Swindon has come top in a review of 18 similar councils for its recycling, waste collection and disposal.

It has now been visited by officers from Medway Council in Kent, one of the authorities its performance in 1998/1999 was compared with.

They talked to Swindon Con-tractors about what they can learn from the borough's record in recycling waste, collecting domestic refuse, reducing the number of missed collections and disposing of waste.

Swindon recycles 18.2 per cent of household waste compared to a unitary average of 11.2 per cent and sends just 0.78 tonnes per household to landfill sites compared to a unitary average of 0.91.

It was also the most cost-effective of the 18 councils surveyed spending £16.72 per household per year on refuse collection.

Coun Jim D'Avila, the council's lead member for neighbourhood services, said: "This confirms we are continuing to provide good service in terms of dealing effectively with waste at a very low cost."