Andy Cooling
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
Andy is a well-known and hugely respected leader in IT Services. Andy has always been an exceptional leader and mentor to his colleagues. He has worked in a wide variety of roles which have brought him into contact with large numbers of council staff in all departments and services.
He is recognised for his unrelenting appetite for hard work. His technical skills reflect the years of expert practice in supporting IT systems and project work. He has earned a reputation as authoritative and expert in many situations and right across the IT landscape.
With Andy involved customers and colleagues always feel that they have someone on their side who is totally committed to success and delivering great outcomes even in the most difficult of circumstances. Andy is unafraid to show leadership and when required he will be forthright and honest about challenges or obstacles. Andy's commitment to great outcomes is never in doubt and his contribution over many years has made him many friends and admirers.
Angela Beighton
Nominated by: Andrew Rowan
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Angela Beighton (Assistant Director, Traded Services) has consistently been a proactive, professional and approachable member of the Childrens' Services management team. Angela has worked in a variety of roles in Childrens' Services, always making positive changes to the departments and teams she managers.
As the Assistant Director for Traded Services and manager of the Process Improvement team she has worked tirelessly to create engaging and encouraging working environments focused on innovation, collaboration and delivering results. Angela is often asked to pick-up major projects across Childrens Services, due to her proven ability to work with people, focus on the important details, make the best use of existing or new resources and deliver on time and on budget.
Ben Jones
Nominated by: Ros Westwood
Department: Place
Reason for nomination:
Along with my team I am nominating Ben Jones, Assistant in Charge at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery for a lifetime achievement award.
Ben has worked at the museum for 25 years, starting as an attendant on 25 November 1997. Over the years he has worked on different projects, and he is now, since 2018, Assistant in Charge (grade 7). briefly, he was also a relief library assistant. Ben's first job included working in the museum shop and delivering a hectic exhibition schedule of 18 changes each year.
In 2006 his skills were utilised in a touring programme of exhibitions in public libraries. In 2013 he was part of the Collections in the Landscape team developing ideas contributing to building the new gallery and website Wonders of the Peak.
Ben is an excellent team player, leading the team with courtesy, fairness, and consistency. He brings a pragmatic understanding of working for the authority to a very small front facing element of the organisation. Ben has met over 30,000 visitors yearly since he started. He now leads a team using social media to reach a completely different audience.
In years of change, Ben understands the reasons for change, contributes from his experience and helps deliver new ways of working, proud of outcomes and sharing success with museum users. The march of new technology has been relentless. Ben personal competence helped him lead his team during COVID-19 to develop digital projects for non-visitors and encourage their bond using Teams.
Ben meets everyone, visitors, volunteers, council colleagues, community leaders, researchers, school children and friends warmly, professionally, and helpfully. He goes further doing the extra hours, attending callouts and most of all ensuring visitors go away with the sense of a 'little bit extra', that the staff themselves go the bit further too.
Denise Mackey
Nominated by: Sarah Joyce
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating Denise Mackey in recognition of her outstanding contribution throughout her 28-year career with the council.
Denise has consistently delivered exceptional performance within various roles. From her early career in the Learning Disabilities Service through to her current role as LandD Business Partner, Denise has embodied the council’s values and ambition. The people of Derbyshire are always at the forefront of Denise’s mind. Currently being in a support rather than frontline role, Denise never forgets that the ultimate outcome of everybody’s job is the delivery of our services for local people. Denise has remained close to Learning Disabilities and Direct Care Services during her time in LandD and she always strives to achieve the best outcomes for individuals in receipt of those services.
Denise is extremely well respected by her colleagues. She is a strong advocate for developing everybody to reach their full potential. She has mentored many individuals over the years, who have flourished and progressed in their own careers. I asked a handful of colleagues to contribute to this nomination as they’ve worked with Denise much longer than I have. One quote that really stands out for me is “Denise’s passion, energy and commitment to the role and to the people in need of care and support is inspiring. I think the work she did around Dementia awareness was special as there wasn't much training around nationally on dementia awareness at the time”.
I’m sure Denise won’t mind me noting that she has reached retirement age. It is commendable that she continues to seek her own learning and development opportunities having recently expressed her interest in becoming a Wellbeing Champion for the HR function. This is another example of Denise advocating the health and wellbeing of others.
Elizabeth Kirwan
Nominated by: Theresa Brooks
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Liz has worked for Derbyshire for 26 / 27 years. All of this time she was worked with Derbyshire's most vulnerable children being those in care. Liz has worked in serval differing settings to support these children. This includes working within a residential setting and also children in care work.
Liz has committed her life to making change for children and allowing them to thrive. Liz has delayed her own retirement due to wanting to ensure one of her young people turns 18 years old before she retires. He has no one other than her and his carers. Liz shows a level of commitment that is not seen often. She is also critical in the shaping of the team and workers since I became her Team manager.
Eric Hudson
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Place
Reason for nomination:
I would like to nominate Mr Eric Hudson, who has worked for the council for over 30 years, starting as a mechanic at Ambergate depot and for the last 10 plus years has been the Assistant Service Manager at Derby Workshops. Eric has shown everybody the way forward, has constantly shown a professional demeanour, has been friendly with customers, both in person and on the phone and all the while has done his job with aplomb and skill. His knowledge is remarkable and his calming influence has been greatly appreciated at all times. Thank You Eric
Gary Noble
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Gary has worked for the council for over 25 years and has progressed from an outdoor instructor to a team manager within the outdoor service firstly with the youth service and then with Lea green outdoor centre.
Gaynor Bulhleller
Nominated by: Mandy Brown
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
I want to nominate my fellow Principal Finance Officer, Gaynor Bulheller, who has worked with me in the various guises of Adult Social Care and Health since 1993 before transferring back to Corporate Resources in April 2021, where she first started work as a Payroll Assistant back in 1990. Gaynor has worked her way through many roles in Adult Care Finance the section before becoming a senior manager. Having first-hand experience of the issues facing our staff, colleagues elsewhere and most importantly, understanding our client base, has made her an invaluable colleague and leader.
We have seen so many changes, been through numerous restructures, cost efficiency exercises and every challenge one can face in the workplace. Gaynor is an excellent manager to work alongside, mentoring others and encouraging staff to achieve their potential whilst always promoting Derbyshire in terms of what we can offer to the public. Without her unstinting hard work and support, we would not have been able to maintain the service we have, especially in such difficult times.
We are, yet again, working on exciting and innovative channel shift projects to revolutionise the way we work and how the public interact with us and Gaynor is pivotal in helping to deliver that change. She has been an effective sounding board for ideas, and I can honestly say, my role would be so much more difficult without her and the unending support she gives. She has never wavered despite all the usual challenges we have in our personal and professional lives and she deserves recognition for always going above and beyond.
Julie Gilbert
Nominated by: Christine Vaughan
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
This nomination is for Julie and Jill’s overall and ongoing contribution to their team and HR Services with nearly 42 / 41 years’ service respectively with both having shown and continue to show tremendous dedication and loyalty.
Whilst I appreciate the award is for an individual, I would like to nominate them jointly as it is too difficult to separate them as they work closely together as part of a small team of 4 in the Payroll Processing team and process the monthly payroll on behalf of the council employees, schools, external clients and pensioners, which all the other payroll teams feed into and then process all the subsequent reports / payments to HMRC, pensions and similar.
Honesty, integrity and accountability are attributes they have in abundance as we pay approximately 57,000 employees and pensioners every month. As longest serving members of their team, currently training their other 2 new colleagues which even after this length of service continue to be highly motivated ensuring that the payroll is processed accurately and on time every month. Their willingness to support colleagues and flexibility to work around payroll deadlines is inspirational. They always look for solutions to problems and provide good constructive suggestions to overcome any issues. Very reliable, conscientious, professional, knowledgeable, well-respected, consistent, great team player and highly skilled in their role are just some of their many attributes.
Both are highly valued team members at HRS and are critical for the smooth running of the monthly payroll. They jointly provide the backbone to the pay teams and work together collaboratively and independently to ensure that all tasks are completed by the payroll deadlines and to resolve any issues. Their role carries huge responsibility and yet they project a calm and reassuring confidence with a positive outlook which I hope that this award will recognise.
Jill Britland
Nominated by: Christine Vaughan
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
This nomination is for Julie and Jill’s overall and ongoing contribution to their team and HR Services with nearly 42 / 41 years’ service respectively with both having shown and continue to show tremendous dedication and loyalty.
Whilst I appreciate the award is for an individual, I would like to nominate them jointly as it is too difficult to separate them as they work closely together as part of a small team of 4 in the Payroll Processing team and process the monthly payroll on behalf of the council employees, schools, external clients and pensioners, which all the other payroll teams feed into and then process all the subsequent reports / payments to HMRC, pensions and similar.
Honesty, integrity and accountability are attributes they have in abundance as we pay approximately 57,000 employees and pensioners every month. As longest serving members of their team, currently training their other 2 new colleagues which even after this length of service continue to be highly motivated ensuring that the payroll is processed accurately and on time every month. Their willingness to support colleagues and flexibility to work around payroll deadlines is inspirational. They always look for solutions to problems and provide good constructive suggestions to overcome any issues. Very reliable, conscientious, professional, knowledgeable, well-respected, consistent, great team player and highly skilled in their role are just some of their many attributes.
Both are highly valued team members at HRS and are critical for the smooth running of the monthly payroll. They jointly provide the backbone to the pay teams and work together collaboratively and independently to ensure that all tasks are completed by the payroll deadlines and to resolve any issues. Their role carries huge responsibility and yet they project a calm and reassuring confidence with a positive outlook which I hope that this award will recognise.
John Thompson
Nominated by: Richard Bonner
Department: Place
Reason for nomination:
John Thompson has exemplified the council’s countryside ranger role since 1981. For 35 years John was based at Shipley Country Park contributing to the development of the site from opencast coal mine site to country park and then the ongoing management of the site, enhancing its habitats, providing visitor education, enabling conservation volunteering, and ensuring important, positive liaison with farmers and neighbours. For the past six years he has been based at Middleton Top where he has applied his skills, and gained further knowledge, in the stewardship of the Cromford Canal, effectively collaborating with its public, private and community partners. Furthermore, John is a key contributor to the delivery of significant council events, for example the Woodland Festival and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee beacon lighting at Grin Low.
The stand-out accolade for John that confirms his credentials for this nomination is the personal commitment and leadership he applied to protecting communities during 2021 / 22 from flooding because of serious damage to the dam structure of Shipley Lake. John worked tirelessly with contractors in the first 72 hours of the emergency – clearing woodland, siting essential pumping equipment, monitoring reservoir water levels and pump effectiveness. He spent long hours on this work, turning out in the middle of the night and on his days off.
John worked alongside Corporate Property colleagues to establish their works compound as they took on protection of the site. John continued to support works on site being a key point of contact given his extensive knowledge of the lake and dam sharing this with engineers and contractors. Even on days off, John was on-site supporting the council’s recovery effort as a volunteer. The risk of flooding has been resolved and John continues to undertake safety maintenance. John has dedicated his working life to the work of the county council and the Countryside Service and gives exceptional Service.
Katherine Rowland
Nominated by: Vicky Green
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Kath has worked at Lea Green for nearly 40 years. She consistently delivers high quality food for the children and adults that visit the centre. She has been instrumental in the menu decisions over the years and helped many of the younger team members as they start their careers, giving advice and leading by example.
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Kath started working at Lea Green in 1989 and still works here today. Kath is currently a catering supervisor at the centre and puts everything into her job role. She's a fantastic member of the team and nothing is too much trouble for her. She has been working for the council for 34 years and has always put others first.
Lawson Horne
Nominated by: Izzy Davies
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Lawson has worked for the council since 1995. For many years now he has worked for the Mental Health Enablement service as an enablement worker. Since I joined the council, I have heard nothing but positive things about Lawson; from clients, carers and colleagues alike.
Lawson is pragmatic, practical, caring, king, open and empowering. He bat's no eyelid and goes into many a situation others would be cautious about, focusing only on the individual he is supporting, and how he can possibly help them to move forward with their situation.
I continuously hear compliments about Lawson, and people that have had his support 10+ years ago still ask for him to be their worker as they come to the council for support again.
Lawson works with people that are notoriously hard to engage, that won’t let people past the threshold of their door; and yet somehow even these people are soon welcoming him back in and amazing progress is being made towards the goals of their choosing.
Lawson is approachable, amenable, flexible and overall we couldn't ask for more from any enablement worker. The service will be a poorer place when he is no longer in it.
Linda Beardsmore
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
The person has given a lifetime of care and support to the clients and put the service before her own life. Always helps out the care home at short notice including weekends, bank holidays, sleep-ins and evenings. Always explains things thoroughly to new staff and makes them feel welcome. Shows compassion, respect and values good positive working relationships with clients and visitors that enter the building. She is funny and can always put a smile on a clients face.
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Linda has given over 30 years in the adults service, She has put work before her family friends and social life.
Liz Partington
Nominated by: Liz Tomes
Department: Place
Reason for nomination:
Everyone seems to know Liz Partington. That’s not only because she’s an amazing ‘people person’ but her work, which can touch everyone’s lives particularly in a crisis, relies on her having the most incredible networking and partnership-working skills on behalf of Derbyshire County Council – an authority she has loyally served for almost 50 years. As Emergency Planning Manager ‘calm in a crisis’ Liz has expertly overseen and managed the council’s response to many of Derbyshire’s most serious incidents – many where lives were at risk – while also acting as the key point of contact for her own colleagues as well as for a huge number of partnership agencies all working under extreme pressure.
One recent example which became global as well as national news firmly putting Derbyshire’s resilience in the spotlight was the Toddbrook Reservoir emergency in 2019 where damage to the dam wall holding back 280 million gallons of water from the town of Whaley Bridge resulted in the largest evacuation of residents ever seen in Derbyshire. This incident required a multi-agency 24-hour response over eight days, including securing national resources and military assistance to keep residents safe until they could return to their homes.
The important part Liz and her team played in this epic rescue mission was officially recognised when the council’s Crisis Response Team was named winner of a national MJ Local Government Achievement Award at a ceremony two months later. Everyone agreed it was most thoroughly deserved. Flooding is another issue where Liz is crucial in working with others to protect Derbyshire residents and businesses and the coronavirus pandemic is yet another area where she played a vital role in how the council adapted to work differently to support communities and continue with essential service delivery.
Liz is the greatest ambassador for this authority, someone who makes other people’s jobs not only easier, but possible in a crisis, who always goes the extra mile and is an all-round great person to work with. She will retire later this year and after almost five decades of loyal service we in the communications team - as we nominate her for an Our Derbyshire Lifetime Achievement Award - think her reputation and achievements, such as those mentioned above, speak for themselves and she is a most worthy recipient.
Margaret Jackson
Nominated by: Robin Heath
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Margaret has worked for the council for over 40 years, first starting in the Youth Service in Fairfield, Buxton in 1979. She now works as a business services officer at White Hall Centre. Margaret also spent many years as a volunteer youth worker for the council. Margaret has chosen to stay at work past retirement age and continues to be exceptionally hard working and diligent, a always goes above and beyond to ensure the smooth running of White Hall Centre.
Margaret is currently an essential part of the implementation of a new management system at White Hall which, thanks for her hard work, will save countless hours and money for the centre for years to come. The impact Margaret has had on the centre and the local community for decades is immeasurable and it will be a sad day at White Hall when she does decide to retire, although we will of course wish her the best.
Margaret can regularly be seen going to great lengths to ensure all children visiting White Hall have the best possible education experience, and her efforts show in the consistently exceptional feedback.
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Margaret has worked for Derbyshire County Council for more than 40 years, during which she has had various roles, all with in children's services. She is committed to the wellbeing of young people and has played an active role in helping those people to achieve in whatever they undertake in life. She has taken many troubled young people under her wing and helped guide them through some difficult times. She is still as committed today as she was when she first started working for the council.
Marie Billyeald
Nominated by: Nicky Mount
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Marie Billyeald has worked for Derbyshire County Council for forty years. Working her way up through different roles to become the Public Health Lead for Community Support and Resilience. She has continually developed her skills and undertaken professional development to support her role. Throughout this time, she has maintained a deep sense of pride and duty towards the authority and a commitment to do her best for the communities of Derbyshire.
Marie has brought several successful projects to Derbyshire, such as Derbyshire Time Swap in 2015, a volunteer time banking scheme. She recently commissioned this successful service to be delivered by the Community Voluntary Sector, involving Time Swap community members at every stage of the process. In 2016 she brought Local Area Coordination to Derbyshire. She co-produced this service building networks of key community partners and community members in each of the areas covered.
Using these community groups in the recruitment of the staff. She has an infectious passion and enthusiasm for asset-based community development and a desire to put the people of Derbyshire in control of their own lives. In 2020 she reshaped her team to respond to the needs of the pandemic and created the county wide Community Response Team, responding to urgent requests for food and prescriptions. In July 2022 this team became the Community Response and Resilience Team, incorporating a newly restructured Health and Wellbeing Team, fulfilling a priority within the council service plan.
Marie has led the Health and Wellbeing Team through a restructure and over 12 months of service prototyping. She has grown the team whilst still providing an operational service supporting individuals across Derbyshire with their health and wellbeing and responding to Winter Pressure requests. Everyone within that team believes that Marie is a worthy candidate for a lifetime achievement award.
Peter Jackson
Nominated by: Stephen Brent
Department: Corporate Services and Transformation
Reason for nomination:
Exemplary contribution by dedication and expertise, consistently sustained for over 25 years, to full legal recognition of public rights of way in the highway network throughout Derbyshire, particularly through:
- undertaking numerous impartial investigation exercises, involving thorough research into surviving historic maps and documents in county and national archives and other record centres, on-site topographic observations, and assessment of user evidence submitted with applications to add paths to the Definitive Map (that is, the paths record the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 requires the Council to “maintain”).
- producing detailed analytical reports to Regulatory Committee with reasoned recommendations, in most cases for making orders to modify the Definitive Map under the 1981 Act to restore ‘lost byways’
- in committee, speaking to highlight key elements from the reports and responding to any relevant questions.
- meticulous preparation of detailed statements of reasons to support confirmation of orders subject to objections, to submit to Planning Inspectorate
- being expert witness at many 1981 Act order Inquiries before Planning Inspectorate inspectors. This involved giving evidence with carefully reasoned opinion on each ground for objection / confirmation, and fielding lengthy cross-examination by objectors / lawyers, plus representing the Council on Inspectors’ site inspections.
- constant studying to raise and update professional skill, and team knowledge, for example, assessing academic papers, adapting to new case law precedents, Inspectorate guidance, becoming Member of Institute of Public Rights of Way.
- invaluable tuition and support to colleagues in locating, interpreting documents , giving them more confidence to develop their skills for examining 'historic' claims
- volunteering help with the ‘set-up’ essential for Inquiries to run successfully in local halls
- sympathetic dialogue with both applicants encountering procedural problems, and many others with concerns about the application process, such as residents landowners elected members and Parish Councils
Result of contribution:
- sound decisions 100+ order applications, with legal recognition through order confirmation of numerous public rights of way in the Derbyshire countryside (no firm figure to hand, estimate at least 50), and team colleagues (following his support with team development) being well placed to handle more 'historic' claims
Sharon Elliott
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
Sharon is inspirational as a manager and head of service, always looking for improvements to service delivery as well as support, progression and development for others across the service. She has good knowledge of the organisation and is willing to share this knowledge. She always take time to listen to others and support where possible or to signpost as necessary. She is always professional, sees the value in everybody's contribution and encourages that professionalism in us all, the way we work and how we work with others.
Our service has gone through significant changes in recent years and Sharon encourages the improvement of practice, delivery and support as well as opportunities for individuals to develop and progress. Sharon is an inspirational manager, encourages us all to grow and develop.
Susan Alvey
Nominated by: Susan Alvey
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Please can I nominate myself. I started working with the council June 29 ,1979 ,this year I will have completed 44 years. My first job at the glebe in Alfreton I stayed there for 37 years until closure, my boss at the time was Movita Lowe and you couldn't have wished for a better one. I've always been happy in my job and given 100%. I am one of your longest serving employees employees, only ever been off for maternity leave and have been proud to work for the council. Thank you for reading.
Susan Waterfall
Nominated by: Anonymous
Department: Childrens Services
Reason for nomination:
I am nominating this person for the lifetime achievement award. Sue has worked for Derbyshire County Council continually since 1990 where she has been mainly based at Lea Green. She is an amazing member of our domestic team and nothing is ever too much trouble for her. She's always polite and welcoming to our costumers and she has done so much for the centre over her 33 years of continua's service.
Sue Foster
Nominated by: Caroline Mackie
Department: Adult Social Care and Health
Reason for nomination:
Sue has more than 30 years service across the health and care system, having been TUPE'd to the council in 2017, I feel it is important that her work is recognised. Sue joined the NHS in October 1992 in the Southern Derbyshire Health Authority’s Health Promotion department, Public Health, as a resources officer. She worked on health campaigns and led the Sun Awareness Campaign for Derby and Derbyshire County South.
A great achievement was winning the Health Education Authority National Award for work with young people in 1995 and 1996 and was presented with the awards in London. She single handed applied sun block (in the form of face painting) to over 1,000 children at their sports days and ran a sun shelter competition which children designed. The winning one was recreated at a school in Long Eaton.
From 2001 Sue worked mainly on diabetes education and in 2004 won a Strategic Health Authority’s Improving the Public Health category for a patient education pack which had been printed and given out through GP Practices for all newly diagnosed diabetic patients. In 2005 Sue took over management of the stop smoking, weight management, exercise by referral and workplace teams in parts of Derbyshire.
Each year Sue and her team achieved Department of Health stop smoking targets. Sue enjoyed working with the GP practices and has strong relationships maintained today. Around 2008 there was a restructure and Sue moved to DCHS.
Around 2010 Sue became the lead for Exercise by Referral for the county. In 2013 she took on the operational management role for the County stop smoking service. In December 2017 Sue was TUPE’d into the council to continue working in Public health. She has worked in the Healthcare Public Health Team mainly on the NHS Health Check Programme for the county (a mandated Public Health service) and she is still driving the work forwards today. During COVID-19, she supported care homes with outbreaks. She is an asset to the team and retires in March when she will be sorely missed.