A ROCKETING recycling rate has helped Swindon bag a coveted award.

The Association of Public Service Excellence last week awarded Swindon Commerical Services a gong for the team which runs the recycling and waste collection service.

The services were changed hugely last year when the kerbside collection scheme went borough wide in the summer and wheelie bins were introduced right across the town in November.

Since then the town’s recycling rate has shot up from 27 per cent to 47 per cent.

Hopes are high the authority can recycle 50 per cent of all waste it collects by 2010.

Brian Mattock, the council’s cabinet member for local environment and sustainability, said the award was a tribute to hard working staff at Swindon Commercial Services.

“This award is thanks to Swindon Commerical Services who have worked well to ensure that the system works,” said Coun Mattock.

“We must also thank the residents of Swindon because without them embracing the new services none of the progress we have made would have happened.”

To win the award the council had to fend off tough competition from councils in Nottinghamshire, Wales and the north east.

And after looking at what each council did the panel of industry experts tasked with judging the competition named Swindon as the best authority.

“I don’t think this award is just about the service we have provided, I think it is also about how things here have improved.

“When you consider the major changes we have gone through doing as well as we are is very impressive,” said Coun Mattock.

“Of course when the system was introduced there were teething problems – and we expected them.

“But we’re delighted that people are now remembering and understanding what they should and shouldn’t be doing.

“We have made major progress but we are already looking at how we can progress even further.

“Over the next few years we plan to be as conscious as we can of new technologies that will help us improve and look at an even better way forward.”