Public votes needed for Chamberlain Awards

Do you know a local hero? Then vote in the city council’s tenth Chamberlain Awards.

Birmingham residents are being urged to nominate city council employees and teams for an award that recognises superb service.

The Birmingham City Council’s annual Chamberlain Awards is the authority’s flagship award that celebrates the hard work, dedication and achievements of staff throughout the year. And voting has just opened for this year’s landmark tenth anniversary year.

Council staff are invited to nominate their fellow team members and departments across 10 different award.But the Local Heroes award is specifically for members of the public who want to recognise an officer or team that has made a difference to them through their outstanding customer service or for a service that has delivered excellent service. Nominees can be from any department and service area at Birmingham City Council.

Previous nominees include a cemetery operative, a team that helped to rejuvenate an area of the city, a housing officer who helped a tenant get back on the straight and narrow, and a care home that provided outstanding support to a family.

Councillor Muhammad Afzal, chairman of the city council’s Employment and Human Resources Committee who will chair the Chamberlain Awards judging panel that will select a shortlist, said the Chamberlains gave everyone in the city a chance to celebrate what good work is happening across Birmingham. “We’re all incredibly proud of what the tens of thousands of city council officers and staff do every day,” he said. “With so many going about their work and not giving a second thought to going above and beyond what is asked of them, it’s right that they are given the recognition they deserve.

“The Chamberlain Awards is the ideal opportunity for members of the public to tell us what staff or teams have done that have made a real difference to them. Since the Local Hero award was introduced in 2011, we have been overwhelmed by the nominations that people have sent in and it is certainly one of the most difficult awards to choose a winner for.”

All Chamberlain Awards winners will be announced at an awards ceremony, which is entirely sponsored by local businesses, on November 7th, 2014, at the International Convention Centre.

Named after Joseph Chamberlain, one of Birmingham’s most respected civic leaders, the Chamberlain Awards scheme is designed to reward Birmingham City Council workers who go the extra mile to ensure that the people of Birmingham receive quality services. To nominate a member of staff, a team or department in The People’s Choice award, download a nomination form from the Chamberlain Awards website www.chamberlainawards.co.uk or call the Corporate Recognition team on 0121 303 9789 or 0121 675 4870 to request a nomination form by post. Nomination forms can be submitted by post or email by the closing date, Friday August 8th. If your submission is shortlisted, you will be invited – with your nominee – to the awards ceremony and dinner on November 7th.

The Chamberlain Awards scheme and ceremony is organised by the Corporate Recognition Team, Engagement, Reward and Recognition, Human Resources at Birmingham City Council.