Star awards 2022
COLLEAGUE’S CHOICE AWARD VOTING IS NOW OPEN
The Colleagues’ Choice Awards are open and we need YOUR vote!
Nominees have been shortlisted by the judging panel following the STAR Awards nominations and now this is your chance to celebrate the efforts of your colleagues by choosing who you would like to see pick up the award.
You can make your selection on the ‘poll’ HERE.
If you need any help to vote or require any information or if you would like to vote but do not have the facility to do so, please contact the OD department – alternatively you can email your vote to organisational.development@moray.gov.uk or call 01343 563261 to lodge your vote.
Voting closes on 11 November, with the winner of the Colleagues Choice being announced and presented at the STAR Awards and Long Service Ceremony in December.
STAR Awards 2022 Schedule
- Colleagues Choice vote launches - 25 October
- Colleagues Choice vote closes - 11 November
- Awards Ceremony in conjunction with Long Service Awards Ceremony at Elgin Academy includes the announcement of Chief Executive’s Award – December 2022
Here is some background information for the nominations, to help you cast your vote:
Stewart McLauchlan: Notable contribution to Education and council during the pandemic and recovery. Stewart has demonstrated exceptional leadership and resilience way beyond the call of duty. Stewart contributed to setting up hubs during lockdown, dealing with Covid outbreaks with schools, reviewed and streamlined processes, introducing LEAPS (learning experiences akin to prelims), prepared for SQA exams and appeals in very challenging circumstances, whilst offering continual support to Head Teachers and schools and was on call 24/7 making a significant positive impact to the service.
Will Burnish: Will was nominated twice, once regarding the introduction of new contract management system resulting in efficiencies and reducing financial risk to the council. Also for his role as lead in the Lossiemouth Footbridge Project. Will demonstrated excellence in people management and professionalism in delivering the project despite challenging circumstance. Will has made an outstanding contribution beyond his day job.
Margaret Smith (Mags): Mags has had a positive impact in her role as Childminding Development Officer, building effective working relationships with partners through her supportive and engaging approach. Mags has shown her huge heart in her collaborative approach by adapting to her childminders work patterns. Through Mags dedication and commitment the Childminders Care Inspectorate grading's have improved and Mags has more than doubled the number of childminders in partnership from 16 to 37. A positive role model who demonstrates excellence in the day job and creates a supportive working environment.
Beverly Smith: Within Economic Growth & Development Beverly has been outstanding in her day job with positive delivery of her job and promoting effective team work. Beverly has demonstrated evidence of significant service improvements by raising the attainment level of the service to one of the top performing in Scotland. This has been achieved through effective leadership skills and partnership working including engaging with partners at a national level which is seen as a progressive step for Moray.
Environmental Health and Trading Standards: The team worked under significant pressure during the pandemic demonstrating excellence in the day job and responding well to the evolving requirements of the Covid response. Their commitment and dedication successfully allowed them to minimise risk to the public. Much of their response work had to continue alongside normal requirements and the additional workloads were only achieved by the dedication of staff and the desire to protect public health.
Economic Growth and Regeneration Team: The team worked under significant time pressures to manage and distribute significant additional funding opportunities to local businesses through dedication to get the job done. The team had to develop systems and solutions for complex schemes to ensure availability to businesses which was achieved through a huge amount of good will and flexibility from the team. By delivering this the team reduced a variety of risks to the council.
Active Schools Team: The active schools team all worked to the highest standard of service delivery. Using innovation and adaptions to maintain service delivery during a very challenging time. Recognised for their good practice in terms of their use of social media and making outstanding effort to keep the service running through the pandemic including holiday programmes not normally in their remit, offering extended service to pre school and older adults, created live streaming and recorded physical activity sessions that were accessible for free to all ages, which received national press coverage. Also delivered the Young Leaders Programme to over 150 young people.
Committee Services: Tracey Sutherland and Lissa Rowan from Committee Services did tremendous work in supporting and ensuring that the Council’s committees continued to meet, allowing the statutory and other business of the council to be conducted both during the pandemic and beyond. They faced a huge challenge in adverse conditions to sustain and indeed improve delivery. Instrumental in the introduction of remote and hybrid meeting systems which brought with it efficiencies. Moray are one of the first councils to offer fully functional online and hybrid meetings.
Sarah Campbell and Laura Cameron: The success of internal and external partnership working that resulted in the successful delivery of Rothes Play Park. The collaboration between Open Spaces and the Community Support Unit on this project within our Council and with our communities through participatory budgeting was outstanding. Laura and Sarah led from the front, demonstrated a positive approach, commitment and effective collaborative working to ensure success during a challenging time where Covid restrictions impacted how they could engage with the community.
Environmental Protection: - Catering, Facilities, Open Space & Waste Teams: Environmental Protection have played a pivotal role in ensuring the delivery of essential public services throughout the pandemic for the benefit of council colleagues and the citizens of Moray. Each Team has an abundance of detailed examples of their undeniable desire to deliver essential services to a high standard, the commitment, adaptability and professionalism to maintain a level of ‘normality’ during those times that were far from normal, which should be recognised as going well beyond the basic call of duty. This was done in a collaborative way, with teamwork, a sense of humour and pride in getting a difficult job done under significant circumstances.
Ross Ferguson and Kirsty Craig : On the day her majesty Queen Elizabeth passed Ross and Kirsty worked into the night to make sure everything was in place for the people of Moray to pay their respects to her majesty. They visited all of the churches where the books of condolence were located and made sure it was clear where the floral tribute areas were. Ross and Kirsty are not on an on call rota and were not obliged to work out of hours on this occasion. They did so to help both Moray Council and the people of Moray.
Sarah Thornhill: Sarah demonstrates excellence in her day job and is a positive role model. She was a driving force in setting up the school's wellbeing hub and provides a safe space for young people. Sarah demonstrates commitment to her role and has positively influenced the young people she is working with. Her commitment to ensure all young people have any support they need is beyond measure. Sarah has made connections with the local co-op and Walker’s shortbread for food support for those in need. It is felt she is an example of GIRFEC (Getting it right for every child) at its finest.
Kevin Belton: Kevin is not part of the Councils emergency response, he is not on call and yet in emergency situations such as Storm Arwen he is often called upon for his expertise in mapping and data manipulation. Kevin provided this support in evenings. Weekends and through the day. It enabled the MERC to identify risks with vulnerable people and enabled a response to make contact with householders to ensure people were safe. This is only possible because of Kevin, he has a unique skill set and is willing to go beyond the day job to assist, to provide what is needed and often providing solutions that no one else has thought of.
Duncan Simpson: Duncan Simpson has gone above and beyond to support all schools in the Forres ASG and in particular Pilmuir and Anderson’s schools. His willingness to support, be flexible in his approach whilst understanding how important the children are and ensuring that a school is a safe and welcoming place. As Senior Janitor, Duncan has demonstrated commitment and resilience during challenging periods and has done so with a good sense of humour.