A UK-wide award has recognised Falkirk Council’s Roads Services as being the best in the country.

The service fought off tough competition to be named the winner in the ‘Highways, Winter Maintenance & Street Lighting Service’ category at the 2015 APSE Awards earlier this month. The awards encourage and celebrate excellence in the public sector.

There have been a number of recent improvements to modernise the service, including:

• A new web-based reporting system for road defects that makes it easier for people to report faults and saves time for both web users and Council staff
• Digitally mapping the road network to help with investigating faults and carrying out repairs
• Launching a Twitter account (@FCRoads) to share information relevant to the road users and offer up-to-date information on road closures and gritting action during winter

As well as Roads, two other services recognised in the Scottish section of the awards. The Council won a Gold Award in the ‘Waste & Recycling Services’ category. Falkirk was the first local authority to rollout the three-weekly bin collection service and the pioneering project has seen waste recycling improve by 70% and anticipated savings in £400k in materials going to landfill.

Fleet Services also scooped a Silver Award. A vehicle replacement programme and a new management system have helped make the service more environmentally and economically friendly.

Councillor Dr Craig R Martin, spokesperson for the Environment, said: “The awards recognise the efforts put in across the Council to save money and come up with ways of improving how we deliver services across our communities.

“Every day we are looking at how savings measured in hundreds of thousands of pounds can be made across every aspect of our work and these awards highlight that we are amongst the best in the country at coming up with new and innovative ideas that benefit everyone.

“These awards wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of the staff across all three services. I am extremely proud of the road maintenance guys, the people operating the gritters, the refuse collectors, the Fleet Services’ team and everyone else who have worked to deliver these services to the local area.”

Roads Services award for being best in the UK follows on from winning the ‘Most Improved Performer in Roads Services and Winter Maintenance’ in 2014.