Stockton Council's awards and achievements

AWARDS and ACHIEVEMENTS

• The Royal Horticultural Society named Stockton as Best City in the 2007 Britain in Bloom Awards, as winner of a Silver Gilt award. Stockton has won numerous Northumbria in Bloom awards including Best City for the past three years.
• Oxbridge Cemetery is shortlisted for the national 2007 Cemetery of the Year Award; Thornaby Cemetery won the 2006 award.
• The Shambles toilets in central Stockton won not only a five star award but also Attendant of the Year Award in the 2006 Loo of the Year Awards. Award winning attendants were (Ladies) Jean Cavanagh, Theresa Hawkins and Rachael Hicks and (Gents) Paul Kavanagh and Keith Ramsay.
• The Council won Best Catering Service in the 2006 APSE Awards, and was also runner-up in four other categories - Best Community and Neighbourhood Initiative (Think B4U Drink Campaign), Best Service Team of the Year (Highways and Winter Maintenance), Best Service Team (Parks, Grounds and Horticultural Services), and Overall Service Team.
• Stockton Council has been a shortlisted finalist in the Local Government Chronicle Council of the Year awards three times in recent years.
• Becky Jenkins from Abbey Hill School & Technology College is named Outstanding New Teacher of the Year in the North East Teaching Awards 2007.
• The Adult Education Service was awarded the Governmment's Matrix Quality Standard in recognition of the advice and guidance offered to learners.
• The Council's Community Safety service won the award for the Most Valued Contribution to Arson Prevention in the Cleveland Fire Brigade Community Safety Awards 2007.
• The Council won the Local Government Chronicle IT and E-Government Award 2007 for an innovative information system using hand-held computers and satellite global positioning technology to tackle anti-social behaviour.
• In 2007, the BBC's Breakfast Show named Yarm as best town for High Street shopping.
• Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary RC Primary School, Billingham was named amongst the top 3% of schools nationally in 2007.
• The Care For Your Area management team won the Local Government Chronicle's Horticultural and Ground Maintenance Management Team of the Year for 2006.
• Stockton's team won another national award in September 2007 - as the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE)'s 'best in the land' in the category of Parks, Grounds and Horticulture.
• Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park won the Community Forest category of the North East Community Forest Awards 2006 thanks to its Voice of The Community Project.
• The Council won four Green Flags for Ropner Park and its country parks at Wynyard Woodland Park, Billingham Beck Valley Country Park and Cowpen Bewley Woodland Park in 2007.
• 1825 Way (part of South Stockton Link) won the Construction category for partners Stockton Council and contractor Birse Civils at the prestigious Robert Stephenson Awards in Newcastle in 2005, and was also named 'Civil's Project of the Year' by Civil Engineering Contractors Association (North East region). For 2006, the project was the only one in the North East to be awarded 'Gold' in the Considerate Constructors Awards.
• 'Handle It Or Lose It' motorcycle safety campaign won the Prince Michael of Kent International Road Safety Awards for motorcycle safety in 2005.
• The Council's Car Parking Team won the Exceptional Customer Service Award at the British Parking Association Awards for 2006.
• The Council's Trading Standards Consumer Advice Centre was the third such centre in the country to obtain the Government's Specialist Quality Mark in 2006.
• The STEPs scheme to help disabled people realise their potential and enter employment was rated amongst the top 15 per cent in the country.
• The Democratic Services team was 'Commended' in the Municipal Journal's 2007 Annual Achievement of the Year Awards for producing an innovative "Guide to Member Roles."
• 'Think B4U Drink' campaign named Most Responsible Local Authority - Borough Council in the Responsible Drinks Retailing 2005 Awards.
• Stockton Council won the Mainstreaming Award at the Communities and Neighbourhood Management Awards 2005, for its continued support of the Parkfield/Mill Lane Neighbourhood Management Partnership scheme.
• Highly Commended in the national Regeneration & Renewal Awards for Housing-Led Project of the Year 2007 for Mandale Park.
• Trading Standards & Licensing was awarded a Trading Standards Institute Silver Certificate of Excellence Award as one of the top 25 enforcement authorities in the UK, for its work carried out to protect the consumer from substituted and adulterated spirits in licensed premises.

Charter Marks:
The following services hold Charter Marks for outstanding customer service:

· Housing Management
· Tourist Information
· Admin & Reception
· Road Safety
· Building Control
· Libraries
· Taxation
· Pupil Support Service
· Adult Education
· Care For Your Area
· Parks & Countryside
· Sports Development
· Catering