Coming out top in the Dragons Den
Cardiff played host to local government’s own Dragons Den at the APSE service awards 2009 where Councils throughout the UK competed with other finalists for a place on the winners list 2009.
At a glittering ceremony attended by over 700 people at Cardiff’s International Arena Paul O’Brien, Chief Executive of APSE said: ‘The volume and quality of more than 400 entries for our awards shows the passion and commitment of local authority staff who are, quite rightly proud to demonstrate that what they do is both innovative and excellent’.
Councillor Shaun Gallagher, APSE’s newly elected national chair for 2009-2010 said,
‘Tonight shows local authorities at their best in delivering high quality services for the public. Celebrating excellence is about more than rewarding the best. It is about sharing public sector values and innovation that ultimately help us all to deliver better public services’.
The winners, announced by ITV Wales and Sky News broadcaster and presenter Mai Davies, collected their awards on Thursday 10 September.
The winners of the APSE Service Awards 2009 are:-
Best Employee and Equality Initiative - Sponsored by UNISON
- Winner: City and County of Swansea
Best Elected Member Development Initiative - Sponsored by Toltec
- Winner: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
Best Housing and Regeneration Initiative - Sponsored by Walker Morris
- Winner: Flintshire County Council
Best Efficiency Initiative - Sponsored by Tribal
- Winner : Carmarthenshire County Council
Best Healthy Living Initiative - Sponsored by Fynnon Programme (Welsh Assembly Government)
- Winner : NPHS (Wrexham)
Best Partnership Working (Public / Private) - Sponsored by Eversheds
- Winner : Braintree District Council
Best Partnership Working (Public / Public) - Sponsored by Eversheds
- Winner : Blackburn with Darwen Council
Best Partnership Working (Public / Voluntary) - Sponsored by Verve Van Centre
- Winner : Inverclyde Council
Best Community and Neighbourhood Initiative - Sponsored by SGM (UK) Ltd
- Winner : Fife Council
Best Information and Communication Technology Initiative - Sponsored by Consilium Technologies
- Winner : Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council
Best Environmental Initiative - Sponsored by Triscan Systems
- Winner : Exeter City Council
Best Service Team: Construction and Building - Sponsored by Hays
- Winner : South Lanarkshire Council
Best Service Team: Catering - Sponsored by Stellex
- Winner : Stockton on Tees Borough Council
Best Service Team: Building / Facilities Cleaning - Sponsored by Numatic International
- Winner : Milton Keynes Council
Best Service Team: Highways, Winter Maintenance and Street Lighting - Sponsored by Lanes Group Plc
- Winner : Denbighshire County Council
Best Service Team: Transport and Fleet - Sponsored by Northgate Public Sector
- Winner : Wakefield Council
Best Service Team: Waste and Refuse Management - Sponsored by Heil Europe
- Winner : Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Best Service Team: Streetscene and Public Realm - Sponsored by Heil Europe
- Winner : Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
Best Service Team: Parks, Grounds and Horticultural - Sponsored by SGM (UK) Ltd
- Winner : Nottingham City Council
Best Service Team: Sports, Leisure and Cultural - Sponsored by APTUS Public Sector
- Winner : East Riding of Yorkshire Council
Best Service Team: Social Care - Sponsored by UNISON
- Winner : Sandwell Homes
Overall Council of the Year in Service Delivery - Sponsored by City Building (Glasgow) LLP
- Winner : City and County of Swansea
The overall sponsor for the APSE service awards 2009 is AMEY PLC
Notes to editor:
- The awards attracted over 400 entries from councils across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
- Over 700 people attended the awards ceremony in Cardiff International Arena on Thursday 10 September 2009 at the rise of the APSE annual seminar 2009
- The APSE Service Awards are unique in the local government calendar, dedicated to awarding excellence in front line local government public services
- The judging panels look for examples of best practice, innovation and evidence of service improvements and better outcomes for the service users
- APSE is a not for profit local government organisation working with over 300 local authorities, police, fire and civil defence authorities throughout the UK
- To view more information about APSE visit www.apse.org.uk
- For press information or arrange an interview please contact Mo Baines on 0161 772 1810 or 07971 843 515 or email mbaines@apse.org.uk
