Beacon Award 2006-2007: Waste and Recycling

About our Beacon

Waste Management is a key environmental service that all local authorities have to provide by statute. Weekly waste collection and street cleaning are amongst the most visible council services.

Reducing the environmental impact of waste and improving performance on managing waste, including reducing the need for landfill sites, is a crucial part of the government's approach to sustainable development. The Local authorities have been set targets for recycling and landfill avoidance to help meet national goals.

What characterised the Beacons?

Beacon authorities for waste and recycling:

Meet and exceed statutory waste targets
Operate in a climate where corporate managers and political leaders are visibly committed to the service providing leadership and owning problems and solutions
Fully engage with their communities in designing and explaining services, using a range of communication media and effectively partner neighbouring councils, agencies and suppliers in service delivery and the strategic development of local waste services
Manage and develop staff to produce results managing finance, assets and risk in pursuit of service improvements and the delivery of their waste strategy
Deliver appropriate services to all sections of their community including traditionally hard to reach households

The accolade was awarded after the Beacon Assessment Panel visited Bexley, rigorously inspected our system and interviewed council officers and members.

The assessors identified Bexley's strengths as including:

the only 4 star rating for environment in London
the top recycler in London at 37.56%
comprehensive plan and strategy development process
innovative management system for operations under contract
strong engagement with BME community
strong schools waste action club and recycling in schools.

Bexley's successes are due to its history of excellent practice in waste and recycling. It currently recycles over 40% of its waste making it among the highest recycling urban council's in the United Kingdom, including the highest in London in 4 out of the last 5 years. This success is underpinned by its comprehensive urban cutting-edge recycling services, the Council's corporate processes that drive performance, the development of markets for waste materials and the management of waste on its own premises. The Council also uses imaginative ways to ensure that all sections of the community are actively engaged in recycling. Thre is an impressive Schools Waste Action Club, Waste Minimisation and Recycling Focus Group and extensive door stepping campaign with the authority's recycling wardens each achieving over 500 contacts per week.