LGC editor Nick Golding said: “The councils that have been shortlisted for an LGC Award are among the most innovative – and their innovation is providing the best services for residents, despite local government facing enormous budget cuts.
“The officers and councillors of shortlisted councils deserve enormous credit for thinking of new ways to deliver the best services, ensuring vital services thrive in the era of austerity.”
Team of the Year category - Macmillan Welfare Rights Team - finalist in shortlist of 11 councils.
Housing Initiative category - finalist as part of an Essex County Council, 12 Essex Districts and 2 Unitary Councils project in shortlist of 7 councils.
Four young apprentices who demonstrated outstanding commitment to their personal career development and made a significant contribution to the work of Colchester Borough Council, have been honoured with a 2019 Career Track Assessor Award. The assessment of apprentices undertaking work-based training with the Council is overseen by Career Track, which is operated by Tendring District Council with funding from Colchester Institute. March 2019
The British Parking Awards seek to recognise and celebrate best practice, innovation and achievement in the design and management of both public and private sector parking. The North Essex Parking Partnership (NEPP) were finalists in five categories, and won the following three categories:
Our Customer Contact and Support Centre has been awarded the prestigious national Customer Service Excellence Standard. The Standard was awarded following a year-long programme and rigorous two-day external assessment in December 2018. The standard covers a range of areas including timeliness of responses, the quality of information provided and the motivation of its staff. The Excellence Award is valid for three years, with an annual rolling programme assessment visit.
Colchester cemetery has come second in the large cemetery category of the national Cemetery of the Year Award. Cemetery officers and Idverde staff were presented with the framed Silver Award certificate at a ceremony in October 2018.
Castle Park and High Woods Country Park have again both been awarded Green Flag Awards, recognising them as two of the best parks in the UK. Colchester’s Cemetery and Crematorium also achieved Green Flag status. Green Flags set a benchmark of standards for management and maintenance of publicly accessible urban and countryside parks, and promotes the community value of green spaces. The Castle Park also holds Green Heritage Site status.
Colchester’s Town Hall and Castle were shortlisted in the finals of the Essex Wedding Awards 2018. The Town Hall in the ‘Something Different’ category and ‘Heritage’ for Colchester Castle.
Colchester Museums’ Visitor Services team were winners at the first-ever national Visitor Experience Awards. They were up against the Houses of Parliament, National Museums Liverpool and Cornwall's Regimental Museum in the Visitor Experience Team of the Year category. They were presented with their award in June 2018 at a ceremony in London's Welcome Collection.
CBC achieved ‘highly commended’ status in the 2018 IRRV Performance Awards in the Revenues Team of the Year (District Authority) category.. The team was shortlisted for its work to transform its collection service. The Revenues team handled 46,000 calls in 2017/18 and completed around 330,000 pieces of work. This not only helped CBC achieve its best results so far with a nearly 98% council tax and more than 99% business rates collection rate, but also a 98% customer service satisfaction rating.
CBC was a finalist in the 'Digital Transformation' category for its work to improve its online experience for customers.
As well as assessing the Council's digital transformation strategy to increase access to digital services and provide a more intuitive and personalised online experience for customers, judges considered digital innovations which have transformed the way staff work using cloud-based technology and revolutionised the operation of the Waste and Recycling Service. This includes, for example, a redesigned web portal for waste and recycling information, and the use of new in-cab route-planning technology fitted to the waste fleet providing live online navigation updates to officers and customers.
Legal Services were re-accredited against this Law Society standard. Lexcel's legal practice management and excellence in client care.
Leisure World Colchester has been awarded the Essex Branch Silver Shield. Leisure World run the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) UK Rookie Lifeguard programme, which gives children the skills they need to be confident in the pool or the sea. The Silver Shield Award acknowledges the fantastic pass rate on its Junior Rookie Lifeguard courses held during 2018
