ADEPT President Ann Carruthers would like to invite you to enter the annual President's Awards. The President’s Awards are a highlight of ADEPT’s year, allowing us to shine a spotlight on the extraordinary work of our members and partners across the country. We continue to be inspired by the high standard of entries and the commitment that our members demonstrate in driving service improvement and creating meaningful outcomes for their communities.
Local authority members are encouraged to enter the awards and celebrate projects that showcase excellence in the areas of Delivering Sustainable Growth, Innovation in Place Shaping, and Shaping Places for People. Members are also able to submit nominations for the President's Special Recognition Award, which celebrates the achievements of outstanding individuals and small teams over the past 12 months (judges will consider work that began before that period). You can see previous award winners here. See below for the award categories and judges’ criteria.
Categories
This year's categories are:
Category 1: Delivering sustainable growth
Local authorities have a pivotal role to play in driving the growth agenda, both as a business themselves, but also in their role as enablers of economic development within their communities. They act as vital partners to the business community, fostering sustainable, inclusive and clean growth. This award is intended to highlight local authorities who have gone beyond traditional roles to promote sustainable, clean growth, in line with the government’s ambition to tackle climate change, deliver net zero, build resilience and address inequalities. The broad scope of the award includes the delivery of services and infrastructure – housing, transport, waste, economic development, planning and growth or how it operates as a business. Estate improvements, staff policies, commissioning, procurement and fleet are also areas where you may have initiatives or achievements that suit this category.
Category 2: Innovation in place-shaping
ADEPT, its partners and central government share a commitment to promote innovation in place shaping, with a particular focus on creating smart places (defined as a place that incorporates a range of technologies to address economic, social and environmental challenges). This includes the creative deployment of tools, technologies and approaches, to shape places that are sustainable, resilient, accessible, and promote wellbeing. Innovation is not just about adopting digital solutions or technology – it’s about how these tools are integrated into broader strategies, how they are deployed and how they empower people and communities. Adopting smart approaches can be a game changer, leading to the delivery of strategic outcomes and, at the same time improving efficiency and effectiveness, whilst reducing costs.
Category 3: Shaping places for people
Place plays a fundamental role in shaping health and wellbeing, with clean, safe and inclusive environments fostering physical and mental health, reducing inequalities and building resilient communities. At the same time, creating spaces that engage and empower young people is vital in shaping the future of our communities. By involving them in the planning and development process, we ensure that places are fit for future generations. Led by place services, projects may include green spaces, leisure, fitness and active travel, strategic planning and healthy (warm) housing. Entries will be judged on the innovation of their submission, the depth of collaboration and the adoption of a whole systems approach, including partnerships with other services, local authorities, partners, stakeholders and contractors. Successful entries will demonstrate tangible improvements in outcomes for residents, communities, and for health and care services.
The ADEPT President’s Special Recognition Award
The foundation of any organisation is rooted in its people and the service they provide. In this category, we invite ADEPT members to nominate a colleague or a small team (up to 10 people) they think stands out from the crowd. This is not necessarily the loudest or most senior team or team member. Sometimes it is the quietest member of a group or the smallest teams who make a real difference by the way they work, the outcomes they deliver and the influence they exert.
We are looking for individuals and teams who:
- Drive positive change
- Promote equality, diversity and inclusion
- Commit to achieving excellent outcomes for all
- Focus on making a difference
- Use their enthusiasm to take the crowd with them
- Are a role model for their peers
- Demonstrate creativity and innovative thinking to find solutions in an increasingly pressured environment
Entering the awards
- Entry is via online form - click here to enter the awards.
- You can see full award criteria here.
- If you would like a copy of the questions to help prepare your entry please email [email protected].
- The Awards ceremony takes place on Thursday 22nd May at One Whitehall Place. All finalists will receive 2 tickets for the event. Save the date and keep your fingers (and toes) crossed!
The deadline for entries is Friday 28th February. Good luck!
More information on the Spring Conference and Awards event can be found here.
