Top Cleaning Accolade Goes East!

11 March 2009

North Norfolk District Council has won the much coveted UK Winner’s Trophy in the 2009 Clean Britain Awards, presented today at the NEC Cleaning Show near Birmingham.

A total of sixty three entries were received from Local Authorities all over the UK in three separate categories, Cities, Towns and Districts.

All entries received an anonymous half day inspection visit during the second half of 2008 and judged against a number of criteria, including; litter and fly tipping; waste bin management; chewing gum and cigarette butt litter, dog fouling and signage and street furniture cleanliness – all issues which impact on first – and lasting – visitor impressions.

Other Gold Award winners were Truro in the Cities category and Windsor and Eton in the Towns category.

Runners-up were: Swansea (Silver) and Birmingham (Bronze) in the Cities category; Southend (Silver) and Church Stretton – Shropshire (Bronze) in the Towns category and Hinckley and Bosworth (Silver) and Alnwick – Northumberland (Bronze) in the Districts category.

A total of twelve City entries gained the top 5 Star Grade; Birmingham City Council, Bristol City Council, Cardiff Council, City and County of Swansea, City of Lincoln Council, City of London Corporation, City of Wells, Plymouth City Council, Sheffield City Council, Truro City Council, Westminster City Council and Worcester City Council.

Six Town entries were also awarded 5 Star Grades; Church Stretton - South Shropshire District Council, Dawlish Town Area – Teignbridge District Council, Southend High Street and Seafront – Southend Borough Council, Town of Beaumaris – Isle of Anglesey County Council, Town of Camborne – Kerrier District Council, Windsor & Eton Town Centres – Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead, along with a further twelve entries in the District category; Alnwick District Council, Cherwell District Council, Elmbridge Borough Council, Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council, Chiswick Park, London, Mendip District Council, Mid Suffolk District Council, North Norfolk District Council, Rushcliffe Borough Council, South Gloucestershire Council, West Wiltshire District Council and Wychavon District Council.

The British Cleaning Council run the biennial Clean Britain Awards, with additional sponsorship this year from Gum Busters (part of the Osprey Deep Clean Group) and Cleaning and Maintenance magazine, owned by Quartz Publishing and Exhibitions who also promote the NEC Cleaning Show.

“We are delighted to bring to the attention of the general public the significant efforts being applied by so many people involved in keeping many parts of the UK clean and welcoming places to visit” quotes BCC Chairman Steve Wright. “We all need to be aware that indiscriminate dropping of litter and other rubbish, particularly chewing gum and cigarette butts, is a dirty habit and all of us employed in the cleaning industry are doing our best to maintain an acceptable level of cleanliness in all of our Cities, Towns and Rural Districts. We urge members of the public to support cleaning staff wherever and whenever they can”.

Full results of the 2008/2009 Clean Britain Awards are available on the Awards website www.cleanbritainawards.co.uk

The next Clean Britain Awards scheme will be launched in the Spring of 2010 and will be open to all Local Authorities and other guardians, of or organisations managing, public spaces.