Team’s efforts haven’t been wasted!

CLEANER and greener . . . the recycling team, from left, Karl Derkin, James White, Cyra Barry, Mark Husdan, Su Barrett, Oldham’s Recycling Mascot, Councillor Mark Alcock, Craig Dale, Dave Malloy, Greg Hill and Jake Ogden

OLDHAM’S new and improved waste collection service is one of the most up to date and effective in the country.

The council beat off nationwide competition to claim the Environmental Innovation in Waste Collection Achievement of the Year Award at the prestigious Municipal Journal (MJ) Awards in London.

The award recognises the council’s approach to waste collection while looking after the needs of its communities and delivering greater levels of service.

Councillor Mark Alcock, cabinet member for citizens and neighbourhoods, said: “I am delighted and proud we have received this award. The council’s waste management team has developed new ways of working which have led to us becoming one of the greenest councils in the North-West.

“Residents have supported us all the way and they have embraced all the changes we have introduced, so this award is also a chance to say a big ‘thank-you’ to them.”

Over the last few years the council’s waste collection services have undergone big changes as Oldham aims to become cleaner and greener.

New figures show that over the last three years, the authority is the most improved in Greater Manchester when it comes to recycling.

As well as the normal household waste collections, services to pick up paper/cardboard, glass/cans/plastic and garden waste have also been introduced.

And the service has already been given a massive thumbs up from the people who matter the most — the public.

Results of a recent survey show 78 per cent of those who took part rate the overall service as very good to excellent — and nearly a third of those said it was 10 out of 10.