The following statement has been issued by Hills Municipal Collections in response to notification from GMB Union of a ballot of union members at municipal waste depots:

Hills Municipal Collections Limited is disappointed that the GMB Union have elected to ballot their members on industrial action at this time. Hills Municipal Collections has not had an opportunity to meet with any GMB Union representative regarding the current pay review.

Hills Municipal Collections would welcome the opportunity to hold constructive and meaningful negotiations as set out in correspondence to the GMB Union on 19 January and awaits their response, following which the company can hope to resolve the matter.

The Hills Group has sponsored the intake of Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Fire Cadet programme for a third year in both Swindon and Trowbridge.

The Cadet courses are well underway for the 2021/22 cohort, the new intake of young people aged between 13 and 18 started in September. They’ve been taking part in practical activities, mirroring those undertaken by firefighters, help to develop confidence and self-esteem, as well as teamwork, communication and problem-solving.

Ian Hopkins, Prevention Delivery Manager, said: “We are extremely grateful for the support The Hills Group have previously provided for the benefit of young people in Swindon and Wiltshire, and we are delighted they have pledged further funding for the 2021/2022 Fire Cadet program.

“Now we have returned to delivering our Cadet courses after a one-year absence due to the pandemic, this sponsorship will help us provide positive activity to young people at a time when they are likely to need it most. The support from Hills is invaluable, as it covers the costs of the uniform, equipment and resources required to run the weekly sessions.”

The aim of the Fire Cadet programme is to support the development of young people by providing a positive role model and giving them opportunities to participate in a wide range of activities. Upon completing the course they will obtain Level 2 BTEC qualification, the National Fire Cadet Level 1 Award and an AQA Award.

This update follows the Prime Minister’s announcement of Step 4 of the Government’s roadmap to ease national restrictions in relation to Coronavirus and sets out the Hills Group’s response with effect from 19 July 2021.

Our priority is to follow Government guidance to ensure that our business activities and work environments are as secure from the virus as possible.

We have also taken the decision in some situations to exceed the requirements set with regards to social distancing and wearing of face coverings. Employees already working from home, where their role permits, will continue to do so.

These additional measures will be reviewed at the earliest 6 September 2021 with any changes implemented on or after 20 September 2021. Review dates remain subject to any interventions / edicts from Government which the Company may be required to follow.

We are keeping under review the impact that Coronavirus is having on our business and mitigate any potential service disruption so that we continue to deliver essential services to our customers as we have managed to do throughout this pandemic. We will keep both employees and customers updated on any changes.

Residents and visitors to the Cotswold village of Down Ampney, are celebrating extensive repairs to damaged drystone walls near the historical All Saints Church following a Landfill Communities Fund grant from The Hills Group.

Existing drystone walls along the main walking route between the All Saints Church, the Memorial Garden, the former runway and Memorial Stone had over the years been vandalised, with large sections of old stone having been stolen resulting in significant sections of the wall falling down.

Repair was in sight when the funding, administered for Hills by Community First, was granted to cover the costs of the drystone wall restoration back to its original condition so that it can complement the Conservation Area it is located in. Work started in March and one wall along the south boundary of the churchyard has been completed so far.

Down Ampney, located near the Gloucestershire / Wiltshire border, has significant historical places of interest which attracts visitors from all over the world. These places include: The birthplace of the English composer Ralph Vaughan Williams, All Saints’ Church, the location of an RAF airbase during the Second World War and an RAF Memorial Garden and Memorial Stone. Most of the visitors choose to walk the various routes around the area in order to appreciate the Cotswold village, its surrounds and places of historical interest. Many visitors come to pay their respects and remember those who served at the RAF Down Ampney airbase, to lay wreaths and flowers at the Memorial Garden and walk to the Memorial Stone.

Reverend Canon John Swanton of All Saints Church, Down Ampney, has said: “It felt like the walls of Jericho had fallen down around us! The ancient drystone walls surrounding the churchyard and along the public footpath were in a dreadful condition. It has been wonderful to have had the walls restored to their former glory by Chris Evans and Tony Fletcher, who have done a wonderful job with great craftsmanship and artistry. The Grade I church of All Saints sits in a quintessentially Cotswold setting and it is now set off beautifully by the drystone walls so characteristic of this area and which are a haven for local wildlife.”

John continued: “Down Ampney Primary School has put together a ‘Time Capsule’ containing various items about life during the Covid-19 pandemic. This was built into the wall, in the hope that the capsule will be found in many years to come.”

As well as being an important landscape feature, Britain’s flora and fauna owe much to traditional drystone walls as they provide varied and valuable habitats for a whole range of wild plants and creatures.

Peter Andrew, Group Director Hills Quarry Products, said: “We are proud to be supporting the local community to undertake this major restoration project, with the help of a Landfill Communities Fund grant from The Hills Group.”

Villages in Wiltshire competing to be this year’s CPRE Wiltshire and The Hills Group Best Kept Village in the county have found out if they have taken one step closer to the prize as the results of the first round of judging are announced.

This year’s competition started with 28 villages from around the county who were put under the microscope by the expert team of judges who are looking for criteria including tidiness, cleanliness, presentation and village community spirit.

One village, Castle Eaton, has been announced as this year’s ‘Best Newcomer’ and will receive a £150 cash prize.

“The parish councils and their volunteers had clearly been hard at work, achieving encouragingly high standards and making the judges’ task that much more difficult,” said Mike Manson from CPRE Wiltshire.

Each village is judged within the categories of ‘Small’, ‘Medium’ and ‘Large’ and in this first round they are only judged within their own district: West Wiltshire, North Wiltshire, South Wiltshire or Kennet (East Wiltshire).

The final results will be announced in August and on the 26th September the presentation to the winners will be made by the Lord-Lieutenant of Wiltshire and CPRE Wiltshire’s President, Mrs Sarah Troughton.

North Wiltshire and Swindon

Kennet

West Wiltshire

South Wiltshire

Hills Waste Solutions has relocated its Bristol operations to new premises off Severn Road, Hallen in Bristol.

Hills first set up a base in Bristol in 2016 with the acquisition of Able Waste Management Limited, when the area was identified as one of the top 20 growth areas in the country.

Neil Pollard, Divisional Director – Commercial, at Hills Waste Solutions, said: “Our depot in Bristol has provided an excellent platform to expand our general waste, recycling and food waste collection services in line with Hills’ existing activities.”

“After five years in the area we reached the point where a new, modern, purpose-built facility was essential to our growth plans and are pleased to have secured this depot with workshop facilities that are integral to maintaining our vehicles and increasing productivity.

The investment in the new depot and infrastructure confirms Hills’ commitment to long term development in Bristol, and providing advice and support to new and existing customers in the Bristol and Bath areas who are looking to manage their waste responsibly and sustainably.

CPRE Wiltshire and The Hills Group have just opened the 2021 Best Kept Village Competition to Parish Councils. “We’re very excited to be launching the Competition this year, as the 2020 Competition was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic, and are looking forward to some exciting new entries”, confirmed CPRE Wiltshire’s Branch Chair, Anne Henshaw.

Anyone in a village can pull the entry together and coordinate preparations for judging – it doesn’t have to be handled only by the parish council. All entrants need to submit is one form, a map and a short village report (this need not take long) and let the parish council know. Entries need to be in to CPRE Wiltshire no later than Monday 26th April.

Yet again, the main competition is being generously sponsored by The Hills Group and prizes of up to £200 are awarded. Princeton Homes are again sponsoring the Laurence Kitching “Winner of Winners” Award (£200).

“We encourage all villages to enter, irrespective of their size. The winners of the various sections receive great recognition and publicity for their efforts,” said Mike Hill, Chief Executive of The Hills Group.

If your village is looking good, why not consider speaking to your council and your friends and then entering? The judges consider presentation – tidiness, absence of litter and evidence of community spirit and involvement – but do not award marks for the beauty of buildings, otherwise the same villages might win every time! First round judging will take place from 17 th May to 13th June.

Government guidance has confirmed that waste management operations are of critical importance and that quarrying and construction activities are essential to keep the country operating.

I have called on all Hills’ employees to once again pull together as we face this next period of uncertainty and thank them all for their contribution to ensuring the company as a whole is able to work and operate safely and continue to deliver essential waste services, construction material and family homes to our customers and the wider public.

If we collectively heed Government guidance over the current period of national restrictions, along with the expanding vaccination programme, it will hopefully mean that we can look forward to an easing of restrictions and a start on a pathway back to normality

Hills remains firmly committed to providing a safe working environment for all employees, and all our operating sites are COVID-19 secure. Our Group board and management teams continue to meet regularly to ensure our business continuity plans remain adaptable to the latest changes being experienced whilst being mindful of long term resilience and potential future situations. Updates on each of our operational divisions can be found on the relevant websites at:

www.hills-waste.co.uk

www.hills-quarry.co.uk

www.hills-homes.co.uk

If you have any queries please contact us, and in the meantime, remain safe and take care.