Large Team of the Year

Dumfries and Galloway Council
Youth Work Team – Youth Beatz Festival

Dumfries and Galloway Council Youth Work Team’s delivery of Youth Beatz, Scotland’s largest free youth festival, showcases innovation, resilience, and inclusivity at its finest. With 20,000 attendees daily, the event is uniquely delivered by Council Youth Workers and over 125 young volunteers, not professional event staff. Central to its success is ‘The Toon Experience’, an immersive educational feature tackling critical social issues. The team’s passion and adaptability have overcome significant challenges, creating a transformative event that empowers young people, strengthens communities, and inspires change. Youth Beatz is more than a festival—it’s a testament to the power of youth-led collaboration.

Hackney LBC
Parking Services

Hackney’s Parking Services brought its Enforcement Service in-house after 23 years, focusing on customer service, public safety, and improved working conditions. This shift transformed team culture, emphasising positive interactions and efficiency. A 4-day working week saved £0.5m annually and tripled productivity. Civil Enforcement Officers were rebranded as Road & Traffic Enforcement Officers, enhancing public perception and reducing physical and verbal abuse by 92%. Staff satisfaction reached record levels, turnover dropped, and community engagement improved. Hackney’s approach, prioritising customer advice and fair enforcement, redefined the service, winning the 2024 MJ Award for Workforce Optimisation and the LGC Workforce Award for Innovation.

Hackney LBC
Markets, Shop Fronts, and Street Trading Service

Hackney’s Markets, Shop Fronts, and Street Trading Service is a transformative force in local government. The 51-strong team, led by Dan O’Sullivan, has driven £3.5m in revenue, eliminated in excess of 300,000 single-use plastics annually, and supported 296 local residents start businesses in the borough. They created over 3000 new local jobs, insourced critical services, and built a zero-plastic market model now adopted by other councils. With inclusivity, environmental excellence, and financial growth at the core of their strategy, this team exemplifies how local government can empower communities, foster economic growth, and lead sustainability. Their success inspires councils nationwide.

Haringey LBC
Housing Delivery Team

Haringey Council’s Housing Delivery Team (HDT) should win the LGC’s Large Team of the Year award for its impressive scale and rapid pace in delivering housing projects. The 34-member team is working to fulfil the council’s commitment to building 3,000 new council homes by 2031 – a 19% increase in the council’s existing housing stock. The team covers many disciplines, including project management, engagement, tenancy management, housing repairs, and works closely with the council’s specialists in planning, architecture, and tackling climate change. The HDT is creating high-quality homes set in vibrant places where people want to live.

Lancashire CC
Refugee Integration Team

The Lancashire Refugee Integration Team (LRIT) demonstrates exceptional dedication to integrating refugees, across Lancashire. This extraordinarily diverse and collaborative team of 35 members leverages a wealth of lived migration experience. Since November 2022, LRIT has supported over 11,000 migrants, guided by the Pan-Lancashire Forced Migration Strategy 2024-2027. Their innovative initiatives, such as e-Visa clinics and The Compassion Project, demonstrate a proactive and impactful approach. The e-Visa clinics, praised and adopted by multiple local authorities, showcase their responsiveness to changing needs. LRIT’s excellence is further recognized by their shortlisting for the LCC Staff Excellence Awards in 2024.

North Northamptonshire Council
Public Health Team

Since establishment in October 2022, our dedicated Public Health team in North Northamptonshire has made remarkable strides. Despite the challenges of the team being established following the formation of a new unitary council and the ongoing pandemic, we have laid the foundations for a centre of excellence in public health. Our ambitious priorities for 2025 reflect an unwavering commitment to building upon our achievements and becoming a beacon of excellence in public health research, practice and training, ensuring a transformative impact in our communities. We are rightly proud of our achievements to date and remain ambitious for the future.

Westminster City Council
Customer Experience and Digital

Westminster City Council serves over 200,000 residents and one million daily visitors. Our inclusive workforce reflects the diverse communities we serve, aiming to create a fair city through social justice and efficient services. The Customer Experience & Digital teams handle inquiries and support over 20 council services, demonstrating resilience and innovation. Initiatives like the Customer Advocacy Team (CAT) and Care and Support Team (CAST) focus on supporting vulnerable residents, ensuring personalised, compassionate service. The "Report It" tool, enhanced through generative AI, has improved user experience. Westminster continues to lead in customer service, fostering inclusivity, innovation, and community

Worcestershire CC
Skills and Employability Service

Since 2015, Worcestershire County Council’s Skills & Employability Service, led by Judy Gibbs, has become a vital force in driving skills development and economic resilience across the county. Weaving together multiple strands of funding, including 95% from successful bid/grant initiatives, the services runs award-winning programmes and initiatives, including career hubs ranked among the top 10 nationally. A collaborative service that works with district councils, the NHS, major employers and service providers, the team foster inclusion, and empower individuals, businesses, and communities. They address workforce needs while exemplifying teamwork and innovation, laying the foundation for a more resilient and inclusive Worcestershire.