Council’s environmental services team continues to deliver award-winning work

City of Wolverhampton Council’s environmental services staff have received a national Customer Service Excellence accreditation for the 15th year running.

Waste and recycling staff, street cleaners, grounds and tree maintenance teams, park rangers, landscape architects, and staff working in cemeteries, pest control, fly tipping and public protection achieved the award.

It was presented by the Centre for Assessment (CFA), a leading provider of accreditation and certification services.

Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment and climate change at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “To have continued to achieve this prestigious accreditation every year since 2008 is a huge accomplishment. 

“This award demonstrates how our environmental services staff have continued to provide customer service excellence.

“I’d like to thank all staff involved for their work ethic and positive, can-do attitude, which was recognised by the assessors. This truly is a team effort and a proud moment for the department and the council.”

The Customer Services Excellence award is presented every three years, with the environmental services team being assessed annually to maintain the accreditation.

The service was assessed against 57 elements across five criteria. All 57 elements were deemed fully compliant, and of these six were judged to be compliant plus.

Key strengths identified included:

• staff understanding the communities they serve, including volunteers that represent many diverse backgrounds and interests
• an impressive reduction in fly tipping in 2023, which is down by 50% in targeted hotspot streets
• a tree planting strategy which has involved many community partnerships working together
• consultation and feedback with customers used to develop and improve the services provided for them
• treating customers with dignity and respect

In his report, CFA Customer Service Excellence Assessor, John Spitz, noted that staff appeared “passionate” in meeting and exceeding customer expectations and clearly understand what was meant by customer service excellence.

All staff appeared keen to deliver an excellent service to ensure environmental services was both “leading the way” and an exemplar for other similar services.

He added: “It was clear from the impressive and comprehensive evidence provided and staff presentations that City of Wolverhampton Council’s environmental services continue to meet the requirements of the Customer Service Excellence standard.”

The award comes after a recent customer services survey gave a substantial thumbs up to waste collections in the city.

Satisfaction rates for general household waste collections rose to 90% in 2023 compared to 84% in 2021, household recycling collection satisfaction rates rose from 85% to 89% and bulky household collection rates rose from 54% to 94%.

Respondents were also happy that they were treated fairly with their environmental services concerns (86%) and the delivery of the service overall (80%).

More information about environmental services can be found via the following links:

Bereavement services | City Of Wolverhampton Council
Environment and climate | City Of Wolverhampton Council

Parks, green spaces and nature reserves | City Of Wolverhampton Council

Recycling and Waste | City Of Wolverhampton Council