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THE PUBLIC SERVANTS OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2007
2007 Winners
OUTSTANDING WINNERS
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OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVANT OF THE YEAR 2007
Sponsored by Zurich Municipal
Frank Charles
Street Warden
London Borough of Waltham Forest |
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To say Frank Charles goes above and beyond the call of duty would be an understatement.
The street warden has made a real impact on the lives of the people of Waltham Forest, both old and young alike. His primary responsibility is to be a visible presence on the streets of the east London borough, dealing with anti-social behaviour and environmental crime.
Frank works closely with police and community support officers and last year was commended for his bravery in apprehending an armed miscreant who ran into a local supermarket.
But he also goes much further, entertaining elderly care home residents with his juggling skills and singing, fundraising, coaching local football teams and visiting vulnerable individuals in the community.
Frank also works closely with the Shopmobility scheme, distributing leaflets to promote its activities and giving talks to users about the work of street wardens. Last Christmas he volunteered as a festive shopper, pushing Shopmobility users’ buggies and wheelchairs around Walthamstow to enable people to do their Christmas shopping. He is an inspiration to fellow staff.
‘Frank’s contribution has been consistent and he has been an exceptional warden and council employee within the community. The community work and initiatives he has completed and the ongoing projects have been a beacon for other Waltham Forest employees and all warden schemes throughout the country to follow.’
Tony Arundel, street warden manager, London Borough of Waltham Forest
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OUTSTANDING PUBLIC SERVICE TEAM OF THE YEAR 2007
Sponsored by Unison
Independent travel training team
London Borough of Tower Hamlets |
Tower Hamlets’ independent travel training programme helps children with special educational needs.
Traditionally these children have used dedicated home-school transport but this an expensive option and one that separates them from their peer group. But this scheme encourages the children to travel independently – and gives each one a personal goal to aim towards.
For some, it might be that they are able to cross the road unaccompanied. But many more take the huge step of traveling alone, marking the beginning of a wider journey towards more independence.
Each child receives a full assessment and training is delivered at a pace appropriate to their needs. Parents are also encouraged to work with trainers and to support their child’s burgeoning independence.
Topics covered include telling the time, road safety and who to ask for help in an emergency. Each child keeps a photo-diary of their work recording achievements such as buying a ticket or making a telephone call.
The end of the scheme is marked with a graduation ceremony at the Tower of London, topped with a tour of the historical site. It is an enjoyable way to celebrate the children’s achievements.
‘I saw Rebecca grow from a quiet, reserved child to a confident knowledgeable one. She told me she no longer gets butterflies and does not feel scared when she is on her own…I am a single working mum and this has been the best thing that could have happened for Rebecca.’
Christine Weemes, parent, Tower Hamlets
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LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:
Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller
Former Director General
Security Service
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Eliza Manningham-Buller was, until her retirement in April, at the forefront of the fight to keep Britain safe from the threat of international and home-grown terrorism.
As director general of the Security Service – better known as MI5 – she was responsible for assessing and responding to the most sensitive and secret intelligence on the latest security risks, often before members of the government had seen it.
Her rise to the top of MI5 is testament to her talent and dedication to duty, the hallmarks of a 32-year career devoted to public service
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It is for this reason that Eliza has been chosen as the inaugural recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Public Servants of the Year Awards 2007.
Eliza had to provide leadership and reassurance as deputy director general of MI5 in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in New York, and as director general when 52 people were killed in the London Underground bombings on July 7, 2005.
It was a challenge she met with distinction, and her senior colleagues in government, many of whom worked with her closely during this period, have warmly greeted news of the award.
‘Because of the type of work Eliza did, it is difficult to list publicly her many successes or to be explicit about the differences she made. For Eliza and her team, a good day was, I suspect, stopping something bad happening but not being able to shout about it. I hope that history will record in more detail the contribution that Eliza made.’
Sir Gus O’Donnell, Cabinet Secretary
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INSPIRING SUCCESS – THE LEADERSHIP AWARD
Sponsored by Reed Personnel Services
Philip Bell
Head teacher
Beauchamps High School, Essex |
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Philip Bell has presided over a remarkable turnaround at Beauchamps High School in Wickford, Essex, since he was appointed head teacher there in 1996.
Back in the 1990s, the school suffered with falling rolls and just 27% of pupils gained five GCSEs at grade A* - C.
Now the school is oversubscribed and with more than 80% of pupils gaining top grades in five subjects, Beauchamps is one of the top-performing comprehensives in the country. Last year’s Ofsted inspection rated the school outstanding in every category.
Staff say Philip provides inspiring and visible leadership, spending every dinnertime in the playground on duty - an example that leads other teachers to do the same.
He is generous with his praise of both staff and students and has presided over some real innovations. Philip is developing a more personalised curriculum for pupils with the introduction of courses on DJing, nail art and electronics.
‘Phil is interested in people and shows that he cares about them. Students and staff feel that they can talk to him and they know his door is always open. He regularly walks the school, aware of everything that is going on.’
Sharon Martinson, deputy head, Beauchamps High School
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DEMANDING THE BEST – THE AWARD FOR SERVICE TRANSFORMATION
Sponsored by Investors in People
Revenues and benefits team
London Borough of Hackney |
With the worst Revenues and Benefits services in the country, Hackney Borough Council was failing many of its most needy residents.
It used to take 300 days, or 10 months, to process and pay a housing benefit claim, and only 67% of council tax was collected. Criticism was rife and things got so bad that central government was forced to intervene.
These days it is a very different story. The council has succeeded in transforming a struggling service into one that is prompt and efficient, and that has even been recognised with Charter Mark status.
Council tax collection levels have soared to 90% and new claims are now processed in just 25 days – equivalent to an ‘excellent’ Comprehensive Performance Assessment rating.
This was achieved by introducing a number of changes, such as employing claims completion officers to collect claimants’ supporting information and evidence; and setting up online and telephone payment facilities.
User satisfaction rates have soared as a result. In a survey conducted last year 73% of Hackney residents declared themselves satisfied, compared with just 53% in 2003/04. It is a testament to the service’s remarkable turnaround.
‘Proudly the service can announce that the bad old days are in the past and today it does indeed serve the community well.’
Megan Smart, assistant director, Revenues and Benefits, London Borough of Hackney
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FIRST AMONG EQUALS – THE AWARD FOR DIVERSITY
Sponsored by Audit Commission
Northenden and Wythenshawe area policing team
Greater Manchester Police |
When 300 Malayalee families migrated from Kerala in southern India to Manchester after being recruited to work at Wythenshawe hospital, they found themselves the target of burglary, car theft and verbal and physical attacks.
The community suffered in silence, unaware of the courses of redress open to them, and the scale of the problem was not immediately apparent to the police.
But since it has been uncovered, the response from the Northenden and Wythenshawe Area Policing Team has been both innovative and effective.
A series of outreach events, led by community and race relations officer Mazamil Bashir, have been organised to bring the Malayalee community into contact with the police. Community surgeries held at a local church used by Malayalee families has allowed the police to build up a truer picture of the race and hate crime they have faced.
As a result, victims have been helped, vulnerable areas protected with security lighting, CCTV cameras and social services alarms installed and offenders have been arrested and charged.
Broader benefits have also been felt. Thanks to poster campaigns and links with the local radio station, public awareness of racial tensions and hate crime in the area has increased and community relations have improved.
‘The team utilised the diversity of their staff and partners, as well as learning from the diverse communities they serve, in order to deliver an enhanced policing service. The initiative serves as a prime example of how to deliver quality citizen-focused policing.’
Cath Stott, awards administrator, Greater Manchester Police
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TAILORING THE FIT – THE CUSTOMER FOCUS AWARD
Sponsored by Barclays
Shonagh Dillon
Manager, domestic abuse early intervention project
Portsmouth City Council |
Shonagh Dillon has steered Portsmouth City Council’s domestic abuse advocacy service through a period of great change and challenge.
The early intervention project originally had a focus on health, accepting referrals from hospital Accident & Emergency and maternity units for clients who had experienced domestic abuse and needed support.
But with her drive and ambition Shona has now transformed it into one providing advocacy services to victims of rape and sexual assault across the county of Hampshire at the new Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
Shona has worked with partner agencies to set up a specialist domestic abuse court to help people going through the criminal justice system, overseen staff training and recruited on-call, night staff so a 24-hour services is now available.
Shona has examined every aspect of the service from the client’s point of view, even down to the choice of colour scheme for the centre, ensuring it is welcoming and friendly.
Her determination to provide a gold-standard service has motivated her team to follow her inspirational example.
‘Shonagh has managed to keep at the heart of all these changes a focus on why the service is there. That is to provide the best possible service to those who experience rape or domestic abuse.’
Sally Jackson, hidden violence team, Portsmouth City Council
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RAISING THE STANDARD – THE FRONTLINE WORKER AWARD
Sponsored by CIPFA Placements
Frank Charles
Street Warden
London Borough of Waltham Forest |
To say Frank Charles goes above and beyond the call of duty would be an understatement.
The street warden has made a real impact on the lives of the people of Waltham Forest, both old and young alike. His primary responsibility is to be a visible presence on the streets of the east London borough, dealing with anti-social behaviour and environmental crime.
Frank works closely with police and community support officers and last year was commended for his bravery in apprehending an armed miscreant who ran into a local supermarket.
But he also goes much further, entertaining elderly care home residents with his juggling skills and singing, fundraising, coaching local football teams and visiting vulnerable individuals in the community.
Frank also works closely with the Shopmobility scheme, distributing leaflets to promote its activities and giving talks to users about the work of street wardens. Last Christmas he volunteered as a festive shopper, pushing Shopmobility users’ buggies and wheelchairs around Walthamstow to enable people to do their Christmas shopping. He is an inspiration to fellow staff.
‘Frank’s contribution has been consistent and he has been an exceptional warden and council employee within the community. The community work and initiatives he has completed and the ongoing projects have been a beacon for other Waltham Forest employees and all warden schemes throughout the country to follow.’
Tony Arundel, street warden manager, London Borough of Waltham Forest
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WORKING TOGETHER – THE AWARD FOR PROGRESS THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
Sponsored by pfjobs
Accident prevention team
East Lancashire Primary Care Trust |
When it was noticed that one third of young children from the deprived wards of East Lancashire were attending Accident & Emergency because of household accidents, the local primary care trust sprang into action.
The action on children’s accident project began in July 2001 and has developed a home safety equipment scheme. High-risk households are targeted with home visits, education and the provision and fitting of safety equipment. A total of 4,000 families have now received the equipment and there has been a corresponding fall in A&E attendance.
Work recently began to encompass in-car safety, and the PCT joined forces with local police and road safety teams to promote the increased use and correct fitting of child safety seats.
The team’s remit has also widened to include fall prevention work targeted at older members of the community. A system has been set up whereby details of any person who has fallen more than three times in a three-month period are forwarded to the community matron. Clients are visited and given a falls-prevention booklet and advice on how to prevent future accidents.
‘The team has established, nurtured and maintained some fantastic partnerships and contributed to reducing local health inequalities, narrowing the health gap and improving the life chances of the local population.’
Julie Carman, accident prevention team manager, East Lancashire PCT
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CHANGING LIVES – THE AWARD FOR COMMUNITY-FACING SERVICES
Sponsored by CIH
Independent travel training team
London Borough of Tower Hamlets |
Tower Hamlets’ independent travel training programme helps children with special educational needs.
Traditionally these children have used dedicated home-school transport but this an expensive option and one that separates them from their peer group. But this scheme encourages the children to travel independently – and gives each one a personal goal to aim towards.
For some, it might be that they are able to cross the road unaccompanied. But many more take the huge step of traveling alone, marking the beginning of a wider journey towards more independence.
Each child receives a full assessment and training is delivered at a pace appropriate to their needs. Parents are also encouraged to work with trainers and to support their child’s burgeoning independence.
Topics covered include telling the time, road safety and who to ask for help in an emergency. Each child keeps a photo-diary of their work recording achievements such as buying a ticket or making a telephone call.
The end of the scheme is marked with a graduation ceremony at the Tower of London, topped with a tour of the historical site. It is an enjoyable way to celebrate the children’s achievements.
‘I saw Rebecca grow from a quiet, reserved child to a confident knowledgeable one. She told me she no longer gets butterflies and does not feel scared when she is on her own…I am a single working mum and this has been the best thing that could have happened for Rebecca.’
Christine Weemes, parent, Tower Hamlets
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GETTING IN TRIM – THE SHARED SERVICES AWARD
Sponsored by Serco
Doing business better project board
Suffolk authorities’ legal service |
Councils face many common legal challenges as they grapple with efficiency reviews and new Comprehensive Performance Assessment requirements. But in-house legal teams can be over-stretched.
Suffolk’s doing business better board offers an innovative and unique shared solution to these shared problems.
Bringing together district, borough and county council legal services teams, the board is a ‘virtual shared service’. Each council maintains its own legal experts but collectively the councils benefit from joint procurement of training, resource materials and equipment.
Authorities can also share work depending on the expertise needed and the capacity of teams to take on extra tasks, thereby avoiding the need to outsource to private firms.
A jointly funded external project director has been employed by the authorities to take a wide-ranging view of market conditions, best practice in the public and private sector and public policy developments.
Communications between the project team and legal employees are open and transparent, and many suggestions and contributions have quickly become embedded thanks to this imaginative way of working collaboratively.
‘The doing business better board has applied to become a Regional Centre of Excellence flagship project. It meets central government targets for partnering and pooling arrangements, as well as addressing procurement and efficiency savings. It also makes better use of information and communications technology to achieve organizational goals.’
Alison Donald, project director, Suffolk Authorities Legal Service
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GOING GREEN – THE AWARD FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Sponsored by Barclaycard Business
Sustainable development team
Somerset County Council |
When Somerset County Council turned its attention to what it could do to help the Southwest meet the national target of a 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010, an innovative project was born.
The council began talking to local stakeholders including Wessex Grain, Avon and Somerset Constabulary, the Ford Motor Company and Morrisons Supermarkets. These discussions led to the formation of the Somerset biofuel project.
This has led to the council becoming the UK coordinating partner of the European Union-funded Bioethanol for Sustainable Transport project. It is a partnership that includes local government, major car manufacturers, fuel retailers, and a bioethanol production company.
The project aims to establish a network of bioethanol fuel pumps on station forecourts throughout the county and ensure that some of the vehicles purchased and operated by the council and constabulary and other partners are run on this green fuel.
Early targets have been met: five bioethanol fuel pumps are up and running, 41 flexi-fuel vehicles are in operation and planning consent has been obtained for a 100,000-tonne bioethanol production plant in the county.
‘We are particularly interested in expanding the project outside of Somerset, to enable a larger network of fuelling stations, enhancing the case for the introduction of bioethanol as a viable alternative to fossil fuels.’
Mike Fackrell, sustainable development manager, Somerset County Council
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