Newry Mourne and Down District Council Shortlisted for APSE Award

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council’s Waste Management Department has been shortlisted for the finals of the 2019 APSE Awards (Association of Public Service Excellence) in the Waste Management and Recycling category. This in recognition of the Council’s performance in recent years.

The awards recognise the very best in local government services across the United Kingdom, and the finalists were announced following a rigorous round of judging.

Since 2015-16, the Council increased the rate of recycling across the District by 12.1% to 51%, exceeding national targets of 50% recycling by 2020. This has been achieved by rolling out a range of initiatives, including a food waste collection service, as well as campaigns to encourage residents to recycle more and to reduce waste to landfill.

APSE Chief Executive Paul O’Brien said, “Local councils do great work but too often they are the unsung heroes of public services. These awards are about celebrating the hard work and achievements of frontline services, and the local government workforce delivering them. These services and local initiatives make a real difference to local places and local people. Congratulations to all the finalists.”

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson, Councillor Charlie Casey said, “I am delighted that the Council’s Waste Management Department has been selected as a finalist in these prestigious awards. Through the hard work, determination and commitment of our employees, we have achieved significant improvements in the overall rate of recycling across our District. 

“These improvements would not have been possible without the efforts of our residents and I would encourage everyone to continue to recycle as many materials as possible so that, together, we can achieve the 65% recycling target by 2030.”