Published on Tuesday 03 November 2020
The complexity, pace and national significance of the work to create BCP and Dorset Councils has been recognised at the flagship sector accolades, the LGC Awards where we were jointly awarded the "Business Transformation" Award for 2020. We were up against stiff competition with ten councils shortlisted.
Introducing the award, Tom Black, Managing Director of Hammond Clarke said "This year our category received a record amount of entries all showcasing the evolution of transformation within the public sector. Our winner showcased and demonstrated unparalleled transformation beyond that of project management under intense pressure, scrutiny and national spotlight what they achieved was fantastic."
The judges praised our large scale ambition and pace of transformation in a complex circumstance and that is a really good reminder of what we are doing, creating the twelfth largest unitary council, serving a population of 400,000 and with a very complex agenda for transformation, whilst dealing with a global pandemic.
Cllr Drew Mellor, Leader of BCP Council and member of the Joint Committee responsible set up at the beginning of the local government reform process, said: "Many of us knew back in 2015 that time was running out to find sustainable solutions that protect the vital public services that local government provides. The scale of the task was enormous. No unitary council, let alone two, has ever been created in such a short period of time, but our deadline was absolute. On 1 April 2019, two new councils were legally required to exist, and the preceding nine councils dissolved."
He added: "Creating BCP Council was just the start of our transformation. Work continues to harmonise services, modernise our processes and put our residents at the heart of our decision-making. Creating BCP Council means our area can really fulfil its potential as the strongest city-region in the south, accessing funding for regeneration, housing and infrastructure to the benefit of our residents and the local economy."
Chief Executive Graham Farrant said: "I was delighted and proud to receive this award on behalf of all of our hardworking and enthusiastic colleagues, and on behalf of our councillors who have worked hard to deliver change in complex political environment. To be presented with this award is a great accolade for the changes that we have put in place and the pace and scale of our transformation. There is still a lot to do, but let’s use award to give us some space to recognise how far we have come."
The award was open to councils who had successfully fundamentally transformed the way they work, either across their entire organisation, across a number of organisations or across a directorate.
Entries were judged on the level of ambition shown of the business transformation; the extent to which the transformation goals were achieved; and the quality of leadership and stakeholder engagement deployed to achieve the transformation.