Tamworth Bourough and Lichfield District Councils are amongst the first to have merged their waste collection services. Together, the councils have made savings of £700,000, as well as pocketing an MRW Recycling Award for “Local Authority Team of the Year”.

Key to the integration process was a collective software programme, made by Bartec. This enabled the local authorities to optimise vehicle and operative movements across both regions, providing near-instant tracking and reporting on waste collections. A 30% reduction in missed bin calls has delivered savings of £51,000.

Around 2,000 additional calls were resolved at first contact. Savings of about £15,000 have been made from an increase in dry recycling, by encouraging residents to separate their waste. A combined fleet of 23 trucks, and 72 frontline operatives cover around 140 miles, serving some 73,000 households. Two recycling wardens use the Bartec portable communication tool, which enables them to link into the main system.