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| Guardian Public Services awards 2013 open for entries | Guardian Public Services awards 2013 open for entries |
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| Massive spending cuts are threatening the future of public services. There is every chance that many may not survive in their present form. Courage and creativity will be required to deliver services with less money in innovative and inspirational ways, drawing on the experience of clients and the skills of experts working in a variety of different fields. Already, parts of the public sector are preparing to spin off into mutuals, others are being co-produced with local residents, and new technology is being employed to create different methods of delivery. | Massive spending cuts are threatening the future of public services. There is every chance that many may not survive in their present form. Courage and creativity will be required to deliver services with less money in innovative and inspirational ways, drawing on the experience of clients and the skills of experts working in a variety of different fields. Already, parts of the public sector are preparing to spin off into mutuals, others are being co-produced with local residents, and new technology is being employed to create different methods of delivery. |
| It is against this backdrop that the Guardian Public Services awards 2013 are launched today. The awards, which are run in partnership with Hays, are in their 10th year and have become the byword for excellence. | It is against this backdrop that the Guardian Public Services awards 2013 are launched today. The awards, which are run in partnership with Hays, are in their 10th year and have become the byword for excellence. |
| They are designed to recognise innovation and measurable impact as well as brilliant ideas and techniques that, if replicated, could help to mitigate the impact of the government's austerity agenda. | They are designed to recognise innovation and measurable impact as well as brilliant ideas and techniques that, if replicated, could help to mitigate the impact of the government's austerity agenda. |
| A new category, HR excellence, has been added to this year's awards, acknowledging that finding and retaining talent is tougher now than ever. It will applaud employers who have motivated and promoted their star performers at all levels across their organisations, and whose approach is easily replicable. | A new category, HR excellence, has been added to this year's awards, acknowledging that finding and retaining talent is tougher now than ever. It will applaud employers who have motivated and promoted their star performers at all levels across their organisations, and whose approach is easily replicable. |
| Derrick Anderson, chief executive of Lambeth council, whom his peers voted public leader of the year in 2012 for turning London's "worst" council around, says: "Winning the award was a personal honour and an affirmation of the hard work that so many people have put into improving Lambeth and the leadership shown at all levels of the organisation." | Derrick Anderson, chief executive of Lambeth council, whom his peers voted public leader of the year in 2012 for turning London's "worst" council around, says: "Winning the award was a personal honour and an affirmation of the hard work that so many people have put into improving Lambeth and the leadership shown at all levels of the organisation." |
| The public leader category has now been renamed leadership excellence. | The public leader category has now been renamed leadership excellence. |
| For Cindy Hunt, 56, a school support youth worker for Carmarthenshire youth service, who was voted public servant of the year in 2012, the award came at a crucial time. "It has put youth work on the map after a tough period of cuts, when I lost a lot of colleagues. So getting this recognition is very important. Everyone now knows my face. I have become an ambassador for all youth workers." | For Cindy Hunt, 56, a school support youth worker for Carmarthenshire youth service, who was voted public servant of the year in 2012, the award came at a crucial time. "It has put youth work on the map after a tough period of cuts, when I lost a lot of colleagues. So getting this recognition is very important. Everyone now knows my face. I have become an ambassador for all youth workers." |
| She adds: "Youth workers don't usually blow their own trumpet because it's all about the young people. But there was lots of media coverage right across Wales. I also received a letter of congratulation from the Welsh assembly. That was hugely significant because it provides local authority funding." | She adds: "Youth workers don't usually blow their own trumpet because it's all about the young people. But there was lots of media coverage right across Wales. I also received a letter of congratulation from the Welsh assembly. That was hugely significant because it provides local authority funding." |
| Entries are open until 12 July 2013 and the awards ceremony will be held in central London on 12 November 2013. | Entries are open until 12 July 2013 and the awards ceremony will be held in central London on 12 November 2013. |
| Last year's overall winner, GeniUS! York, has transformed the way York city council engages with residents, businesses and community groups by creating a virtual world where they can brainstorm council challenges and, together, come up with ideas for potential solutions. The project is a joint venture between the council and business-support provider Science City York. Since it launched 15 months ago, it has attracted more than 300 registered users to the website. The council has invited ideas around five main challenges, including how to better exploit underused council assets, how to improve local authority procurement from small businesses, and how to make York a more dementia-friendly city. As a result of ideas and workshops that developed out of the dementia challenge, a film is now being made of interviews with local people living with the condition, and their carers, to be show in all of the city's secondary schools from September. | Last year's overall winner, GeniUS! York, has transformed the way York city council engages with residents, businesses and community groups by creating a virtual world where they can brainstorm council challenges and, together, come up with ideas for potential solutions. The project is a joint venture between the council and business-support provider Science City York. Since it launched 15 months ago, it has attracted more than 300 registered users to the website. The council has invited ideas around five main challenges, including how to better exploit underused council assets, how to improve local authority procurement from small businesses, and how to make York a more dementia-friendly city. As a result of ideas and workshops that developed out of the dementia challenge, a film is now being made of interviews with local people living with the condition, and their carers, to be show in all of the city's secondary schools from September. |
| Heather Niven, SCY innovation specialist, says: "The Guardian accolades gave us credibility at a crucial early stage; they have validated our concept of open, city-wide innovation, and communicated our project far beyond the reach of our city." | Heather Niven, SCY innovation specialist, says: "The Guardian accolades gave us credibility at a crucial early stage; they have validated our concept of open, city-wide innovation, and communicated our project far beyond the reach of our city." |
| Other UK councils have been knocking on GeniUS! York's door and the team has just come back from Cape Town, South Africa. | Other UK councils have been knocking on GeniUS! York's door and the team has just come back from Cape Town, South Africa. |
| "We know York has untapped potential that we could be exploiting for the greater benefit of all its citizens," says council leader James Alexander. "GeniUS! has given us a chance to share and act upon new approaches and creative solutions to some of our long-term challenges." | "We know York has untapped potential that we could be exploiting for the greater benefit of all its citizens," says council leader James Alexander. "GeniUS! has given us a chance to share and act upon new approaches and creative solutions to some of our long-term challenges." |
| • Alison Benjamin is editor of Society Guardian. She is a judge for the 2013 awards | • Alison Benjamin is editor of Society Guardian. She is a judge for the 2013 awards |
| Award categories | Award categories |
| Digital excellence | Digital excellence |
| Communications excellence | Communications excellence |
| Financial excellence | Financial excellence |
| Partnership excellence sponsored by Civica | Partnership excellence sponsored by Civica |
| HR excellence | HR excellence |
| Measuring excellence | Measuring excellence |
| Grassroots excellence | Grassroots excellence |
| Leadership excellence sponsored by Carillion | Leadership excellence sponsored by Carillion |
| Society Guardian public servant of the year | Society Guardian public servant of the year |
| Overall winner sponsored by Hays | Overall winner sponsored by Hays |
| More on how to enter at guardian.co.uk/publicservicesawards | More on how to enter at guardian.co.uk/publicservicesawards |
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