CLEANING staff are celebrating after winning official recognition for the quality of their work.

Hartlepool Borough Council has been awarded a Chartermark by the Government following a rigorous two-day inspection during the summer.

The council was first awarded the merit for its waste management services in 2001, and will now retain it for a further three years.

The services that were inspected included refuse and recycling collections, the operation of the household waste recycling centre in Burn Road and, for the first time, street cleansing and the council's area environment teams.

Denise Ogden, towncare manager (waste management), said: "The retention of our Chartermark status is down to the commitment and dedication of staff across the board, and I would like to thank them for their efforts."

She said the inspector was particularly impressed with the links between waste management and other council departments, agencies and contractors, and how members of the public were involved in shaping services.

Mrs Ogden added: "It is vital, however, that we do not become complacent. We will continue to review services annually to ensure they are operating effectively and to the required standard, and we will also keep looking for new and innovative ways of delivering those services."