Council scoops regional award for aspiring leaders

A team from Cheshire West and Chester Council was the overall winner in a competition to test their leadership skills.

The Council entered two teams in the first North West Tri-Sector Challenge and picked up a prize for leadership as well as being named best team.

Council teams were highly commended for their communications and received a special mention for their presentations. Team member Alison Maxon, from the Human Resources and Organisational Development service, was also nominated as a Shining Star.

The challenge is a simulation of local government, in which each team runs a fictional local authority for the day.

Teams had to identify which areas to prioritise, deal with politically sensitive issues and maintain customer focus when determining how to provide the public with the best services possible despite limited resource.

To successfully complete the challenge teams had to work with neighbouring local authorities, elected members, the media, partners and other stakeholders to deliver their new strategy for their organisation.

The challenge was open to teams from councils, police, fire, NHS and education services and housing associations.

Cllr Paul Donovan, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Democracy, Workforce and Communities, said:

“Taking part in this challenge was important for the Council as it gives our aspiring leaders the chance to get experience of issues that are outside their normal work, giving them a taste of what senior management is really like.

“I’m proud of our workforce and what they achieve alongside and on behalf of our communities every day. Being able to give staff these opportunities also helps us to grow our own, ready to build our leadership teams of the future.

“I am delighted to hear how well both of the Council’s teams performed in the challenge.”

The winning team, which also won the prize for leadership, was made up of Alison Maxson, Paul Hickson, from Public Health, Cath Salt, from Legal, Zoe Buggie, from Public Protection and Bethany Wilson, a National Management Trainee.

The Council’s second team, which was also nominated for overall winner and highly commended for communications and presentations, was made up of Danielle Brooks, from Human Resources and Organisational Development, Matt Richardson, from Finance, Laura Johnson, from Communications, Jack Mayhew, from Transport Planning and Eirwen Abberley-Watton, a National Management Trainee.

Pictured - Colleagues from Cheshire West and Chester Council who took part in the Tri-Sector Challenge.