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October 12, 2012Renfrewshire Council services win recognition at excellence awards
Four Renfrewshire Council services have won runners up prizes at this year’s annual Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards.
The awards saw over 300, UK, local authorities competing to show how they deliver the goods for local customers.
Paul O’Brien, Chief Executive of APSE said, “These are not awards that recognise obscure or meaningless targets or initiatives. These awards are about the services that local councils deliver on the frontline, day in and day out, to local residents. From emptying bins to serving up nutritious school meals these awards are about the frontline services that matter to the public.”
“APSE is celebrating the very best in service delivery and rightfully recognising the contribution that workers within local councils make to frontline public services in the UK.
“These awards not only recognise and promote individual achievement, but also provide an invaluable opportunity for information to be shared with other authorities and bodies that recognise the hard work and dedication involved in delivering continuous improvement.”
Councillor Jim Harte, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Environment and Infrastructure Policy Board, said, “Our goal is to provide the best possible services that we can to the people of Renfrewshire. It is a credit to our staff that we secured a place in the finals in four key categories against tough opposition from virtual every other local authority in the UK.
“These awards are about excellence and innovation. We are consistently looking for new ways to deliver the top quality services that local people deserve and our success in these awards is a welcome recognition of that hard work.”
APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) is a not for profit local government body which works with over 300 councils throughout the UK. It promotes excellence in public services and hosts a network for front line service providers in areas such as waste and refuse collection, parks and environmental services, leisure, school meals, cleaning, housing and building maintenance.
The following Renfrewshire Council services made it to the finals of the APSE Awards:
Category 6a Best Partnership Working Initiative (Public/Private) – Kick and Collect
Kick & Collect is a community involvement reward scheme. It is a new development of the Street Stuff programme which was successfully established to tackle problems with young people not connecting with services and being antisocial. Kick & Collect encourages disaffected and hard-to-reach young people to take pride in their local communities. Reward activities are run across West Central Scotland. On average approximately 3,500 young people attend the youth activities each quarter. Strathclyde Police attributes a recorded 20% drop in disorder (aged 10 to 18 years old) to the project.
Category 6b Best Partnership Working Initiative (Public/Public) – Safer Renfrewshire Partnership
The Safer Renfrewshire Partnership works to tackle the causes of violence and antisocial behaviour and build safer and stronger communities. A range of innovative initiatives over the last three years have led to significant reductions in violent crime, antisocial behaviour, disorder and vandalism. Police Statistics show a 42.1% drop in violent crime across Renfrewshire since 2008.
Category 10c Service Team of the Year – Building FM Cleaning Services
For the last two years, Renfrewshire Council’s Site Services have been rigorous reviewing of their services, challenging existing methods and considering whether they provide Best Value.
The objectives of this review were to:
1. Develop and introduce new specifications for services
2. Introduce new working practices, and
3. Identify £600,000 efficiencies to contribute to the council’s overall efficiency targets.
The submission identified how these goals were achieved.
Category 10g Service Team of the Year – Streets Cleansing and StreetScene
The StreetScene Services undertook the same review process as Site Services.
The objectives of this review were to:
1. Develop and introduce new specifications for services
2. Introduce new working practices, and
3. Identify £2.1 million efficiencies to contribute to the Council’s overall efficiency targets.
The submission identified how these goals were achieved.
APSE Award categories
· Best Employment and Equality Initiative
· Best Local Democracy Initiative
· Best Housing & Regeneration Initiative
· Best Efficiency Initiative
· Best Health and Well-being Initiative (inc. Social Care)
· Best Partnership Working Initiative
· Best Community & Neighbourhood Initiative (inc. Community Safety)
· Best Information Technology & Communication Initiative
· Best Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Initiative
· Internal Service Team of the Year.
