Southampton City Council Awards 2005

In 2005 the Liberal Democrat led City Council has won a number of Awards at different levels with the council, and the people of Southampton can be rightly proud of the excellent work done by all those to gain these awards.

Corporate Awards

Cllr Adrian Vinson - Council Leader

Four awards and major achievements were gained by the council overall:

• The city council was awarded a Eurocities Award for international work with its Chinese sister city of Qingdao.
• Investors in People
• The council was awarded three stars (a 'good' council) under the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Performance Assessment in December.
• SABRE, the Ministry of Defence organisation that supports employers of reservists, for our commitment to the military reserves.

Children's Service and Learning Awards

Six awards and major achievements were gained in the area of education and caring for children across the city

Cllr Ann Milton - Children's Services and Learning

• Children in the city achieved improved Key Stage 2 & 3 results, while GCSE grades were the best ever.
• City Catering were awarded the Hospitality Assured award.
• Southampton teacher Trevelyan May was named Primary Teacher of the Year at the 2005 National Teacher Awards (Mr May has since taken a job outside the city).
• Southampton Music Services received a Diploma from the National Music Council and was ranked among the top five services in the country for the fifth year running.
• Three Southampton schools made it onto Ofsted's Particularly Successful Schools list, putting them among the top 300 outstanding schools in the country.
• Netley Court School for children with special educational needs became the first school in the country to be awarded the government's new Enhanced Healthy School Status.

Housing, Regeneration and Communities Awards

Cllr Liz Mizon - Communities & Regeneration

Cllr Paul Russell - Housing & Homes

Four awards and major achievements were gained in the areas of Housing, Regeneration and Communities:

• The Council, Swaythling Housing Society, and Persimmon Homes jointly received the CABE/HBF Building For Life Gold Standard award for the Chapel Regeneration Area housing development - a new £30 million urban village.
• National recognition for our junior neighbourhood wardens for Best Street Scene Achievement from the Municipal Journal.
• The pirate themed Weston Shore play area won the Royal Institute of British Architects 2005, Southern Region Award
• Southampton Businesses Against Crime (SoBAC) of which City Centre Management and Community Safety are a part of also obtained the Safe Business Award from the Home Office, the first place in Hampshire to receive the award.

Environment and Transport Awards

Seven awards and major achievements were also gained in the key areas of Environment and Transport:

Cllr Jill Baston - Environment & Transport

• Southampton celebrated with two national Green Flag Awards for Mayfield Park and Central Parks.
• The council's climate change strategy won a Green Apple gold award and has been invited to be one of the country's first 'Green Heroes'.
• Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Excellence Awards 2005 Commended.
• IDeA best practice (Improvement and Development Agency)
• ICLEI case study (Local Governments for Sustainability European Secretariat)
• Federation of Small Business for help on Business Rates.
• Southampton's Night Time Economy Scheme won the Managing the Evening Economy category and the South East of England Regional Town Centre Management Project of the year.

Health and Social Care Awards

Cllr Norah Goss - Corporate Services

Six awards and major achievements were gained for looking after the Health and Social needs of the people of Southampton:

• The Commission of Social Care Inspection has awarded Southampton's Health and Social Care Directorate its highest award, three stars.
• ODPM 'awarded' us a £60k grant for developing a Supporting People Value Improvement Project in a national competition - one of only 8 in England.
• The Saucepans multi-agency community Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service team was highly commended in the Health Service Journal awards
• Modernization Awards - Celebrating Success 2005 - Hampshire and Isle of Wight Strategic Health Authority
• Improved Patient Access Award 2005
• Southampton Home Treatment Service Award 2005

Resources Awards

Cllr Dave Beckett - Finance

For looking after the council staff another award was gained:

• The council was awarded a Gold Award in Occupational Safety.

Leisure Awards

Cllr Peter Wakeford - Leisure

And finally even while the rest of us were at play the award winning did not stop with one final award:

• Southampton City Libraries were given the Charter Mark for excellence in customer care.