The battle for south-west London’s billion-pound waste management contract is down to three companies.

WRG, Veolia and Viridor have made it through to the next stage of the South London Waste Partnership (SLWP) procurement process.

The ‘winner’ will manage south-west London’s annual 200,000 tonnes of household waste which would otherwise be destined for landfill.

SWLP originally planned to have only two companies left at this stage but the reason for there being three remaining bids has not been disclosed.

Strict rules mean that the details of each bid must remain confidential while the ‘competitive dialogue’ procurement process is ongoing.

The SLWP is made up of four local councils (Croydon, Kingston, Merton and Sutton) who are working together to provide improved, sustainable and more cost-effective waste management services to their residents.

Councillor Colin Hall, Sutton Council’s environment spokesman and a member of the SLWP, said: “The three remaining bidders are proposing a range of innovative waste treatment solutions.

“Further confidential negotiations are required between the Partnership’s Procurement Team and the bidders before further deselection of bids can take place.”

The SLWP Joint Waste Committee will meet in February next year to consider each bid, final tenders will be submitted in April 2011 with the winner announced in July.