The council and community health and care partnership (CHCP) teamed up to celebrate the ‘Pride of Inverclyde’.

The event was hailed as a great way to honour ‘exemplary’ work by an individual or team.

Councillor Vaughan Jones, who was at the presentation, said: “It’s important to acknowledge the great job our staff does and to celebrate their commitment and achievements.

“It was a pleasure to be in attendance and present the awards.” Council leader Stephen McCabe says the event is worthwile because the local authority’s employees are expected to deliver high standardswhile facing increasing financial pressures on budgets.

He said: “Our employees work extremely hard to make a difference in our communities every day of the year.

“Their dedication and professionalism is exactly what ‘Pride of Inverclyde’ is all about celebrating, and I’m delighted their efforts have been recognised.

“It was a fantastic event, and I’d like to congratulate the winners and all those who received commendations.” The ceremony was held in the recently opened St Columba’s High School in Gourock, an appropriate venue since the chief executive’s award went to the council’s school estates team.

The Provost’s Award went to the Member Services department, while the council’s community warden service received the team of the year award.

Tom Campbell picked up Employee of the Year for his efforts to make Inverclyde a safer place to stay.

The outstanding achievement award went to the council’s welfare reform implementation team.

The success of the council’s ‘More Choices, More Chances’ team in taking Inverclyde to third top in Scotland for the number of young people going on to positive destinations like university, college or a job was recognised with the prize for ‘excellence in service and innovation’.

Meanwhile the overall winner in the health and care partnership category went to Janet Smith for her ‘outstanding’ work’ in the field of adoption, fostering and kinship care.

Janet’s work is recognised across the country, and she also picked up a customer service award.

In the category ‘Our People’, the judges chose Margaret Mullen and Mary Gorman of Greenock Health Centre and John Mitchell of Langhill Clinic.

The winner of the CHCP leadership gong went to Jacquie Macintyre for her service in the community over the past 20 years.

Ann Bennet from the Moving Through Project was recognised in the ‘Our Culture Award’ for her work integrating her service into the community to help people who use the service to gain confidence and turn their lives around.

Inverclyde Council Awards 2013 Employee of the Year: Winner — Tom Campbell, Commended — Kay Armstrong (Moorfoot Primary School) Excellence in Service & Innovation: Winner — More Choices, More Chances Team, Commended — The Inverclyde Libraries Team Team of the Year: Winner — The Community Warden Team, Commended — The Customer Service Centre Team Outstanding Achievement: Winner — Welfare Reform Implementation Team, Commended — Esther Foster Provost Award: The Member Services Team Chief Executive Award: The School Estates Team CHCP Awards 2013 Our Customers/Service Users: Winner — Janet Smith, Commendations — Debbie Maloney; The Advice Team; Inverclyde Primary Care Mental Health Team Our People: Winners — Margaret Mullen, Mary Gorman and John Mitchell, Commendations — Anne Taylor, Martin Morrison, The Homelessness Team - Homemakers, The Learning Disability Team Our Resources: Winner — Bryan Kane Our Leaders: Winner — Jacquie Macintyre, Commendations — Andrina Hunter, Jacquie MacIntyre and Sandra Lawrie Our Culture: Winner — Ann Bennet from the Moving Through Project, Commendation — The Inverclyde Financial Inclusion Partnership Overall CHCP Winner Award: Janet Smith