THE way that rubbish is collected across the Cotswolds is just one of the reasons why council tax in the district has fallen.

Cllr Lynden Stowe, leader of Cotswold District Council, said the massive savings made by waste contractor Ubico Ltd has enabled the council to lower its rate of tax and also cap prices for its environmental services.

He said: “Ubico generated considerable savings which have helped us to reduce our share of council tax bills and freeze prices for parking, green waste collections and leisure until at least 2016.”

The leader made the announcement after it was revealed that Ubico is currently on course to deliver up to £5million in savings to the taxpayer.

Ubico, which was set up by CDC and Cheltenham Borough Councils in 2012, was formed to cut running costs for the two authorities which would be worth a combined annual total of £700,000.

However the company has outperformed its target over the last two years and officials are confident that more by 2019 more than £5million will have been saved.

Rob Bell, managing director of Ubico, said: “Our relatively seamless transition to new working arrangements when we first launched was a key factor in boosting our efficiency and our employees have continued to function effectively across both districts.”

Cllr Stowe said that Ubico’s success had surpassed all expectations and that the company had done “spectacularly well” since its inception.

Cotswold District Council was recently recognised by central government for its cost-cutting measures and was awarded £500,000 as a result.

Visit www.cotswold.gov.uk for more information.