Two Derby City Council teams have been shortlisted as finalists in the prestigious Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards.

Both the Grounds Maintenance and Highways Teams have been selected as finalists for Best Service Team: Parks, Grounds and Horticultural Service and Best Service Team: Highways, Winter Maintenance and Street Lighting Service, respectively.

Over the last year, both teams have worked in challenging conditions bought about by the COVID-19 pandemic to deliver services for the city.

Despite the pandemic, the Grounds Maintenance Team found a creative and colourful way to keep communities smiling, by painting designs on grass across the city. From a giant ‘Thank you NHS’ outside the Royal Derby Hospital to Remembrance Day poppies and rainbows, the designs delighted local residents.

After a £9m investment into the service, the Highways in-house Team have completed more resurfacing projects than ever before. New equipment, including the Multi-hog, has allowed teams to work more efficiently and since April 2020 they have completed approximately £2.5m of resurfacing across 80 streets in the city, to date.

The winners will be announced at the APSE Annual Charity Awards Dinner, in aid of Parkinson’s UK, on Thursday 9 September in Birmingham.

Councillor Jerry Pearce, Cabinet Member for Streetpride and Public Spaces commented:

“To be shortlisted as finalists for these national awards really highlights the phenomenal work and dedication of our teams. The work of these two teams has an impact right across the city that all residents benefit from.
I’m incredibly proud of our teams and would like to thank them for all their continued hard work for our city.”

APSE National Chair Mark Pengelly said,

"The APSE Annual Service Awards demonstrate the extent to which, right across UK local government, councils are driving forwards on service improvements and placing quality at the heart of what they do. As a local councillor, I know only too well the value of our services to the public. It therefore fills me with enormous pride to see such high levels of ingenuity and dedication throughout the sector, especially in times as testing as these. A huge congratulations to all of the finalists and good luck!"