Council scoops award for ‘rubbish’ innovation

Derby City Council has scooped a national award for innovation after introducing technology that helps manage bin collections more efficiently.

The council recently won the Best Innovation or Demand Management Initiative category at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards, which are designed to recognise excellence in local government frontline services across the UK.

The council’s Streetpride team’s work installing sensors on bins caught the eye of the judges.

The new technology was rolled out in parks, streets and open spaces around Derby to reduce overflowing litter bins and manage collections more efficiently.

The technology has allowed for routes to be fully optimised, detailing the order each bin should be emptied and the route the operatives should take from site to site, cutting out unnecessary trips and reducing the city council’s carbon footprint.

Councillor Nadine Peatfield, the city council’s deputy leader, said: “This award is a testament to the hard work of our Streetpride team, delivering the best outcomes for Derby in difficult financial circumstances.

“We were finalists in three other categories, including Best Overall Council of the Year, and while we didn’t win them all, making it onto the shortlist is a fantastic achievement.”