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COUNCILS ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME! FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2009 NORTHERN IRELAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARDS.
11 January 2010
COUNCILS ARE AHEAD OF THE GAME!
FINALISTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE 2009 NORTHERN IRELAND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARDS.
The Northern Ireland Local Government Awards showcase the best examples of service provision, new initiatives and personal commitment from councillors and officers. The awards show public recognition while awarding excellence in front line local government public services.
Eight partners have joined together to provide the opportunity to assess and recognise best practice in the services and new initiatives provided within Northern Ireland’s councils. The judging panels look for evidence of best practice, innovation and service improvement while providing better outcomes for the service users. With almost 70 submissions for just 10 awards, judges this year had a tough job deciding the list of finalists. This goes to show that councils across Northern Ireland are doing us all proud by going the extra mile to deliver services to citizens and communities.
2010 is the second year of the awards and sees submissions from 17 councils with a further 11 councils included in the partnership submissions. The number and quality of submissions has surprised all concerned. This high level of quality services and initiatives, as well as individual councillors and officers were recognised as amongst the best after securing a place in the finalists’ category of this year’s prestigious Northern Ireland Local Government Awards
The overall winners will be announced at the gala dinner of the Local Government Association (NILGA) annual conference, where those shortlisted have been invited to attend. The event takes place on the evening of 18th February 2010 at the Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle.
Captions for the attached photograph
Preparations are underway for the Northern Ireland Local Government Awards ceremony as award partners agree the design for the 2009 award. Pictured at the studio of Red Earth Designs are: Front - President of Local Government Association (NILGA) Cllr John Mathews, Back L-R - Cllr Mervyn Jones National Association of Councillors (NAC), Irene Daly Local Government Training Group, Trevor Polley (Chair – at time of photograph) SOLACE, Cllr Marion Smith (Vice Chair) Local Government Staff Commission, Fergus Wheeler (Chair) William Johnston Memorial Trust and Cllr Helen Quigley Women’s Development Steering Group and (Vice President) NILGA.
The 10 award categories and finalists include: Best Local Authority Service Team - Sponsored by APSE: Belfast City Council - Community Safety; Cookstown District Council - Ballyronan Marina; and Newtownabbey Borough Council - Zest Fitness. Change Champions in Practice - Sponsored by LGSC: Coleraine Borough Council - Causeway Kids Cuisine; Coleraine Borough Council - Wildcats Activ8; and Limavady Borough Council - Team Success and Culture Change at Roe Valley. Innovative HR in Practice - Sponsored by LGSC: Armagh City and District Council - A muscular approach to managing absence; and Omagh District Council - Innovative and integrated HR. Innovative Training Initiative - Sponsored by LGTG: Ards Borough Council - Excellence Driver Training; Lisburn City Council - Unlocking potential...delivering excellence; and Omagh District Council - Delta-a force to be reckoned with.... Best Initiative by a Councillor – NAC: Ald Anderson – Craigavon Borough Council; Cllr Curran – Down District Council; and Ald Moutray - Craigavon Borough Council. Best Joint Initiative between Councils - Sponsored by SOLACE: Blackwater Regional Partnership (Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council, Armagh City & District Council, Monaghan County Council); Café Culture – Good Relations Conference, September 2009 (Coleraine Borough Council, Derry City Council, Ballymoney Borough Council, Limavady Borough Council, Magherafelt District Council and Moyle District Council supported by OFMDFM); and East Border Region Tourism Partnership (Ards Borough Council, Armagh City & District Council, Banbridge District Council, Craigavon Borough Council, Down District Council, Louth County Council, Meath County Council, North Down Borough Council, Monaghan County Council and Newry and Mourne District Council). Employee of the Year - Sponsored by WJMT: Ciara Lowe - Newry and Mourne District Council: Ian Beaney - North Down Borough Council; and Katrina McGuire – Lisburn City Council. Best Sustainable Development Initiative – Sponsored by NILGA: Belfast City Council - Lord Mayor's Big Clean Up; Cookstown District Council - Willow Biomass Project; and Larne Borough Council - Sustainable Living Magazine. Best Improvement Project - Sponsored by NILGA: Belfast City Council - Building Control Partnership; Belfast City Council - Ulster Hall redevelopment; and North Down Borough Council - Bangor Castle walled Garden. Women in Local Councils Award - Sponsored by WILC. Ards Borough Council / North Down Borough Council - Visible Women; Craigavon Borough Council - Olga Murtagh; and Derry City Council - Mainstreaming gender equality - we've made a difference!.
The supporting bodies who contributing financially and administratively include: Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE); Local Government Staff Commission (LGSC); Local Government Training Group (LGTG); National Association of Councillors (NAC); SOLACE; William Johnston Memorial Trust; Women’s Development Steering Group; and Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA).
The sponsors of the awards include: Redbox Media; The Municipal Journal (MJ) and Scotshield.
For more information please contact:
Tara Cunningham, Director of Communications & Engagement t.cunningham@nilga.org or Mark Maher, Communications Officer m.maher@nilga.org
Northern Ireland Local Government Association NILGA
Unit 5B Castlereagh Business Park, 478 Castlereagh Road, Belfast BT5 6QA.
Tel: 028 9079 8972 Web: www.nilga.org
