Council nominated in APSE Awards
A Mid Ulster District Council initiative to optimise how it collects bins in the largely rural district has been shortlisted for a Best Workforce Initiative in this year’s APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Service Awards.
Key to the safe and efficient collection of bins by the workforce has been the Council’s introduction of specialist One-Armed (OA) refuse vehicles on rural roads across the district. The roll-out of the OA refuse vehicles to the Council’s rural routes has positive benefits, first and foremost on employee safety, particularly on dangerous rural roads.
Chair of Mid Ulster District Council, Councillor Frances Burton commented,
“Driven by a need to improve workforce safety and service efficiency, this initiative enhances safety by removing the need for staff to manually handle bins on rural roads with high-speed limits and poor visibility—conditions which have previously resulted in serious near-miss incidents. This forward-thinking approach has already gained recognition within the waste management sector, demonstrating a replicable model for other councils striving to improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability in frontline services. As such, it would be a worthy winner and I wish the team the best of luck for the Awards in September.”
The project has been recognised as best practice by the health and safety industry through the Council receiving an Ambassador Award from WISHNI (the Waste Industry Health and Safety Forum Northern Ireland).
Speaking about the Awards, Mo Baines, APSE Chief Executive, said:" With reorganisation on the horizon for many councils and increased discussions around greater devolution for local government across the UK, these awards are an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication of our frontline service teams and their tireless work to support and improve their local communities. Through innovation and tenacity, you continue to strive for excellence even in difficult circumstances. Congratulations to all the finalists, we look forward to seeing you in Glasgow!”
APSE is a not for profit local government body working with over 300 councils throughout the UK. Promoting excellence in public services, APSE is the foremost specialist in local authority front line services, hosting a network for front line service providers in areas such as waste and refuse collection, parks and environmental services, leisure, school meals, cleaning, housing and building maintenance.
The APSE Awards are specific to frontline services provided by UK local authorities. The awards are agreed by a panel of expert judges. This year, the Awards include 17 categories, covering the vast majority of local services. The winners will be announced at the APSE Annual Charity Awards Dinner, in aid of Parkinson’s UK, on Thursday 11 September 2025.