2024 Shortlist

Back office hero

Winner: Rubie Charalmabous, Brent LBC

Highly Commended: Gillian Randall, Antrim and Newtownabbey BC

• Gillian Randall, Antrim and Newtownabbey BC
• Rubie Charalmabous, Brent LBC
• Michelle Batstone, Gravesham BC
• Helen Richardson, Hull City Council
• Maddi Popoola, Nottingham City Council
• Kalbinder Benning, Redbridge LBC
• Ste Sharples, St Helens MBC
• Katie Kirton, Stroud DC
• Samantha Hodson, West Berkshire Council

Back office heroes

Winner: Durham CC - ‘Grow our Own’ Apprenticeship Programme

Shortlist

• Durham CC, The Apprenticeship Programme
• Harrow LBC, The Waste Development Team
• Isle of Wight Council , Learning and Development Team
• Tamworth BC, Zero Additional Cost New Council Website
• Tower Hamlets LBC, Business Support Team
• Tower Hamlets LBC, Corporate Strategy & Transformation Team
• Tower Hamlets LBC, Design and Marketing Team
• Wakefield MDC,  Wakefield Safeguarding Children Partnership
• Walsall MBC, External Funding Team

Best equality, diversity and inclusion employer

Winner: West Sussex CC - Inclusive recruitment in public health

Shortlist

• East Hampshire DC, An inclusive office for all
• Hackney LBC, A Fairer Hackney
• Tower Hamlets LBC, Workforce to Reflect the Community
• West Sussex CC, Inclusive recruitment in public health

Best innovation in recruitment

Winner: North East Regional Employers Organisation - Make a Difference, work for your local council

Shortlist

• Chorley and South Ribble BCs, Chorley and South Ribble Recruitment Strategy
• Dorset Council, Redefining recruitment at Dorset Council: towards a digital and inclusive future
• East Sussex CC, Leadership Recruitment Initiative
• Huntingdonshire DC, Planning Team Recruitment Campaign
• Knowsley MBC, Social Worker Recruitment Initiative
• Lancashire CC, ASC Workforce Strategy Implementation
• North East Regional Employers Organisation, Make a Difference, work for your local council
• Southampton City Council, Building the Southampton Family
• Stockport MBC, Team Stockport: Leading the Way in Innovative Recruitment
• West Sussex CC, Inclusive recruitment in public health

Best Innovation in retention

Winner: Hackney LBC - Parking Enforcement Insourcing and Staff Retention

Shortlist

• Hackney LBC, Parking enforcement, Hackney Parking Enforcement Insourcing and Staff Retention
• Lancashire CC, ASC Workforce Strategy Implementation
• Southampton City Council, Building the Southampton Family
• West Sussex CC, Inclusive recruitment in public health

Best next generation employer

Winner: Dorset Council - Redefining recruitment at Dorset Council: towards a digital and inclusive future

Shortlist

• Calderdale MBC, National Graduate Development Programme - 5 National Management Trainees
• Cambridgeshire CC, Attracting and growing our own
• Dorset Council, Redefining recruitment at Dorset Council: towards a digital and inclusive future
• Durham CC, 'Grow our Own’ Apprenticeship Programme
• Knowsley MBC, Social Worker Recruitment Initiative
• North East Regional Employers Organisation, Make a Difference, work for your local council
• Warwickshire CC, An incubator for early talent!
• Wealden DC
• West Sussex CC, Inclusive recruitment in public health

Best place to work

Winner: Salford City Council

Shortlist

• Breckland DC, Where People Thrive
• Lichfield DC, Being A Better Council
• Salford City Council
• Southampton City Council, Building the Southampton Family
• Stockport MBC, Empowering Excellence at Stockport Council
• Stroud DC, Building a Workplace of Choice

Best wellbeing innovation

Winner: Calderdale MBC - Wellbeing is more than just fruit on the table

Shortlist

• Calderdale MBC, Wellbeing is more than just fruit on the table
• Cambridgeshire CC, Wellbeing and support for all
• South Cambridgeshire DC, Four-Day Week trial
• Stockport MBC, Wellbeing Champions
• Waltham Forest LBC
• West Northamptonshire Council, Virtual Walking Challenge - River Nene: Source to Sea!

Equality, diversity and inclusion champion

Winner: Michelle Bramble, Kent CC

Highly Commended: Safia Khokhar, Westminster City Council

• Rubie Charalmabous, Brent LBC
• Nicky Everett, Calderdale MBC
• Michelle Bramble, Kent CC
• Ray Channer, Stockport MBC
• Faaria Ahmad, Tower Hamlets LBC
• Anna Finch-Smith, Tower Hamlets LBC
• Shantelle Ross, Walsall MBC
• Safia Khokhar, Westminster City Council
• Jo Marsden, Westmorland and Furness Council

Graduate of the year

Winner: Shona Galt, Redbridge LBC

Shortlist

• Olivia Rope, Breckland DC
• Talha Ghaffar, Kent CC
• Lucy Shayle, Knowsley MBC
• Grace Hudson, Lichfield DC
• Curtis Reah, Liverpool City Region CA
• Holly Harwood, Liverpool City Region CA
• Laura Barlow, Manchester City Council
• Susmita Dave, Oxfordshire CC
• Shona Galt, Redbridge LBC
• Alexander Virtue, Sutton LBC
• Sameehah Ahmed, Tower Hamlets LBC

Head of Service of the year

Winner: Vicki Bates, Stockport MBC

Highly Commended: Carol Baxter, Barnet LBC

Shortlist

• Carol Baxter, Barnet LBC
• Andrew Kennedy, East Ayrshire Council
• David Herrington, Gravesham BC
• Susan Sale, Guildford BC
• Kevin Keady, Hackney LBC
• Tina Brinkworth, Plymouth City Council
• Emma Pattison, Redbridge LBC
• Martin Plant, Rochdale MBC
• Vicki Bates, Stockport MBC
• Tom Harding, Westminster City Council

Smart working

Winner: Surrey CC - SWOT - Smart Working Occupational Therapy

Shortlist

• Barnsley MBC, Enabling Barnsley
• Greater Manchester Business Compliance Support
• Hackney LBC, OpenMarkets.London
• Newham LBC, ILSS Trusted Assessors
• Surrey CC, SWOT - Smart Working Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Westminster City Council with Veolia, Westminster City Council and Veolia’s EAV bike fleet

Workforce innovator

Winner: Michael Wiktorko, Hackney LBC

Shortlist

• Carol Baxter, Barnet LBC
• Bradley Yakoob, Birmingham City Council
• ‘Grow our Own’ Apprenticeship Programme , Durham CC
• David Herrington, Gravesham BC
• Dan O'Sullivan , Hackney LBC
• Michael Wiktorko, Hackney LBC
• Simon Fletcher, Lichfield DC
• Maddi Popoola, Nottingham City Council
• Samantha Hodson, West Berkshire Council