Double Award Win for North Somerset

North Somerset Council and North Somerset Environment Company (NSEC) are celebrating two prestigious national awards, recognising their groundbreaking service change programme launched in 2025.

On 13 May 2026, they won the 'Service Change at a Local Authority Level' at the Awards for Excellence in Recycling & Waste Management, held at JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London and hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr. The following evening, their team received the President’s Special Recognition Award at the ADEPT Awards for the Soft Plastics Launch, making North Somerset the first UK local authority to roll out district-wide kerbside collection of soft plastics ahead of national requirements.

Service Innovations Celebrated

The Awards for Excellence accolade highlights comprehensive changes, including shifting residual waste collections to three-weekly intervals, a full fleet upgrade to low-emission Romaquip vehicles with CMS telematics and Routeware optimisation, and enhanced recycling streams that have boosted efficiency and sustainability. These efforts competed successfully against larger corporate businesses and councils nationwide, demonstrating exceptional innovation and delivery. The ADEPT award, from the Association for Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT), specifically honours the soft plastics initiative as a standout team achievement in environmental leadership.

Collaborative Success and Resident Impact

This dual recognition stems from close partnership between the Council and NSEC, Working Together to deliver operational improvements, financial savings for residents, and higher recycling participation. Teams across both organisations showed remarkable skill and commitment, from frontline operations to resident engagement, while residents have embraced the changes to support district-wide environmental goals. The wins build on an earlier iESE Certificate of Excellence for the same project, affirming North Somerset's position as a national leader in modern waste management.

Future Commitment

These awards position North Somerset as a model for ambitious local authority transformations amid circular economy pressures. NSEC and the Council will continue advancing innovations like expanded recycling and data-driven efficiencies to benefit communities long-term. For details on the awards, see Awards for Excellence and ADEPT.