Coming full circle: A chance to reconnect with Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

When I was but a mere slip of a thing at the age of 13, all gangly and shy and awkward, I had my very first foray into the world of work. I distinctly remember my dad dropping me off at the front reception and watching me tentatively walk inside while I adjusted the uncomfortable but office-appropriate outfit my mum had picked out for me. The Civic Centre building looked bigger than anywhere I’d ever been on my own before, and much like Samwise Gamgee felt as he stepped beyond the Shire for the first time, to me this was a pretty big deal.

I was welcomed by a team of five people of varying ages and given my very own desk, complete with a lovingly laid out set of branded stationery. The Neath Port Talbot CBC logo immediately imprinted on me, with its cheery castle and rolling green hills reassuring me that I would be okay. Who knows? This colourful and creative badge may even be the whole reason I ended up in Marketing. After quickly getting to grips with the friendly team, I was taken to the office’s mail room, a place which ultimately changed my whole life.

To this day, I attest that my time doing work experience at Neath Port Talbot CBC was the best job I ever had. That is, of course, until I joined Dennis Eagle. How funny it was, then, that I saw an order for several new refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) pop up in my inbox a few weeks ago for the very Council that had given me such a great first impression of the working world.

Neath Port Talbot CBC in the world of waste

Neath Port Talbot CBC serves roughly 141,000 residents across its local area, spanning a variety of valleys, towns, and villages that stretch over considerably long distances. While this largely consists of more urban areas such as tight compact towns made up of multiple terraced houses, the Council also collects waste from farms, hilly green landscapes, and older valley communities. Because of this diverse mix, the Council is constantly reviewing and refining its waste collection strategy to better align with the region’s needs. I asked Kevin Lewis, Neath Port Talbot CBC’s Fleet Manager, what his plans were for their waste collection vehicles moving forward.

“We’re always looking at the best way of collecting the different waste streams from across our communities,” he said. “Certain vehicles are better placed for certain types of collection, and generally Dennis Eagle’s 6x2 trucks tend to be the right fit. We collect all of your usual household and trade waste streams with these – general, hygiene, garden, and food waste, with our own additional vehicles for recycling. It’s important for us to have sufficient resilience in the fleet to avoid any downtime, so we make sure we have a full cohort of RCVs available at any given time.”

This is reflected in Neath Port Talbot CBC’s most recent order with us, which is due to replace its now 7-year-old fleet. This comprises of four 26-tonne Elite 6x2 mid-steer chassis with Olympus Twin Pack bodies and Terberg OmniDEL Triple electric bin lifts, two 23.5-tonne 6x2 mid-lift chassis with Olympus Twin Pack bodies and Triple electric lifts, and three 23.5-tonne 6x2 Narrow mid-lift chassis with Olympus bodies and OmniDEL electric bin lifts. These will join an expansive fleet of vans, coaches, minibuses, plant vehicles, tippers, gritters, and so on.

“Narrow RCVs are becoming particularly essential, helping us to navigate tight lanes at the rear of hard-to-access terraces,” Kevin added. “Without the Narrow configuration and the manoeuvrability this offers, collections here just wouldn’t be possible. We are also continuing our important transition to electric bin lifts from over a decade ago, reducing noise pollution, minimising our carbon footprint, and achieving significant fuel savings in line with our zero-emission sustainability targets.”

A history of trust

While my own connection to the Council only spanned a few short weeks of work experience as a teenager, Dan Prosser, Regional Service Manager at our Merthyr Tydfil depot was their Workshop Manager for over twenty years.

“I thoroughly enjoy my work — the busier, the better,” said Dan. “After 26 years working for Neath Port Talbot CBC managing all fleet workshop activities, for the past three years I’ve been working with them as the Regional Service Manager of Dennis Eagle’s Merthyr Tydfil depot. In this unique position, I am able to offer the Council the best options, solutions, and advice due to my first-hand experience of the organisation and deep understanding of the daily operational demands, policies, and constraints it works within.”

“We have a considerable, and very good history with Dennis Eagle, especially as our main point of contact is Dan; we go way back!” said Kevin. “Dan and the team are brilliant – nothing is too much trouble and they’re always ready to help if we need it. They’re a really responsive, local service that we can rely on, and we know they put our best interests first. We’ve also had a great experience with Dennis Eagle’s training centre in Warwick. The introduction of this facility and the new courses will ensure our technicians are all trained to the correct standards, enabling us to be as self-sufficient as possible.”

Reconnecting with Neath Port Talbot CBC these many years later and the chance to reflect on my own journey, as well as Dan’s, from then to now is truly a rare opportunity. I for one can’t wait to see what the future holds for the Council, its fleet, and any other young people it helps to inspire.