The Council was awarded Beacon Council status in 2000 for its work on Sustainable Development: Dealing with Waste. A total of five Hounslow Schools have been awarded Beacon status. In addition we have been awarded a Charter Mark for six of our services:
Waste Collection
Leaders Employment Service
Building Control
Older Peoples Day Care Centres
Community Advice
Libraries and Heritage
What is a Beacon Council?
Beacon Status is a government scheme aimed at rewarding excellence in local government - and enabling others to learn from best practice. Beacon status is awarded to the best councils so that others can benefit from their experience.The beacon scheme covers all areas of council business.
The award will be based on transparent, open and fair selection criteria and will be made with the advice of an independent advisory panel. Each year Ministers will select the particular service or cross-cutting service areas for which beacon status will be awarded.
The selection will focus on service and cross-cutting service areas which are important to local people and in particular on areas where the beacon scheme can help to raise standards.
Beacon councils are good across the board and excellent in the service or cross-cutting service area for which beacon status is awarded. Councils which are awarded beacon status will be known as beacon councils and will be able to use the 'beacon council' logo.
To find out more about the Council's work on recycling and waste minimisation
What is a Charter Mark?
At present the Council holds a Charter Mark for five of it's services, they are:
Waste collection services, managed by the Direct Services Organisation based at Bridge Road Depot, Hounslow (Phone 020 8583 5000);
Leaders Employment Service, which helps adults with learning disabilities find work placements and permanent employment (Phone 020 8572 0934);
The Building Control Team, which administers Building Regulations laid down by Parliament (Phone 020 8583 5404);
Social Services, four Day Care Centres for Older People;
Community Advice Section, who provide welfare benefits and money advice, consumer advice and community funerals service (phone 020 8583 5016).
Our not-for-profit leisure providers Community Initiative Partnerships also hold a Charter Mark for the Borough's Library Net
Charter Mark is a major part of the Government's drive to modernise public services. It is unique amongst quality schemes because your organisation is judged on its results - the service the customer actually receives. It shows that you put customers first. It demonstrates to people - both your customers and people in other organisations - just how high standards in the public service can be.
Services that are awarded the Charter Mark, are judged to have:
Clear, tough and meaningful performance standards - and told users what they are and how well they are performing.
Told users in a clear, straightforward way about the service and how to get the most out of it.
Consulted widely on the services people need and how they can be improved - and made good use of their ideas.
Made services available to everyone who needs them. Gave people choices wherever possible.
Treated all people fairly. Had polite and helpful staff, and a user-friendly approach to aspects like opening hours, answering the phone and any special needs of the people who use the service.
Made it easy for people to say when they are not happy with the service and acted swiftly to put mistakes right.
Used resources effectively by budgeting carefully and achieving best value.
Continually made improvements in the quality of service and had new ideas for improvements for the future.
Worked with other providers to provide a better service.
Demonstrated that cutsomers agreed that the service provided was really good.