Transform Issue 34 - 2023 Awards Edition

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Introduction Councillor Paul Bettison and Dr Andrew Larner

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Words from our other sponsors WINNERS:

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Asset Management and Regeneration Award

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Best Transformation Team

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Communications Award

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Community Focus Award

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Customer Focus Award

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Best Use of Data Insight

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Best Use of Digital and Technology

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Award for Efficiency and Effectiveness

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Green Public Service Award

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Award for Innovation

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People, Value, Culture Award

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Procurement Award

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Transformation in Health & Social Care Award

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Working Together Award

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International Public Body of the Year 2023. UK Fire & Rescue Service of the Year 2023

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UK Police Service of the Year 2023.

UK Council of the Year 2023

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Gallery of images

Welcome to this special issue of Transform, celebrating the winners of the UK Public Sector Transformation Awards

TThis is iESE’s 19th year as a not-for-profit social enterprise, although we have been supporting the transformation of local public services as a voluntary network of council, police, fire and ambulance organisations since 2004. The foundation of our work together was to share best practice. To learn from our collective knowledge. Sharing our ideas and experiences of new ways of working is essential to making the service improvements and the cost savings we all need. Which is why we created these Awards.

This is the 14th awards, and over the years we have quite literally seen thousands of submissions. We saw the awards grow to all parts of the UK some years ago, and from all parts of local public services.

Our purpose in judging the awards is to identify stories of innovation that have made a meaningful impact to residents and businesses. Underpinning that judging process is the iESE Transformation Model. Every year we research not only what has been done to transform local public services, but how local public services plan to transform in the future, and we apply this knowledge in councils, police services and fire services.

Each award-winning submission exemplifies the best in the iESE Transformation Model and help us to update and develop the model itself. A hallmark of the submissions we see is that they often go far beyond statutory duty to better serve their communities. They do this in a way that helps the whole public sector. Reshaping and rewiring how services work for the benefit of all.

Each year the standard of the submissions, and the local public services they represent, goes up. Over the last three years we have been collaborating with judges of public service transformation in several other countries from Europe the Middle East, the United States and Canada. This collaboration has allowed us to compare our knowledge on the progress of transformation in our respective countries. As a result, we can confidently say that we not only have examples of best UK practice but we also have some world leading practice included in this edition of Transform.

In this diversity is our strength, and we would like to thank everybody who made a submission for their efforts, not only in the projects that they have undertaken, which mean so much to residents and local businesses, but also the time and trouble that they have taken in making your submissions.

These days we are privileged to judge transformation in other countries and exchange information on what the best looks like across the world. This is helped by the fact that this magazine is now read in over 150 countries. So, no matter where you are in the world, get ready to make a submission and we look forward to welcoming you at next years awards!

Councillor Paul Bettison, Dr Andrew Larner and all the iESE Team

Dr Andrew Larner, Chief Executive

Paul Bettison, iESE Ltd Chairman

This year our awards event was sponsored by the following organisations:

PEOPLETOO – SILVER SPONSOR

Peopletoo are public sector transformation experts. We are outcomes driven; helping our clients achieve significant financial and operational results with a positive social impact; working across local government and Health and having supported in excess of 150 local authorities.

Our ethos is “small teams can deliver big change”, using a blended team approach thus ensuring a strong and sustainable return on investment for our clients. We are working in partnership with iESE to implement their CareCubed tool to strengthen a strategic commissioning approach across social care, driving value for money, positive outcomes and strengthening the market, critical given the current challenges in the social care market.

www.peopletoo.co.uk

NETCALL – SILVER SPONSOR

Netcall believes passionately in public service; we’ve supported collaboration and innovation in government for over 20 years. Our low-code, contact centre and omnichannel messaging solutions allow you to make big (and small) changes fast –without creating work for IT, blowing the budget or replacing core systems. They radically improve the experience for citizens. And the tech doesn’t just focus on the front-end. Through powerful integrations, our platform enables seamless end-to-end experiences.

Councils benefit from our growing community with advice, peer networking and a library of pre-built common applications. We want to free you from data trapped in legacy applications and give you control of your digital destiny. You simply download and tailor to meet your exact needs. In fact, in the last 4 years, teams that have used our platform have awarded “Best Transformation Team” at the iESE awards. You can be one too! See how at www.netcall.com/industries/local-government/ or hello@netcall.com

Asset Management and Regeneration Award

Local communities rely on a wide range of assets whether publicly owned or not. This award is for asset management and regeneration that delivers proven benefits to local public services and their communities. #regeneration #assetavengers

GOLD WINNER: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council - Pilot Hydrogen Training Academy

The Pilot Hydrogen Training Academy is a first-of-its-kind practical innovative skills training project, led by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council with Northern Regional College, Belfast Metropolitan College, Queen’s and Ulster Universities, University of Birmingham alongside key industry partners including Wrightbus, Energia, Translink, Firmus and Phoenix. The Pilot Hydrogen Training Academy supports the UK Government’s Net Zero ambitions by delivering practical hydrogen training for industries, utilising bespoke practical training labs. With 112 people trained during the pilot in 2022, the project is supporting the development of the green energy sector in Northern Ireland through the provision of new skills to meet market demand and emerging opportunities.

SILVER WINNER: Gloucestershire Constabulary and OPCC - Bamfurlong Specialist Operations Centre

The Former Motorway Patrol centre constructed within Green belt, 40 years ago, accommodating Roads Policing Unit evolved to include other Constabulary specialist units; Collision Investigation, SOCU, Firearms, and Dog units. It became clear that the site needed redevelopment, impeded service delivery enhancements and didn’t offer the technology required for 21st century policing. The new design was to be delivered within a finite ‘do not exceed budget’, stringent programme requirements, high spec-low price, meet Environmental/Green Belt planning requirements and space for the Equine Unit. Project Budget was refined from £25m to £12.8m, achieving the Vision, on time under budget.

BRONZE WINNER: Mid Suffolk District Council - Gateway 14

Babergh & Mid Suffolk District Council invested £36million buying and developing Gateway 14, a stalled employment site on the edge of Stowmarket. By setting up a company structure and working in partnership with private sector developers, the council has already recovered 80% of the funds invested. Future receipts can be used to fund projects across the council for many years, while retail giant The Range has been secured as first occupier, creating 1,650 jobs. This sustainable site is also a part of Freeport East, delivering benefits for the wider economic area and helping the UK’s journey to Net Zero.

Best Transformation Team

GOLD WINNER: South Gloucestershire Council - Transformation & Efficiency Team

Over the last 13 years, the Transformation & Efficiency team at South Gloucestershire Council has delivered £80m+ savings through 90+ projects, putting the council on a financially secure footing. The team has demonstrated a commitment to working hard, taking an agile approach and sharing a focus on delivering the best possible outcomes for our communities. Whilst the bedrock of their achievements is successful delivery of efficiency and transformation projects, the team’s pivotal role in the council’s Covid-19 response alongside innovations, including a novel council-wide resource planning process, contribute to a sectorleading impact built on solid working practices and leadership.

SILVER WINNER: Tewkesbury Borough Council - Business Transformation Team

Tewkesbury Borough Council are delivering stand-out, customer-focused digital change using low-code technology and playing an important role in reshaping local government’s digital reputation - with the LGA referring to the council as ‘flying the digital flag for district councils.’ The council has made key improvements in the way customers interact with them, increasing those that self-serve by 20% - with 60% of their residents now using our online services. Using technology such as RPA to reduce the time officers spend on administrative tasks by 98%! Never seeing a project as complete, Tewkesbury Borough Council use customer feedback to continually improve processes.

BRONZE WINNER: Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council - One Council Transformation Programme

The One Council Transformation Programme at Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council continues to achieve success in efficiency, cultural improvement and people focussed value to our services. Through the use of Agile Methodology, the council have looked to solve everyday frustrations, demand failure and inefficient processes. Their strategic vision has guided the decisions we make and through use of data driven evidence we ensure our changes are having the right impact. Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council focus on their culture and their people, and ensure they are providing interesting and rewarding careers for our colleagues. The programme has achieved a recurrent cost saving to date of £1m, and the council continues into 23/24 with optimism and enthusiasm.

This award recognises a team who has made an exceptional contribution and long-term positive impact in their organisation through a series of transformation and continuous improvement. They continuously look for new ways to innovate and push the boundaries of local public service deployment.

#dreamteam #reallifetransformers

Communications Award

GOLD WINNER: Kent County CouncilKent Adult Social Care & Health Strategy

In April 2022, Kent Adult Social Care and Health launched its new five-year strategy for social care in Kent. The directorate’s Stakeholder Engagement Team of five staff were tasked with creating and delivering the strategy to the public and staff. What was different about this strategy was that it was coproduced with members of the public and experts by experience, designed to be short and easy to understand, accessible and promoted using social media, events and roadshows supported by animations and videos.

SILVER WINNER: Essex PoliceWe Value Difference Campaign

Essex Police delivered a new innovative recruitment and diversity campaign as part of the We Value Difference brand and has seen weekly applications increase from 36 to 52, 12% being from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities, (nearly double % to the population in Essex), and 40% of recruits now being female. This was the first values-based diversity recruitment campaign ever seen by a UK police force and was delivered at a time when every force was competing for new recruits as part of the Police Uplift Programme and changes were made to entry routes via the introduction of the Policing Education Qualification Framework (PEQF). Insights from the values-based recruitment campaign were shared with over 50 regional and national partners including The Home Office and College of Policing.

BRONZE WINNER: Essex County CouncilSocial Broadband Tariff Campaign

In response to the cost-of-living crisis, Essex County Council delivered a hyperlocal campaign to raise awareness of social broadband tariffs – discounted broadband deals for low-income households. Their objective was to reach residents in Tendring District, who may be able to benefit and save up to £144 a year on their broadband bills. This pilot campaign was delivered between 24th October and 25th December 2022 and aimed to gain learnings and shape future social tariff campaigns and other digital inclusion initiatives. Essex County Council plans to roll out a similar campaign in Colchester, another priority Levelling Up area, in February 2023.

No matter the budget, topic or channel, this award is for public service communications that are imaginative, engaging and have above all made a real impact. It encompasses advertising campaigns, websites, social media and publications. #creativecomms #engagingcontent

Community Focus Award

GOLD WINNER: Brentwood Borough Council - Strategic Housing Development Programme

Brentwood Borough Council has developed an exemplar zero-carbon housing programme in partnership with the Norse Group & Hamson Barron Smith and Barton Willmore [now Stantec]. The programme has seen measurable social impact of Brookfield Zero Carbon in use in terms of unlocking potential local skills, qualifications, and apprenticeships in this technology; driving positive health and wellbeing outcomes and GP intervention savings and easing debt and fuel poverty. Through the programme, the council will deliver over 200 affordable homes within a 7-year period, the benefit will be more than homes, seeking to address wider estate regeneration and homes for life.

SILVER WINNER: Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole CouncilAccess to Food Partnership

BCP Access to Food partnership was established to brings together a broad range of organisations, groups and communities to create “a Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole where everyone is able to feed themselves and their family nutritious food, all of the time”. Together we look at ways to support residents that are in crisis and help them to recover and bounce back as well as prevent others entering crisis. By working together, the network of partners raises awareness of available support and how residents can access it; ensure households have the equipment, skills, and confidence they need to access nutritious meals through growing, cooking and eating together. The partnership is a strong resilient network that builds capacity within the sector by sharing knowledge, expertise, and resources; as well as connecting people at a neighbourhood level to respond to continue to improve quality of life for those that are struggling with food insecurity.

BRONZE WINNER: Bracknell Forest Council - Vsi Razom Community Hub

The Vsi Razom Community Hub was opened in August 2022, after nearly six months of Vsi Razom itself having charitable status. The space is a disused unit in the local town centre, The Lexicon, which has teaching space, a small play area, tea and coffee making facilities, and a number of other access points. The Vsi Razom (meaning “all together” in Ukrainian) was set up by two local women, Ashleighy Toomey and Natalia Vil, in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine. The long-term aim is to make the hub a meeting point for all residents of Bracknell Forest fleeing conflict.

This award is for the initiative that does most to reinvigorate the local community. This might be for a major programme of regeneration that creates economic opportunity for the local area or initiatives that engage the local community, creating greater resilience, better life chances and less dependency on public services.

#communityenablement #vibrantcommunities

Customer Focus Award

for

#customercentric #customerserviceslayers

GOLD WINNER: Merthyr Tydfil County Borough CouncilPathway to Work Programme

The Pathway to Work Programme supports care experienced young people to develop the skills they need for the job market and to secure an apprenticeship, employment, or further/higher education. The programme, which sits within Social Services, set up an internal Local Authority partnership with the LA’s Employability Team to maximise young people’s support level. The crossdepartment approach means that two areas of expertise are utilised to benefit the individual within the CLA and exhaust all avenues of support via various employability programmes and funding within the Local Authority’s remit.

SILVER WINNER: Essex Police - Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Cohesion (EDIC) Partnership

The EDIC task and finish group was a board created by Essex Police to address inconsistencies and stubborn problems within the policing Equality Diversity Inclusion space. Narrowing the disparity is one of the Forces core strategic objectives, this board gives real focus to the current disparities regarding stop and search. The EDIC board participants are both internal and external. This approach enables the board to identify best practice and innovative ideas. The board then decides and drives which activity will be implemented and how.

BRONZE WINNER: East Ayrshire Health and Social Care PartnershipHelp Everyone At The Right Time

HEART (Help Everyone At The Right Time) is a transformational approach to improve how children and families are supported in East Ayrshire. The vision is to ensure that children and families can access support at an early stage in their local community, in a way that challenges discrimination and stigma, with the model incorporating multi-disciplinary team working and the GIRFEC(Getting it Right For Every Child) principles. The aspiration is that by working on a smaller scale, services will become more rooted in the communities they serve and more connected to their partners in other services.

This award is

the organisation that delivers outstanding service to their customers. It recognises those that demonstrate the link between excellent customer service and improved service performance.

Best Use of Data Insight

GOLD WINNER: Surrey County CouncilData Analytics Centre of Excellence

Innovation and Immediate Response are at the heart of Surreys Data Analytics Centre of Excellence service offering. This was demonstrated throughout 2022 as the team developed a number of data solutions at pace to help support the counties response to the national Homes for Ukraine initiative. Bespoke data sharing and case management solutions were developed to enable the effective working across the complexities of a two-tier authority. Full data automation and the creation of insightful and interactive dashboards conveying the situation enhanced the efficiency of the programmes response and communicated key messages to senior leaders and residents alike.

SILVER WINNER: Cumbria County Council - VIPER

VIPER, which stands for Vulnerable Indicators for Properties in Emergency Response, is simple, yet effective system to help emergency responders across multiple organisations access pertinent information to reach the most vulnerable people in times of crisis. The vision from the Local Resilience Forum was to create a data rich solution that would enable the identification of vulnerable people easily and quickly in the event of an emergency, using multiple data sources from utility companies, fire, adult social care etc. The solution found by using Liberty Create to profile properties, allowing the emergency responder to prioritise which property is the most vulnerable allowing them to make contact and record the outcome.

BRONZE WINNER: Blue Lights DigitalProgramme Odyssey

Programme Odyssey is an innovative whole systems approach to ensure trust and confidence for downloading only relevant data from victim and witness mobile devices at the time and not depriving people of their mobile phone at the point of most need. Odyssey principles are victim centric, victim led, and perpetrator pursued. By improving the digital response to the initial investigation, post-charge criminal justice process has been better equipped to deliver more positive outcomes to victims, witnesses, and the wider community they serve. Programme Odyssey enables law enforcement to provide the criminal justice system with time sensitive, proportionate data as well as providing significantly greater protection to the personal data of victims, witnesses, and suspects.

This award is for the use of data insight and the application of data, rewarding creative approaches to managing and manipulating data to deliver outstanding results.

#divinedata #dataforward

Best Use of Digital and Technology

This award is for the innovative use of digital tools and technology, from remodelling existing services, to creating totally new and dynamic services that lead to improved outcomes.

GOLD WINNER: Department for Levelling Up, Housing and CommunitiesDLUHC Digital Planning Programme

DLUHC’s Digital Planning team is working to use digital and data to modernise the planning system. Key outcomes of improving citizen engagement with planning and creating data-driven modern planning software would not be possible without the team’s dedication to co-creation and building over 66 strong partnerships. By funding and working in collaboration with local authorities and the private sector, tangible results are already coming to life. Examples from partners include a 23% reduction in invalid planning applications, a 74% reduction in officer processing time when reviewing citizen feedback and a 63% increase in submissions of planning sites.

SILVER WINNER: Blackburn with Darwen Council - Changing Futures Lancashire

Through the innovative use of digital and technology, Changing Futures Lancashire has supported 466 people, who experience multiple disadvantages, during its first 6 months in operation. The solution that was designed by Blackburn with Darwen’s Digital Team in collaboration with Changing Futures, enables navigators who are out on the streets to capture referrals at point, acts as a case management system and provides management reporting. The solution re-utilised the council’s digital customer portal, saving money on procuring new and was in line with the Local Digital Declaration objectives of providing: secure information sharing, collaborative working, and quicker help to clients.

BRONZE WINNER: Kent County CouncilTechnology Enabled Care Services

Kent County Council’s Technology Enabled Care Service was developed to ensure the people we support have access to a wide range of technology to support them to live in an environment of their choosing, empower people to live independently and to provide a person-centred service that recommends technology dependent on the need as opposed to a one-size fits all approach. This submission also captures the fantastic work completed in Kent County Council’s EMPOWERCARE Project which is in place to support people and communities to access and confidently use technology.

Award for Efficiency and Effectiveness

This organisation has harnessed the real potential in their organisation, delivering elevated performance, creating efficiencies, and delivering outstanding customer service with improved value to their residents. Above all, this organisation has shown its ability to adapt a virus-fuelled environment and achieve fantastic results in doing so.

GOLD WINNER: London Borough of Bromley - Transformation Programme

Bromley’s Transformation Programme is driven by data insights. London Borough of Bromley is ambitious for their residents and willing to undertake bold thinking about policy development and service delivery options. The council is outcomesfocused and think laterally and systemically to deliver solutions. To do that successfully, the Transformation Programme have been driven by data. Their Demand Management Programme covers the breadth of the council’s departments and where possible has also affected change with key partner agencies. Working across multiple departments and disciplines thinking laterally to identify risks and opportunities. London Borough of Bromley’s data-led approach involves anticipating and looking to the future.

SILVER WINNER: Bracknell Forest Council - Digital Team

The digital team at Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) is committed to improving service delivery to its growing population, across the council’s strategic themes. Their focus on accessible citizen experiences is externally assessed annually. More than 250 processes have been transformed into agile, council-controlled, second-generation digital, embracing other open-source tools. This significant milestone enables ongoing cost and resource improvements. The team also support Berkshire Emergency Duty Service, (hosted and run by BFC) to provide countywide afterhours cover, to over one million residents. When everyone has gone home, this very small team of crisis-skilled social workers deliver this fastpaced emergency service.

BRONZE WINNER: East Ayrshire CouncilEducation & Early Learning Document Portfolio

East Ayrshire Council recently digitised the Education & Early Learning document portfolio, with a suite of online forms supporting the complete pupil journey; from early learning registrations, school enrolments, secondary school transfers, placement requests, clothing grants, free school meals, school transport requests through to education maintenance allowances for senior pupils. This was a direct response to the challenges faced with Covid-19 restrictions. Digitising allowed us to streamline processes, make efficiencies and realise savings whilst meeting changing customer preferences for convenient selfservice digital solutions. This digital programme is now in its later stages and has realised many benefits for pupils, parents, and staff.

#publicserviceadaptation

#customerfocus

Green Public Service Award

recognises, rewards

#servingupsustainability

GOLD WINNER: Adur District CouncilSussex Bay Initiative

Adur District Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019, and quickly developed its organisational carbon net zero strategy. Adur District Council is leading large scale nature recovery through its Sussex Bay initiative, acquiring land to enable the restoration of the Adur estuary, and securing investment to support the recovery of 178 km2 of wild kelp forest. Working with Worthing Borough Council, the coastal authority has become a national leader in the development and financing of large scale seascape and river restoration programmes.

SILVER WINNER: Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils - Tree Canopy Survey & Tree Planting Initative

What do trees do for us? Until recently it was only possible to identify habitat or aesthetic benefits, but using satellite data and digital tools, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils surveyed all the trees in our districts (over 1400Km² of land) and quantified the environmental benefits provided by trees, including carbon storage, carbon sequestration, stormwater reduction, pollution removal, and the figures are astounding. Additionally using this data, the councils have created a tree planting strategy focused on planting trees where they will provide greatest benefit. In addition to this, the data is all publicly available online in ward-by-ward web maps for all to use.

BRONZE WINNER: Cambridge City Council - Electric Vehicles

To help achieve Cambridge City Council’s vision for the city to be net zero by 2030 and the target to reduce its own emissions to net zero by 2030, the council has partnered with a number of organisations and businesses to deliver a comprehensive approach to facilitating the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).Since the council declared a climate emergency in 2019, key projects have commenced across all of the Council’s areas of responsibility which will increase the number of EVs used by the council and provide a network of charge points for use by residents, businesses and visitors.

This category

and promotes environmental best practice across the public sector in the UK. This organisation has shown how they have helped the environment and improved sustainability not only in their organisation, but their surrounding community.

#achievinggreen

Award for Innovation

#forwardthinking #innovationstation

GOLD WINNER: Swindon Borough Council - Emerging Technology Team

3 years ago, Swindon Borough Council took the unique decision to invest in an Emerging Technology Team. They were given £100k seed funding, challenged to create a new business model, empowered to work differently, and given a 12 month prove period. A successful Emerging Technology service which has the heart of Swindon and its communities at its core has grown. The team has taken an entrepreneurial approach with a proof of concept evidenced model where work goes from conversation to delivery within 3 months; proving value with velocity and enabling the council to make informed investment decisions.

SILVER WINNER: London Borough of Barking and Dagenham - Cash Perks

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham has embedded an innovative new cash payment technology across the council to disburse a variety of its hardship securely and efficiently and/or welfare funds instantly to residents via SMS text. This gives recipients the information needed to collect their allocated funds 24/7 at local ATMs – all without the need for a bank card. Throughout 2022, the council adopted the solution across a variety of departments and schemes including Household Support Fund, discretionary housing, Homes4Ukraine and NRPF payments - issuing 7,269 individual payments totalling £986,000 – not only helping deliver immediate beneficial impact for struggling households but saving the council significant time and resources.

BRONZE WINNER: Cheltenham Borough Council & West Oxfordshire

District Council - Climate Impact Assessment Tool

Cheltenham Borough Council in partnership with West Oxfordshire District Council, has developed a sector-leading innovative Climate Impact Assessment Decision Tool to strengthen internal decision-making processes to ensure new projects and policies are aligned with the council's commitment to climate action. The tool enables officers and decision- makers to easily evaluate the environmental and social impacts of and model changes within projects and policies from the very start of decision-making and project development processes. This 'from day one' approach results in more robust, climate-friendly projects and earlier opportunities to mitigate and improve the social and climate impacts of the council's projects.

This category is not only open to the public sector but also private or third sector organisations. This category is for developing and/or bringing to market new innovative technologies or facilities that can transform the delivery of a local public service.

People, Value, Culture Award

GOLD WINNER: Watford Borough Council - Town Hall Transformation

In 2020, Watford committed to rejuvenating its Town Hall as part of a major redevelopment programme, including exploring how the plans could drive more flexible, agile and adaptable ways of working for staff and partners. The council set themselves an ambitious vision - creating an outstanding working culture and environment, recognised for flexible, agile and high performing ways of working. They considered how organisational values evolved during the pandemic alongside shifting needs of the community, driving adjustments to strategy, engaging all staff in establishing a culture, values, and behaviours, aligned to agile ways of working, wellbeing and office redesign.

SILVER WINNER: East Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership - Social Care Learning Hub

The Social Care Learning Hub is a new resource that has been set up to provide dedicated learning and development opportunities to the social care workforce in East Ayrshire Health & Social Care Partnership. The Learning Hub supports our people who are new to their role as well as those who are looking to learn and develop towards their Scottish Social Services Council registration and continuous professional development. The Learning Hub has been established to meet the needs of individual learners and support wider operational social care services to achieve the best practise standards in the sector.

BRONZE WINNER: County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue ServiceOperational Assurance

Last year County Durham and Darlington FRS attended a tragic incident on the A1(M) which an HGV failed to stop at stationary traffic and resulted in three fatalities. This was a substantial incident and involved multiple private motor vehicles and an additional HGV. The fire and rescue service introduced a new method of debriefing and sharing learning for fire service personnel and partner agencies. Following a formalised structured debrief of the incident we ensured the key learning from the incident was highlighted in the form of a talking heads style video to allow incident commanders and key personnel to share emotive first-hand video accounts of their actions at an incident. The project won Resilience & Learning from Major Incidents award at the Excellence in Fire and Emergency Awards in December 2022.

This award captures the exceptional focus and effort of those that recognise and acknowledge the importance of their people to their overall success. By embedding values, culture and behaviours that empowers the delivery of the best possible services to their residents and service users.

Procurement Award

GOLD WINNER: Portsmouth City Council - Social Value Policy

Portsmouth City Council have been carrying out innovative work to develop a locally tailored approach to social value. The approach looks to drive value across social, economic, and physical domains, and to directly address the challenges that have been identified for the city. The council is working in close partnership with key suppliers and contractors and have seen significant added value for the city from the work so far, with quantifiable socio-economic outputs of £20m from the first phase of work. They are also working with wider with partners in the city to ensure that there is a shared Portsmouth way of working.

SILVER WINNER: Kent County CouncilCommunity Micro Enterprises

The people that they support and keep connected to their communities are at the heart of everything that Kent County Council does. In Kent, the council is investing in and building Community Micro-Enterprises (CME) so that local people can set up or expand services, supporting each other within their communities. The council is also working to promote existing council services and how they could benefit the people they support and working with partners across the sector to deliver a jointly owned social prescribing directory and underpinning strategy, embedding this work through strengths - based practice and locality working.

BRONZE WINNER: Royal Borough of Kensington and ChelseaSocial Investment Lease - Building Lives Academy

The Building Lives Academy is an 11-week programme designed to prepare 16to-24-year-old residents for a move into an apprenticeship, job or higher-level training in construction or logistics. Trainees are fully funded and can gain qualifications in areas including construction skills, H&S, as well as benefiting from on-site experience and the chance to learn digital skills. They are then given the opportunity to find employment with RBKC partners across the borough once they have graduated. The Academy launched from RBKC owned premises provided to Willmott Dixon under an innovative social investment lease, a lease given based off the expected social value and impact of the project on the local community.

This award recognises the pioneers in procurement who are using it to deliver as much of their strategic agenda as possible, maximising the value to their partners, businesses and communities.

#procurementpioneers

Transformation in Health & Social Care Award

Submissions can be

upon

customers

GOLD WINNER: Isle of Wight CouncilThe Living Well and Early Help Service

The Isle of Wight’s Living Well and Early Help Service has been developed in partnership by the local Council, Integrated Care Board, and voluntary sector organisations. Designed to reduce the need for statutory intervention the service is delivered by local people, for local people and provides both proactive and reactive help and support within the heart of the Islands communities. The service empowers people to maximise their independence and is delivering results for local people, in their own communities. The community lead approach is providing: improved wellbeing, individual and community resilience, more sustainable community support, and reduced demand on statutory services.

SILVER WINNER: Bristol City CouncilThink Family Database

The Think Family Database has provided the foundation for Bristol to change the way safeguarding information is shared across partners. Creating a proactive approach to supporting vulnerable children when critical life events occur. Think Family Notifications is a process that alerts any social worker working with a family when a critical event has occurred to someone in a family. Think Family Education delivers this information to designated safeguarding leads in school settings and facilitates the immediate timely flow of information about pupils who are open to social care, early help or involved in crime along with details of professional involvement.

BRONZE WINNER: Kent County CouncilCommunity Micro-Enterprises

The people that they support and keep connected to their communities are at the heart of everything that Kent County Council does. In Kent, the council is investing in and building Community Micro-Enterprises (CME) so that local people can set up or expand services, supporting each other within their communities. The council is also working to promote existing council services and how they could benefit the people they support and working with partners across the sector to deliver a jointly owned social prescribing directory and underpinning strategy, embedding this work through strengths-based practice and locality working.

based

transforming access to services, remodelling the service, working in partnership or a combination of all three. The winning applications will have demonstrated the greatest impact for

of health and social care.

#socialcaresaviours #healthattheheart

Working Together Award

#teamworkmakesthedreamwork #localbusiness

GOLD WINNER: Scottish GovernmentConnecting Scotland Programme

Connecting Scotland is a unique, ambitious, and innovative partnership approach to tackling digital exclusion. They provide internet-enabled devices, connectivity and skills to individuals and communities otherwise excluded from online access. Digital access empowers people, providing economic, cultural, wellbeing and social benefits, and maximising the potential for individuals/communities to flourish. Their mission is to make Scotland one of the most digitally inclusive nations in the world. The Programme will achieve this by working collaboratively with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO), local authorities, charities, and organisations to tackle poverty, increase access to education and services, and build better communities.

SILVER WINNER: West Lothian CouncilService Design

West Lothian Council embarked on its journey to improve the design of its services using Service Design techniques in 2019. Since then, a programme of work has taken place to train staff, deliver strategic service change projects and engage service users. To date, 85 colleagues have been trained in Service Design practices, who actively engage in the “Service Design Champions” community. A wide range of projects have taken place across services to improve and change the way they operate by examining customer needs, examples of which are provided within the application.

BRONZE WINNER: East Ayrshire CouncilClimate Change Strategy

Children and Young People are at the forefront of driving our climate change response in East Ayrshire: They demanded action and have been instrumental in developing the Council’s Climate Change Strategy. Their voice was pivotal in securing our £1 Million Climate Change Action Fund which is already raising awareness and delivering the behaviour change needed to achieve our challenging net zero targets. East Ayrshire’s Children and Young People develop their own climate change action plans which aim to reduce their own emissions. Best practice is recognised annually at the Clean Green Education Awards and winners showcase their achievements with peers at East Ayrshire’s annual Youth Climate Conference.

This category is for simplifying the way that residents and local businesses deal with public services, bringing together multiple contact points, removing the barriers between organisations and moving resources closer to the customer.

International Public Body of the Year 2023

This award is presented to the International Public Body deemed outstanding in transforming the delivery of its services.

WINNER: Ministry of Interior, United Arab Emirates

The Ministry of Interior (MOI) of the United Arab Emirates has used modern technology to transform the way that customers interacted with them. Introducing electronic payments systems, automation, analysis and monitoring to ensure payments are secure. The MoI has undertaken a number of initiatives in this field that clearly demonstrates an organisation wide commitment to excellence. The robust delivery of the projects involved, the attention paid to the improvement of the customer journey and the pace of delivery were exemplary.

UK Fire & Rescue Service of the Year 2023

This award is presented to the Fire Service deemed outstanding in transforming the delivery of its services.

WINNER: County Durham and Darlington Fire & Rescue Service

The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service vision is to have the Safest People and Safest Places. They clearly put our communities at the heart of everything they do and their staff constantly strive towards achieving this. Their aim is to be the best service in the UK. Their ‘Being the Best’ philosophy is reflected in the shared values and behaviours of every member of the Service. They are clearly passionate about providing the best possible service to their communities and are committed to being professional, innovative and effective in all that they do.

UK Police Service of the Year 2023

This is presented to a Police Service deemed outstanding in transforming the delivery of its services.

WINNER: Humberside Police

Since Humberside Police was awarded Police Service of the Year 2022, it has continued its path of innovation and transformation through development and delivery of further improvements to performance and quality of service. This has included innovative technologies such as Visibeat, transformation in the level of service and support for the most vulnerable people through the introduction of our their Vulnerability Hub and Vulnerability Tracker, and new State of the Art Force Control Room. These achievements have earned them national recognition, including most recently in their HMICFRS PEEL Inspection, where they were identified as ‘Outstanding’ in six areas.

UK Council of the Year 2023

This award is presented to a Council deemed outstanding in transforming its services and creating vibrant communities.

WINNER: Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council (MEABC) has worked collaboratively with a wide range of organisations over the last three years to deliver climate, sustainability and environmental initiatives. This has involved knowledge and skills sharing with a myriad of organisations in order to achieve common goals. As a result MEABC have delivered a number of key initiatives not only to increase education and awareness around these topics, but to deliver on the ground action. Through the delivery of collaborative projects, Mid and East Antrim have not only become an exemplar Council in Northern Ireland, but for the whole of the UK. Not only have they made pioneering improvements that will help us all to meet key environmental challenges they have forged vital partnerships to deliver at-scale and used this to regenerate their area, building skills in the community and new jobs.