Welcome to the ShiNE Awards 2008
ShiNE Awards 2008 – Results
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Category 1 - The Engaging with Young People Award
Winner: Derwentside District Council (with support from Durham County Council) - SPICE (The Special Programme for the Implementation of Children’s Elections)
Judges’ comments:
The SPICE campaign generated positive responses to all issues raised and ensured young people felt they had been really listened to and successfully engaged with. They have fully participated with Derwentside District Council which has successfully acted upon their work, opinions and concerns.
Category 2 - The Unsung Hero Award
Winner: Sunderland City Council - Ralph Sidney
Judges’ comments:
This might be an area of work that can be taken for granted but Ralph Sidney, Operations Manager (Drainage) for Sunderland City Council, is truly passionate about his job. He has demonstrated excellent commitment and dedication to public service each and every working day of his 39-year career. He has shown great leadership to his loyal team and has never been shy of getting his hands dirty while leading them as they complete more than 8,000 jobs a year in almost 1,000 miles of drains, to help improve the lives and well-being of people and communities in Sunderland.
Category 3 - The Reputation Award
Winner: South Tyneside Council - Improved Reputation
Judges’ comments:
South Tyneside Council has been brilliant at effectively demonstrating and communicating how it delivers its services, and at improving and managing its reputation. It has achieved this through the use of strong communications, branding and evaluation together with an ongoing commitment to an open and honest policy that builds trust and dialogue with citizens and communities. It has delivered excellent internal communications that have also ensured staff participation and buy-in to help it improve its reputation.
Category 4 - The Value for Money Award
Winner: Alnwick District Council - Alnwick Community Projects
Judges’ comments:
This was an innovative project by Alnwick District Council which produced significant and clear benefits for the community. It created new affordable housing, an attractive new public park and a new purpose built council depot, all delivered at no cost to the authority or local council tax payers.
Category 5 - The Green Award
Winner: Gateshead Council - Transport Improvements
Judges’ comments:
Gateshead Council delivered a real leading edge project that clearly demonstrated the changes made internally within its transport department to both vehicles and fuel consumption. The submission had addressing the challenge of climate change at its heart, and it was able to demonstrate very tangible results which included not only a vast reduction in the authority’s carbon emissions, but also a visible reduction in accident rates.
Category 6 - The Crime and Community Safety Award
Winner: Middlesbrough Council - STEM - Community Safety in East Middlesbrough
Judges’ comments:
The STEM project has demonstrated a strong and effective partnership approach which has included Middlesbrough Council, Cleveland Police and other agencies working together with local people. The local community has had a real sense of involvement with this partnership, and their participation and engagement with it has been crucial to making a major difference to local people’s quality of life and well-being.
Category 7 - The Public Service Delivery Award
Winner: Wear Valley District Council (with support from Durham County Council) - Wellness on Wheels
Judges’ comments:
Wear Valley District Council has had to tackle the challenge of reaching people in a large and sparsely populated geographical area and encourage them to improve their health and fitness. The solution was an innovative and incredible project that has ensured a lasting legacy to local community groups and helped to improve people’s health and well-being.
Category 8 - The Place Shaping Award
Winner: Gateshead Council - Transformed - Place Shaping in Gateshead
Judges’ comments: Gateshead Council has demonstrated an incredible track record in engaging with communities. It has involved elected Councillors and citizens at the heart of its approach and created and delivered tremendous projects that have placed it on a world stage. Gateshead Council has demonstrated it is committed to avoiding complacency and to involving local people in its aspirational “2030 Vision” for its future.
Category 9 - The Partnership Working Award
Winner: Alnwick District Council (in partnership with Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council, Castle Morpeth Borough Council, Tynedale Council and Northumberland County Council) - St Oswald’s Way
Judges’ comments:
This project was initiated by local residents who approached their local authority for help and advice. This resulted in the development of a genuinely innovative and strong partnership, led by Alnwick District Council and which included Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council, Castle Morpeth Borough Council, Tynedale Council and Northumberland County Council. With a clear vision, combined with the commitment of a wide range of public and private sector partners, this project continues to deliver great results.
Category 10 - The Improvement Award
Winner: Chester-le-Street District Council - From a ‘Poor Poor’ to a ‘Good Good’
Judges’ comments:
Chester-le-Street District Council has been utterly transformed. It went from one of the poorest rated in the country to be rated “Good Good” in such a short space of time it has became a national first – the most radically improved council in the country. It is now an example of best practice for other authorities. It demonstrated a great recovery plan with improvement encompassed in every aspect of the council’s work. With a rate of improvement that has been truly phenomenal, this council epitomises what the Improvement Partnership for North East Local Government is all about.