​STAR employees who really make a difference

Bury Council employees who have “gone the extra mile” have been formally thanked at the council’s annual Special Thanks And Recognition (STAR) awards.

In each of the council’s three departments, there were awards for Individual Employee of the Year and Team of the Year. There were also awards for Partnership Team of the Year, Learner of the Year and Volunteer.

The most prestigious is the Mike Kelly Award, named after a former chief executive of Bury Council. This is presented to an individual who has made an outstanding and significant contribution on behalf of the council.

This year’s winner is Natasha Franklin, unit manager health protection, who has worked for the council since 2000. She manages the environmental health commercial section and the infection control team.

She is also chair of the council’s LGBT Employee Group, and played a significant role in the council’s success in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index.

Perhaps fittingly, Natasha was unable to attend the awards ceremony because of her trustee work for the charity Water for Kids, regularly spending time in Zambia to ensure communities have clean water and providing her expertise on environmental health.

Councillor Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council, said: “Well done to everyone who was nominated for a STAR award, and to all our employees. Despite the many financial and organisation challenges that we face, our staff continue to provide top quality and highly valued services for the people of Bury.”

Mike Owen, the council’s chief executive, added: “Without doubt, our staff are our greatest asset, and all the hard work they do is welcomed and appreciated by residents across Bury. Their commitment must never be taken for granted, and our annual STAR awards are an important way of showing how proud we are of them. My thanks go to every one of them.”

ENDS

Press release issued:

Picture attached: Natasha Franklin, winner of the Mike Kelly Award at the council’s Employee of the Year Awards, with (left) Councillor Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council, and Mike Owen, the council’s chief executive.

Note to editors:

The full list of winners is:

* Resource and Regulation: Individual – Paul Robinson, Local Nature Reserves officer (runners-up: Andy Carlile, Tracey Flynn). Team – Building Control (runners-up: Pay Services (Systems Management Team), Community Safety Service)

* Communities and wellbeing: Individual – Paul Lockey, ICES technician (runners-up: Michaela Mills, Paul Warde). Team: Personalisation Team (runners-up: Strategic Safeguarding Team, Radcliffe Leisure Centre staff)

* Children, Young People and Culture: Individual – Jane Whittam, assistant team manager, information (runners-up: Davina Hanley, Louise Guilfoyle). Team – CYPiC Education Team(runners-up: Educational Psychologist Team, Children’s Admin Team)

* Volunteer of the Year – STARS Voluntary Organisation (runners-up: Sherilyn Edmunds, Friends of Nuttall Park)

* Learner of the Year – Performance and Intelligence Team (runner-up: Legal Services)

* Partnership Award – Parks and Countryside Team (runners-up: Natasha Franklin, Christine Hesketh)

* Mike Kelly Award – Natasha Franklin.