Award nods for Lancaster City Council’s housing, catering and leisure teams
Lancaster City Council has been shortlisted for three prestigious awards from a national body that promotes excellence in public services.
The Council Housing team has been recognised in the category “best innovation or demand management initiative”, in the annual APSE (Association of Public Service Excellence) awards.
The nomination recognises the way the council has developed its income management service following the roll out of Universal Credit back in 2016/17.
The council now delivers a nationally accredited service which is proactive in supporting council tenants to prevent, and manage, rent arrears.
Elsewhere, teams delivering the council’s catering at a number of its commercial properties have been nominated for the best service team. This nomination recognises the teams responsible for the delivery of catering at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre’s Refuel café, Printroom Café and Bar at The Storey, Williamson Park’s Pavilion Café and the hospitality offer at the Platform in Morecambe.
It follows another successful year which has seen the council’s catering operations turn over in excess of £1,000,000 with a net profit of over £175,000.
Salt Ayre Leisure Centre has also received a separate nomination in the sports, leisure and cultural service category.
It recognises the innovative approach taken by the council to breathe new life into the centre, which in 2016 underwent a £5million refurbishment. Since then annual visit numbers have more than doubled from 300,000 to the current figure of 750,000.
The improvements keep on coming and this summer will see the opening of a new outdoor play area and crazy golf course.
Coun Dr Erica Lewis, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “To be shortlisted for not one but three awards is an enormous recognition of the exceptionally high standard we’ve been able to achieve across our catering operations, at Salt Ayre and the support provided to our tenants. These nominations are a real testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and everyone involved should be hugely proud of what they have helped the council to deliver.”
Last updated: 26 July 2019