Environmental Services

This award is open to a single council or where appropriate a partnership of councils, or a council-owned company. Private sector partners can enter on a council’s behalf, with the permission of the council itself.

This award is intended to mark excellence in any aspect of a council’s work in environmental services, including sustainability, energy, recycling, refuse collection and street cleaning. Many places are working with local businesses in the environmental sector to both enable economic growth and secure environmental improvements. Entries will be judged on the innovation of their submissions and the extent to which it has improved the environment in their area and/or the efficiency of service delivery. 

Submissions should focus on:

• A full description of the project and its aims;
• A detailed explanation of costs, how it was funded and where the expertise for it came from;
• The impact of the council’s work on the lives of local people, for instance by showing how their concerns led to a positive response;
• Links between policy on the environment and other objectives including economic growth;
• The extent to which local communities have been engaged in this work;
• Evidence that the project has met its goals.

Award entries will be judged upon:

• The extent to which the council’s work was an innovative response to a significant concern and potentially can be replicated in other areas;
• The quality of the outcomes obtained from the project, for instance in improved or more efficient services;
• Links between environmental sustainability and other policy areas including economic growth;
• Evidence of buy-in to the project or its goals from members of the local community or external organisations.