Agenda item

Communications

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

Minutes:

(a)          Customer Service Excellence – Planning and Building Control Service

 

The Executive Director Core Services reported that the Planning and Building Control Service had recently been externally assessed for Customer Service Excellence and had again achieved this impressive accreditation.

 

In addition, they had also achieved ‘Compliance Plus’ in the following three areas:

 

·         Masterplan Consultations

·         Range, content and quality of verbal, published and web based information

·         Interaction within wider communities and demonstrating the ways in which they supported those communities

 

This continued achievement was particularly impressive due to the unprecedented high volumes of applications received, and also the change in ways of working in which officers had had to adapt during the Covid pandemic.

 

This success wasn’t possible without the work and input of all Planning Building Control and Support Team Officers, particularly Mark Caddick (Senior Planning and Building Control Assistant) who was in the meeting this morning), for co-ordinating the assessment submission and Tim Cliffe (Building Control Group Leader), Matthew Smith and Andrew Burton (Planning Group Leaders).

 

Councillor Richardson in his capacity as the Chair of the Planning Regulatory Board asked to place on record his own congratulations to all the Team for all their hard work, effort and dedication in achieving this accreditation in such difficult times.

 

Councillor Cheetham, Cabinet Spokesperson for Place (Regeneration and Culture) echoed the comments made and expressed his congratulations in achieving this accreditation in what was not only difficult but times but in a period of extraordinary business.  This was a remarkable achievement and all staff were congratulated for their hard work and dedication.

 

The Mayor echoed the comments made and added her own personal congratulation to all members of staff concerned.

 

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

 

(b)          National Museums Heritage Awards – Nomination in the Best Digital Category

 

The Executive Director Core Services reported that the Barnsley Museums Service had been shortlisted in the best digital category in the National Museums and Heritage Awards.  This was a brilliant reflection of the work and creativity of the whole Barnsley Museums Service, and the way in which everyone mobilised together for the communities of Barnsley in response to the Covid pandemic.  All the others on the shortlist were ‘big institutions’ so the Service had done incredibly well to get this far and hopefully would be in with a chance of winning.

 

Other shortlisted institutions included:

 

·         London Transport Museum

·         The National Trust

·         The British Museum

·         National Portrait Gallery

 

Councillor Cheetham, Cabinet Spokesperson for Place (Regeneration and Culture) commented on the tremendous success of the Museums Service particularly over the last 18 months when some of the things undertaken had been innovative and remarkable.  The Service had been recognised previously and had also been a case study for the Cabinet Office.  The digital work undertaken had been tremendous and to be shortlisted along with such national institutions was truly remarkable and this was a true testament to the way in which the Service was currently performing.  Congratulations were extended to all concerned.

 

The Mayor echoed the comments made and congratulated all staff on this achievement.  She and Members of the Council expressed their thanks to all involved in the usual manner.

 

 

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