Meet the 2024 Finalists

Horden Together

Horden Together is an innovative, place-based initiative led by Durham County Council which brings together partners to collaborate with local people and groups to address local priorities in Horden, one of the most deprived areas in the country. Since 2021, Horden Together has delivered positive change by empowering the local community, as well as improving the futures of the most disadvantaged individuals living in Horden. Community is at the heart of our approach and by engaging and working with local people Horden Together is creating a place where everyone can thrive and live happy, healthy and connected lives.

Digital Inclusion for Social and Health Impact (DISH)

Hounslow residents face barriers to good health largely caused by inadequate healthcare access, socioeconomic factors, environmental issues, and individual behaviours which reinforce health inequalities. Key problems include uneven service distribution, transport reliability, language and cultural barriers, digital exclusion, high deprivation, unemployment, social isolation, air and noise pollution and unhealthy lifestyles. This causes rising chronic illnesses, high obesity, mental health issues and substance misuse. The Council implements coordinated initiatives across transport, communications, translation, training, community support, housing, environment, social care, public health, and digital inclusion to address these barriers and inequalities (e.g. improving early years and mental health and health services and assisting independence). The Council's governance documents show improving health and equity are priorities. The Corporate Plan provides values guiding decision-making while the Health and Wellbeing Strategy focuses on prevention and early intervention. The Borough Based Partnership brings together health, social care, and Council services for an integrated, effective system. The partnerships formed by the Digital Inclusion for Social and Health Impact (DISH) project - between the Council and NHS Trust, to make digital health services more inclusive by reducing digital inequalities. Innovative approaches developed included joint-working, co-production arrangements, targeted community engagement, place-based analysis, customised resources and expanded device access. Outcomes included: closer ties; transformed services; enhanced insights and external funding bids. Achievements delivered included creation of a shared vision and leadership, increased volunteering, analytical processes, wider consultation shaping services, and sustainability measures across governance, communications, and integration foundations – ensuring local health is a clear priority across service areas.

Dementia Friendly Cardiff

Cardiff Council is engaged in a whole-systems and cross-Council approach with the aim of making Cardiff a better place for people living with dementia within their community. This work is strategically driven through Cardiff Council’s Adult Services Ageing Well Strategy 2022 – 2027 which aims to support older people to live well in their homes and communities. This includes ensuring services meet the needs of the most vulnerable including those that live with dementia. The goal of Dementia Friendly Cardiff involves several specific teams within the Council working together to make Cardiff a better place for people living with dementia.

Active and Connected - Joining the Dots in the East Riding

The Health and Wellbeing Group works together with our communities to enhance their quality of life and make a significant contribution to the Council’s priorities at the lowest possible cost. Our story is about motivated staff who relish a challenge, want to make a difference and who go the extra mile to make it happen. Our vision is about delivering locally valued, health and wellbeing services that help our communities become more physically, mentally, socially active and connected. Our model is to deliver 10 vibrant, neighbourhood facing leisure centres that offer a range of health improvement programmes wrapped around with community-based offers. Our success is based on balancing our approaches; being commercial and growing our income together with supporting our residents to achieve better health; especially those who are socially excluded or who have the least ability to pay. This has resulted in generating £12m income in 22/23 and engaging over 15,200 people in our bespoke community ‘build’ sessions. Our submission evidences balancing our commercial and social objectives enabling us to deliver more for less, whilst keeping customer satisfaction and quality of delivery high. Achieving our goals, meeting need, co-production with the community and strong, agile partnerships sit at the heart of our approach …. driven by an innovative, passionate and professional team …. always looking for that next challenge!

Well Northants Participatory budgeting

Reducing health inequalities is a core mission for West Northants Council, working with teams across directorates and our voluntary and community sector organisations to put in solutions to tackle this, with communities at the heart. To achieve this, actively involving citizens and strengthening community assets is a key strategy embedded within all our work, to improve the health and wellbeing of the poorest residents and seldom heard groups. Led by our community development team and working closely with public health and our new Local Area Partnerships, an asset-based community development approach has been implemented, in which the power is placed with individuals and communities to define the problems they have and help develop community solutions that are right for them. As part of this model, the project has successfully used participatory budgeting to allocate funding to 31 community-led projects, totalling the value of £60,784 that have been delivered in key areas identified, with all projects benefiting those who live in that area. With a range of projects launched such as; workshops for children and young people, resources for clubs to support friendships and reduce isolation amongst older people as well as a gardening after school club for children to grow their own food, shows the difference in projects for each of the areas the project supports. This model has seen a significant shift in our work to address health inequalities and has enabled us to better understand local community needs at a more in-depth level using this insight to support.

Bolsover Partnership

We know the big challenges in health inequality, even before the pandemic and to address some of this we’ve put our efforts into local partnerships with cross sector working to jointly be responsible for commissioning activity and working together to find local solutions. The result of this has meant we’ve developed strong relationships with our Public Health leads, partners’ resources have been added to this and investment has been targeted in the most effective way to have the highest impact on our communities with some great examples. In summary the collective of these examples has meant during 2022/23 alone £2.9 million of social value was returned for a joint investment of £402,000 demonstrating the value and impact of taking a whole local system approach and having public health colleagues at the heart of our decision making.

Investment of public health funding in green and open spaces

Sheffield City Council works alongside colleagues in Public Health and partners in the public, voluntary and private sector to tackle health inequalities across the city. This is primarily through the development and delivery of Sheffield’s Sport and Leisure Strategy, which features an underpinning principle that ‘collaboration is at the heart of what we do’. This nomination focuses on public health investment in green spaces in areas where there are health inequalities as a case study. Partners work together to take a ‘whole systems approach’, from agreeing investment principles to engaging and leading consultations with local communities. Impact is evaluated through the Sheffield Quality Standard (which aims for a site be safe, clean, welcoming and accessible and is based on the national Green Flag quality award), as well as data on footfall and from Active Lives. This evidence-based approach helps to ensure that projects contribute to the Council’s ambition ‘to have facilities, activities and services which are modern, welcoming, inclusive and meet the needs of everyone in Sheffield, encouraging more people to be more active, more often’.

Delivering the Eurovision Host City 2023 Communications Campaign

Eurovision didn’t make Liverpool. Liverpool made Eurovision. This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been hailed the most successful in the competition’s history and Liverpool City Council’s Communications team played a pivotal role in its success. Manging the complex, multi-layered challenges of successfully delivering a communications strategy for the biggest-ever host city programme, was a project like no other. Delivered in half the usual time and on behalf of a country at war. The results speak for themselves. All KPIs achieved, global media coverage secured and Liverpool’s event-staging reputation remains unrivalled.

Be Well - Leisure & Wellbeing Services

Be Well Wigan has a clear vision ‘To create a culture of health and wellbeing across our neighbourhoods’. Our mission is ‘To transform our services for those that need us most in our communities; establishing partnerships and providing personalised life-changing support that enables local people to live longer, lead better lives and Be well’. Our current journey commenced when Leaders within the Council decided to bring Leisure & Wellbeing Services back in-house in March 2021. Re-designing our assets to support the “Pivot to Wellness” and engaging with new partners across the health system to embed health programmes in clinical pathways two examples of the innovative approaches we have taken. As we move into the ‘New Era’ we are in a strong position, numbers have returned to and often exceeded pre-pandemic levels, all assets remain open, services have increased, our financial position has improved by £3.3m and we have incredible backing from our Portfolio Holder. Many of the building blocks to ensure long term sustainability of leisure services in Wigan Borough are in place including strong leadership, a recognised and respected brand, a highly skilled flexible workforce, a portfolio of quality assets that promote health and wellbeing, strong and growing partnerships alongside data and intelligence to target and secure additional resources. A great deal of energy and excitement has been created and is reflected in our customer satisfaction giving us the confidence that we understand our customers and will continue the momentum.

Luton Council Pest Control Service

Luton Council is delighted to have the opportunity to enter the MJ Awards for best council services Team. Our Pest control service is a nationally recognised team that have consistently set standards for the Pest Control Industry and other local Authorities both for business and Local Authority processes. We deliver a fully integrated pest control service to the 214,000 residents of the Town, across 19 wards – which are predominantly urban in nature. Including areas of mixed usage, green space and a broad range of housing types. In addition, we service a wide range of commercial contracts across varying sectors which adopt a treatment and sustainable prevention approach. We operate a free service for Luton Residents that is heavily subsidised by our commercial ambition and success. Additional resources gained from business expansion have been channelled into public health projects which we will detail in our submission. Our commercial success has helped us address some of the challenges facing council services through reduced budgets and has allowed us to explore innovative new processes to tackle issues of public health that are Pest related, and this will be demonstrated in our supporting evidence. We operate a successful IPM [Integrated Pest Management] program in the Town, and our methods are successful, and we have shared our processes with other authorities. The feedback we have received has been very positive and duplicated in other authorities.

Early Intervention & Prevention Team

Over the past decade, Peterborough City has undergone a transformative journey, emerging as one of the fastest-growing cities in Britain. Despite facing increasing financial pressures, the City Council has not wavered in its dedication to managing demand and supporting residents before reaching crisis points. Peterborough's population has grown by 17.5% over the last ten years and the council recognizes that long-term financial resilience rests on proactively managing demand and improving outcomes. Aligned with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care System's Health and Wellbeing Integrated Care Strategy, the City Council has identified four key priorities in its City Strategy. Among these, "Prevention, Independence, and Resilience" stands out as a crucial area where the Adult Social Care’s Early Intervention & Prevention Team plays a pivotal role. This multi-disciplinary team, comprising over 100 dedicated professionals, serves as a 'one-stop shop' for clients, offering a comprehensive, person-centred approach. The team focuses on empowering individuals to maintain independence, accessibility, warmth, and safety in their homes, thereby preventing and delaying the need for care packages and settings. The team's achievements are noteworthy. For instance, the Adult Early Help service, responding to over 41,905 contacts in the last year, resolved difficulties or concerns in an impressive 93.9% of cases. The Reablement service boasts an 81.97% full independence rate following service intervention. In summary, the Peterborough City Early Intervention & Prevention Team exemplifies excellence in addressing the growing needs of a dynamic city. Their commitment to prevention, independence, and resilience is evident in their innovative approaches, collaborative efforts,

Highways Direct Services - People, Performance and Planet

Stoke-on-Trent's groundbreaking collaboration with JCB for highway repairs merits consideration for an award. The bid excels in People, Performance, and Planet, showcasing improved community and employee well-being, enhanced safety, and skill development. Impressive performance metrics include increased work efficiency, cost savings, and reduced time on site, emphasizing a commitment to long-term quality and cost-effectiveness, aligning with global environmental goals, achieving a significant 35% reduction in emissions. Media links and testimonials supported the bid's success, emphasizing Stoke-on-Trent's holistic approach to infrastructure management and how it contributes to community and economic prosperity, making it a deserving candidate for recognition in the award category.

Employment and Skills Service

The LBTH Employment & Skills service delivers an exemplary range of provisions focused on equality, diversity and inclusion, delivering strategic priorities to support all residents at different stages of life into good work. Services include an increasing range of opportunities to support under-represented groups into growth sectors; working with employers to ensure they can sustain EDI; and working with schools to expand the breadth and understanding of, and comfort with careers opportunities and pathways for students, parent/carers and educators. In delivering these programmes the team has managed a range of intermediate labour market initiatives, work experience programmes and targeted apprenticeship programmes including one of the country’s largest Kickstart portfolios. Building on external contract success including two significant DWP contracts, the team has worked with local employers to build apprenticeships in the creative industries as well as programmes specialised for SEND residents. Our Local Supported Employment programme was recognised by assessors for its rapid progress with a potential to become market leading if progress continues. Our Young WorkPath programme has helped support 6,000 young people with careers advice, information and guidance, and our Information, Advice and Guidance teams has exceeded expectations by supporting a 30% higher level of residents than predicted. Meanwhile our Careers & Social Mobility team – staffed by 3 people, has reached and worked with a conservatively estimated 2000 school students and 200 businesses since July 2022 – delivering careers fairs, mentoring programmes and forums to empower residents.

Aberdeen Communities Together (ACT)

Aberdeen City Council, like many local authorities across Scotland, is currently undergoing transformation to meet the demand being faced with reduced budgets and resources. In Aberdeen our services face enormous challenges but equally we are embracing exciting new opportunities. We are looking to build a Council for the future – an organisation that will be radically different to any that has served Aberdeen before. Aberdeen City Council’s Environmental Services is a determined, hardworking, and successful service. Constantly striving to improve, the service has reviewed and transformed itself over recent times and this has been recognised with a series of awards, positive news and accolades coming its way. The key element to the success of the service has been the improved customer and stakeholder engagement, a willingness to look to working in partnership with individuals, community groups and other organisations and to give all the support we can to these groups to ensure they are successful. Environmental Services has labelled this work as Aberdeen Communities Together (ACT). ACT continues to develop and grow. Partnership working and community support is key and ACT is fundamental to the continued success of the service. Embracing change and building on the successful collaboration and partnership working is now embedded within the make-up of its teams and the service continues to deliver strong and successful front-line services.

Health and Housing Project

Lancashire County Council in partnership with District Councils across Lancashire have worked together to implement a collaborative way to support people to remain at home and reduce pressures on health and care services. The project is testing the role of 'Health and Housing Coordinators' to support timely hospital discharge and admission avoidance where housing and accommodation related issues are a barrier. The coordinators sit within the Councils multi-agency Intermediate Care Allocation Teams (ICAT) and through strength-based and solution-focused approaches enables quick access to the right expertise and services to support people to remain at home or go home. The project is exploring if this new role makes a real difference for people who are in hospital and have housing and accommodation related needs, and if it will also have an associated benefit of releasing Acute bed capacity through reducing delays. The ambition is also to free up staff capacity in the ICAT teams where they may previously have been following up Housing colleagues or missing the right interventions for people as they don’t have the right expertise or rapid access to the wide variety of supports that the Districts Councils provide. Throughout the project, demand and activity is being monitored to understand what any future ongoing staff resource may be as well as the themes and areas of focus.

Meridian Water

Meridian Water is an ambitious and innovative major regeneration project in North London, led by Enfield Council, that aims to deliver up to 10,000 homes, 6,000 jobs, and a range of amenities, social infrastructure, and green spaces. The project has faced challenges due to market changes and inflation, but the Council has taken action to mitigate the risk and continue delivering on its ambitious regeneration program. The overarching objectives of the project include high-quality design and place-making, mixed-tenure homes, new jobs, and new facilities, with local people being the principal beneficiaries. The project also prioritizes environmental sustainability, with initiatives such as a district heating network, green infrastructure, and a circular economy approach. Meridian Water is more than just a housing project; it is a beacon of urban revitalization that addresses economic, environmental, and social dimensions, contributing positively to the broader community and the regeneration of Enfield as a whole.

The Tenant Charter

The Wokingham Borough Council Tenant Volunteers (formerly known as the Involved Tenants) work in partnership with Wokingham Borough Council Housing Service. There are currently 17 formal volunteers who sit on formal groups that ensure Wokingham Borough Council remain compliant to each of the Regulatory Standards (consumer) and to the Housing Ombudsman Complaints Handling Code. The Tenant Charter was created by the Tenant Volunteers with support from the Wokingham Borough Council Tenant Involvement Team. The Tenants co-regulate the service by scrutinising performance, resulting in discussions to improve services, learning from complaints and concerns, and outcomes of the STAR survey.

HUSK Wallsend (Bellshill Close & Blackhill Avenue)

North Tyneside Council set out with an ambitious vision to overturn a number of under-used garage sites into homes for over 55’s in an area of high housing demand. Using their patented product, HUSK provide a turn-key solution, delivering sought after bungalows in the middle of an already thriving estate. The bungalows offer tenants a highly efficient fabric which contributes to lower energy bills and utilises Air Source Heat Pump and Solar PV technologies. With our first HUSK development complete at Falmouth Close in North Shields, Phase 2 in Wallsend has recently completed and we continue to explore our other garage sites for future development. The innovative HUSK designs retain the concrete bases of garage blocks, minimising ground preparation other than service connections. This overcomes sub-ground issues and by using the existing footprint of the garages, it also negates planning issues with overlooking distances. The development demonstrates the ambition of both the Council and HUSK to create great places where people want to live. It is a perfect example of finding an innovative solution to regenerate brownfield sites that have previously been deemed undevelopable. Working with HUSK, North Tyneside Council have used innovation to redesign and redevelop under-used and disused former garage sites into high quality, affordable homes for local people in an area of high housing demand. The homes are fully accessible and meet the current Nationally Described Space Standards ensuring generous spaces throughout. Increased insulation ensures that running costs are kept as low as possible for our tenants.

Restoring 312 empty Council homes for Ukrainian families

Aberdeen City Council received £6.15M grant from Scottish Government in October 2022 to deliver 500 refurbished empty homes for Ukrainian Displaced Persons, exceeding our 22/23 target of 290 homes by providing 312 in total and on track to hit 500 by 23/24. Despite challenges, Chief Officers and Project Delivery Team worked closely together- determined to ensure that Ukrainian families have a secure and comfortable home from home in Aberdeen City.

Essex Pedal Power

Essex Pedal Power (EPP) is a community-based initiative led by Active Essex, The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) and Essex County Council's Sustainable Transport and Localities Teams, and funded by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP), Sport England, NE Essex NHS Integrated Care Board, and ECC Levelling Up fund for £3,179,322. The aim of Essex Pedal Power is to provide communities in some of the most deprived parts of Essex with free bicycles on a loan-to-give-away basis, subject to regular use. The bicycles support residents to become more physically active, whilst also enabling them to travel to work, school and leisure activities at low cost, both financially and sustainably. Specific areas of deprivation in Essex have been targeted, thereby addressing the environmental aspect of decarbonising local transport and the socio-economic challenges communities face. The target is to provide over 5,000 bikes by 2025 in the six Levelling Up areas recognised by Essex County Council. These are Tendring, Basildon housing estates, Colchester housing estates, Harlow, Rural Braintree and Canvey Island. So far, 797 applicants have been provided with high-quality bikes, each of which is dynamo-GPS tracked. Bikes are initially loaned to participants for 12 months. However, if a bike is used regularly, participants can keep it permanently. The programme also provides free training for residents to learn to cycle and carry out basic bike maintenance and is creating community cycling groups.

Pimlico Micro Logistics Hub

Westminster City Council (WCC) and Cross River Partnership (CRP) are jointly submitting their initiative for the Best Transport Decarbonisation Project category. This entry showcases their ground-breaking micro logistics hub in Pimlico which supports zero-emission last-mile deliveries in the City of Westminster and surrounding areas. Micro logistics hubs have an important role to play in promoting healthy and efficient deliveries in London. They act as a secure space for sorting and consolidating deliveries in urban areas. They can reduce the number of vehicle trips and congestion, to then enable deliveries on the last mile to be made on, for example, cargo bikes. This reduces harmful exposure to toxic air pollutants that are bad for our health. With a strong emphasis on improving local air quality for residents, and sharing transparent insights, this successful collaboration and project sets a strategic advantage for local businesses and contributes to a greener future.

The Spot Phase 2

Derby City Council are committed to delivering a safe, inclusive, and sustainable transport network that revives city centre streets, improves quality of life for everyone in Derby, and allows people to stay connected to jobs, key services, and each other. Our ambition is to revitalise walking, cycling, and public transport provision across the city which will support our ambitions in reducing carbon. Together with Nottingham City Council, we successfully secured over £162m from the DfT’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) and Active Travel Fund (ATF). One of these projects was located in the Spot area of Derby City Centre and our project delivered: • improved connectivity along St Peter's Street and Babington Lane that makes these streets pedestrian and disabled user friendly • more attractive unified streets that strengthen the feeling of place and create local identity • a contraflow cycle lane that is partly segregated from vehicles • relocation of Blue Badge Holder parking provision to Gower Street that has level access onto the street • wider pavements with tree planting and attractive new sitting areas that incorporate disability accessible seats • improved level crossing areas at the junction of London Road and Osmaston Road • improved level crossing areas at the junction of Babington Lane and Gower Street These works were delivered in partnership with our contracting partners Eurovia and supporting supply chain through 2022 and 2023, procured through Derby City Councils Highway Maintenance Framework. The total budget for the scheme was £4.0 million.

London Borough of Islington’s Electric Vehicle Hierarchy Permit Scheme

Islington's electric vehicle (EV) permit charging programme is a remarkable initiative that effectively and sustainably raises awareness about the importance of reducing all transport emissions. It showcases ingenuity in its implementation and presents a model that other authorities can replicate. By combining supportive policies, renewable energy integration, and community engagement, Islington has established a standard for achieving cleaner air and reducing carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. Islington's proactive efforts to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions through this programme reflect the borough's unwavering commitment to combating air pollution and promoting sustainable outcomes. The programme's success can be attributed to its multi-pronged approach, which includes providing affordable EV charging infrastructure to residents, businesses, and public service providers. This approach has encouraged the uptake of EVs, which in turn has helped reduce air pollution and traffic congestion in the borough. Moreover, the programme has fostered a sense of community ownership and responsibility towards reducing carbon emissions. Local residents and businesses have been actively involved in the development and implementation of the programme, which has helped to build a strong network of support and collaboration. This community engagement has been pivotal in promoting the programme's success and has set a standard for other boroughs looking to adopt similar initiatives. In summary, Islington's EV permit charging programme is a shining example of how supportive policies, renewable energy integration, and community engagement can drive the transition towards a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future. Its impact on air quality and carbon emissions reduction is undeniable.

Wiltshire Connect

Wiltshire Council created Wiltshire Connect, an on-demand bus service that operates in the Pewsey Vale and Marlborough area of the county. The Pewsey Vale is a large, rural area with a high reliance on personal car usage and in terms of public transport has traditionally had fixed, timetabled bus routes. In rural areas, conventional bus services frequently grapple with diminished passenger numbers, restricted routes, and infrequent schedules, presenting obstacles for residents in accessing essential services and opportunities. Wiltshire Connect, however, aims to surmount these challenges by offering on-demand transportation precisely where and when it is most needed.

Cleaner Construction

London breaches the legal limits for air quality every year. Thousands of Londoners die prematurely because of air pollution, and millions more face health threats every day. It is against this stark backdrop an Air Quality Team Partnership was born: a coalition of partners – led by Merton Council – which has been cleaning up London’s air since 2019 through a series of genuinely groundbreaking projects. 2023 has been its most ambitious – and successful – year to date. The team’s focus has been reducing emissions in London’s largely unregulated construction industry and working with companies to help them craft new greener technologies. The project has seen the reduction of air pollution from construction site engines by 48% - controlled by the team’s world-first Low Emission Zone for Construction - with immediate health benefits for the people of London, and has transformed standards in the construction industry. It means London’s construction fleet is now the greenest in the country. And, importantly, the team’s template for success is being replicated across the world at this time of global climate crisis; and is now a model the team is introducing into other sectors such as waste management.

Haringey Council Supporting students moving from Year 6 to Year 7

Haringey Council Supporting Transition to Secondary Situation: A need to reduce car journeys and increase safe and active travel with young adults Task: Deliver clear messages to all 3500 year 6 students as they move up into secondary school Activity: Development of a new multi-agency resource programme to increase active and safe travel to school, reducing car dependency. Result: Ensure all students receive key messages, reduce vulnerability, learn lifesaving skills, become safe independent travellers and not becoming a statistic. There are 32m cars on the UK’s roads, and the Transport sector produced 24% of the UKs carbon emissions during 2020. To achieve our zero-carbon ambition, analysts say we need to remove approximately 30% of the private car journeys in the UK by 2030. One of the busiest times on the UK’s roads is caused by the “School Run.” And alongside this, children are disproportionately represented in road casualties. Which means carers have reservations about active and public travel as a choice to get to school. With these statistics in mind Haringey Council developed a support package to primary schools for students as they transition to their new secondary school - reducing carbon emissions, promoting active and safe travel for a new generation. We’ve created resources meeting curriculum needs, covering key messages aimed at students, and information for carers. Our Transition resource packs are sent to every school, covering children in our borough as they “Move Up”. - “Moving Up” magazine offers information building travel confidence, and building in safety. -

10 Years of the Enjoy Waltham Forest Programme

The London Borough of Waltham Forest (LBWF) has been delivering pioneering sustainable transport infrastructure and behaviour change initiatives through the implementation of the Enjoy Waltham Forest Programme since 2014. Over the past 10 years our leadership in delivering world-class walking and cycling infrastructure, facilitating integrated multi-modal journeys using public transport, and enabling the adoption of electric vehicles and Car Clubs has resulted in a 25% decrease in transport-based emissions, as identified by an independent study carried out by Kings College London. Consequently, residents are more active, living longer and healthier lives, and enjoying greener, safer and less congested roads.

People from Abroad Team - Asylum Seeker Health and Social Care Service

Seeking asylum in the UK is a complex and arduous process, the system often dehumanises those within it, removing their choices and eroding their autonomy. The Asylum Seeker Healthcare Team which is co-located with Norfolk County Council's People from Abroad Team supports those waiting for decisions on their asylum applications, treating them with respect and dignity, and supporting them to overcome obstacles and improve their access to mainstream primary healthcare. Using creative and innovative approaches to community social work and healthcare, the multi-disciplinary team have transformed the lives of hundreds of adults and families seeking asylum who live in Norfolk. This entry evidences the hard work, dedication and sensitivity of this integrated health and local authority team to ensure asylum seekers are welcomed and supported during their asylum seeking journey in the UK. This team strives to deliver high quality support to people who have arrived from countries all across the world who are seeking protection from war and persecution; each being encouraged and enabled to become self-reliant and to start the next chapter of their lives in the UK. The team have faced significant adversity since being established in 2020 - not just the Covid pandemic, but also the increased numbers of people in the asylum support system, and those making the transition if they are granted refugee status. This compassionate and professional group of staff and leading the way in health and care integration for asylum seekers.

ECL WARD-LED ENABLEMENT - A Programme of Support to Reduce Hospital Acquired Decline

A simple conversation between a patient in Colchester hospital and a social care manager raised the question of how to help older patients regain their mobility and independence while on the hospital ward. By asking ‘what could we do differently?’ the concept of Ward-led Enablement (WLE) was born. Ward-led Enablement is a brand new way of looking at how to get people mobilising and independent before they leave hospital. Transforming the traditional reablement model by taking reablement care into the hospital setting. ECL and Essex County Council (ECC) have collaborated with three hospital trusts across Essex to create a programme that provides patients reablement support on the ward to reduce hospital acquired decline. Delivered by ECL reablement experts, this service is the first of its kind in Essex. Initially piloted for six months at Colchester hospital in October 2020, the programme was so successful that it was not only launched as a service at Colchester hospital in October 2022 for 12 months, has also been successfully launched in Basildon, Broomfield, and Southend hospitals and in the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. To date the service is proving incredibly successful in reducing the average length of hospital stay and in improving the timeframes in which patients are up and out of bed. Enabling patients to not only regain their mobility, but to get their confidence back in their abilities, restoring the independence they had before their hospital treatment.

Walsall Together

Walsall Together is delivering on an ambition to improve the health and happiness of residents through integration, bringing together NHS trusts, GPs, adult social care, public health, children’s services, housing, VCS, social enterprises and Healthwatch. We’re putting prevention at the heart of our collective efforts by focusing on population health and how we can improve it, rather than counting individual procedures, e.g. focus on hip health rather than the number of hip replacements. It’s delivered impressive results. It uses a model based on national and international best practice, enhanced by the voice of local citizens, with evolving governance arrangements supporting a transition to outcomes-focused commissioning and contracting through population health budgets. As winner of the Place-based Partnership and Integrated Care category at the HSJ Awards 2023, Walsall Together has kept more people out of hospital, improved discharge pathways, enhanced care homes support, boosted workforce recruitment and retention, bolstered community resilience, all while saving £4.96m in health and care budgets. We have developed close links with the community at all levels, including VCS organisations such as the local social housing landlord - WHG, as well as community hubs, community associations and individual residents through our various champions models. This has enabled services and programmes to develop and be delivered that are truly ‘locally-driven’, actively recognising the varied strengths and expertise that each of our partner organisations bring. Integration is now our culture, where we can see the clear benefits. All partners recognising, we are better together. We Are Walsall Together

Brent Health Matters

Brent Health Matters (BHM) is a cross-organisational partnership specifically formed to reduce health inequalities across Brent, consisting of a dedicated council team, the Public Health Team, local NHS trusts, health educators, VCS organisations and the community itself, including over 40 volunteer Community Champions. Brent Health Matters (BHM) has been working to improve health and social care outcomes for groups that are less likely to access health services, tackling barriers such as language, working hours and trust in services. In responding to the health and social care needs of diverse communities, BHM takes a frontline approach centred around ‘working with,’ as opposed to ‘doing to’ communities. BHM is committed to partnership working and capacity-building, working directly with communities and trusted community, cultural and religious organisations to co-design services and events to improve health and care outcomes. By partnering with respected organisations, BHM is able to engage and support individuals with health and social care needs, that due to a range of barriers, were not receiving the support they are entitled to. To make a difference, BHM has a dedicated NHS clinical health team, and a dedicated Adult Social Care link worker who often draw on the cultural competencies and language skills of BHM’s staff and volunteers with shared heritages to build relationships, trust and to empower residents. In so doing BHM delivers integration across health and care, ensuring no one falls between the gaps and that services work together in a complementary fashion in order to treat the 'whole' person.

A proactive and integrated approach to winter planning

Putting people at the centre in Wolverhampton has delivered innovative and proactive approaches to supporting people at the toughest time of year. Winter is renowned for being a challenging time across health and social care, with many services experiencing increased demand. However, a different approach has been taken in Wolverhampton that has delivered closer joint working to better support the needs of individuals and manage demand across the system. A joint Winter Plan has been created through the city’s Place-based Partnership, OneWolverhampton, that has reduced hospital admissions and ensured people were able to return to the place they call home at the safest, earliest opportunity. This has included engaging partners from across the city, including the local authority, the acute provider, mental health services and the community and voluntary sector to trial a range of innovative services. What sets the approach apart is how partners have taken a joint approach to funding and used it in innovative ways to test out new ways of working, such as dedicated welfare rights and social workers within mental health acute settings, a social prescribing in-reach service within the discharge lounge of the acute trust, and bespoke training events with care homes in the city. This approach enabled innovation and learning and against a backdrop of declining local and national performance, Wolverhampton has been able to significantly reduce its ambulance handover delays and also significantly reduce the number of individuals with No Criteria to Reside (NCTR) in acute settings.

Communities Together

Communities Together is based on a set of values and principles which underpin our ambition to ‘do the right thing’ for us as citizens when we need support, at any time in our lives to live well and as independently as possible with purpose and connection. Despite the enormity of the pressures on the health and social care system at present, Communities Together is demonstrating that by working collaboratively there is much that can be done to improve outcomes for people. We have been successful in bringing together care and health services under one roof to the benefit of our local communities. Innovation team conversations have resulted in new collaborative innovations, integrating health and care within a virtual room and then moving out into community lounges and across Stoke. This is offering an opportunity to contribute to the realisation of the Fuller Stocktake recommendations and Core20PLUS5 the national NHS England approach reduce healthcare inequalities. Communities Together is truly making a difference to our local community by creating a landscape for true collaborative working with all partners. People are unique and have a variety of social or health needs. Working side by side with partners enables joined up, timely advice that is responsive to community need and adds value. It is a move away from traditional silo working, improving relationships, creating new alliances, and identifying multiple opportunities to agitate the health and social care status quo to create meaningful change in the ways we currently work together.

Sefton BABS – ‘Safeguarding relationships as well as risk’

Please see attached document for summary.

John Robinson

John Robinson leads a financially resilient, forward-thinking, ambitious, compassionate, and outcome-focused Council. Residents, politicians, and partners consistently identify an organization that listens, responds, delivers, and makes a genuine difference. John has provided strong, inclusive leadership through numerous challenges, always providing support and direction to people, this has included leading the Council and the communities it represents through the recent floods in the East Midlands, the Pandemic, and resettling Ukrainian families displaced by the recent war, as well as people displaced from Syria and Afghanistan. Newark & Sherwood District Council is a richer organization, which is positive through the values John embodies in his leadership to improve services for local people and be a local authority that staff and customers are proud of. The team at the Council want to show John that we recognize how important he is to us all, by showing and telling the profession that we have one of the best Chief Executive’s in the County, one that epitomizes standards for excellence, and we hope to share this message with other organizations so that they understand what a great Council looks like. John would consider that he serves all of us, but to us, he is our champion, humble in character, but a person who will have had a giant impact on so many people in a positive and far-reaching way. We want to let the Country know, John is a standard that others should strive to emulate.

Ade Adetosoye CBE

Inspiring Leadership – a recipe for success There are few who can say their excellent record precedes them, and with a portfolio of consecutive success, delivering and sustaining change at pace, Ade has set the standard of outstanding leadership in Local Government. Ade has redefined the qualities for success, focusing on an impassioned belief that leadership by example can, and does, create necessary and lasting change. Ade’s leadership style is visibly compassionate, empowering, transformative and visionary, and his stewardship is responsible for the consecutive and multiple successes the Council, borough and its Partners have shared in over the last twelve months. This includes the multi-million investment in a new, modern and accessible site in the heart of Bromley Town Centre, which is having a transformative impact on the working experiences of the organisation, whilst delivering long-term financial savings. Ade’s value in the importance of collaboration and empowering of staff and partners to bring their knowledge, skills, and talent to service delivery to not only succeed but excel, is reflected in the recent achievement of Children’s Services, which was rated outstanding in all areas. Ade has strengthened individual, organisational and community resilience, and such success is testament to a personal and value-driven leadership style that has done well to not only address immediate needs, but create an organisation fit for the future.

Andy Ferrier

Our fantastic Chief Executive, Andy Ferrier, demonstrates outstanding leadership every single day, and his contribution not just to our council but to the sector deserves to be recognised. Andy sets the tone for our organisation not just through what he says, but most importantly through his actions. Andy is unequivocal to all staff that our purpose is to deliver with and for our communities and his passion for defending & enabling local democracy has created something really quite special at Test Valley. He is passionate about systems leadership across local government, and about values-based leadership and management practices within the organisation, and he tirelessly empowers the leadership team and all staff to have meaningful opportunities to develop skills and understanding in both. What drives Andy is not the badge of being a Chief Executive, he believes it is about what you do with the role and the ability to make a genuinely positive impact on the people you work with, and most importantly through the results we deliver for our communities. He has led the way in enabling our staff to be individual and collective exemplars of outstanding local government leadership and his unique style and peerless dedication deserves recognition

Maxine O'Mahony

It is with great pleasure that I nominate Maxine O’Mahony for the Local Authority Chief Executive of the Year award. As the Leader of Breckland District Council and Chairman of the District Councils’ Network, I have significant experience and knowledge of Chief Executives across the Local Government family, be that working in County Councils, Unitaries or Districts. This has not only given me a deep understanding of the challenges and the context in which they operate but also the qualities required to be an outstanding Chief Executive in the current climate. I have no hesitation, therefore, in strongly and unreservedly recommending my Chief Executive, Max, for the award of Chief Executive of the year. Always a progressive leader and with her coaching mindset steering her forwards, Max’s commitment to an new operational model, utilising partnership for the successful delivery of targeted projects and schemes in support of the much-needed services across Breckland makes her an outstanding Chief Executive and exemplary in the field of modern leadership. When it comes to people development Max is passionate about growing our own talent and empowering them to reach their potential. Max has grasped the challenge of being a Chief Executive with a drive and determination that sets her aside from her peers. Having done so is keen to support and enable those around her to develop and progress within the sector, helping to provide a long-term source of talent. She is a true Modern Chief Executive of the Year.

Small Electrical Project

Durham County Council’s (DCC) Small Electrical Project is a high-profile county wide recycling and reuse scheme, providing residents with an avenue to repair, reuse and recycle small electricals. County Durham is the 6th largest authority in England with a population of over 533,000. This project is unique as no other Local Authority (LA) of this size offers its residents easily accessible avenues to every tier of the waste hierarchy in relation to Small Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (SWEEE), delivering a tailored message to each community in a large county. Some Local Authorities offer a kerbside recycling system, some run repair and reuse events, but none offer a project incorporating both to this scale. DCC offers an accessible network of 150 SWEEE recycling points in community venues, along with Repair Cafes every two weeks where items are repaired or donated to County Durham Furniture Help Scheme (CDFHS), a free repair service available to all County Durham residents throughout a cost-of-living crisis. The project also adapted to combat the rising trend of battery and vape related fires by ensuring that all 150 SWEEE recycling points are accompanied by battery recycling tubes and has recently incorporated 50 community based vape collection points. This project has had vast environmental benefits, collecting ever increasing tonnages of small electricals, batteries and vapes. This has been combined with significant community engagement, free electrical repairs and training opportunities as well as promoting cost-effective reuse through local charities who work at the heart of these communities.

Future Breckland Project

The development of Future Breckland Vision saw 22,000 people from across the community co-produce a vision for the future of each of the District's Market Towns. Ground breaking in its depth, and reach, this 18-month community engagement project aimed to align the community, stakeholders and partners towards a clear set of shared objectives for the future. Now completed, and co-owned, they are being delivered by the communities and partners that created them - leading to impressive and inspiring results, both big and small, across our District. Now embedded across partners ways of working its fully sustainable.

Outstanding Individual Contribution to Service Delivery

Jonathan Henderson is the epitome of a public servant, bringing continued enthusiasm, creativity and innovation to his role whilst inspiring others. His work covers a wide breadth and depth as Community Services Co-ordinator, from delivering £1 million in community grant aid, to engaging in potentially contentious bonfires, doubling participating sites in local Bonfire Protocol to reduce environmental and people antisocial behaviours. He successfully introduced 6 beacons in replacement of traditional bonfires. His work at Christmas to deliver an innovative, environmentally themed Christmas community programme incorporating a new host venue

Tottenham Voices

Tottenham Voices is a collaboration between Tottenham's communities, the council and partners to develop priorities for shaping Tottenham’s future. It builds on the conversations we’ve had with the community over the last few years about their experiences of Tottenham, with an increased focus on speaking to groups we haven't heard from yet. More than 750 residents including young people, businesses, creators, council partners and local heroes have been involved in Tottenham Voices in depth engagement programme so far. The programme has been an innovative way for the council to connect with the community actively. Alongside drop-ins and pop-ups, Tottenham Voices mixed it up with schools’ workshops where over 190 young people told us what they would do if they were mayor for a day, conversations around how Tottenham can become ‘Destination Tottenham’ for Euro 2028, DJ sessions and even a football tournament. Tottenham Voices ties into Haringey Council’s wider work on community engagement and participation through the Haringey Deal, our promise to residents on knowing our communities and getting the basics right. Haringey Council will be working with Tottenham Voices community groups on the ‘Shaping the Future of Tottenham' approach this spring, setting out priorities and a future placemaking action plan. Shaping Tottenham will be jointly owned with the community at the heart of what we do, and those who have helped to inform it. Together - we will strive for the best outcomes for Tottenham and its people.

Prevention and Wellbeing team – small changes making a big difference

The Prevention and Wellbeing team's purpose chimes with the council’s focus on prevention, early intervention and wellbeing and taking the long view – investing in prevention and early intervention to tackle problems before they escalate. They work with people who might have experienced anti-social behaviour, homelessness, bereavement, social isolation, low level mental health and difficulty connecting with community resources, or who need support but don’t meet the criteria or threshold for formal support. The team support people within their own communities to make connections, friendships and identify their own solutions to goals. The team encourage building relationships and safeguarding networks and supporting people away from formal care services. The team has a very specific approach. They deal with the person not the problem, and are making life-changing differences.

The Lambeth Changing Lives Programme

The Changing Lives programme is an exciting social value funding scheme established by the London Borough of Lambeth. The programme is built on partnerships between Lambeth Council and the private sector companies who operate within the borough. The scheme delivers an innovative and holistic approach to supporting voluntary organisations to increase community resilience, cohesion and engagement. It provides a targeted selection process and robust monitoring, rather than acting in an ad-hoc manner to disburse funds. The social value fund, established in 2020, aims to support community groups in improving their communities, complementing statutory and discretionary service provision, and building community resilience. The concept originated to support the Borough's most in need neighbourhoods following the Covid-19 outbreak. The scheme was scaled up in September 2021 and rebranded as Changing Lives, focusing on local priorities, fair competition, and recognition of the value of organizations. Phase 3 focused on revitalizing the community, assisting organizations during trying times, and promoting new initiatives. Data sets were used to assess consumer demand and problem areas, and the service was designed to support the Borough's most in need neighbourhoods. The service's multi-disciplinary approach involved Council Directorates and partner organizations, encompassing services from across the Authority. Service users were engaged through outreach and advice services, and modifications were made to the service design and operations in response to client input. The project aims to support the rebirth of important volunteer sector organizations and address the cost-of-living crisis in the Borough.

Shape Programme

The SHAPE Programme, is a pioneering initiative with a unique focus on amplifying the voices of children and young people to influence local government strategies and services. The initiative aligns with the 5 Every Child Matters outcomes, emphasizing safety, health, achievement, positive contribution, and economic wellbeing. The SHAPE Team, has consistently demonstrated exceptional enthusiasm and engagement. Their vision, "Every Child’s Voice Matters in Sandwell," is embodied in creating a safe space for young people to express their views authentically. Recognising that enabling a child's voice involves building confidence through trust, the team ensures a deep understanding of services, strategies, and policies, fostering co-creation with children. Expanding beyond initial objectives, SHAPE has integrated the child's voice into NHS Mental Health services, collaborating with mental health commissioners to address children's needs. The SHAPE Youth Forum, an integral component, serves as an open platform for young people to share experiences, participate in consultations, and contribute to coproduction initiatives, including the Council's Corporate Plan. The team's innovation extends to the Young People’s Communication Offer, SHAPE Survey, SHAPE Your Talent competition, SHAPE Summer Fest, SHAPE Our Future Conferences, and an Anti-Bullying Roadshow, all contributing to a holistic approach in engaging and empowering the community. This outstanding initiative has not only changed lives by fostering confidence and influencing positive change but has also significantly impacted the community. The measurable impact, evident in participant numbers and engagement, reflects the success of SHAPE in creating a lasting, positive influence on children, families, and the wider Sandwell community.

Partnership led Health Engagement with underserved communities in Redbridge

As part of our placed based partnership, Redbridge has taken a localised and sustainable approach to health engagement while working with our communities. With tightening budgets and widening health inequalities within the borough we have partnered with local charities and NHS organisations to develop two wellbeing cafes in our most deprived neighbourhoods and, a community kitchen for asylum seekers placed in our borough. By building trusted networks in the community and bringing in the right professionals, providing direct health interventions and helping to tackle wider determinants, we have built something that is improving outcomes for our residents and communities.

Alexis Chappell

This nomination is in recognition of the consistent improvement in adult social care in Sheffield since Alexis Chappell joined Sheffield City Council. Alexis is a strategic leader, always considers the bigger picture and has used strategic planning to propel adult social care in Sheffield forwards. She has demonstrated outstanding skills in monitoring and managing the adult social care budget and her progressive leadership embodies the Sheffield City Council values of honesty, openness, coproduction, and teamwork. Alexis recognises the value of relationships and works collaboratively with the Chief Executive, elected members, and colleagues within her own directorate. She is committed to joined up working across the health and social care sector in Sheffield and does not neglect the needs of the social care workforce. She has modernised and modified the culture of adult social care in Sheffield and , in doing this, she has transformed the ethos, the sustainability, and performance of adult social care in the city.

Sarah Hammond

Sarah Hammond is an outstanding DCS, Corporate Director of Children, Young People and Education, and a well-respected member of Kent County Council’s Corporate Management Team whose energy, positivity, and creativity is enthusing. She has led a sizable workforce consisting of multiple professional disciplines through both the high and low points for the services, striving continually to make positive change. Her performance is excellent and notably her operational leadership of the UAS Children situation in Kent has been exceptional and we hope that this can be recognised on a national level through the MJ Awards. Whilst the statutory role of a DCS by its nature consists of numerous core responsibilities and accountabilities, Sarah has demonstrated that she will continue to deliver above and beyond for the county’s children, young people, and their families. Sarah’s ability to juggle and effectively manage many different significant priorities whilst keeping a level head should not be underestimated and should be celebrated. She really is an exemplar of what a good DCS should look like and an asset to Kent County Council and her wider peer group..

Clare Fletcher

Clare Fletcher is a Strategic Director at Stevenage Borough Council and a financial heavyweight, which is exactly what the organisation requires following 15 years of austerity and the ongoing financial challenges facing local government. The council has ambitious plans but is under constant threat to maintain its sustainability. It is thanks to Clare’s expertise and financial knowledge that the council continues to have balanced books because of her understanding of General Fund and Housing Revenue Accounts, public sector finances, and funding opportunities. Clare continues to enjoy a successful career in local government, which began in 1986. She joined the Stevenage Borough Council Senior Management team in February 2008, following a several financial roles at North Herts District Council. She brings a wealth of experience to this critical role at Stevenage and is responsible for leading the council through the financial challenges and opportunities which lie ahead.

Bernie Enright

Bernie arrived in Manchester at a challenging moment – with the introduction of health integration and long-term pressures on social care. However, her work is personified by a strengths-based, collaborative and data driven approach to achieve the best outcomes for residents and Manchester. Better Outcomes, Better Lives is recognised as national best practice. She has had an impact both nationally and locally, but perhaps more important, she has done so with a smile. For these reasons, Bernie is a deserved candidate for Director of the Year.

Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health Programme

The West Yorkshire Trading Standards (WYTS) Cheap and Illicit Tobacco (CIT) Programme was set up in 2014 in response to a need to tackle the problematic issue of the illegal trade in cheap, untaxed tobacco products. Since the programme’s commencement, this small, dedicated team have made a phenomenal difference in disrupting organised crime and raising awareness of associated health inequalities across West Yorkshire. Innovative partnership working has resulted in outstanding outcomes, particularly over the last year. The illicit tobacco supply chain represents a network of organised criminality, often with the ‘front door’ of illegal tobacco sales in high street premises in deprived communities, but behind that a more sinister ‘business’ of human trafficking and modern slavery (HTMS), illegal immigration, drugs, money laundering and duty evasion. Shops operate under a guise of selling legal produce. Subsidised or free business rates allow criminals to operate ‘under the radar’, with little information collected by authorities as to business ownership. Anonymised ‘owners’ and staff are moved from store to store to avoid identification and responsibility.

Reach Out

Reach Out, Redbridge’s in-house domestic abuse service, was re-launched in 2023. The service provides comprehensive support to survivors, children, and perpetrators. Reach Out’s holistic approach not only results in improvements to survivors’ and children’s safety but also broader outcomes like financial stability, housing, and health. The council's public consultation in 2022 identified domestic abuse as a top priority for residents. SafeLives, a leading domestic abuse charity, reviewed Redbridge's response, leading to the transformation of Reach Out to become a single front door for domestic abuse. Reach Out focuses on increasing referrals, improving safety, reducing barriers for marginalised communities, and intervening with perpetrators. The service collaborates with various agencies and community organisations to address the multi-faceted challenges that survivors face. Our case studies highlight Reach Out's success in delivering improved outcomes for survivors and their children. The service also works with perpetrators to reduce violent behaviours, showcasing positive outcomes and a reduction in Social Care involvement and Police call outs, therefore easing pressure on statutory services. Recognised for innovation, Reach Out explores the use of virtual reality use as a tool for behaviour change and has drawn interest from other local authorities. Despite financial constraints, the service maintains a collaborative, ambitious approach with the well-being and safety of survivors and children at the heart of everything it does.

People Powered Places

Newham's People Powered Places programme, initiated in 2018, exemplifies a beacon of participatory democracy, demonstrating effective cross-sector collaboration and efficient use of resources in public services. This flagship initiative has engaged over 10,000 residents in directing £1.68 million of Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding towards 119 local projects in 2023 alone, with over 320 projects in total funded since its inception. Regarded as one of the UK's largest participatory budgeting initiatives, People Powered Places has spurred lasting transformation across Newham, markedly improving engagement between the Council and residents. The programme's strength lies in its cross-directorate approach, uniting various council departments with the voluntary, community and faith sector. This collaborative method has achieved more with less, aligning diverse sectoral efforts towards common community goals, and transforming Newham’s neighbourhoods and public spaces with community-led solutions that benefit local residents more widely. The programme's appeal to external stakeholders is evident in the attraction of additional funding sources, notably the significant Royal Docks contribution. This innovative use of funds has expanded the range of impactful projects such as community gardens and murals, or mental health peer support groups, each addressing local priorities and reflecting community needs. With the introduction of People Powered Places 2023-25, an additional £1.68 million has been allocated for Newham's further development, highlighting the Council’s commitment to a "People Powered Newham" and aligning with its four-year Corporate Plan, 'Building a Fairer Newham'. People Powered Places sets a new standard in community-driven decision-making, ensuring continued advancements in delivery and engagement.

Wirral Family Toolbox Alliance

Since April 2022, an innovative service in Wirral has empowered thousands of families to transform their own lives and improve their quality-of-life outcomes, whilst also reducing referrals to our Early Help team by 27%. The Family Toolbox is a relatively new service which is available to all families in Wirral who want some free information, resources, or support to help their family be the best it can be. The Toolbox is the first Council-supported alliance for Children’s Services in the country and is unlike any other offer that has been available in Wirral before, because it is free from referral processes, free of criteria and thresholds, and free of time restrictions. The Alliance is a group of providers (plus the council) who choose to work with one another and are contracted together to work towards a common goal. The Toolbox prioritises people over systems and makes sure that all families can access something that can help them straight away. This open-door policy removes any potential barriers or complications to accessing our services, which encourages engagement from families, and maximises our chances to engage with our harder to reach communities. Furthermore, the Family Toolbox streamlines the offer that is available for families on Wirral, acting as one easy-to-access front door to any type of support they may need. The Family Toolbox Alliance consists of seven voluntary organisations offering a vast range of support services for all members of the family.

Haringey Council’s Housing Delivery Team

Haringey Council should win for the scale and ambition of its need-led programme which aims to build 3,000 council homes by 2031. With 2,118 new council homes completed or underway, with 500 more expected to complete by summer 2024, more residents will soon echo one mother’s words: “my daughter fell in love with the house, her dream home”. Haringey’s programme uses Innovative technologies and careful design to deliver sustainable homes to tackle climate change, bespoke homes adapted for tenants’ specific needs, family-sized homes and placemaking, and empowers residents with extensive community engagement. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, describes Haringey’s approach as “a game-changer”.

ABZWorks Employability Support for Care Experienced Young People

Care experienced young people (CEYP) face significantly greater challenges in life than their peers, and their outcomes are, generally speaking, poorer, with much higher rates of offending, substance use, teen pregnancies, homelessness, greater risk of abuse and exploitation than non-care experienced young people, and lower rates of employment, school level qualifications and securing and sustaining further and higher education. Aberdeen Ciyt Council's ABZWorks employability service decided to grasp the nettle, and work with CEYP to increase engagement with employability services, co-designing projects and programmes with them, creating a paid internship scheme within the authority with supportive managers, and by forging closer links with the social work youth team. The results have been incredible, with numbers participating in employability activities increasing more than ten-fold, and young people not only securing, but also sustaining employment and higher education outcomes. The team has built trust with a group of marginalised young people who just needed some support and understanding, fostered pride and belief in themselves, created opportunities for more CEYP, and a legacy for others who, having seen young people from similar backgrounds do well, believe that a trusted team of professionals can and will work with them to help them realise their potential.

Skills Launchpad Plymouth

Plymouth City Council offers support for local people through a single skills system, Skills Launchpad Plymouth. This service works in city-wide partnership with employers, training providers and support organisations to connect businesses and the people of Plymouth with opportunities for skills, training, education, careers and jobs, digitally through www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk and physically from a central location and in community settings. With an aim to ‘join the dots’ between local people and opportunities, using a holistic approach, recognising that one size does not fit all, the team develop a personalised skills action plan, acknowledging the individual’s aspirations, any barriers, and make informed recommendations and connections for next steps. The evidence of the impact of this multi-agency approach is: • Over 45K unique visitors have accessed the nationally acknowledged virtual service www.skillslaunchpadplym.co.uk • Over 1,500 people have developed skills action plans • 690+ young people supported with 289 transitions into employment, and a further 252 transitions into education and/or training – and a second year of DWP funding from April 2023. • 435+ adults supported centrally with 137 transitions into employment, and a further 80 transitions into education and/or training. • A further 422 people supported through community engagement, transitioning 103 into employment and a further 104 into education and/or training. • Of the four complete contracts, with progression targets of getting 30% engaged into work or training, all four contracts over performed (youth 74%, adult 51%, community 50%) and 820 individuals engaged in pre-employability and/or mental health support to improve their lives.

Derby City Council’s forward-thinking AI vision – embracing technology to enhance community engagement.

Derby City Council's AI-driven transformation epitomises a pioneering approach in local government, setting a new standard for digital innovation in public service delivery. Facing a challenging financial landscape, with a £14M funding gap and escalating costs, the Council, in collaboration with Derby Homes, embarked on an ambitious journey to integrate AI technology into their service model. This innovative vision led to the introduction of AI assistants Darcie and Ali, transforming the two main switchboards into a 24/7 digital hub for resident engagement. This ground-breaking initiative marks the Council as the first in local government to deploy phone-based AI as a digital gatekeeper. The AI solutions, developed with ICS.AI, are proficient in over 1,000 council and housing services. They exemplify advanced conversational AI and natural language processing capabilities, handling simple enquiries and referring to human advisors where required, thereby enhancing service quality and experience. Significantly, within six months of implementation, these AI tools managed over 195,000 phone calls and 18,000 website interactions, addressing more than 327,000 individual questions. The system’s efficiency is further evidenced by its 41% deflection rate from human advisors, which not only met but exceeded the target, leading to substantial cost savings of over £100,000. This AI transformation is not just about technology; it's a cultural shift towards better, more efficient public services. The Council’s dedication to continuous improvement and resident-centric services is evident. They plan to extend AI applications to broader services, demonstrating a sustainable model for operational excellence and cost-effectiveness in local government.

Digitally Delivery of Qualifications @SWConnects – a virtual learning campus for secondary schools across South-West Scotland

@SWConnects is an effective digital delivery model for qualifications across all secondary schools in Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Councils. We embedded existing technology to bring about real change in broadening the curriculum to meet future needs. Learning through @SWConnects addressed inequity of subject choice in rural areas where resources prevented offering a range of Advanced Highers in all schools. Analysis showed that schools with a limited offer had proportionately higher numbers of children from poorer households. This collaboration has designed a sustainable digital solution, with results and pupil evaluation comparing well to class-based teaching.

Markets , Shop Fronts & Street Trading Services - Openmarkets..org digital platform

Post-covid, UK markets lost £200m in licensing revenue during lockdown and 80% of market operators are apprehensive about the future. The London Markets Board stressed that trader numbers have not recovered post-lockdown and that encouraging more young traders needed to be a priority . Our Digital app improves licensing efficiency and maximises market occupancy to stimulate growth of our High Streets. This one stop solution unleashes the entrepreneurial spirit of market traders whilst increasing the resilience and diversity of London's markets thus creating thriving and prosperous incubation hubs for small and micro businesses. While there have been investments encouraging new traders and training, such as Tomorrow’s Markets, a large amount of the funding has been directed towards the physical infrastructure of markets, such as the regeneration of markets. While this physical investment is well placed, there is growing evidence from feedback of our platform and three years of year on year market occupancy levels bucking the national trend and maximising ROI of these investments at a fraction of the cost of the investments in physical spaces, whilst also creating vibrant and prosperous markets, which also then benefits wider high streets and hospitality businesses through increased footfall. Our App & Markets have increased footfall by up to 25% with shoppers also spending more in shops and other associated bricks and mortar operators. OpenMarkets is designed as a digital hub to help LAs to maximise returns on investment in physical space by making it easier for traders to find, access business opportunities.

Digitalisation of the Waste Management System

Waste collection crews are on the very frontline of local authority service delivery. If a resident’s bin isn’t collected on the day it should be and by the time it normally is, questions are asked. But waste collection route planning and management is an incredibly complex science, with little room for error. Gravesham Borough Council has revolutionised its service delivery through digitalisation of its management, giving crews out on the road and back-office staff access to real time information to keep collections bang on track.

Dorset Council: Planning for the Future

Dorset Council - Planning for the Future: Our new Dorset Planning Authority is on a transformation journey. So far we've converged 6 legacy planning, building control, land charges and GIS systems into DEF's MasterGov system to help us deliver excellent customer service, and underpin the economic regeneration of Dorset. Our service is now more resilient and productive. We've improved our customer experience and cleared the backlogs. Our validation, planning applications and land charges backlogs are now being validated within statutory guidelines. From this solid base we're continuing to transform and build a planning authority for the future - doing planning differently. We've created an 'Embedding the Change' people movement within planning to create a #oneteam service and build a sustainable change and support network that will continue long after this programme finishes. With DLUHC PropTech funding, we investigated ways to encourage the public to engage with the planning system, and as a result, are working with DEF to redesign and develop a new digital planning platform. This will help the public easily track planning applications, by individual application, application types or a map based area. Our aim is to try to shift the experience from an interaction based around failure or making an objection to something more positive. With DLUHC PSIF funding we're working with DEF and the Planning Portal to reduce the number of invalid planning applications we receive via the planning portal using the Biodiversity checklist as pilot and improving engagement, customer experience and back office productivity.

Gamify Plan Making

Young people particularly are underrepresented in local planning processes we wanted to change this so looked to digital tools available to bridge this gap and at the same time streamline the plan-making process, making it fun and engaging for everyone. Embracing technology available in virtual reality headsets meant communities informed their Growth Plan through an innovative virtual reality.

Aberdeen City Council's 37,000 Streetlights just got smarter!

Until 2015 Aberdeen’s streetlights supplied light, but they were old, inefficient, expensive to run and maintain, difficult to inventory and a drain on Staff time. Now, when a node detects a fault, it notifies our asset management system, it generates a repair ticket automatically. With recent hikes in electricity prices, estimated financial savings to the Council have gone from £1 million to £5 million per year saving 60% energy. In addition, the new system incorporates sensors to help prevent flooding and are connected to ‘20mph’ and ‘Safer Routes to Schools’, controlling signs. This innovative digital transforms city life for all - with so much potential for wider applications. Looking forward we have big plans to expand the technology to revolutionise services in transport systems, parking, air quality, and winter maintenance digitalisation, including gritting.

Application rationalisation

Newcastle City Council (NCC) identified the result of more and more processes being digitised across the organisation was a proliferation of software tools. The consequent sprawl of applications was creating a number of challenges related to cost, support and training overheads and added complexity and delivery delays. The council embarked on an application rationalisation and consolidation journey to streamline its operations, improve customer experience, and increase efficiencies. Recognising the need for modernisation and the opportunity to replace overlapping functionality, NCC evaluated a number of options before opting for a Low-Code application development platform and Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to drive innovation in service delivery. NCC's digital transformation initiative had significant positive impacts on both residents and the community at large. By streamlining processes and integrating systems, NCC enhanced service delivery, leading to a better experience for residents. With quicker response times and more efficient operations, citizens have benefited from increased responsiveness and improved access to services. Newcastle City Council's digital approach to application rationalisation and organisational transformation, facilitated by a low-code application development platform, revolutionised local government services, structure, strategy, and culture. Through simplification, automation, and integration, NCC achieved tangible benefits, including cost savings, efficiency gains, and enhanced citizen and employee experiences, ultimately leading to a more responsive, agile, and citizen-centric local government.

Changing lives through a commitment to Inclusive Employment

The East of England Co-op is the largest independent retailer operating in the East of England. Proving food stores and specialist services, such as funerals, security, travel and petrol filling stations to communities across Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. As a co-operative business, it puts its members first. Its focus has always been, and always will be, the local communities in the areas it serves. This community-centred approach makes it the ideal partner for ECL’s Inclusive Employment initiative, which supports people with learning disabilities and/autism to achieve their ambitions of meaningful, paid employment. ECL’s Inclusive Employment service matches talented individuals to meet the needs of businesses, creating a successful working relationship that enables the candidate to develop their skills and achieve their goal of becoming more independent. They provide on-the-job coaching and mentoring for as long as is needed to ensure that both the individual and the employer have the best experience. In July 2022, the East of England Co-op and ECL formed a dynamic partnership that has already gained considerable momentum. Eighteen months on, both organisations are helping people in Essex with learning disabilities and autism achieve their ambitions of paid employment with great success.

Assistive Technology in Kirklees Children's Services

Kirklees Council is passionate about helping our children, young people, and families to achieve the best possible outcomes. We work collaboratively to do this, seizing opportunities that make efficient use of our financial resources, and are proud to share our innovation with the MJ Awards. Meaningful engagement with local children and young people who experience Special Educational Needs and or Disabilities (SEND) and their families, has demonstrated the requirement for flexible and timely support, tailored to meet unmet social care needs and enable independence. This created the Kirklees Children’s Services Assistive Technology (AT) Project. By innovating, planning, implementing, reviewing, and learning from creative AT approaches, Kirklees Council’s Children’s Services have worked collaboratively with children, young people, and families, to ensure we are inclusive, embrace diversity, and have created a climate for meaningful participation. In doing so, we have started to evidence positive outcomes and a lasting impact on local children & young people who experience special educational needs and or disabilities.

Brent Health Matters

Brent Health Matters (BHM) is a cross-organisational partnership specifically formed to reduce health inequalities across Brent, consisting of a dedicated council team, the Public Health Team, local NHS trusts, health educators, VCS organisations and the community itself, including over 40 volunteer Community Champions. Fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion that permeates throughout the partnership and into the community is a key strength of the BHM programme. Brent is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country, and just one of two boroughs where more than half of the population are born outside of the UK. It also has significant areas of deprivation, another key factor contributing to health inequalities. In responding to the health needs of varied and diverse communities, BHM takes a frontline approach centred around ‘working with,’ as opposed to ‘doing to’ communities. BHM is committed to co-production and capacity-building – working directly with communities and their cultural and religious organisations to co-design services and improve health and wellbeing outcomes. The examples discussed in this response describe how BHM’s diverse network of staff and volunteers was pivotal to engaging both the Somali and Diu community in order to tackle significant health inequalities. Moreover, the programme has long recognised the importance and value in diverse recruitment among staff and volunteers and, over the last year, it has become more obvious than ever, that an outreach programme such as BHM has the capacity to create employment pathways into public service roles, especially for local people from BAME

Local Voices - Co-production

The Tackling Poverty & Inequalities Lived Experience Forum was developed to ensure those voices least heard are supported to participate in service design, review, co-production, and budget allocation. The forum uses space on the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Website - Our Aberdeenshire. A safe, hidden, online space has been created, led by those in the forum, resulting in an honest conversation around the area under discussion. The forum is made up of parents that are from across Aberdeenshire and reflect the priority families within the Child Poverty Act. All have an income less than £15,000 per year. People's identity is kept confidential at the request of those in the forum due to fear surrounding the perceived stigma of living in poverty. Since its inception three years ago, the team has developed the model which now offers a wider range of ways for local people to have their voices heard. The structure has been built as a result of annual feedback from local voices, identifying the unheard voices and partners. There is recognition that some of the less heard voices require additional support to participate in decision making. The partnership approach used through the Aberdeenshire Lived Experience Network amplifies voices from diverse sectors and ensures that co-production is embedded in practice.

Taking action to Increase representation on boards across Westminster voluntary and community organisations and supporting career development

We have set out a programme of initiatives and measures to address our pay gaps, committing to fairness, equality and access to opportunity for all. A Fairer Westminster is the Council’s vision for building a city that supports and celebrates all of our communities, by working directly with our residents, communities and businesses to build a more inclusive City. This commitment has led to the organisation delivering a programme to support better representation on boards across Westminster voluntary and community organisations, building greater trust, communication and co-operation making a real impact in the community and supporting employee career development.

Drug Interventions Programme

The Treatment Referral Team (TRT) breaks the link between drug addiction and criminal behaviour by providing appropriate treatment and care pathways for individuals in or leaving the criminal justice system. Comprehensive, intricate, and strategic efforts unequivocally underscore the team's resolute dedication to holistic care, community engagement, and proactive measures. Their pioneering initiatives not only position them as a transformative and influential driving force within the borough but also set an exemplary standard for the implementation of effective, empathetic, and sustainable interventions that resonate deeply within the community's ethos. The team's performance, energy and commitment to local community deserve recognition nationally. TRT includes Women’s Criminal Justice Pathways (WCJP) that is an innovative approach to ensure diversity and inclusion for women in or at risk of contact with the Criminal Justice System. It directly impacts service design, strategy and menu of interventions in Tower Hamlets. We ensure that women have a chance to stay within their community, address their criminogenic needs and access services tailored to them. WCJP reach women that have been overlooked and forgotten by general services designed for men. This ambitious project set within Community Safety Directorate plans to expand to wider council services, promoting diverse and inclusive modern borough.

Cheers M'Dears - Banbury Community Support Service

Oxfordshire County Council’s Banbury Community Support Service (CSS) is the perfect example of a team using innovation and coproduction to develop programmes that make a real difference to the people they support. The service supports adults with additional needs, including people with learning disabilities, autism and dementia, offering day sessions that enabling them to live happy, fulfilling lives. Staff work alongside the adults who use the service, regularly asking them what changes could be made to make their centre even better. And in spring last year, the proposal was made for a new, inclusive ‘pub room’ to be created. For the adults who use the centre, a space where they could relax, have fun and socialise is something they really missed. By working together, thinking innovatively and using new and established community connections, Cheers M’Dears pub opened in June 2023, at no cost to the council. It is regularly used by the people who come to the centre and is hired out privately by adults with additional needs, allowing them to celebrate special occasions in this accessible and joyful space. Service users, GU and and AC commented: “I like going to our pub room on a Friday, it lifts my spirits to be with friends, it always feels fun and safe’’ and "the pub room is easy to get around. I can get inside easily with my wheelchair. It is a happy place to have a drink and a chat amongst friends" Cheers M'Dears!

Transforming Care Placements for Children in Wakefield

How do you improve placement sufficiency without increasing places? How do you increase every success measure for children in council care while avoiding increasing costs? And how do you improve staff satisfaction at the same time? Ask Wakefield Council. In one year, it has transformed its approach to children’s homes and 16+ support, creating two-bed homes while closing its larger provision.The new two-bed homes are as close to a family environment as possible, making the transition to foster care much smoother. Children and young people and staff talk about the benefits of closer relationships. The stability provided by the new smaller homes has helped children there improve on all measures, from SDQ scores to education attendance, with a materially reduced risk of exploitation and missing episodes. Driving a 60% reduction in out-of-area placements and halving of placement moves to 6.5% (beating the national average of 10%) are brilliant achievements delivered by working smarter with the same resource. Demonstrating bravery and ambition for all children and young people, Wakefield has also opened the UK’s only therapeutic children’s home for de-escalating severe trauma, co-funded by health partners. With an approach described by Ofsted as “innovative” it was rated outstanding on its first visit and has helped young people make incredible progress. There’s no magic wand on sufficiency, but Wakefield has proved that providing the right kind of placements–not necessarily more–can reduce both moves and out of area placements, with incredible benefits for children and young people in care.

Dementia Strategy

Coproduction has been the corner stone of the development and implementation of the system wide Isle of Wight Dementia Strategy and delivering on its objectives and improving outcomes for the community. Dementia is fast becoming the UK’s largest health and social care challenge. The Isle of Wight’s aging population makes it even more important for local system partners to work together to address this challenge. Recent population projections published by the ONS predict that by 2026 one third of the Isle of Wight population will be over 65 years old. The development of the strategy was led by the local voluntary sector organisations who support people living with dementia and their families on a daily basis. The content and aspirations of the strategy were guided and informed by local people with lived experience and their carers from the outset. That group became the implementation board to hold the system to account for delivery of the key objectives and outcomes. Key impacts: 4 new Dementia Navigators have already supported 770 people in the community. Increase in IW NHS Memory Service assessments. Dementia Outreach Team has reduced average length of stay for people detained under the Mental Health Act from 313 days in 2021 to 62 days in 2023. 2 new associated Dementia Associate roles in the hospital now offer day to day support for people with dementia and their families. 350 hospital staff already completed the new programme of dementia training. Free dementia training offered to all 106 Island care providers.

Bekindtomymind

Bolton’s young people are leading the way in designing a mental health movement based on authentic, real-life experiences. Bekindtomymind is an innovative and trailblazing mental health programme designed and implemented by young people working alongside the council and health partners. Developed over a period of six years, young people and services have worked together through genuine co-production, challenge and support to deliver a whole package of mental health support. This includes a one-point directory of mental health services, awareness raising campaigns, young people friendly pathways and mental health in schools champions.

Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Programme

The Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Programme (PSEP) has been developed to provide disabled adults with an alternative to traditional day services. In the last year the programme has become pivotal in the transformation of day services in Pembrokeshire and is now seen as central to the modern day service offered. The programme has its foundation in the social model of disability with a focus on creating capability rather than just managing need; it is multi-generational and based on a shared interest rather than diagnosis or shared disability. Learning is based on a positive behavioural support approach which has been very successful at supporting even those people with behaviours that challenge to engage in a work based service or to become employed. The programme is constructed around a series of income generating services that deliver support to the council as a whole (not just social care) working in partnership with a range of departments including culture, leisure, library services, social care, waste management and grounds maintenance teams as well as employability support teams. The programme currently provided supported employment to around 75 people with a disability and supports another approximately 90 people to volunteer, attending around 25,000 hours a year, in work based situations rather than going to a traditional day service. Work includes catering, retail, woodland management (including a saw mill), grounds maintenance, manufacturing, admin, social media, creative industries and design. This provides a wide range of opportunities to meet both the skills and preferences of the people it supports.

North Somerset Nurture

North Somerset Nurture - The North Somerset Nurture Pilot implemented a transformative program across five primary and secondary schools that yielded substantial improvements in supporting students with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs following a sharp rise in need amongst our children. Results include a 4.68% average increase in attendance, 53 fewer suspensions, and marked growth in developmental and behavioural scores based on Boxall Profiles. These outcomes underscore the effectiveness of critical program features like nurturing rooms and whole school nurture principles. Given the initiative's success, North Somerset Council endorses Nurture as a strategic, efficient approach for addressing SEMH needs. The scalability of this model is evidenced by the involvement of eight additional North Somerset schools in NurtureUK training, aligning with the Council's goal to implement Nurture principles across all educational settings. The accompanying "Nurture Evaluation 2023" report provides in-depth analysis of the pilot, detailing quantitative improvements and universally positive feedback from children, parents and practitioners. The report provides valuable insights that highlight the clear benefits of the Nurture approach, and constructive recommendations to support future rollouts, including proper resourcing for nurture rooms and engaging parents as partners in the initiative. This pioneering initiative exemplifies a collaborative, innovative model that delivers cost-effective, transformative change. The North Somerset Nurture Pilot demonstrates the potential for similar relationship-based strategies to dramatically improve student outcomes through enhancements in emotional wellbeing and school climate. Its success makes a strong case for wider adoption of Nurture programs.

North London Waste Authority

mj-awards-v18.pdf

London Borough of Waltham Forest Council

mj-award-category-innovation-in-delivering-sustainability-and-social-value-submission-jan-2024.pdf

Gravesham Borough Council

mj-awards-innovation-in-sustainability-ellenor-hospice-final.pdf

Tendring District Council

mj-awards-submission.docx

Hackney Council

hcef-mj-awards-bid-1.pdf

Southend-on-Sea City Council

mj-inovation-in-housing-final.docx

A decade of delivering commercial resilience & community value

In 2013, the London Borough of Hounslow (LBH) established Lampton Group as a wholly-owned council company to deliver both commercial resilience and community value. Despite the last decade representing a period of volatility for local authorities, the partnership has thrived and evolved rapidly by leveraging the innovative Local Authority Trading Company (LATCo) model. Utilising its unparalleled knowledge of the borough to provide a tailored service with excellent results, Lampton Group supports key Council functions through its property, housing maintenance, waste management, parks maintenance and leisure business units. Exemplifying the value of creative business models, the partnership guarantees complete alignment with the Council’s mission, propelling Hounslow towards key targets. Going beyond service delivery, the partnership empowers LBH and Lampton Group to address the diverse and evolving needs of Hounslow’s community while ensuring financial sustainability. With a recent Local Government Association survey finding 1 in 5 local authorities at risk of bankruptcy, Lampton Group’s LATCo structure provides LBH with greater operational flexibility and creates new channels to generate revenue.

Partnership working with Thames Water Ltd

The Council recognised that due to the increasing levels of pollution in the local rivers it needed to take more action. This was despite not having any legislative powers nor direct responsibility. Past demands for improvements had been largely ignored and regulators were not holding the water companies to account. A new approach was needed. The Council applied a partnership approach to the situation, starting regular meetings with Thames Water, which focused on building a greater understanding of the key issues and developing a culture of both mutual respect and trust, thus leading to genuine partnership working. The team were supported throughout by local campaign group Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP), bringing together local communities, Thames Water and the Council in a constructive way for the first time. It has led to actions that would not previously have been achieved. Key outcomes since the new approach started included making much better use of the planning system to account for sewage in new developments, serious examination of the capacity of sewage works and sewer networks with a view to improvement work and rapid resolution of problems relating to individual streets and homes. The work also influenced the introduction of new reporting tools for residents across the Thames Water catchment. We believe this is a unique partnership, built on mutual trust and informed challenge, has enabled effective change. We have seen more progress to tackle this issue and have set a solid foundation to making further improvements in future.

Step Forward Luton

Step Forward Luton is an innovative approach to place brand marketing in partnership. Throughout the first half of 2023, partners across the public, private and voluntary and community sector in Luton worked closely with Luton Council and an externally commissioned agency to develop a new place brand to market Luton as a great place to live, work, study, visit and invest – the result of this is Step Forward Luton, which formally launched in August 2023. A wide variety of partners from all sectors played a leading role in shaping the brand’s personality, design and key messages, with several local creative businesses commissioned to develop key marketing assets, including a new website, physical promotion, digital media and merchandise. Partners from a range of large and small businesses, community organisations, schools, colleges and residents then played a leading role in launching and leading the development of Step Forward Luton as place brand ambassadors, coordinating a series of marketing, events and competitions with the council’s dedicated place brand team. The result is a new coordinated approach to place marketing across all organisations and all parts of our community, which has already had an impact, reaching over 400,000 people through various marketing streams, attracting national media attention and helping to bring significant national events to Luton. By working in partnership, we have been able to achieve far more reach and impact in a short space of time than we could have achieved with a council-led place brand.

Women in Health Scheme

The Tower Hamlets Together Partnership is committed to enhancing equity in health and wellbeing for our residents. Across our NHS, Local Authority and Community and Voluntary Sector partners we are delivering on this ambition, for example through our highly successful Women In Health Scheme, which the partnership ran between September 2022 and August 2023. The aim of the Women in Health Scheme was to support under-employed and under-represented women (from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds currently not in employment, education or training) to find employment within our local health services. It did this by providing work placements paid at London Living Wage alongside other employment support and skills training. The scheme had the dual purpose of both improving health outcomes for these women through accessing meaningful employment and increasing the diversity and representativeness of our workforce in our multicultural borough. The scheme was a true partnership effort: London Borough of Tower Hamlets and our community and voluntary sector partners identified residents who would benefit most from the scheme and helped provide skills training, with the placements being offered and facilitated within Barts Health NHS Trust. The scheme was highly successful: all placements were filled and so far 62% of participants have found permanent employment, 50% of these within our local health services. Due to this success, the scheme is planned to run again in 2024 and will be extended to other parts of our health system, including primary care settings, to widen the impact it will have.

River Severn Partnership

It’s no exaggeration to say the work of the River Severn Partnership will transform lives and localities for generations to come. The UK’s first strategic rural partnership has brought together partners across the Severn Catchment in England and Wales to deliver an integrated approach to resilience in areas blighted by flooding. Crucially, it’s fundamentally altering the way we manage and utilise rivers by viewing them as a social, environmental and economic asset, rather than a liability. The partnership, which includes councils, national agencies, wildlife trusts and local nature groups, has attracted unprecedented levels of government funding as it develops and delivers a growing range of innovative projects across an area that’s home to 2.6 million people. They include projects marrying green growth with climate resilience and piloting new ways of harnessing technology to predict and prevent flooding. Described by the Environment Agency as “an outstanding partnership”, it’s created a powerful vehicle for change. “Recent years have seen multiple serious flooding events hit many communities and businesses along the River Severn,” explains Cllr Lezley Picton, leader of Shropshire Council. “This partnership brings a truly united approach to mitigating flooding and the effects of climate change for communities. But more than that, it’s also enabling us to harness the River Severn as an asset in our efforts to guide sustainable economic growth in the region. The scope and scale of what’s possible through this partnership goes way beyond what Shropshire Council or any partner could achieve on their own.”

Stockport’s DigiKnow – an innovative partnership tackling digital exclusion

"I'm in my 80s now, so I don't get out as much as I used to. I feel like this has opened things up again for me. Everything is on a computer these days." “This has transformed my life and given me a new focus. I turn up to the classes with a smile on my face." Positive testimonials from just a few of the 50,000 individuals who have improved their digital confidence and skills by Stockport’s Digiknow Alliance – an 80 strong partnership of public, commercial, education, community and voluntary sector who have collaboratively introduced dynamic trailblazing projects, both locally and nationally, that have led the way in digital inclusion – the latest addition being our collaboration with Sky and Age UK. Stockport has the first Sky Up Digital Hub in Greater Manchester bringing a place where people can get help and support in person in their neighbourhood. Without digital, it’s harder to stay in touch with family and friends or join in with community activities that combat social isolation and with the cost-of-living crisis a priority for us all, people who are offline miss out of benefits, support, advice, and savings on essential items. The partnership is delivering on its ambitious commitment that no one would face inequalities because they lacked the skills, devices or data to get online. Creating a fairer Stockport where everyone has equal opportunity, and no one is left behind.

Sustainable South Tyneside

South Tyneside Council is committed to sustainability, carbon reduction, enhanced biodiversity and a thriving environment. With ambitious aims of being carbon neutral by 2030, we have taken a plethora of measures to reach Net Zero, demonstrating leadership and collaboration across our borough, region, and nation. Our carbon reductions to date have seen us surpass our original interim targets, spearheaded by the successful delivery of renewable energy projects to meet the needs of our Council-owned buildings – though our real achievements have shone through partnership work we’ve conducted both with regional partners, businesses and residents, but also as part of the Local Government Association too. We have employed ingenuity and innovation in our approach, all the while helping to educate our residents, business owners, partners, regional neighbours, and ourselves on the importance of a greener, cleaner way of living.

Zero Carbon Calderdale

A Climate Emergency was declared by Calderdale Metropolitan Borough Council in 2019. Calderdale’s Climate Action Plan 2023-2026 was co-created by the Climate Committee's thematic working groups working towards a Net Zero target by 2038. Between 2021 and 2023, the Climate & Environment completed extensive consultations with 750 people to co-develop targeting and measures for Climate Actions. The Climate Action Partnership aligns with the Vision for Calderdale, acknowledging climate resilience is inextricably linked with reducing inequality and thriving places. The board provides a representation of different perspectives with anchor organisations, councillors, SMEs, voluntary community organisations, as well as individuals. The Plan is sustained through Climate Action sitting within three corporate priorities of the council's Corporate Plan with the LGA Corporate Peer Challenge review highlighting “progressive partnership practice”. Leadership have accessed UK100 Climate Leadership training and co-development of an Influencing Strategy to lobby for actions needed beyond the borough. The dedicated Climate Communications team have invested in their market campaigning with the brand Net Zero Calderdale and newsletter to raise awareness of the borough-wide climate activity. Strategic projects sitting within the actions of the Theme Groups of the Partnership have accessed regional and national funding to lead the West Yorkshire region in demonstrating innovative, scalable solutions for buildings, energy, transport, climate adaptation, and nature-based solutions including Innovate UK Sustainable Places retrofit barriers research delivering a Citizens Jury; a Local Area Energy Plan with digital twin modelling; climate data dashboard webpage and Calderdale’s Ecological Emergency Officer development of Calderdale’s Wildlife & Biodiversity Network.

People Powered Policy - Lancaster City Council

The importance that planning can play in achieving net zero cannot be underestimated. Lancaster City Council’s (LCC’s) Climate Emergency Local Plan Review (CELPR) was the first of its kind in the country to partially review a Local Plan focusing purely on reassessing planning policies in terms of addressing climate adaption and mitigation. Its road towards adoption has not been straightforward with central government’s inconsistency of interpretation of national guidance resulting in LCC having to be inventive in its engagement methods and applying a continued and persistent level of tenacity and determination not commonly seen in the plan making process. It is considered that LCC’s demonstrable leadership on this issue on a national stage has led to direct amendments finally being made to national policy, which will see the CELPR achieving what it set out to do, that is, drive tangible and measurable transformation in tackling climate change through planning policy. The culmination of Lancaster’s determination over the last 12 months to lead on the matter of Local Authority led climate action saw LCC topping the leader board for district council’s for the Climate Emergency UK national scorecards, (Oct 2023) scoring 85% in the Planning and Land use category - the highest in the country. This has been achieved in an environment where funding for LA’s continues to reduce and the CELPR project and its engagement had to be funded through existing internal budgets with no additional resource support.

Westminster City Council’s Leadership in Responding to the Climate Emergency

Westminster City Council is a leader in addressing the climate emergency, securing the top position among single-tier authorities in the 2023 Climate Emergency UK scorecards. Our Climate Emergency Action Plan drives measurable progress, intricately weaving climate priorities within Council-wide strategies and programmes, demonstrating a holistic commitment to reduce inequalities and delivering a Fairer Westminster. Westminster’s unique challenges highlight the imperative for collaborative decarbonisation efforts, which we have demonstrated through initiatives like the Future of Westminster Commission, Retrofit Taskforce and Citizens’ Climate Assembly, incorporating diverse perspectives and expertise in our response to the climate emergency. Our global collaboration with the NetZero Cities Twinning Programme and regional involvement in London Councils’ Climate Programme amplify our commitment to collaboration beyond city borders. This effective collaborative working is evident as we have implemented over 50 innovative projects across diverse sectors, celebrating milestones like the most successful local authority green bond, a pioneering Retrofit Taskforce, the UK’s most extensive EV charging network and largest electric refuse collection fleet. Community engagement remains central to our response, amplified through the legacy of the inaugural Westminster Citizens’ Climate Assembly, complemented by initiatives like the Citizens' Climate Action Committee, a place-based volunteer Climate Champions network, and a school engagement programme. In summary, our commitment to innovation and collaboration defines our exemplary response to the climate emergency. Guided by a robust strategy, a focus on community engagement and fostering widespread partnerships, we believe solidifies Westminster’s position as a leader in addressing one of the most critical challenges of our time.

Stockport CAN (Climate Action Now)

Stockport Council is on a mission to make Stockport carbon neutral by 2038. Our Climate Action Now (CAN) strategy sets out how we are leading by example to inspire local people, businesses and organisations to create a sustainable and thriving Stockport. Led by our dynamic three-strong CAN Team and building on the latest research and knowledge in the field of climate change, we are on track to becoming “net zero” by 2030, whilst also adhering to greenhouse gas emission budgets in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. The CAN team also leads on engaging and working with residents and young people, partners, local businesses and organisations, so collectively we can achieve our targets. This has seen the introduction of innovative and creative projects such as our Schools Climate Assembly, eco-friendly period products, Book Worms gardening clubs, the Stockport Green Network, Greenstock, the Climate Action Business Forum, and the unique Carbon Literacy for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) programme. The council’s CAN Fund awarded over £130,000 in 2023 to local community groups to deliver projects that not only spread the CAN message, but also helped to deliver significant reductions in the borough’s carbon emissions.

Luston Integrated Wetland

The Luston Wetland is a nature based system, its primary purpose is to reduce point source phosphate pollution from waste water treatment works. The project has also resulted in a significant increase in biodiversity; planted with a mix of native species, adaptable to climate change, it acts as a carbon sink. It is the result of collaboration and multi-stakeholder working with various partners and organisations at all stages of this long term project. The Council declared a climate emergency on 8 March 2019 with set targets and milestones so as to become carbon neutral by 2030. The wetlands project forms part of a wider critical approach at tackling multiple environmental issues in strategic sites across the county. Based on metric rates of wetlands carbon accumulation and sequestration, the Luston site is expected to remove up to 232.40 tonnes of carbon a year. The wetland project provides both river betterment and mitigation for a phosphate credit trading scheme, enabling developers to purchase credits to address the nutrient impact of their proposal. Research, data and knowledge gained from the project is being shared to inform the creation of wetlands across the country. The high quality of the feasibility work and the design has been essential throughout the project in order to provide best value. The success of this project is grounded in the collaboration and support of stakeholders led by the Council to bring this innovative project to life.

Living with Water

Living With Water aims to help build understanding across Hull and the East Riding about the threats and opportunities water brings to our region. It is a partnership between Yorkshire Water, Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, the Environment Agency and the University of Hull – all of which play a role in managing water in Hull and the East Riding. As Living With Water, we are working together to build flood resilience, develop innovative water management systems, and highlight our region as a great place to live, work and visit. This includes developing shared goals and visons with our communities on how to adapt and manage climate change, educating a future generation of climate champions and delivering a capital programme of blue green infrastructure which provides multiple benefits including water quantity, quality, biodiversity net gain, amenity, health and wellbeing, carbon capture and urban cooling.

Gravesham Borough Council has been described by others as a sleeping giant. Through hard work and collaboration between Members, senior management, staff from all levels, and partners, the giant has woken. It’s making a difference to the lives of its most vulnerable residents through proactive projects; it is leading with partners on building community cohesion; and it is driving forward with an ambitious programme of regeneration where it is leading through example with its own award-winning town centre development. All the while it works to involve, develop and value a young workforce that is passionate about delivering for its community.

Cornwall Council continues to weather the adverse financial climate better than most and goes above and beyond in rising to the challenges faced by communities. We do so by pioneering exciting opportunities to improve lives and livelihoods – all the time ensuring Cornwall ‘grows with nature’ to remain on course to become carbon neutral by 2030. What makes Cornwall Council stand out is our ability to demonstrate sustained strong performance, financial acumen, sector-leading innovation and excellent political and managerial leadership across the broadest spectrum of council services. This is symbolised by numerous historic and exceptional service/outcome delivery during the course of a turbulent 2023 for both people and place, including: hosting the most lauded national Armed Forces Day in the history of the event; securing the first ever Level 2 Devolution Deal; taking a pioneering ‘Rights of the Child’ based approach to delivering Ofsted ‘outstanding’ Children’s services; spearheading a bus revolution; and innovative measures to offset the cost-of-living and housing crises in Cornwall. The fact that the Council strained every sinew available during 2023 was recognised by the people of Cornwall. In stark contrast to declines in resident sentiment seen through LGA’s national residents’ survey, the Council’s autumn survey significantly bucked that trend. Pleasingly, the number of residents expressing ‘trust in the Council’ is 12% higher than the LGA’s national figure. Likewise, satisfaction levels with core public services, such as street cleaning, road maintenance and library services all increased, as did the key bellwether of ‘overall satisfaction with the Council’.

Small in size yet huge in aspiration, Knowsley Council’s effective leadership and robust financial management, combined with a collaborative strategic plan for growth, has seen the Council take control of its own future and flourish. With a clear and ambitious vision, Knowsley Council’s consistently bold and brave approach means that the Borough is thriving, despite significant challenges including a cost of living crisis, rising costs and inflation, budget challenges and long-term social and health inequalities. Leadership, staff, communities and partners are all united behind the Council’s clear vision to support those in need, develop inclusive skills and growth, and tackle the climate emergency. This is underpinned by the well-established Knowsley Better Together principles which unify communities, organisations and businesses, working together to pool ideas, expertise and resources and achieve more than they could alone. Knowsley Council refuses to be deterred or defined by deprivation or socio-economic challenges. Its strong leadership has never shied away from taking tough decisions, nor taken its eye off the longer term vision. This approach is now reaping rewards with town centres thriving and bucking national trends. Knowsley is living proof of the impact which a well-managed local authority can have on a place and its people. Knowsley Council can be hailed as an inspiration for any local authority wanting to support its communities in the here and now, whilst also growing a better, more prosperous place for generations to come.

Will Pedley, Transport Planning Technical Lead

Will is passionate about bringing about change in transport and how people travel to make it more sustainable. He has applied learning from his degrees to real-world issues and found ways to put sustainability guidance into practice and deliver demonstrable change. Will has produced exceptional work, volunteering to update Oxfordshire County Council guidance on conducting Transport Assessments and producing new ‘Decide and Provide’ guidelines which help ensure that Oxfordshire meets its ambitions of a net-zero transport network by 2040. His receipt of the Transport Planner of the Year award has not made him rest on his laurels, but instead galvanised him to bring even more ameliorations where he sees they are needed. He has been keeping the service going and ensuring projects such as Decide and Provide move forward at pace and are implemented in all areas of our policy, all with enthusiasm and good humour. Will has proactively been training other members of the service area, the County Council, the District Councils/other local authorities, and planning and transport institutions. He has attended numerous national industry body events to present and sit on panels, sharing the learning and “daring to do it differently” ethos with the whole transport planning industry. As Oxfordshire County Council is the first UK local authority to adopt Decide and Provide transport planning guidance, Will has been spearheading the vanguard of spreading the good word, and his motivation to educate and disseminate best practice has been unstinting.

Abdul Kahar

The nomination for the Rising Star award celebrates Participation Manager Abdul Kahar's exceptional development and commitment to improving the lives of children and young people. Starting as an apprentice Youth Worker, Abdul's unique qualities quickly stood out, leading to his progression through various roles, culminating in his current position. His dedication to advocating for vulnerable children is evident in his roles as a Youth Officer and, since 2019, as a Participation Manager. Abdul's profound impact extends beyond professional competence; he becomes a trusted adult for many children, attending their life events and providing unwavering support. His ability to connect with children is highlighted by his involvement in forums, website development, and the creation of a 'coming into care' pack. Abdul's influence is reflected in the success stories of those he has mentored, helping them gain confidence and contribute positively to society. In addition to managing forums and developing programs for children, Abdul co-created the Care Ambassador program, providing structured support for post-25 care-experienced individuals. His innovative approaches, such as the Sandwell Voice website and the four I's strategy, have garnered regional recognition, earning Sandwell the 'Hear by Right' accreditation. Abdul's collaborative efforts with local businesses ensure sponsorships for events, making activities cost-neutral and benefiting more children. His achievements, including numerous employee accolades and a West Midlands Team Excellence award, underscore his impactful contributions. In summary, Abdul Kahar's journey exemplifies a transformative commitment to uplifting children's lives, showcasing leadership, innovation, and genuine connections that make him an invaluable asset to Sandwell.

Dan O'Sullivan

Dan is the greatest example the Council has of a Leader, Manager , Officer and colleague. His passion for delivering cost effective services that actually have a positive impact on people's lives , infrastructure and where they reside is second to none. His success in managing teams all across the council to do more with less and most importantly do better for our residents and communities has resulted in so many positive projects, programmes and schemes that have made hackney a better place for so many people, so it was a no brainer when the mayor of London and the GLA came calling offering him opportunities to go and do what he has done here on a wider pan London scale. Dan then led on two multi million pound projects on behalf of them and and supported over 22 different councils up and down the country in the last 18 months to improve their services and provide better outcomes for residents and service users. If you were to ask Dan about this he is too humble for his own good and would not take credit for it and would pass it onto the team and whilst we are excellent at our jobs ( also mainly down to Dan's recruitment, development and coaching) so many of these positive changes, regeneration success and amazing opportunities the service has capitalised on to improve what the borough has to offer would never have existed let only have been delivered to

Emily Rees-Woodhall

Emily Rees-Woodhall, our Young Person’s Digital and Communications Officer for the SHAPE Programme, emerges as an outstanding rising star, driving impactful changes in how young voices shape strategies and services. Emily's resilience and positive attitude fuelled her journey of continuous improvement. Following her GCSEs and A-levels, she has continued to self develop, starting her role with the Children's SHAPE team at 18. Emily's achievements include revitalising the Just Youth website, creating a comprehensive communication offer that goes beyond her role's scope. She established consistent branding, designed a user-friendly website tour, and developed a communications plan for joint campaigns. She explored video production, independently handling design tasks, streaming events, and introduced podcasting for SHAPE Forum meetings. In the realm of SHAPE programs, Emily actively contributes to the SHAPE Youth Forum, SHAPE Survey, SHAPE Your Talent, SHAPE Summer Fest, SHAPE Our Future Conferences, and Anti-Bullying Roadshow. She orchestrates young people's "takeovers" of senior council meetings, ensuring their voices are heard. Beyond communication, Emily exhibits political knowledge by adhering to council guidelines. Her impact is acknowledged, as seen in positive feedback from stakeholders, including the Head of CAMHS Commissioning and the Executive Head of the Virtual School for LAC & STEPS New Arrival Centre. At her young age, Emily's achievements, amiable personality, and proactive approach make her a standout candidate for any rising star award. Her transformative impact on youth engagement and communication reflects her commitment to the SHAPE Programme, Public Health, and Sandwell Council.

Juli Browne

In her role as Supported Employment Programmes Manager within the Employment & Skills Service at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Juli Browne has delivered demonstrable change and maintained exemplary standards in challenging circumstances. From her leadership through the Covid-19 pandemic to building a resilient and empowered team through complex staff issues, Juli has repeatedly showed her ability to steer her colleagues through challenges with compassion, empathy and vision. Within her role she has developed and adapted a range of person-centred intermediate labour market, apprenticeship, and work experience programmes that have been cited as best practice and have supported hundreds into work and have retention and progression rates of up to 76%. Beyond this, in shaping the council’s journey towards best practice in race equality, Juli has created structural change that has impact across the board from SLT decision-making right down to the experiences of individual employees. She serves as co-chair of the council’s Race Equality Network, and has established boards, events, steering groups and allyship programmes that have built a coherent body of work that contribute to better outcomes across the local authority. Her work within the charity sector is further testament to her outstanding contributions to better outcomes for others, serving as co-chair of the Women In Prison and using this position to enfranchise women with lived experience of the criminal justice system to become trustees and perform active roles in shaping the direction of travel for the charity.

Danny O'Neil

Danny is a power house. Prior to joining local government, he had spent majority of his career as a self-employed filmmaker. The impact he has made in just a few short years in Birmingham City Council has been felt across the local authority, right to a national scale. From developing innovative insight products which have been a first in local government, despite being new to the use of software himself; developing insight to support the most vulnerable residents in Birmingham; upskilling the organisation through sharing digital best practice; collaborating with numerous partners on data-sharing and painting the art of the possible convincingly to bring them on board; and delivering national workshops to audiences of over 1000 from across local & national government, public, private and voluntary sectors.

Liz Atherton

Liz is on a mission to make sure Stockport achieves carbon neutrality by 2038 and is having a big impact on delivering our ambitious Climate Action Now (CAN) strategy. She leads by example and inspires others to join the cause. Through meaningful engagement with the community, businesses and colleagues, Liz has been instrumental in increasing awareness of climate change and GHG emissions across the borough, and has influenced many to make positive changes. Her confident community engagement skills have led to: • Over 850 young people have joined the cause submitting 130 climate change ideas from schools. • 87 businesses involved in Stockport Climate Action Business Forum. • 62 community groups involved in Stockport’s Green Network. • Executed the CAN Summit attended by 160 people. A skilled and confident community engagement and climate strategy professional with an eagerness for improvement and an innovative approach, Liz uses her political acumen and relationship building skills to deliver successful climate action programs and events. She fosters a culture of knowledge sharing amongst council colleagues from across Greater Manchester, as well as key organisations and community members, and communicates effectively and confidently with her Stockport Council colleagues of all levels and councillors alike.

Joy Hume

Joy Hume, Head of Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion at Waltham Forest Council, is a standout nominee for the Rising Star Award. Joining in 2019, she quickly ascended from a team leader to the Council's EDI Lead, later becoming Head of Equalities, Diversity, and Inclusion in 2023 and has transformed the Council's approach to equality, diversity and inclusion. Joy's impactful initiatives include leading the Council's Big Conversation during the pandemic, addressing race and equality concerns across the organisation. In 2023, she spearheaded the Inclusion Action Plan, a visionary strategy for a radically fairer and more inclusive workplace. This work earned the Council the LGC Workforce Award for Best Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Employer. Despite starting with no team, Joy built a dynamic virtual team passionate about EDI. Her excellent management involves empowering others and collaborating with staff networks, creating a successful Equality Board. Joy's clear communication style, evident in the well-structured Inclusion Plan, gained trust and buy-in across the organization. Recognizing diversity as a strength, Joy's impact on Waltham Forest's communities is profound. Her early success is evident through the Reasonable Adjustments Passport and Staff Networks' commitments. In conclusion, Joy's visionary leadership, commitment to EDI, and early success make her a standout candidate for the Rising Star Award. Her authentic leadership style and dedication to inclusivity position her as a key driver of positive change in Waltham Forest and a rising star in the field.

Wiltshire Council's Corporate Leadership Team - building an environment to support success

Wiltshire is a high performing unitary council, with a strong leader and cabinet governance model. This is underpinned by an exceptional Corporate Leadership Team (CLT), and by the rigour of their relationships with political leaders, the strength of their vision, and the aplomb in which they ensure the entire council has an inclusive culture. There are some key examples of how the CLT have worked together to help drive service improvement, creating an environment where excellence is the norm rather exceptional.

NCC Senior Leadership Team Building a Land of Great Opportunities

In July 2022, NCC moved swiftly to appoint and embed a new Chief Executive and team of Executive Directors – our Executive Management Team (EMT). With Members, EMT have put Northumberland County Council back on track. One year on, we now have the senior leadership capacity and, crucially, stability to realise our vision and priorities. Whilst leading positive change in the organisation, the Executive Management Team (EMT) at Northumberland County Council (NCC) has continued to deliver high-performing services to our residents. In the past year, our EMT has transformed NCC - now Members, Senior Officers and their teams are all pulling in the right direction. NCC's executive management team has: - Transformed the organisation with pace - Delivered sustainable, high-performing services for residents - Led the way in tackling inequalities - Driven investment in the County - Helped drive the region forward through a new devolution deal. The leadership, passion, drive and determination of our Chief Executive and Executive Directors, working closely with our Cabinet, has enabled the organisation to be transformed inside a year. At the same time, EMT have ensured NCC continues to focus on delivering high-performing services, whilst landing game-changing investments which will impact lives for generations. Through the MJ’s Awards, our Executive Management Team hope to share NCC’s story of improvement and achievement. We think this can inspire and help other senior leadership teams who may be facing challenging situations in the sector.

Stockport's Corporate Leadership Team

Stockport Council’s Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) has big ambitions. Working together, it is a phenomenal force. According to The Times, Stockport is undergoing a spectacular transformation, and this is down to the team’s positive, forward-thinking ambition. CLT wants Stockport to be one of the best places to live a happy, healthy life – to be achieved by strong leadership and effective partnerships to ensure opportunities are created for everyone. The Corporate Peer Challenge in 2022 and revisit in 2023 described Stockport Council as “an impressive organisation” with outstanding partnerships, strong performance across key areas and robust financial management. This is alongside national leading innovation in regeneration, children’s services and digital. Stockport’s CLT should win this award because: • Stockport is a good performing, financially robust council. The team are passionate about the borough and have a proven track record of delivering real and ambitious change. • They take a ‘One Stockport’ approach, facilitating and convening partnerships and leading the local Integrated Care System. • They understand the strengths and values of a diverse and multi-skilled team. • They successfully navigate the diverse political environment through strong cross-party working. • They are not afraid to listen and learn and are highly respected and approachable, working in partnership to deliver the very best for their residents and borough. • They bring a wealth of expertise to the organisation with their wider leadership roles within their field of expertise to help others on a professional level nationally and across Greater Manchester

Walsall Proud

Walsall Council has transformed itself as an organisation over the last five years. From fundamentally overhauling its approach to leadership and service delivery to ushering in innovative ways to engage communities and partners, the council’s leadership team has consistently driven the Proud Programme to exceed the ambitious goal it set of saving £78m – to achieve a total of £78.99m. Overseen by the Proud Board, which was drawn from across the Council with defined workstreams led by Executive Directors and with constant engagement with the Leader and his Cabinet, momentum has been sustained despite a new CEO in 2023. It isn’t a single team, but is more a culture – a way of thinking and changing the way we operate as an organisation, opening up access to digital services while delivering better outcomes for residents and substantial savings, putting the council on a more sustainable financial footing. It has improved relationships with local VCS organisations, and changed the way we communicate with our residents and involve them in our planning. The end result is a confident and agile organisation with improving staff morale and satisfaction, ever-increasing resident satisfaction with our services, and tangible improved outcomes and impact on the lives of the people we serve - all while making substantial financial savings. Walsall is at the helm of £1.5bn regeneration programme, and is leading efforts to turn a co-produced vision for the borough’s future into reality. We Are Proud. We Are Walsall.

Corporate Management Team

Tower Hamlets’ Corporate Management Team (CMT) have kept the council on track to deliver on the eight priorities adopted from the Executive Mayor’s manifesto, now set out in the council’s Strategic Plan 2022-2026, which is one of the most ambitious agendas in local government. The council has been recognised by the Local Government Association as “a council with an ambitious set of priorities that are widely understood by members, officers, and partners.” Delivering such an ambitious agenda has required the strong corporate leadership of a workforce of 5,000 people, in one of the most diverse and complex boroughs in the country, with high levels of deprivation. Huge strides have already been made in delivering on the strategic plan, which in turn has helped deliver positive outcomes for the people of the borough. These achievements include finding a way for Tower Hamlets to become the first council in England to offer free universal school meals for all primary and secondary school children – providing 38,000 children with access to a free meal every day, regardless of family income, saving each household £550 per child per year. Tower Hamlets is also the only council in England to bring back the Education Maintenance Allowance for those in Higher Education, and the council has also introduced a University Bursary Scheme to support those in further education. CMT have instilled a culture of unity and purpose, proving that under any challenge, extraordinary achievements can be made when a leadership team stands together.

The Purfleet Pantry

In late 2022 in recognition of the disproportionate impact the cost-of-living crises was having on the communities living in the more deprived areas of the town of King's Lynn the Borough Council determined to take action to provide practical solutions to assist. South Lynn and the ward of St Margaret's and St Nicholas is an area of significant deprivation and in need of assistance. The council identified an empty building in its ownership and worked with the Purfleet Trust and Norfolk Community Foundation to open the Purfleet Pantry, a community shop. The Pantry opened in May 2023 and has made an enormous impact in the local community. The purpose of the Pantry is not solely to ease food insecurity in Kings Lynn but also to build a stronger community with better health and wellbeing outcomes for residents. The shop provides access to heavily discounted food saving members up to 40% on their shop. Importantly this is a starting point to begin discussions about how to make positive changes. The Pantry is a gateway for people to access all the other services and support that Purfleet Trust can offer. Since opening in May the Purfleet Pantry has signed up 738 members and supported 400 members with further assistance in accessing services, making real differences to people’s lives. The Purfleet Pantry is building a stronger, healthier, and more confident community, genuinely transforming lives.

Wirral Family Toolbox Alliance

Since April 2022, an innovative service in Wirral has empowered thousands of families to transform their own lives and improve their quality-of-life outcomes, whilst also reducing referrals to our Early Help team by 27%. The Family Toolbox is available to all families in Wirral who want some free information, resources, or support to help their family be the best it can be. The Toolbox is the first Council-supported alliance for Children’s Services in the country and is unlike any other offer that has been available in Wirral before, because it is free from referral processes, free of criteria and thresholds, and free of time restrictions. The Toolbox prioritises people over systems and makes sure that all families can access something that can help them straight away. This open-door policy removes any potential barriers or complications to accessing our services, which encourages engagement from families, and maximises our chances to engage with our harder to reach communities. Furthermore, the Family Toolbox streamlines the offer that is available for families on Wirral, acting as one easy-to-access front door to any type of support they may need. The Family Toolbox Alliance consists of seven voluntary organisations offering a vast range of support services for all members of the family, including parenting courses, family support, youth clubs, domestic abuse support, wellbeing services, early years learning support, community groups, counselling and many more. It is a truly diverse and wide-reaching offer delivered by a range of local third-sector partners.

Trading Places

The Trading Places initiative that has seen 203 residents start their own business over the last 18 months came as an extension of the business development courses we delivered over recent years to our small and micro business owners. These courses were free. Here is a briefing note on the initial trading places programme and I have attached one of the advertising flyers we use too. This has seen younger people like Amy Gastman , Who has turned her passion for baking into a fully fledged successful business called Eats By Amy. Amy is trading out of Broadway & Chatsworth road Markets . This fantastic young entrepreneur recently won the Groceries Highly Commended Award at the London & South East Regional finals of the National Young Trader of the Year 2023 and a place in the national finals in Stratford upon Avon in August 2023 where she won a highly commended in the food category - Link to article https://www.nmtf.co.uk/campaigns-ytm2023/# Background Trading Places is an innovative employment and development offer brought to you by Hackney Markets Service. We work to provide business development opportunities to existing traders and employment opportunities in Hackney’s markets to local people. We proudly work to deliver these together with our outstanding partners:- Jobcentre Plus Ixion Holdings Barclays Business for London The Princes Trust The British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) The NMTF (National Market Traders Federation) Hackney Quest Hackney Works We rightly acknowledge market trading as an integral part of Hackney’s social and economic DNA.

Responding to the Housing Crisis - Transforming Lives in Cornwall

Cornwall Council’s successful programme of providing accommodation for people who would otherwise be homeless, has made a real difference to the community; and has transformed lives in Cornwall. Cornwall Council is creating a ‘new normal’ in housing, making a real difference to people’s lives, changing their worlds for the better. A programme of works includes re-purposing of ‘brownfield’ sites and redundant buildings, responding to the housing crisis in Cornwall, where currently; - • 22,000 households are registered for renting Council and Housing Association homes • 700 households are in temporary or emergency accommodation • 5% of all homes across Cornwall are second homes • 40% of properties are holiday/second homes in some areas • 174 former rented properties in Truro are now Air B’ n’ B’s Brownfield sites across Cornwall have been re-purposed to accommodate modern, new, modular units, with high quality landscaping, communal and management facilities. Previously vacant buildings have been refurbished to ensure that the needs of residents and staff are fully met. Works carried out across Cornwall have given people with housing needs an alternative to the current emergency housing provision of hotel, B and B and camp sites. This has been life-changing for people in Cornwall, who now have space, quiet and their own front door to give them a real chance to stabilise, recover and thrive. It has transformed individual lives. The success of the programme has improved and refreshed the whole concept of emergency accommodation.

Tuned In

Men aged 50 and over experience some of the highest rates of loneliness in the country, with research showing loneliness increases the likelihood of early mortality and poor physical health. It is within this context that Merton Council spearheaded the Tuned In project - loneliness-busting jam sessions operating out of Wimbledon Library - that are led by punk legends Jah Wobble, formerly of Public Image Ltd, and Jon Klein, ex-Siouxsie and the Banshees guitarist. The project, which has delivered more than 700 sessions - from the council's bespoke music studio and arts space, and online - to more than 1,300 people, is the only one of its kind in the UK that works regularly with acclaimed musicians. Incredibly, nearly 100% of participants report back that the project had improved their health and wellbeing; and 83% state they have developed new friendships. The project has spawned three singles, including ‘Born to Be Free’, released by south London record label Cherry Records, which came out just before Christmas 2023. An album is in the works. The single is the latest milestone in this groundbreaking music project that is using the power of music to help older men build friendships and connections. But Tuned In is not just a musical project; it has proven to be a catalyst for social transformation, breaking down barriers, and creating a vibrant community united by the universal language of music.

Four Day Week trial - a local government first

South Cambridgeshire District Council is the first local authority in the country to trial a four-day week following a very successful pilot in the private sector. A four-day week is where 100% of the work is done, in 80% of the time, for 100% of the pay. The cost of housing in South Cambridgeshire is a very high and a booming private sector has meant the council was experiencing acute recruitment and retention difficulties. As a result, we were spending about £2m per year on agency staff who were covering key posts. At the same time an industry-leading workplace survey which measures health, wellbeing and resilience was showing high levels of stress. Notable poor scores were seen in ‘intention to leave’, mental and physical health, and employee commitment. The Council took a step-by-step approach, first trialling this working model for 3 months. The initial trial saw performance generally maintained, and improved in some areas, transformation take place that was not previously thought to be possible and a step change in colleagues’ health and wellbeing. There were also positive signs for recruitment and retention. To test this over a longer period, Cabinet agreed a year-long which is due to finish in March 2024. The Council will have the full data to decide on what happens next.

Corporate Strategy & Transformation Team

In the heart of Tower Hamlets, a team of 16 change professionals spearheaded the council’s transformation. The Corporate Strategy & Transformation Team brings together talented programme managers, project managers and business analysts, with the sole focus of optimising the council at every level, be it the workforce, wider services, or within the team itself. Optimising the workforce: The Corporate Strategy & Transformation Team managed People First Transformation – the council’s ambitious change agenda that improves alignment to strategic priorities through robust governance, strong leadership, and informed decision-making. In just six months, this programme yielded remarkable results, identifying over £40m in savings to close the council’s budget gap and successfully securing over a thousand staff bookings onto more than 20 hybrid transformation sessions, with almost 60% of the workforce engaged digitally. Optimising services: As true champions of innovation and transformation, the Corporate Strategy & Transformation Team supported services to embed agile principles in the management of strategic priorities. These efforts manifested in the successful delivery of multiple high-priority projects, including tackling poverty, crime prevention and reducing housing overcrowding. Optimising the team: In enabling the above, the Corporate Strategy & Transformation Team went through its own journey to becoming a high-performing team, with an increased focus on inclusive thinking and personal growth.

Poverty Proofing (Reducing the Cost of the School Day): Sandwell MBC and Children North East

Sandwell MBC is the first local authority in the Midlands to engage with Children North East (Poverty Proofing© Programme) and the first nationally to fund the programme via Public Health and Virtual School. Sandwell MBC has successfully embedded this in multiple schools and developed the programme in a uniquely holistic engaging with multi-Directorates, schools and the voluntary sector engagement. Poverty Proofing: Reducing the Cost of the School Day© a programme developed by Children North East, is a research evidence-based programme designed to reduce the impact of poverty by placing an intrinsic value on young people’s experiences, to drive sustained change by changing entrenched perceptions, providing solutions and improving access to locally authority funded programmes.

Workforce Development Service and Learning Academy

'The Workforce Development Team (WDT) in Children’s Social Care at the London Borough of Lewisham Council is nominated for its pivotal role in the improvement of services to vulnerable children, young people and families in Lewisham. For a team that did not exist before 2020, under the strong leadership of the Principal Social Worker the WDT's innovative, creative and agile approach has helped stabilised the workforce, create the conditions for good practice to thrive and raised the skills and knowledge of the workforce. The team's activity has optimised the wider workforce to transform the practice culture and all delivered at great value!

Beyond the Horizon

Beyond the Horizon The decision by Broadland and South Norfolk Councils to share an office has undoubtably been a huge success. The One Team now has a home it can be proud of, an office that gives them the opportunity to collaborate with each other and partners and a working environment with a real buzz. Not only has it has the move from two old building to a modern office saved local tax payers money, it has also had a hugely positive impact on staff culture and staff morale. It has also been a really environmentally friendly move too. It’s not just the One Team that has benefitted, We also have improved customer service with residents and businesses now able to access services from both councils from a single location. And we have much greater flexibility. The councils are now able to adapt their office space to meet the changing needs of their staff and residents.

Parking Enforcement Insourcing

Hackney’s Parking Services transitioned its Enforcement Service in-house after 23 years of outsourcing. This strategic shift, centering on customer service and public safety, has dramatically transformed team culture towards positive customer interactions, helpful behaviours and service efficiency. Civil Enforcement Officers were rebranded as Road & Traffic Enforcement Officers and received new uniforms, significantly altering public perception reducing officer abuse and attacks by 92%. The initiative enhanced community engagement, introduced a 4-day week saving £0.5m annually, and doubling productivity. Colleague satisfaction soared to unprecedented levels, staff turnover decreased significantly, with customer advice, fair warnings and equitable enforcement characterising Hackney’s new approach. The new team structure has been designed to provide the agility to deliver demand-led enforcement services; no longer focusing on a fixed number of visits to streets every day, but instead empowering and trusting enforcement team managers to determine how best to deploy officer resources in order to better meet resident and customer demand and ultimately make parking easier and fairer for Hackney’s residents and businesses. In terms of results, productivity has jumped from 3 PCNs per day to 11 per day per officer, and morale has transformed. In the absence of targets the team is managed on activity with team leaders spending 80% of their time out with officers, coaching, observing, providing feedback and role-modelling helpful customer behaviours The team are now proud to be an integral part of Hackney Council and feel truly appreciated, valued and supported.

One Vision, One Team

The Revenues Benefits and Welfare Service of Stockton on Tees Borough Council have completed a challenging, and significant organisational review. A new vision for the service has been set along with a new service strategy and planning and performance management framework. “Our vision for the service is to maximise the Council’s income whilst minimising levels of debt. To place the customer at the heart of everything we do; where our residents and businesses are fully supported, and where innovative technology enables them to find out and do everything online. A service that celebrates strong leadership and dedicated, multi-skilled teams committed to continuous improvement”. By embracing 10 important customer needs we established 10 key priorities for the service, intrinsically linked to our strategy with a series of challenging, and realistic targets to help achieve our overall vision. Our new planning and performance management framework, combined with the implementation of a new organisational structure, has ensured we have optimised our workforce and functions to help manage service challenges. Multiskilled staff support the customer with a variety of needs and move between functions to ensure peaks are managed effectively for the benefit of all.