Pictured above: Clare Vaughan (Best of the Best winner), picking up her award

 

The winners of Birmingham City Council's Chamberlain Awards 2010 were revealed on Friday 12 November before a 460-strong audience at The ICC in Birmingham city centre, making this year's event the biggest in the awards' six-year history.

Established by Cllr Alan Rudge, Cabinet Member for Equalities and Human Resources to recognise and celebrate the achievements of employees from across the Council who go the extra mile to ensure the people of Birmingham receive quality services, the Chamberlain Awards, named after Joseph Chamberlain, one of Birmingham's most respected civic leaders are Birmingham City Council's flagship awards event.  

Recognising the outstanding achievements of its employees over the last year, the nominations in each category are sought internally, with shortlisted finalist entries agreed by an appointed panel of eight judges from BCC and chaired by Councillor Rudge.  

Winners were announced in 12 categories, including four long service awards that were also presented on the night. Among the winners was the World Half Marathon Team, which picked up the award for Excellent Service Delivery after organising the 2009 event. Last year's marathon attracted 12,500 runners, including more than 200 elite athletes, and required more than 400 volunteers to marshal the 13 mile route.  

Mae Bourbage, the manager of Fox Hollies Environmental Centre in Acocks Green, picked up the Personal Achievement award after colleagues highlighted how Mae had overcome personal hurdles to put the Centre on the map as a thriving community facility.

Broad Street Evening Warden, Paul Barnett, scooped the award for Working with Communities in recognition of the help he has provided to the homeless. Through the Street Begging Action Plan, introduced by the Safer City Centre Forum, Paul and his colleagues have reduced the numbers of persistent beggars in the Broad Street area in one year from 44 to 13 and have helped to raise in the region of £1,000 for the Alternative Giving Scheme.

This year a new award category was introduced to recognise and celebrate the outstanding work that takes place across the Council's BEST Community, by teams, managers and BEST leaders. This category was won by PA to the Selly Oak Constituency Director, Claire Vaughan, for her work across the three BEST projects in the community. With the support of her managers, Claire has launched a number of initiatives including the Best Bee Awards to recognise the work of those who contribute positively to the community, won funding from Dragon's Den and arranged a Magical Mystery Bus Tour for older people in the community.

After congratulating winners at the ceremony, Councillor Rudge said: "This has been an outstanding year for the Chamberlain Awards. We received record numbers of nominations and the standard of the entries was so high the judges commented on how difficult it was to compile a shortlist and to then award the overall prizes. We also hosted the biggest awards ceremony in the history of the programme.

"The high standard and diversity of entries for this year's Chamberlain Awards has been exceptional. The level of commitment and pride in the job among Birmingham City Council's workers never ceases to amaze, and these awards rightly pay testament to this fact. We are looking forward to continuing to build on the success of this year's awards well into 2011."

WINNERS 2010

Working with communities

Paul Barnett, Broad Street evening street warden

 

Dynamic leadership

Lloyd Wedgbury, Operational project manager, Physical Disability Service Redesign

 

Personal achievement

Mae Bourbage, Farm manager, Fox Hollies centre

 

Excellent service delivery

World Half-Marathon Team, International Events Division

 

Partnerships for Birmingham

Brighter Futures Transformation, Strategy and Commissioning

 

Imaginative teamwork (joint winners)

Staffordshire Hoard Team, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

Highways PFI Project Team, Secured Transport PFI Contract

 

Equalities and community cohesion

Ward End Library Team, Library Service,, Hodge Hill Constituency

 

Efficiency

Review Team Learning Disability Service, Review Service

 

People's choice for service to the community

Sutton Coldfield and Erdington Home Care Team, Specialist care services

 

Best of BEST

Claire Vaughan, PA to the Selly Oak Constituency Director, Housing and Constituencies

 

Unique Contribution

Jim Kelly

 

Long Service

Christine Henderson, Training Manager, Children Young People and Families Directorate (45 years)

Margaret Friel, Housing Officer, Housing Directorate (45 years)

Roger Nicholls, Refuse Collection Driver, Environment and Culture Directorate (45 years)

Hyacinth O'Connor, Receptionist, Development Directorate (45 years)