Employee excellence back in the spotlight at Inspire Awards
Our second Inspire Awards event was held in Haddington Corn Exchange on Monday afternoon.
The Inspire Awards celebrate the hard work, commitment and achievements of employees across the council.
More than 200 nominations were received, with the judging panel - comprising the Provost, members of the Executive Leadership Team and a trade union representative - facing some very difficult decisions once again.
Thanks to everyone who nominated a colleague, whether on a team or individual basis.
Hosted by Chief Executive Laurence Rockey and Provost John McMillan, almost 200 people attended the event, with excellent musical entertainment provided by the Knox Academy jazz group joined by Andy Hunter from Road Services, pipers from North Berwick High School and Knox Academy, and a staff choir from Preston Lodge High School.
Colleagues who have sadly passed away in the last year were also remembered.
Laurence said:
"Working in local government can be tough. Whether it is out this weekend, battling the storms, caring for people with dementia, or teaching and inspiring the next generation it can be a demanding and hard job at times.
"But that is why I love this job so much. Despite these challenges, I see people get up and do their very best to support our communities day in day out. They do that not because of their monthly pay cheque, but out of a sense of duty and care – and, I think, a belief that on any particular day, they can make East Lothian or the lives of one of our residents that bit better.
"I am humbled by this. I am inspired by this. And I am energised to continue to play my part in making a difference.
"This is why the awards, in their second year have become one of the highlights of the year. We had more than 200 high-quality nominations. Each nomination telling its own story of commitment, professionalism and care. Everyone who was nominated should feel very proud to have been put forward."
The Provost added:
"The achievements demonstrate professionalism, innovation, care and a commitment to delivering the very best services for the people and communities we serve. The Inspire Awards provide a unique opportunity to shine a light on the work you do, often quietly and often behind the scenes, but always with a shared commitment to our communities. At their heart, these awards are about recognising the people who inspire others through their innovation, kindness, professionalism and ability to make things happen.
"I am a firm believer that the strongest results come when people listen to and involve another, working towards shared solutions. I see that every day across East Lothian Council, where people tackle challenges together, learn from experience and achieve more as a result.
"The finalists we celebrate, whether teams or individuals, demonstrate the power of collaboration and collective effort, and the positive difference that can be made when people work together towards a shared goal."
More photos from the event will be shared soon. In the meantime, here is a summary of the finalists and winners.
Customer Excellence Award
Finalists: Philippa Barber, Heather Campbell, Sam Gray, John Muir House Customer Services
Winner: John Muir House Customer Services
"A team that consistently provides compassionate, professional and person-centred support to customers."
Presented by Councillor Shamin Akhtar, Depute Council Leader.
Community Focus Award
Finalists: Amenity Services/Community Wellbeing (Tranent Crookston Willow Play Area and Greenspace Project), East Lothian Works, Jon Fleetwood, Steven Higgins
Winner: Jon Fleetwood
"A colleague who has helped establish East Lothian as a benchmark for excellence in event safety and management."
Presented by Councillor Colin McGinn, Cabinet Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing.
Unsung Hero Award
Finalists: Darrin Keenan, Gillian Mair, Tricia Shepherd, Colin Smith, Support Plan Broker Team
Winner: Tricia Shepherd
"A colleague praised for compassionate leadership and unwavering commitment to inclusion."
Presented by Councillor Fiona Dugdale, Cabinet Spokesperson for Education and Children’s and Family Services.
One Council Award
Finalists: Doug Haig, Wendy Neill, Angela Wallace
Winner: Angela Wallace
"An employee who demonstrates outstanding commitment to supporting pupils and colleagues through collaboration and strong relationships."
Presented by Councillor Lyn Jardine, Leader of the Opposition.
Sustainability and Efficiency Award
Finalists: Fleet Services, David Menzies, Waste Services
Winner: Fleet Services
"A team that provides high-quality services while driving long-term sustainability and value for customers."
Presented by Lesley Brown, Depute Chief Executive (Children and Communities).
Innovation Award
Finalists: Adoption, Kinship & Fostering Team, Laura Hall, Nicole McKerracher
Winner: Adoption, Kinship and Fostering Team
"A team that provides exceptional and innovative support that improves wellbeing, stability and relationships."
Presented by Councillor Andy Forrest, Depute Provost.
Team of the Year Award
Finalists: Acorn Infant Family Centre, Elections Team, Revenue Service (Financial Support and Council Tax), Tranent Housing Team
Winner: Elections Team
"A team that has worked together seamlessly, demonstrating exceptional commitment and adaptability."
Presented by Sarah Fortune, Depute Chief Executive (Resources and Economy).
Employee of the Year Award
Winner: Hazel Boak
"A colleague widely admired for her ability to find solutions to complex problems, detailed knowledge and exemplary work in arranging elections."
Presented by Councillor Norman Hampshire, Council Leader.
Foodbank Christmas collection - can you help?
We're planning a council-wide staff collection for East Lothian Foodbank this Christmas - can you help?
Why are we doing this?
East Lothian Foodbank provides emergency food and practical support to people across our area who are experiencing pressures.
The charity received £500 through our supplier Community Benefit funding after colleagues voted for it while responding to the employee survey and will receive money raised through November's Quizmas event. We're building on that work and the goodwill that exists for the East Lothian Foodbank.
We know that many teams look for causes to support at Christmas and some organise their own Foodbank collections. By harnessing our collective resources, we hope to make a significant donation to the Foodbank that will help their work supporting people in our communities.
How will it work?
We're in touch with the East Lothian Foodbank ahead of their Christmas reverse advent calendar campaign. As in previous years, their team will create a poster of items they'd value receiving in December for their work ahead of Christmas and into January. This ranges from household staples like tea and coffee, cereal, pasta and tinned meat or vegetables to toiletries and Christmas chocolate. People can donate as many items as they want either individually or coordinating with others.
A network of collection stations across our council locations will make it easy for colleagues to drop-off food items.
Posters with QR codes will tell you what these items are and give an option to donate money if you'd prefer.
The donation window will run from 23 November to 5 December.
Can you help?
- we'd like to have a donation point in every office or staff location. Could you be a coordinator in your building?
- would you be willing to transport donations from your location to a central pick-up point or to the foodbank?
- could you display a poster in your workplace?
We'd love to have as many people as possible on board - either with practical arrangements or to donate an item or two (or more!) when the collection window opens.
Look out for further details in next month's Inform and on the intranet.
Contact details
To offer your help please contact inform@eastlothian.gov.uk
Meet Sarah: Senior Projects Officer- Landscape
During Scotland’s Climate Week (28 September to 4 October) we caught up with Sarah Cheyne to hear about her hugely important role in designing, enhancing and protecting landscapes of all types, right across East Lothian.
Sarah has been with our organisation for more than 30 years after studying Landscape Architecture at Edinburgh College of Art. “I joined the council as a Landscape Assistant and have spent my career helping to shape and improve the places where people live, work and spend their time," she explains.
“Over the years I've worked on a huge variety of projects, from small planting schemes and play areas to larger public realm improvements, including the streetscape in front of the Corn Exchange in Haddington. Today, my role is focused on helping to protect and enhance East Lothian's landscapes, trees and natural environment, while ensuring that new development is sensitively integrated into its surroundings.
“I feel very fortunate to do a job that I genuinely enjoy, in such a beautiful part of the country. One of the things I like most is the variety. No two days are the same. One day I may be working on the design for a new school landscape while the next I could be considering the landscape and visual effects of a proposed wind farm in the Lammermuirs.
“I also enjoy knowing that the work we do has a lasting impact, helping to protect East Lothian's distinctive landscapes while creating places that people can enjoy for generations to come.
“Many people may be surprised to learn that the Landscape Team consists of just three officers, given that we are involved in a wide range of work across the council!
“We help protect and enhance East Lothian's landscapes, trees and woodlands and advise on planning applications, helping to ensure that new development is designed and located appropriately and that important landscape features and trees are safeguarded.
“We are also helping with the new Local Development Plan, identifying the most sensitive landscapes in East Lothian and considering how these can be protected and enhanced whilst supporting necessary development.
“Another part of our role is looking after protected trees in East Lothian. We implement Tree Preservation Orders and approve works to trees in conservation areas and those protected by Tree Preservation Orders or conditions of planning consents.
“We also help deliver the Tree and Woodland Strategy for East Lothian, encouraging management and planting of the right trees and woodlands in the right places, and recording new planting towards the ambitious goal of two million trees for the East Lothian Climate Forest.
“Alongside this, we provide a landscape design service. A recent project I'm particularly proud of is the landscape design for the new Whitecraig Primary School.
“This autumn and winter, I'm looking forward to working with colleagues and partners on a range of tree and hedge planting projects across East Lothian. Many of these are being supported through Scottish Government Climate Forest funding and will make an important contribution to the East Lothian Climate Forest, helping to create greener, more resilient places for both people and nature.
“We are also partnering with groups across East Lothian. One example is with Natural Connections in Tranent for the delivery of the Tranent Tree Town, a three-year project to grow, plant and maintain 3000 trees across Tranent – significantly improving its canopy coverage which is currently one of the lowest across the settlements in East Lothian. Another example is the Hedgerow Restoration Project being led by the East Lothian Climate Hub which aims to restore and plant 45km of hedgerows across 30 sites in East Lothian by 2030.”
For more information and to watch a video on the Climate Forest project, go to the Central Scotland Green Network website.