Council misses out but park team grows into a winner

EDINBURGH City Council was pipped at the post for the title of Council of the Year for Service Delivery at a UK-wide awards ceremony in Bristol – but it picked up first prize for the best parks team in the country.

There were raised eyebrows when it was revealed the council had been shortlisted for the main award in the scheme run by the Association for Public Sector Excellence (APSE) despite the trams fiasco.

The title went to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council in South Yorkshire but Edinburgh did win the Best Service Team Parks, Grounds and Horticultural Service category.

The council said the accolade was for transforming the service by building up an extensive greenspace database using frequent customer feedback and strong partnerships. The council said it also recognised the improvements made across Edinburgh’s 135 parks over the past three years, helped by the council’s many park friends groups and inspiring parks staff.