Dover and Shepway take gold for Transformation in Waste and Environment

Dover and Shepway District Councils have won a major national award for their recycling and waste collection service at the 6th Annual Improvement & Efficiency Awards 2015, hosted by Improvement & Efficiency Social Enterprise (iESE).

The awards recognise public sector innovation, transformation, and excellence. The two councils jointly won the Gold Award for Transformation in Waste and Environment for their shared working on recycling and waste collection services. Nearly 200 people, including Members of both Houses of Parliament, saw the Shepway and Dover team take to the stage to receive their award last week in London.

Dover and Shepway were described in the Improvement & Efficiency Awards prospectus as "Delivering a 50% improvement in the recycling rate, to around 50% of all waste collected being recycled, and with £30m savings to East Kent taxpayers over 10 years, the waste project led by Shepway and Dover has succeeded through a mix of public engagement, visionary leadership, and innovative joint working."

Cllr Rory Love, Shepway District Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "In 2010, we invited our residents to help shape our new recycling and waste service. By 2013, we were the second best recycler in Kent. And now, this Gold Award is recognition of our residents' and our Councils' work to cut waste, recycle more, and protect the environment."

Cllr Nicholas Kenton, Dover District Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, Waste and Planning, said: "This award recognises the great work of residents, the two Councils, and Veolia in transforming our approach to waste management. As well as saving money for the tax payer, we've drastically reduced the amount of waste being thrown away."