Introduction from the Chairman Councillor David Tutt
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Our sponsor for 2025 WINNERS:
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Best Transformation Team
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Community + Customer Focus Award
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Best Use of Digital, Technology and Data Insight
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Award for Efficiency and Effectiveness
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Green Public Service Award
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Award for Innovation
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Transformation in Health & Social Care Award
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Working Together Award
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International Public Body of the Year 2025
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Chairman’s Award 2025
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UK Fire & Rescue Service of the Year 2025
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UK Police Service of the Year 2025
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UK Council of the Year 2025
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Hall of Fame Awards 2025
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Gallery of images 2025
EDITORIAL CONTACTS TRANSFORM IS PRODUCED BY: iESE www.iese.org.uk
A Legacy of Excellence A Few Words from the Chairman
Since taking over from Cllr Paul Bettison who was chairman of iESE for 18 years, I have had the pleasure of leading the organisation in thinking about its next 18 years. November 2024 was the 20th Anniversary of the founding of iESE. We will be marking this occasion in a celebration in London next month. iESE started as a voluntary partnership of councils, police and fire authorities in the south east of England funded by government grant. iESE was unique amongst regional partnerships in its member leadership with every county nominating a leader and every key spend area nominating a cabinet member to serve on the board. Another hallmark of iESE was a ‘roll up your sleeves and get stuck in’ approach which included those leaders and cabinet members shaping and overseeing parts of the work program. This program touched every part of local public services from health and social care to construction.
Always ambitious and always set up to run as a business, that program quickly started to deliver savings, new income and huge impact. As time went on and the incoming Conservative Liberal government saw the end of the regional partnership funding, iESE transformed itself. This time into a non-profit business that worked for its owners, removing procurement barriers and using its reserves to chart a course to be a selfsustaining business.
Key Achievements
• Successfully supported the creation of the first joint local authority Adur and Worthing and built a team to share this learning with others that followed.
• Developed the first digital platform enabling care commissioner to deliver ‘fair price faire care’ at any address in the country for complex and bespoke care packages.
• Created a construction procurement programme that reduced cost overruns from more than 20% to less than 1%, delivering design awards developing and delivering environmental standards.
• Developing a best practice platform from the UK Public Sector Transformation Awards (now internationally recognised) to the Innovation Club of public service organisations sharing best practice.
class leading CareCubed care costing tool. The Cyber Centre of Excellence (CCoE) was born out of iESE’s future trend scanning which identified a huge risk. A risk, not just to councils, but to our wider communities as well as our councils that could deliver the sharing of best practice and support for struggling public bodies. As we found out in the pandemic, we don’t just need to plan for the continuation of our services, but the continuation of civil society in the case of a large scale (digital) virus.
Celebrating a Remarkable Team
The iESE team of staff, members and officers old and new gathered in February to celebrate this marvellous achievement of our sector. Demonstrating not just the entrepreneurial and commercial acumen of the sector, but its willingness to share and commitment to mutual support. It is this team that has and will continue to deliver the successes that we so clearly need. iESE has led the way in its development of not just processes and technology but also people in the sector. The first large scale use of behavioural frameworks to supporting local public services across the UK; bringing certainty to cultural change and ensuring culture is linked to the design of the new organisation. Culture and behaviour have as much focus in transformation as the hard-edged services. Of course, iESE has not only trialled and rolled out this approach in the private as well as the public sector, but it has also applied it to itself. This focus has developed a team with remarkable skills and behaviours to lead iESE into the future.
Email: enquiries@iese.org.uk @iESELtd
CREDITS: Designed by SMK Design (Aldershot)
Editorial by Vicki Arnstein
As we mark the 20th Anniversary of iESE we enter a new vibrant era for an established and sustainable group of three local government owned transformation companies. The parent company is now iESE CIC, a Community Interest Company, ensuring that the iESE legacy will be used for the sector’s benefit going forward. iESE CIC, with its UK and International links, will continue to share best practice through Transform Magazine, the UK Public Sector Transformation Awards and by providing essential support where it’s needed. The iESE subsidiary companies support the development and deliver the results for 2 missions critical to local government at a time. The iESE subsidiaries change over time, some of our successes have become businesses in their own right, and others remain in the iESE Group. IESE Innovation is currently delivering change in digital social care processes building upon its
Annabelle Atkin joined iESE as a graduate trainee and is publicly best known for her work developing and evolving the sharing of best practice and the UK Public Sector Transformation Awards. What won’t have been seen publicly is that Annabelle led the conversion of the iESE parent into a Community Interest Company and oversees the governance of the iESE Group.
Having been a Director of the parent company for over a year now, Annabelle takes over as the Chief Executive of the iESE Group.
Sherif Attia started at iESE as a graduate trainee and supported a number of transformations in the field. He developed his
David Tutt, iESE Ltd Chairman
design skills, developing the latest generation of iESE digital products. He now leads the design work with an international team. Craig White joined iESE from a large software provider to local government helping grow the uptake of iESE products, and ensuring that our customers determine the focus for development, resulting in iESE products becoming class leaders. Together Sherif and Craig were appointed Directors of iESE Innovation and will lead the organisation into an even more successful future.
Kurtis Toy joined iESE to lead the Cyber Security programme. A successful entrepreneur and company owner in his own right, Kurtis brings together the best of British talent from the intelligence services, the legal community, and new technology providers linking them to the new Cyber Centre of Excellence for local public services. Kurtis is the Chief Executive of this new iESE subsidiary and one of the few fully qualified chief information security officers in the country.
A Fond Farewell … and hello!
With a new generation of iESE leadership coming through we are saying thank you to Dr Andrew Larner and Heather Lumby who have led the development of iESE since its inception and are moving on in May of 2025 to a new stage in their careers. Heather and Andrew really have been a superb partnership, and we have benefitted hugely from their commitment to iESE. Andrew is now a full time carer for his wife Debbie and we wish them both well in their travels around
Europe in the new EV! However, we won’t be losing Andrew. Stepping down as iESE Chief Executive will allow Andrew to focus his time on the Cyber Centre of Excellence, supporting Kurtis to build up that business. Heather started her career in iESE building up its consultancy support. With the launch of iESE took the lead corporately on finance and resources. Her commercial acumen has been a terrific asset to iESE and has driven its establishment as a financially stable and successful organisation delivering for the sector. Heather too has a caring role, in this case for her father. Heather will also be supporting the next stage of iESE’s role ensuring that the financial and commercial scrutiny that she has brought continues, ensuring that iESE remains the stable business that she has developed.
Looking Forward
That brings me to my position, I have the immense please of taking over as Chairman of IESE CIC. As the former leader of Eastbourne and the opposition leader at East Sussex County, I know that we will face even more opportunity as we go through reorganisation. iESE intends to support this across its portfolio and bring together the collective knowledge from its, and others work on transforming local public services from the first voluntary merger of two councils to the complete reorganisation of local government. It’s not just the marginal savings of reorganisation that motivate us but the opportunity to release the collective and creative talent of the sector to create new human centred services that join up
GOLD AWARD SPONSOR
the whole public, voluntary and private sector around our customers, creating vibrant communities that are future fit. We look forward to working with you all in this endeavour.
Contact Information
For any inquiries or to send messages of appreciation, please contact Michelle Pearson at michelle.pearson@iese.org.uk.
Conclusion
In closing, we extend our deepest thanks to Andrew and Heather for their extraordinary contributions to our organisation. Their dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment have left an indelible mark on iESE. We wish Andrew and Heather all the best in their new adventures and look forward to working with them in the next stage of the iESE adventure.
This year our awards event was sponsored by Gold Award sponsor ZapCarbon
ZapCarbon is honoured to be the Gold Award sponsor for this year’s iESE Public Sector Transformation Awards. We launched ZapCarbon in 2006, and for almost two decades we’ve been helping public and private sector organisations to achieve a positive impact while creating significant fuel- and cost-savings.
For the past nine years, we’ve been working alongside large housing providers who are committed to improving the health of their social homes and achieving their net zero goals while keeping residents safe. During this time, we’ve built a huge amount of knowledge and expertise in the sector. Our HealthyHomes teams have carried out over 50,000 comprehensive home assessments; they have cleaned away mould and shielded surfaces to prevent its return; and they have fitted smart sensors to provide valuable data insights on each home. They’ve also provided practical guidance to thousands of residents on the everyday things they can do to keep their homes healthy and stamp out dangerous damp and mould for good. Additionally, our Zypho shower heat recovery
devices have given housing providers, developers and retrofit experts with the means to quickly and affordably improve the energy efficiency rating of their properties while rapidly reducing fuel bills.
We recognise that everyone will be at different stages on their net zero journey, so we offer tailored solutions that can be integrated with
existing programmes and systems. Ultimately, our goal is to give the organisations we work with the means to establish their own fully autonomous, self-directed programmes that will lead to healthier homes, bigger cost savings, and better outcomes for all.
Congratulations to all the nominees and winners at this year’s awards - we are delighted to have been able to share this special evening with you!
www.zapcarbon.com
www.zypho.uk
www.healthyhomes.org.uk
From left to right: Sherif Attia, Craig White, Dr Andrew Larner, Heather Lumby, Annabelle Atkin, and Kurtis Toy.
Best Transformation Team
This award recognises a team who has made an exceptional contribution and long-term positive impact in their organisation through a series of transformation and continuous improvement. They continuously look for new ways to innovate and push the boundaries of local public service deployment. #dreamteam #reallifetransformers
GOLD WINNER: Enfield Council - Nexus
Enfield has faced a challenging set of circumstances for young people, including one of the highest permanent exclusion rates in the country, high levels of serious youth violence, youth crime, and child poverty. Enfield Council have achieved remarkable success in supporting young people through the community-based initiative NEXUS – formed in 2018 – which has facilitated a dramatic reduction in exclusions from 57 in 2017-18 to just 8 in 2022-23. Working with over 30 partners and local schools, NEXUS has established itself as a leader in reducing exclusions across London and nationally, continuing its ongoing mission to keep young people engaged in education, empowering them and their families through interventions that address the root causes of behavioural challenges.
SILVER WINNER: Dorset Council - Adult Care Programme Management Office
Since its launch in January 2024, Dorset Council’s Adult Care Programme Management Office has implemented a range of initiatives that deliver results while keeping Dorset residents at the heart of decision-making, guided by their ‘Lives, not Services’ ethos. Over the past year, the team has enhanced care services and system efficiency by developing tracking and reporting tools, expanding reablement services, improving carer support, streamlining transitions from childhood to adulthood, and leading mandatory training for the health and social care workforce. These efforts have driven service integration, improved outcomes, and have supported informed decision-making across key areas, making significant advancements in making Dorset fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable for current and future generations.
BRONZE WINNER: South Wales Police and Gwent Police - eServices Team, Digital Services Division
Serving 10,000 officers and staff across two forces, the South Wales Police and Gwent Police eServices team has provided a high level of service to all users through challenging times for the past 10 years. The In-house tech team are responsible for the creation and maintenance of over 250 websites and apps and look to help drive efficiency and effectiveness in both forces. The remit of eServices is that of a digital problem solver, providing digital solutions to a variety of force problems that do not have an off the shelf solution and may require a series of integrations with internal systems.
Community + Customer Focus Award
This award is for the initiative that does most to reinvigorate the local community and deliver outstanding service to their customers. Through the use of asset management and regeneration, they have created opportunities for their local area by delivering proven benefits, greater resilience and less dependency on local public services. And they can clearly demonstrate the link between excellent customer service and improved service performance. #communityenablement #vibrantcommunities
GOLD WINNER: Bournemouth, Christchurch, & Poole Council (BCP)Safer BCP Community Safety Partnership
The newly formed ‘Safer BCP Community Safety Partnership’ has grown from strength to strength over the last 18 months and has facilitated outstanding work around its key priorities of Serious Violent Crime, Violence Against Women and Girls, Anti-social Behaviour and keeping people safe from exploitation. Using a ‘Public Health Approach’ and strong multi-agency partnership working to address the ‘cause of the cause’, Safer BCP is making demonstratable change to addressing the issues impacting those who live, work and visit BCP.
SILVER WINNER: South Staffordshire District Council -
Creating Brighter Futures
The Creating Brighter Futures programme was launched in April 2023 with the aim to help people who are unemployed or economically inactive overcome complex and multiple needs and build self-confidence and resilience, to help them progress towards or into employment. It also supports those currently in work to progress and improve their prospects through training and education. It is delivered through personalised and intensive support by individual caseworkers, with referrals to relevant local training, skills and other specialist support as required.
BRONZE WINNER: Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council - The Aspire & Pathway to Work Programmes
The Aspire & Pathway to Work team has made a lasting impact on the community through initiatives that create opportunities and deliver real positive change. Their 6-month funded employment placement provide individuals with essential skills and confidence, supported by tailored mentoring. A dedicated team focusses on helping the ‘Children Looked After’ cohort, ensuring these young people receive targeted support. Their Apprenticeship Programme further strengthens the area by offering robust mentoring and career building opportunities. These efforts have transformed lives, improved service outcomes and reduced reliance on public services, showcasing their commitment to exceptional community support and customer service.
Best Use of Digital, Technology and Data Insight
This award is for the innovative use of digital tools, technology, and data that have led to improved outcomes for their organisation, customers, and wider community. This could be from remodelling existing services, to creating totally new and dynamic services that have transformed the roll of the local public services and the way it supports its residents and communities. Within their submission, they have evidenced and highlighted their creative approach of managing and manipulating data to deliver outstanding results.
#digitalgurus #divinedata
GOLD WINNER: East Suffolk CouncilEast Suffolk Planning Delivery Dashboard
The Planning Delivery Dashboard is a highly innovative map-based digital platform which presents and shares planning data and analysis in an engaging and interactive way. It answers fundamental planning questions such as ‘where have new homes been built?’, ‘where will new homes go in future?’ and ‘what is happening in town centres?’. Previously this information could only be found in lengthy PDF documents. The information is available for the local community and key stakeholders to use, including to help with future planning. It supports the Authority Monitoring Report which records how the Local Plans are performing.
SILVER WINNER: Careium & YokeruRevolutionising Telecare: Enhancing Efficiency and Well-Being with AI-Powered Automation
Yokeru’s AI-powered communication platform, implemented in collaboration with Careium - the market leader in technology enabled care across Europe - has transformed its telecare service delivery by automating over 185,000 proactive calls to 11,200 service users and counting. This equates to 385 days of continuous phone calls, saving the equivalent of a full-time employee working five days a week, nonstop, for 18 months. By blending automation with human interaction, the solution achieves a daily response rate of 80-90%, contacting 1,093 service users and completing 5,876 calls per month. These results exemplify a groundbreaking shift in health and social care, leveraging technology to create measurable, lasting impacts on operational efficiency, customer satisfaction, and service user well-being.
BRONZE WINNER: South Staffordshire District Council - Digital by Choice: replicating face to face customer excellence online
South Staffordshire District Council has championed an innovative ‘digital by choice’ approach to channel shift. Whilst many councils are adopting a ‘digital by default’ approach, South Staffordshire Council recognised from insights that this would not be the best approach for their residents. South Staffordshire District Council’s ‘digital by choice’ strategy prioritises inclusivity by creating high quality, user-friendly customer journeys that residents can choose to adopt at their convenience. By redesigning and refining service delivery using digital tools, technology, and data insights, South Staffordshire District Council has empowered residents who choose to, to engage with them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Award for Efficiency and Effectiveness
This body has harnessed the real potential in their organisation, delivering elevated performance, creating efficiencies, and delivering outstanding customer service with improved value to their residents. Above all, this organisation has shown its ability to adapt to a fast-paced and ever-changing environment, while achieving fantastic results in doing so. #publicserviceadaptation #customerfocus
GOLD WINNER: Humberside Police - Force Control Room (FCR) Transformation
Humberside Police Force Control Room (FCR) has undergone a remarkable transformational journey, driven by two key objectives: delivering a best-in-class service for the communities it serves and becoming an employer of choice. This has been achieved by fostering a robust culture of continuous improvement and learning from past experiences, leveraging ground-breaking technology, and implementing a strategic workforce plan that optimises resources through technological advancements. Additionally, efforts have been made to reduce demand while ensuring an exceptional approach to recruitment, training, and retention. Strong leadership and governance, with a focus on data and evidence, have played a crucial role in the FCR’s transformation, alongside a fundamental shift in organisational culture.
SILVER WINNER: Hackney Council Parking Services - InsourcingUnleashing Excellence in Hackney
Parking enforcement is one of Local Governments’ most challenging responsibilities, involving all-weather work and frequently dealing with unhappy drivers, as receiving a Penalty Charge Notice rarely evokes positive reactions. Historically, Hackney council has faced high staff turnover, costly training, low performance, and numerous complaints from residents and drivers, creating a cycle of unhappy staff and dissatisfied customers. Recent innovations, such as the introduction of a 4-day working week, have reversed this trend, achieving a record-low staff turnover of 1.8%, delivering record-breaking performance and world-class customer service as well as saving over £0.5m per annum.
BRONZE WINNER: Surrey County CouncilCost Management Team
Surrey County Council’s (SCC) Cost Management Team (Adult Social Care) put Surrey residents at the heart of their initiative to reform fee reviews. In 2020, SCC began using CareCubed for all new placements, when a person’s needs change, and whole service reviews as person-centred, evidence-based approach to sourcing adult social care. PostCovid and navigating an unpredictable and challenging economic climate, SCC were determined to improve the way they worked. The Cost Management Team was founded and developed to drive cost efficiencies, encourage and empower a skilled workforce, and build robust provider relationships - ensuring that no one is left behind
Green Public Service Award
This category recognises, rewards and promotes environmental best practice across the public sector in the UK. This organisation has shown how they have helped the environment by driving sustainability not only in their organisation, but in their surrounding local area, and have improved the quality of life and well-being of their local residents. #achievinggreen #servingupsustainability
GOLD WINNER: Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability PartnershipAccelerating Greener Homes in Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire Climate Change and Sustainability Partnership’s (HCCSP) collaborative model is exemplary for demonstrating how public services can deliver measurable sustainability outcomes from financial efficiencies to the reward of carbon reduction. HCCSP has built Hertfordshire’s capability to address climate challenges through a multi-sector approach, working with key bodies across Property, Planning, Resilience and Public Health, and beyond the public sector’s ‘comfort zone’, embracing retrofit installers and further education trainers. This has created levers in expertise, enthusiasm, and investment from all parts of the building retrofit and wider climate change challenge. We believe this model can be replicated to accelerate transformative collaboration, momentum and sharing of expertise.
SILVER WINNER: Hackney CouncilA community-focused approach to sustainability
Hackney’s Parking Services, ranked the most effective London borough in tackling climate change by ‘wearepossible.org’ with a 100% Active Travel score, is implementing a 5-year Parking and Enforcement Plan (PEP) to improve air quality and promote sustainable travel. The PEP includes a phased 13-band charging structure for all permit types, spread across five years (estate permits over seven years) for affordability. Clear pricing supports residents transitioning to low-emission vehicles. Early results include a 5% drop in vehicle emissions, 7% fewer high-polluting vehicles, 1,000+ cycle hangars benefiting 6,000+ residents and plans for 2,500 EV chargers by 2026.
BRONZE WINNER: Cambridgeshire Energy Retrofit Partnership (CERP)A hands-on approach to delivering success in energy retrofit
The Cambridgeshire Energy Retrofit Partnership (CERP) is a considerable success story, having collaborated for over a decade to deliver significant retrofit to support local communities. The Partnership which is a collaborative entry/project, comprising of the Councils of Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council, Fenland District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council, aims to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, ensure good value, high-quality retrofit for residents, boost the local economy and support community and voluntary groups working on energy-related sustainability. Their success is a direct result of their strong collaborative approach and officer commitment.
Award for Innovation
This category is for developing and bringing to market new innovative technologies, facilities or services that can transform the delivery of a local public service. They are able to show the success of innovative ways of working, and the improvement it’s made to their customers and community. This category is not only open to the public sector but also to private or third sector organisations. #forwardthinking #innovationstation
GOLD WINNER: CorkSol UK - SprayCork: Transforming Public Sector Retrofit & Social Housing Sustainability
Councils and housing providers face an urgent challenge - how to insulate hard-totreat buildings without high costs, disruption, or space loss. Traditional solutions often fail, leaving tenants in cold, damp homes and public buildings expensive to maintain. SprayCork is a breakthrough insulation technology transforming social housing, historic properties, and public buildings. At just 4-6mm thick, it improves energy efficiency, eliminates mould, and preserves heritage features while cutting maintenance costs. With proven success in projects for Together Housing, One Manchester, and multiple councils, SprayCork offers a scalable, cost-effective retrofit solution helping the public sector meet Net Zero and reduce fuel poverty.
SILVER WINNER: Spelthorne Borough Council - Eclipse Leisure Centre
The Eclipse Leisure Centre deserves recognition as a World Leading Leisure Centre of Passivhaus Design. Pending certification (expected March 2025) it is the world's largest and most complex Passivhaus sport and leisure facility. Incorporating both wet and dry facilities, the building consumes more than 60% less energy than comparable leisure centres of typical design, through its innovative design features, exceptional levels of insulation and airtightness. This complex project delivers significant benefits for the environment as well as for the community and is leading the way for next generation leisure centres.
Gravesgam Borough Council’s Rough Sleeping Initiative is a beacon of hope and transformation, designed to provide comprehensive support and sustainable solutions for individuals experiencing homelessness. It is a testament to innovation, compassion, and effectiveness in addressing homelessness. By offering supported accommodation, comprehensive support services, and fostering strong community partnerships, they provide rough sleepers with the tools and opportunities to transform their lives. The holistic approach, client empowerment, and community integration efforts have created lasting positive change, making the project truly award-worthy.
Transformation in Health & Social Care Award
This organisation has highlighted the greatest impact for customers of health and social care, through the successful launch of creative and forward-thinking services for children, young people or adults. Submissions can be based upon transforming access to services, remodelling the service itself, or integrating different services and partners. #socialcaresaviours #healthattheheart
GOLD WINNER: North Central London Integrated Care Board and Middlesex UniversityUsing simulated learning approaches with Adult Social Care nurses
NCL and adult social care (ASC) have created an outstanding initiative that has made a significant impact on adult social care after identifying the need for additional training to reduce catheter associated infections and to meet the increasing complex care needs of residents. As a part of their initiative bespoke training programmes were co-produced with Middlesex University (MU) using their simulation centre to facilitate high quality training in a learning environment that mirrored ASC settings. To further enhance the realism of the learning experiences, lived ambassadors (residents) were involved in the development of the training and professional actors used in the facilitation. The results have been transformative – ASC nurses gained increased confidence, residents benefitted from improved care, and catheter-associated infections have significantly reduced by up to 80%.
SILVER WINNER: South Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) - Ageing Well: Focus on Frailty Collaborative
South Ayrshire HSCP and partners comprehensive Ageing Well: Focus on Frailty program takes a whole system approach from primary prevention through to coordinated acute care when required and everything in between. It is designed to empower older adults to enhance their quality of life, and address the challenges posed by frailty whilst also skilling up teams to provide more coordinated and proactive support further upstream. Through preventative interventions, crosssector collaboration, and community-focused strategies, HSCP have delivered measurable improvements in health outcomes, service efficiency and whole system sustainability including 20% reduction in hospital admissions and building over 200 fully accessible homes.
BRONZE WINNER: Brentwood Borough Council and Rochford District CouncilGood Company Programme
Good Company is a groundbreaking programme for people with dementia and their family carers, led by Brentwood Borough Council, with 11 arts, health, and voluntary sector organisations. The Council's leadership has driven the project, addressing local health priorities through personcentred creativity and peer support. Participants involved in the programme shown marked improvements in wellbeing, cognition, and social interaction. Strong roots for sustained local delivery have been established. The successful model is being replicated in other districts, with plans for wider expansion. The innovative approach used in this project demonstrates the power of collaborative partnerships in providing effective and compassionate care for individuals with dementia and their families.
Working Together Award
This category is for simplifying the way that residents and local businesses deal with public services, through partnership working. This organisation has shown how they have brought together multiple contact points, removed the barriers between organisations, and moved resources closer to the customer. #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #localbusiness
GOLD WINNER: South Staffordshire District Council - Delivering a Collaborative Approach to Business Engagement
South Staffordshire District Council has taken a dynamic and forward-thinking approach to supporting its business community, fostering growth through the South Staffordshire Business Partnership. By prioritizing long-term, trusting relationships, the Council has created a strong foundation for collaboration between public and private sector partners. This partnership is now at the heart of the Council’s efforts to drive business success across the district. Their targeted, funded support has been strategically designed to encourage collaboration, peer-to-peer learning, and investment, strengthening the local economy. In addition, the Council has played a key role in supporting the visitor economy and establishing the Business Ambassador Group, ensuring businesses and communities alike benefit from sustained economic growth.
SILVER WINNER: Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council - Anti-Social Behaviour Community Enforcement Team
Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council (TMBC) launched a Community Enforcement Team in April 2024, operating across the borough until September to engage with residents, local businesses, and community partners while tackling anti-social behaviour (ASB). By implementing flexible shift patterns and real-time reporting, the team was able to operate across multiple locations and swiftly redeploy in response to intelligence received from partners. This proactive approach led to remarkable results—Kent Police ASB crime statistics recorded a 33.4% reduction between April and September year-on-year, with TMBC achieving the largest ASB crime drop among Kent local authorities, showing an 11.22% decrease on a rolling year-by-year basis.
BRONZE WINNER: London Borough of Tower Hamlets - Innovation Tower Hamlets: Enabling a Culture of Innovation in Local Government
Innovation Tower Hamlets revolutionised local government by unlocking the potential of employees at all levels, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous learning, and crossborough engagement. Through initiatives like Transform Your Team, which empowered teams to tackle challenges with expert guidance, and Innovation Month, which provided staff with the tools and knowledge to drive meaningful change, the council nurtured a dynamic environment of innovation. The Ideas Generator further amplified employee voices, transforming creative ideas into tangible service improvements. As a result, Innovation Tower Hamlets not only enhanced service delivery and resident outcomes but also ignited a lasting passion for innovation, setting a new benchmark for excellence in public service.
International Public Body of the Year 2025
This award is presented to the International Public Body deemed outstanding in transforming the delivery of its services.
WINNER: UAE PASS - The First National Digital Identity for Citizens, Residents, and Visitors in the UAE
Launched in 2018, UAE PASS is the UAE’s first national digital identity and digital signature platform. It enables citizens, residents, and visitors to securely access over 14,000 government and private sector services through a unified application. This transformative initiative has integrated advanced features such as authentication, high-security digital signatures, and a digital vault, eliminating the need for physical documentation or multiple credentials. Designed to align with UAE Vision 2021 and Centennial 2071, UAE PASS represents a cornerstone of the nation’s smart transformation and paperless strategy. As of today, it has been adopted by 323 entities, facilitating seamless, secure, and user-centric digital transactions across the UAE.
Chairman’s Award 2025
The award celebrates individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to driving positive change. The Chairman of the Year award recognises an outstanding chairman who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and dedication to excellence. This prestigious honour is awarded to a leader who has driven significant positive impact within their organisation, fostered innovation, and championed ethical and sustainable business practices.
WINNER: Heather Lumby
Each year it falls to the Chairman to consider presenting an award to an individual. In the past we have presented this award to Ministers, Chairmen of the Local Government Association as well as officers and councillors in the iESE network. We don’t always award but when we do it marks a significant contribution to the transformation of local public services.
This is a transition year for iESE with a renewed mission and renewed leadership. it is therefore fitting to make this award to an individual that has steered iESE to its current successful position.
IESE started out as a partnership run by volunteers with a few members of staff. We always ran our activities in a businesslike way and that paid huge dividends when we incorporated and moved from government grant funding to a nonprofit funded by our services. With a commitment to free membership and no commercial income at the outset, the path to a financially sustainable organisation has been a challenging one. But here we stand as not just financially sustainable, but able to deliver pro bono services for those in real need and able to invest in research and development for areas where the sector desperately needs new approaches.
One individual has done the most to help us deliver a vibrant and sustainable organisation. When she came to us as a consultant, she not only had experience in UK councils but in the private sector in the USA as well. She rose to be a company director and Andrew’s partner in crime in leading iESE. It is with great pleasure that this award is given to Heather Lumby without whom iESE would not be the organisation it is today.
UK Fire & Rescue Service of the Year 2025
This award is presented to the Fire Service deemed outstanding in transforming the delivery of its services.
WINNER: Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) leads UK fire services with rapid responses and community-focused initiatives. Averaging 5 minutes 58 seconds for dwelling fires and 5 minutes 29 seconds for Level 1 emergencies, TWFRS is the fastest responding service. Its Risk Based Inspection Programme covers 32,000 commercial properties, supported by a new inspection team and virtual reality training. Prevention efforts include safe and well checks, with 80% targeting high-risk individuals. TWFRS hosts all seven national resilience assets and prioritises sustainability with the UK’s first carbon-neutral tri-station, Hebburn Tri Station, a collaboration led by TWFRS with local public sector organisations. The Tri Station supports the Governments Property Management Strategy, as well as the local community by bringing together in one location, the Fire Service, Neighbourhood Police and Ambulance Service. Strategic staffing ensures 24/7 specialist rescue teams, enhancing safety across the region.
Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service is committed to environmental sustainability by its continued dedication to reducing its carbon footprint, conserving resources, and enhancing energy efficiency. The Service implements initiatives such as reducing water consumption, minimising waste, and promoting recycling across its operations. It embraces low-emission technologies in its fleet and continues to invest in state-of-the-art energy efficient facilities. By integrating sustainability into its day-to-day functions, Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service aims to safeguard both the environment and public safety, now and for future generations.
UK Police Service of the Year 2025
This award is presented to a Police Service deemed outstanding in transforming the delivery of its services.
WINNER: The National Business Crime Centre
Through innovation and influence, the National Business Crime Centre (NBCC) has worked with police forces and retailers to tackle retail crime through the coordination of a national campaign of action. Using those same attributes the NBCC has worked in partnership with the business community to create Operation Portum, the largest safe space scheme in the country, protecting our communities and those who feel vulnerable. The NBCC’s approach has been highly original, and their initiatives have undoubtedly set new standards for collaboration and public service delivery.
UK Council of the Year 2025
This award is presented to a Council deemed outstanding in transforming its services and creating vibrant communities.
WINNER: Watford Borough Council
Ranked the UK’s number one town to live, work and play, and hailed by the LGA for their ‘hugely ambitious plans’ and ‘unwavering focus on outcomes’, Watford stands at the forefront of local government excellence. Despite budget pressures, they excel in shaping places and supporting people by driving growth and wellbeing. Their story is one of transformation and purpose, a ‘small but mighty’ council, reimagining its role as a vital partner in a thriving ecosystem, and consistently delivering exceptional results.
Hall of Fame Award 2025
The iESE Hall of Fame was introduced in 2024, to act as a hallmark to recognise organisations that have consistently aimed for excellence and have met several criteria. These include consistent success over 5 years or more in the iESE Awards, transformation programmes at a community-enablement level, evidence of bleeding-edge innovation, and more wider contributions such as contribution to iESE’s ongoing research programme.
WINNER: Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils
The UK Council of the Year winner for 2024, these two councils have provided extensive evidence of the fantastic progress they have achieved since their merger and becoming a dual authority. They are vision led and have sought to improve all of their sectors holistically. Their approach includes collaboration, partnership working, the merging and sharing of services, and working closely with their partners and communities. Their success is truly based on a combined effort. Their unified approach has allowed the council to speak with one voice at a regional level and to be influential. They have demonstrated genuine innovation, achieving a number of UK firsts, and drawing on best practice to raise the bar across their agenda. They are honest about their imperfections, which they deal with by fostering a desire to learn, reinvent, and solve problems, working with their partners and communities to drive solutions forward.
WINNER: Councillor Paul Bettison OBE
All entries in the Hall of Fame to date have been organisations. Those that have consistently excelled over the years creating key lessons for the sector. This year for the first time we induct an individual. As an elected councillor this individual took his District to Unitary status and later gave critical help to councillors in Northern Ireland in their local government reorganisation, sorry devolution! He has led the Unitary councils in his former county, been key to the Unitary councils input to the Local Government Association and their liaison to the County Councils Network. He has dedicated many decades to identifying and sharing best practice across the sector having been successively the local government champion for e-government, for waste management and for trading standards.
In his own area he has led the first, and so far only, rebuild of a New Town. Still dedicated to the sharing of knowledge in the sector he is now leading iESE in getting together the knowledge in the sector to help share lessons learned that will help with the upcoming reorganisation of local government. It gives me great pleasure to induct Councillor Paul Bettison into the Hall of Fame.
