STOCKTON-ON-TEES Borough Council is in the running for six prestigious public service awards.
The Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) has shortlisted the local authority in the following categories of its 2016 Annual Service Awards.
- Best employment and equality initiative
- Best health and well-being initiative (including social care)
- Best service team of the year – construction and building service
- Best service team of the year – catering service
- Best service team of the year – highways, winter maintenance and street lighting service
- Best service team of the year – street cleansing and street scene (public realm)
The APSE Service Awards recognise frontline services that councils across the UK deliver to local communities.
Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said: “This recognition from APSE follows the really positive feedback from last year’s Ipsos MORI residents’ survey which showed that our services are hugely valued by our residents. It is fabulous to be short-listed among the very best in the country in all of these categories particularly at a time when we are seeing huge amounts of money removed from our budget and are having to radically reshape services and limit those which we provide as a result.
“Despite this our staff remain committed to public service and doing all they can to make Stockton Borough a great place to live and work.”
Chief Executive of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Neil Schneider, added: “Teams across the breadth of the Council are continuing to strive to do their very best for our residents and businesses despite the challenging times we are facing. This is a huge achievement and I’m delighted our dedicated and hardworking staff are being recognised for their tireless efforts by their peers.”
Paul O’Brien, APSE Chief Executive, was delighted to see such a high calibre of entries this year. He said, “Despite the issues local government faces at this present moment, it is wonderful to see such exciting projects being carried out by so many dedicated people. These finalists are a credit to their councils and their communities.”
The winners of each category will be announced in Derry/Londonderry on Thursday 8 September.