The following information is the news release which was issued on Monday 20 March following the announcement that Rushcliffe had been awarded Beacon Council status for waste and recycling. The judges' comments on the Council's Beacon performance, as well as this news release, and a news release from the ODPM, are on the Council's website under 'news'

Rushcliffe is at the top of its game in recycling, composting and reducing waste - and to prove just that, it's been awarded the nationally prestigious 'Beacon Council' status for waste and recycling by the government. This award is a big thank you to Rushcliffe residents' efforts in slashing the waste mountain - we couldn't have done it without them.

The feedback report (attached below) summarises the reasons the Council received a Beacon. The report highlights the main strengths of recycling2go in the areas of assessment including what customers think, partnerships, equality, communication and leadership. The Government said our main strengths included high recycling rates, strong branding and communications and an effective three-bin system.

To become a Beacon was an arduous task - preparing a bid in September 2005, a visit by a team of experts in December and a presentation in London in January. The judging panel spoke to as many partners in recycling2go as possible to get a balanced view of Rushcliffe's service - residents, bin men, Eco-teams, parishes, the county council - all of whom are vital to recycling2go's success. Three people from the Council are collecting the award today (20 March) - Council Leader Neil Clarke, recycling2go manager Darryl Burch and project manager and recycling champion Kevin Pickaver.

Neil Clarke, Council leader, said: "We are in the top five in the country for recycling/composting rates - and now the Government has recognised our achievements with this top award. This award means that we can now pass on our expertise to other councils to show them how it's done - and we'll get paid for doing this. Recycling2go's success has been like a horse race - we started three years ago as an outsider, came up on the rails and our 2006 results will hopefully show us winning the race."

"This year we also plan to push recycling2go to new heights - our "big difference" household incentive trial scheme should see about 3,000 residents cutting their waste further. We are offering the parishes of Hickling, Kinoulton, Tollerton and Sutton Bonington cash to spend on improving their local community if they reduce waste in the grey bins, increase recyclables in the blue bin and ensure bins are put out correctly without being contaminated. There will also be gifts for high recycling residents."

As a Beacon the Council will show other councils how to make their waste management and recycling service better and how the Borough Council did it. Rushcliffe will be hosting visits, providing work shadowing opportunities and giving advice and assistance to guide others.

Nine other councils were awarded Beacon status for waste and recycling:

1.      Cambridgeshire County Council (with Cambridgeshire City Council, East Cambs District Council, Fenland DC, Huntingdonshire DC, Peterborough City Council and South Cambs DC) (Joint bid)

2.      Daventry District Council

3.      East Hampshire District Council

4.      Lichfield District Council

5.      London Borough of Bexley

6.      London Borough of Sutton

7.      Preston City Council

8.      Redcar & Cleveland

9.      Suffolk County Council (with Babergh DC, Forest Heath DC, Ipswich BC, Mid Suffolk DC, St Edmundsbury BC, Suffolk Coastal DC, Waveney DC) (Joint bid)