The Council's recent Performance Report has shown that 100 percent of environmental performance indicators have improved when compared to the same time last year.

This improvement is helping to make the district cleaner, safer and greener for residents and has happened through a number of key achievements:

• Recycling rate up to nearly 35%, thanks  to an increase in subscribers to the garden waste service, introduction of battery and Christmas tree recycling, more street sweeper waste being recycled and composted, and improvements to recycling facilities at communal properties
• 7.4% reduction in levels of CO2 produced by the council's vehicle fleet, achieved by focusing on route optimisation and reducing vehicle idling.
• Improvements in cleanliness of the district with fewer areas falling below the acceptable standard for litter, detritus and graffiti - targeting resources to hotspot locations, undertaking co-ordinated clean ups, and enforcement as necessary,  , holding many community events to encourage environmentally responsible behaviour and establishing a specific team to tackle graffiti
• Significant reductions in recorded ASB incidents (17%) and criminal damage (27%) compared to this time last year.
• Reductions in the amount of fly-tipping – through quick response to clean ups, and increased levels of enforcement, with 40 environmental prosecutions initiated over the last year, resulting in nearly £18,500 of fines and costs being dished out by the courts.  One fly-tipper recently received a 28 day prison sentence.
• Increased environmental enforcement - nearly 400 fixed penalty notices issued for environmental offences which is a significant increase on the previous year.

Councillor Warren Nuttall, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Parks said: "It is extremely pleasing that our efforts to improve the environment are delivering results. These excellent performance figures are testament to the hard work of many people, both within the Council and the wider community.  We are committed to making Ashfield cleaner and greener and by working with our residents, we believe we are moving in the right direction."