Calderdale Council is entering a new joint venture partnership with Norse Group to deliver waste and recycling services across the borough, from August 2026.
The new co-owned company, named ‘Calderdale Norse’ aims to enhance service delivery, improve efficiency, and create lasting social value for the community.
Waste and recycling represent the largest service provided by the Council, handling over 7.5 million scheduled collections from 95,000 households each year. With this new partnership, Calderdale Norse will offer a high-quality waste service, including the management of Household Waste Recycling Centres. The service will also ensure long-term resilience and reliability, greater control over future changes in legislation and evolving community needs, and ongoing financial sustainability.
All existing staff working on the Calderdale contract will transfer over to Calderdale Norse Ltd, with the same terms and conditions of their contract.
Norse Group has worked closely with the Council to conduct extensive due diligence and financial modelling, ensuring a thorough understanding of the metropolitan borough’s requirements. Both Calderdale Council and Norse Group are confident that the identified resources will meet the scope and quality needed for continued service excellence.
This joint venture, with an annual value of over £11 million, spans an initial period of eight years, with the option of two four-year extensions. The partnership not only aims to deliver exceptional waste and recycling services but also places a strong emphasis on creating social value for the local community.
Providing frontline services to over a million people nationwide, Norse Group is committed to creating economic value and driving social impact in partnership with local authorities. Across its successful joint ventures, Norse Group has achieved more than £65 million in public sector savings.
This partnership presents a unique opportunity for Calderdale Council and Norse to benefit from shared expertise, whilst also achieving significant cost savings, supporting job creation and continuous employee development. The service will also support the Council’s net zero ambitions and contribute to the broader wellbeing of the community. In addition, Calderdale Norse will prioritise local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for the procurement of goods and services, further supporting the local economy.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, Cllr Danielle Durrans, said:
“We understand the importance of reliable waste and recycling collections. It’s a service we all use, and we want it to be as efficient, resilient and sustainable as possible.
“The Calderdale Norse joint venture arrangement offers a range of benefits, giving the Council more control over the services and offering flexibility around how the service could be delivered in the future.
“We’re working closely with Norse to support a shared understanding of how things will work and making sure that we’re ready to hit the ground running next August, ensuring a smooth transition for residents and helping us to retain our consistently high recycling rates.”
Justin Galliford, Chief Executive Officer of Norse Group, added:
“We are thrilled to partner with Calderdale Council to deliver waste and recycling services across the region through this long-term joint venture. Beyond the economic benefits, we are committed to giving back to the local community at every level through social value programmes, environmental initiatives, and career opportunities for Calderdale residents.
“By reinvesting profits into the public purse, we ensure that our efforts make a real, positive difference to people’s lives. We are excited for the journey ahead and look forward to a successful and meaningful partnership.”
About Calderdale Council
Calderdale is a beautiful area in West Yorkshire, between Leeds and Manchester, with unique natural landscapes, vibrant towns, diverse and resilient communities and a thriving arts and cultural scene.
Calderdale Council is ambitious about the future, with priorities to reduce inequalities, take climate action, support thriving towns and places and remain a sustainable and effective council.
About Norse Group
Norse Group provide the spaces and services communities need to thrive.
Operating a number of successful joint venture partnerships with local authorities across the UK, Norse Group combines breadth, expertise, and scale with the insight of a local partner and the values of the public sector, driven by the belief that there is always a better way to deliver for the public.
