DERRY City and Strabane District Council has been shortlisted in three categories in the APSE Service Awards 2020.
The awards are held annually in recognition of the very best in local government frontline services across the UK.
This year, Derry City and Strabane District Council has been shortlisted for three awards in the following categories:
Best Efficiency and Transformative Initiative;
Best Collaborative Working Initiative;
and Best Service Team of the Year in the Sports, Leisure and Culture Service category.
The Council’s Access and Inclusion Project is shortlisted in the Best Efficiency and Transformative Initiative section for the work carried out as part of its AIM Access Inclusion Model aimed at making life better for people with disabilities and increasing participation and the health and well-being for people with disabilities in the Council area.
The Alley Theatre in Strabane is shortlisted in the Best Service Team of the Year in the Sports, Leisure and Culture Service category, in recognition of their work to achieve positive outcomes by placing a focus on continuous improvement and service delivery for users.
The work they are doing to create a positive cultural experience in leading the way to arts participation and community engagement is also acknowledged.
The Council’s Get Apprenticeships 2019 Campaign is also shortlisted in the Best Collaborative Working Initiative category.
The campaign, which was aimed at young people throughout the Council area, was designed to harmonise the existing efforts of over 20 training providers, third level educators and Further & Higher Education institutions currently offering apprenticeships at varying levels.
It involved an innovative and collaborative marketing campaign by the Council’s Employment & Skills team in bringing partners and employers in the public and private sector together to unite messages and share best practice resulting in both a positive shift in the overall perception and an increase in the uptake of Apprenticeships City and district wide.
Extending his congratulations to the Council staff involved in the shortlisted projects, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Brian Tierney said he was delighted the tremendous work of Council staff was being acknowledged.
Mayor Tierney said: “The APSE awards are very highly thought of and really showcase the best in local government and once again Derry and Strabane is coming out on top for the great amount of work that is being done to provide efficient and effective frontline services.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to the finalists for 2020 and wish our Council teams the very best of luck at the special online ceremony that will take place on December 16.”
