Housing Council Awards Ceremony
Monday 12 October 2009
The latest Housing Council Awards were held on 8th October 2009 in Clarion Hotel, Carrickfergus, recognising excellence in delivery of housing services.
The Northern Ireland Housing Council’s awards ceremony was held on 8th October 2009 in the Clarion Hotel Carrickfergus. Guests of honour Sir John Gorman and the Mayor of Carrickfergus, Alderman Patricia McKinney joined award nominees and invited guests at this annual event to recognise the contributions made by individual staff members from the Housing Executive and the Housing Association movement to excellence in public services.
Norman Capper Memorial Award
The Norman Capper Memorial Trophy is presented for excellence in the field of customer or public relations, to an officer or officers who present a very positive image of the work in their organisation, who show real commitment to quality service and who give priority to the interests of the customer.
Joint winners were Linda Cooper, Telephony Supervisor in the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Catherine Waterworth, Business Improvement Manager with Connswater Homes.
Linda receiving the Norman Capper Memorial Trophy as joint winner
Linda manages 25 telephony staff over several locations, handling 20,000 calls per week. Linda is responsible for the operational management of ensuring that the telephony service is delivered to agreed performance standards.
Catherine Waterworth receiving her certificate as joint winner of the Norman Capper Award
Catherine provides information to tenants and stakeholders through regular newsletters which are attractive, easily read and informative. She has also developed an eyecatching website and has re-branded the complaints process to the Complaints and Compiments Register.
Jack Bailie Award
The Jack Baillie Award is presented to a member of staff who introduces an added value initiative. The initiative must be relevant to the work of the organisation, it must be measureable and it must demonstrate cost savings, increased activity or improved service.
The Runner Up was Brendan Donaghy, Mediation Development Officer with the Housing Executive. Brendan has identified a more responsive, decentralised approach to service delivery. His experience in mediation has allowed him to develop and introduce a Mediation Panel of 10 professionally qualified external mediators who work from a centralised pool across the province.
Brendan receiving the runner up prize for the Jack Baillie Award
The Overall Winner was Jennifer Mooney, Oaklee Services Centre Team Leader. The success of the Services Centre is largely credited to Jennifer's efforts in reviewing the changing needs of tenants and developing processes to meet those needs.
Jennifer receiving the winner's Jack Baillie Trophy
J R Gorman Trophy
The J R Gorman Trophy is awarded annually to a Maintenance Officer in the Housing Executive who has demonstrates good results in achieving a high proportion of completed repair requests, and who achieves the highest degree of tenant satisfaction measured by the proportion of repairs completed within the acknowledged response times.
The Runner Up was Drew McMath, District Maintenance Officer from the Armagh District Office.
Sir John Gorman presents Drew with the prize for runner up in the J R Gorman Trophy
The Overall Winner was John McCrea, District Maintenance Officer in the Cookstown District Office
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John receiving the J R Gorman Trophy from Sir John Gorman.
Jim Speers Award
The Jim Speers Award is for the Best Housing Association Scheme built within the last three years and occupied for at least twelve months.
The Runner Up was Helm Housing Association for its scheme at Ard Aveen Manor, Ard Aveen Park, Bessbrook. The scheme provides accommodation for poeple with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour. The aim of the scheme is to integrate people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour from long stay in hospital into suitable quality domestic-style accommodation.
Jean Fulton Chief Executive, Helm Housing accepting the Runner Up certificate for the Cllr.Jim Speers Award
The Overall Winner was Habinteg Housing Association for their scheme at 24 Portaferry Road, Newtownards. The scheme is a stylish apartment block specifically designed for the over 55's. The scheme contributed to Habinteg's commitment to the re-use of brownfield sites and addresses a very specific housing need in Newtownards.
David Duly & Jason Hardy from Habinteg Housing Association accepting Winner of the Jim Speers Award.