Frontline services staff shortlisted for prestigious national awards

12 July 2016

Staff at Aberdeen City Council have been shortlisted for in five categories in a national award for their innovative approaches to community empowerment, renewable energy, service delivery, and support for the homeless.

The Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) has shortlisted the City Council projects for its prestigious UK-wide awards which recognise frontline services delivered to local communities, by local councils.

The city’s £21million green transport Aberdeen Hydrogen Bus Project has been shortlisted for two awards in the Best Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency Initiative and Best Public/Private Partnership Working Initiative categories.

Community outreach programme Northfield Total Place has also reached the finals in the Best Community and Neighbourhood initiative category in recognition of the work being done to engage with the community, develop resources and empower residents to achieve their full potential.

The project has helped to identify community champions who are now key to shaping change in the area, has helped to deliver a rounded events and activity calendar for families and young people and raised the overall health and wellbeing of those who participate.

Aberdeen City Council’s Facilities Management Cleaning Service team has been shortlisted in the Best Service Team: Building Cleaning and Facilities Management Service category for its new and improved customer service model which has helped to attract more cleaning contracts while there are increasing budget constraints.

The Cleaning Service is now generating extra income which has safeguarded jobs while developing and upskilling staff, and delivering best value for the customer.

Shortlisted in the Best Innovation or Demand Management category was Aberdeen City Council’s multi-million pound homeless centre project at 80 West North Street.

The scheme, which provides 40 flats and bedsits for the homeless, allows the council’s Housing Support Services to work closely with people who have a range of underlying issues to address and help prepare them so that they are ready to keep a tenancy.

Aberdeen City Council Leader Jenny Laing said: “The level of recognition Aberdeen City Council’s employees have received through being shortlisted for this awards programme is a testament to the commitment of all of our teams to deliver new, innovative practices which directly impact on our communities.

“From green transport to community planning and from excellent customer service to innovative building design support services – we are delivering change at the frontline at a very fast pace and setting standards to be followed by local authorities across the country.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank of those teams involved in these projects and the many other projects that make a real difference to the frontline service we provide to our communities.”

This year’s awards span 21 categories and cover the vast majority of local government frontline service areas.

All of the finalists were required to present best practise case studies in their respective categories, which showed them all to be frontrunners in implementing innovative ideas that support continuous improvement and adaptation in local services.

There are 21 categories in the APSE awards. The winners of each category will be announced in Derry/Londonderry at the APSE Annual Service Awards Charity Dinner on Thursday 8 September.