Agenda item

To consider any communications to be submitted by the Mayor or the Chief Executive.

(a)       Local Government Chronicle Awards

The Chief Executive reported that as a result of the quality of the Council’s Services and the passion staff had for excellence, the Authority had been shortlisted for eight Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards. 

These were one of the most prestigious national awards in the local government calendar and to be nominated meant that all services were winners really.

The awards night took place last week and the she was proud to announce that the Authority had achieved one win and three highly commended awards.

The Council had won the Community Involvement Award for its work on the Dearne Valley Landscape Partnership.

The Judges had commented ‘Our winner demonstrated an impressive scope and range of achievements with strong evidence of legacy.  The evidence provided on both a micro and macro level connected to the big issues and challenges that they have worked to overcome with energy and passion’.

Sally Gawthorpe and Clare Farley were in the Chamber this morning and congratulations were expressed to all involved.

The Council had also been highly commended for its work in the following categories:

·         Campaign of the year - #Everybodythink - aimed at creating a smoke free environment

·         Public Health – ‘The make smoking invisible project’ – aimed at creating a smoke-free generation

·         Public/Private Partnership – the project ‘rescued and reused bikes in Penistone’

Barnsley had also reached the final in the following:

·         Stimulating property development – ‘Driving growth with the Property Investment Fund’

·         Team of the Year – Barnsley Council’s IT traded service, ‘Code Green’

·         Public/private partnership – ‘Children’s Social Work Matters’ – a regulatory programme led by Barnsley

·         Rising Star – Debbie Mercer, Head of Service for Children and Family Social Care

Jon Snow (journalist and Master of Ceremonies for the evening) commented ‘this represents a significant achievement ….. puts Barnsley on the map’

As well as receiving ‘highly commended’ at the LGC Awards, the Contracts and Data Team from the Environment and Transport Business Unit attended the Improvement and Efficiency Social Enterprise (iESE) Public Sector Awards where they had been shortlisted in the top three national projects in the category ‘Transformation in Environmental Services’ for their ‘Rescued and Reused bike’s’ scheme and the project had been recognised with the highest merit of a Gold Award which was a fantastic achievement.

For those Members who were unfamiliar with the project, the Chief Executive reported that the Council had been working with FCC Environment (one of the Council’s waste contractors) and Cycle Penistone C .I.C (a 3^rd sector organisation) to rescue bikes from going into scrap skips and instead divert these to be refurbished and put back into the local community at affordable prices.  The scheme also enabled parents to hire bikes for their children in the award winning, Green Flag, Elsecar Park and this year they were hoping to expand into Worsbrough Mill.  As a result of this project several jobs had been created including permanent and apprenticeship positions.

Vicky Chappell and Debbie Bushby from the Team were also present in the Chamber this morning.

Councillor Bruff, Cabinet Spokesperson for People (Safeguarding) echoed the comments of the Chief Executive.  For the Council to be nominated in the first place was a massive achievement and she (as well as the rest of the Council) were very proud of those who had represented the Authority at the Awards.  She had also been lucky enough to attend this awards ceremony and asked to place on record her personal congratulations to all those who had been involved.

Councillor Frost, Cabinet Support Member for Place, echoed the comments made by the Chief Executive particularly in relation to the ‘Rescue Bikes’ scheme which had created additional employment opportunities in the area including one full time job at FCC who ran the waste recycling centres, one apprentice and three part time jobs at Cycle Penistone and which helped reduce dependency on Government Spending.  The project had also had a positive impact on public health by encouraging people to get active and thereby reduce dependency on NHS Services.  Jill Bramall, from Cycle Penistone, had said ‘ the Partnership has been one of the best things that had happened to Cycle Penistone and most of the customers who bought the bikes would say the same’.  A family at Christmas with five children had got a bike for all their children and adults for £120 which would normally cost around £450.  As with all the awards reported today, the success was down to the hard work of all staff and Council partners.  It was pleasing to note that the Council was being so successful especially bearing in mind the constraints within which it was working.

Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of the Council, wished to place on record his thanks and appreciation to all who had entered this competition this year.  To be shortlisted for 8 awards, which was more than any other Authority, spoke volumes not just in terms of the recognition which was sought for the good work that was being undertaken but also for the motivation of the staff who carried on doing an excellent job in very difficult circumstances at a time when jobs were being lost and budgets cut.  To continue to work so hard and provide high quality services also spoke volumes about the people who worked for the Council.  Congratulations were expressed to all involved in these schemes/projects, the award winners, those who had been highly commented and those who had entered but also to all staff of the Authority.  He particularly commended the award winners and commented that this was the second year running that the Authority had been successful in the Community Awards which was particularly pleasing at a time when accusations were made that Councils were not in touch with the communities they served.  It made him proud not only to represent the Council but to represent Barnsley and for people to know and recognise the good work that was being undertaken.

Councillor Andrews BEM, Deputy Leader, echoed the comments of the Leader.  He paid tribute to the winners and to the nominees.  He made particular reference to the Public Health category and to the ‘make smoke invisible’ project , a message that was particularly hard to get over.  He paid tribute to the work of Kaye Mann and Dianne Lee in Public Health in assisting with this project.

The Mayor and Members of the Council expressed their congratulations and thanks to all concerned in the usual manner.

(b)       Breast Feeding Award

The Chief Executive was pleased to report that Barnsley had been voted one of the top 10 breast feeding places in the UK in the Lansinho Feed with Confidence Awards and the award was on display in the Chamber this morning.  This was an amazing award for Barnsley.

The Mayor and Members of the Council expressed their congratulations in the usual manner.