In an attempt to reduce costs and minimise their environmental impact, Ashfield District Council has re-planned its refuse fleet operations using the latest web mapping technology.
The project has been supported by an online web application and underpinned by the National Land and Property Gazetteer (NLPG). The new routes were mapped and addresses for each of the 30,000 affected households extracted from the NLPG for an initial mailshot.
The address data has been fundamental in the development and take up of an online property look up application. This allows visitors to the Council's website to look up a street, select an address and then self access a wide range of property specific information - including details of new bin collection dates.
"The original communication with residents encouraged them to go online, if possible, to access further information rather than call or visit the Council's Customer Service Team," commented Matthew Longman, GIS and Land Charges Manager, Ashfield District Council. "The statistics provided during the month following the 'Big Bin Change' showed a ten-fold increase in online queries and customer service records also indicated that residents were finding the information they needed using the self-access service."
"However this project was about more than a just change in bin day," commented Longman. "The successful development and communication of alternative communication channels, underpinned by the gazetteer, resulted in tangible gains for the Council, improvement in services for citizens and a reduced impact on the environment."