Civil Service in the news
Winners of the 2008 Civil Service Awards
Congratulations to the winners and shortlisted nominees of the 2008 Civil Service Awards.
Teams and individuals from across the country were honoured by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Secretary in the third annual awards to recognise exceptional performance across government.
The Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid a surprise visit to the ceremony and spoke of his admiration for civil servants.
‘I don’t think we thank you enough,’ he said, ‘but I’d like to thank you on behalf of the British people, because you do make a huge difference.’
‘When I go out and meet Civil Servants the most common comment I hear is “I want to make a difference”, and you certainly do make a difference.’
He finished by saying,
‘We ask you to do the impossible and you do an absolutely brilliant job.’
Entrepreneur and BBC Dragon Peter Jones - who recently launched a government backed National Enterprise Academy - was there to present the Innovation Award.
‘Over the last 14 months I’ve been working very closely with the Civil Service and my experience has been really shocking... insofar as it has been staggeringly, amazingly good,’ he said.
‘Your passion and determination and drive coupled with the challenges you have to deal with every day mean that quite frankly I think you are bl**dy brilliant.’
Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell, who presented the awards on the night, also chose the most outstanding team and individual - they were presented with a special Cabinet Secretary’s award.
Civil Servant of the year was awarded to Emma Hopkins from the Home Office for the leadership she has shown in establishing the ‘Virtual Trafficking Team’. This cross-government team brings together officials from the Home Office, Ministry of Justice and UK Border Agency to tackle human trafficking.
The UK Embassy team in the Congo took the title of Civil Service team of the year. They have played a key role in helping to co-ordinate efforts to bring greater stability, democracy and development to the Congo in the challenging circumstances of civil conflict.
Gus said,
‘Every single story we’ve heard this evening shows people performing magnificently, with passion and pride. Its everything I could ask for.
‘I just wish they could have all won,’ he added, ‘I feel very proud of them all.’
Click here to see pictures from the event
The Civil Service Award Winners
The Procurement Award
Centre for Procurement Performance (Department for Children Schools and Families.)
The Knowledge Management and Analysis Award
CLG Places Database Team (Department of Communities and Local Government
The Public Value Award
Planning Portal (Department Communities and Local Government
The Leadership Award
Emma Hopkins – Home Office
The Financial Management
FM Shared Service Centre – Ministry of Defence
The Operational Delivery Award
MOT Computerisation - Vehicle and Operator Services Agency
The Science and Technology Award
Plant Health & Seeds Inspectors (PHSI) and the Central Science
Laboratory (CSL) Plant Health Scientists - Department for Environment Food
and Rural Affairs
The Innovation Award
Army OP TELIC 11 LAG - Ministry of Defence
The Communication Award
Tobacco Control Marketing Team - Department of Health
The HR, Learning and Development Award
Centre for Applied Learning Corporate Projects - Northern Ireland Civil
Service
The Joined-Up Government Award
Nick Kay, Phil Marker and Tim Woodman - British Embassy, Kinshasa
(Department for International Development, Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office)
The Project and Programme Management Award
The UK Borders Agency International Group Biometrics Programme - Home Office
The Winners of the Cabinet Secretary’s Award:
Individual Award - Emma Hopkins – Home Office
Team Award - Nick Kay, Phil Marker and Tim Woodman - British Embassy, Kinshasa (Department for International Development, Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office)
