A mechanism for the continued review and revision of actions to measure council’s progress towards achieving the specified actions, as well as a default period for conducting a review and revision of the Local Government WMS (i.e. annually).
• Council contact details for constituents and stakeholders to seek further information about council’s Local Government WMS.
• A Schedule or Appendix containing:
  • Glossary;
  • Relevant Policy & Legislation; and
  • References, links and regional profiles (i.e. as contained in BushTel).