Belfast City Council N.I. Best Practice Scheme 2008-2009

1. Belfast City Council N.I. Best Practice Scheme 2008-2009

2. Taster WorkshopsAgenda • Innovation in Problem Solving • Operation Cleanup • Women into Non-Traditional Sectors (WINS) • Step up to Learn • Communication • Alternate Weekly Waste Collection • Q & A

3. Presentations • What was the Problem? • What did we plan to do? (the Solution) • What did we achieve? (the Results) • How was it innovative?

4. Innovation in Problem SolvingOperation Cleanup

5. The Problem • Abandoned vehicles • ‘Run-around’ vehicles • Low-value • Untaxed/ uninsured • Disproportionately involved in collisions and criminal activities • Unwieldy and restrictive legislation

6. The Solution • Community Safety Initiative involving: • PSNI/ BCC/ DVLA/ NIO • Multi-agency Steering Group and clearly-defined process, roles and responsibilities • Close management and good communication • Mutual benefit

7. The Results • 6,500 vehicles removed • Impact on crime/ safety/ environment • Runner-up in Community Policing Awards (international competition)

8. What’s Innovative? • Problem tackled at source • Partnership working • Delegation/ transfer of powers/ authority

9. Innovation in Problem SolvingWomen into Non-Traditional Sectors (WINS)

10. The Problem • Under-representation of women • Economic inactivity • Poor perceptions of non traditional work

11. The Solution • Working in partnership • Research into barriers • Training & mentoring • Work placement

12. The Results • Exceeded targets • 20 placed in jobs • 3 in self employment • 17 into further education • Increased employability & confidence

13. What’s Innovative? • A new partnership of employers, training organisations, advisory bodies and academics • Piloted new approaches to employability training and work experience • Innovative Research & Outreach programme

14. What’s Innovative? • A new partnership of employers, training organisations, advisory bodies and academics • Piloted new approaches to employability training and work experience • Innovative Research & Outreach programme

16. Conference at Belfast Waterfront - 7th March 2008

17. Innovation in Problem SolvingStep up to Learn

18. The Problem “Some 7 million adults in the UK, (1 in 5 adults), if given the yellow pages, cannot locate the Page reference for plumbers. That is an example of functional illiteracy. It means that 1 in 5 adults have less literacy than is expected of an 11 year old.” (Sir Claus Moser Report, 1999)

19. The Problem Implications for Belfast City Council and our employees in terms of …………… • staff development and performance • the impact of this on service delivery • the health, safety and welfare of our employees • employee participation and inclusion • our employees’ quality of life outside of work

20. The Solution • Joint Consultative Committee • Pilot within Cleansing Section • Working group with trade unions

21. The Solution The working group • Agreed its objectives and the desired outcomes for both the Council and the learners • Carried out best practice research • Identified critical milestones • Developed a project plan around these milestones

22. The Results • 40 people expressed an interest • 2 groups of 12 learners commenced a literacy programme • Positive feedback from both learners and line managers

23. The Results Comments from our learners • ‘I’m more confident in my abilities and I’d even go to Tech. now.’ • ‘I’ve realised that nothing is impossible, no matter what age you are or where you come from.’ • ‘I’ll speak up more, and talk in front of a group of people.’ • ‘I can concentrate better, I’m more committed.’ • ‘I’m not afraid to have a go, where before I wouldn’t have tried. I can send emails now, because I’m confident about punctuation.’

24. What’s Innovative • Our project managed approach • Our partnership with the trade unions and partner organisations • Delivered around the needs of the learners and the Council

25. CommunicationAlternate Weekly Waste Collection

26. The Problem • Changing 70,000 households onto an alternate week waste collection • Communicating the new collection arrangements with all Belfast residents • Changing traditional waste disposal behaviour • Maintaining high participation and low contamination rates

27. The Solution • Door knocking campaign throughout the city • Adshell advertising along major bus routes • Articles in magazines, papers and journals

28. The Solution • Radio Ads • Call Centre - free phone number for recycling advice • Website information • Information days at supermarkets/ Saturday surgery sessions at community centres

29. The Solution • Ads on Belfast City Council waste vehicles • Waste collection calendars for each household • Chipped bins to target low performing areas

30. The Results • Increased recycling rate from 7.9% in 2005 to 24.5% in 2007 • Overall initial participation rate greater than 70% in 2005 which continues to rise • Low contamination rates across the city • Only 6 official complaints throughout the implementation

31. Alternate week implementation

32. The Results Contamination levels continue to fall

33. What’s Innovative? One of the first local authorities in the UK to: • Employ a team of recycling advisors • Offer a free phone recycling advice line • Offer Saturday surgery sessions for local communities • Use chipped bins to record recycling rates • Conduct follow up customer satisfaction surveys

34. Questions & Answers