PCC & Police Winners Of Premier Public Sector Excellence Award

An initiative by Porirua City Council and New Zealand Police to make Porirua a safer city won the Prime Minister's award for Public Sector Excellence last night.

The ‘Safer Porirua’ project won the category for excellence in 'Working Together for Better Services', as well as the supreme Prime Minister’s Award.

Porirua City Mayor Jenny Brash says she is absolutely delighted with the win.

"Engagement with our communities is something we do well in Porirua and it's extremely important if we are to be effective and consistent in advancing positive change. I am proud of the way our communities work together and the Safer Porirua Project is a fine example of this. I would like to acknowledge the Police and all our partners, the many community groups and agencies, who together are doing a fantastic job for our city in the area of community safety."
Council Chief Executive Roger Blakeley Chair of the Safer City Steering Group and Senior Constable Rob Gregory accepted the award on behalf of Porirua City and the Police.

"These prestigious awards were keenly contested with 45 entries in five categories open to all Government Departments, Crown Entities and Local Authorities. PCC was the only finalist from Local Authorities in New Zealand."

"Our entry was submitted jointly by PCC and the Police and acknowledges the other partners in Safer Porirua, namely ACC, HNZC, Porirua Healthy Safer City Trust, Porirua Community Guardians and Regional Public Health."
Safer Porirua achieved World Health Organisation accreditation for Porirua as an International Safe Community in 2008 and already there is evidence of improvements in safety outcomes since the initiative began in 2005, he says.

"These include an improved perception of safety, the lowest crime rates in the Wellington region and a reduced rate of serious and fatal road injuries."

Winners were named in five categories, each designed to highlight significant public sector initiatives making a positive difference to communities. Projects were judged by an independent panel looking at excellence in terms of vision, innovation and results.

Category winners were:

The Russell McVeagh Award for Excellence in Working Together for Better Services
• Ministry of Social Development, for ‘Linwood Community Link’
• New Zealand Police and the Porirua City Council, for ‘Safer Porirua’
The Microsoft Award for Excellence in Networked Government
• Ministry of Economic Development, for the ‘Insolvency Law Reform Implementation Project’
The State Services Commission Award for Excellence in Improving Performance through People
• Hawkes Bay District Health Board, for ‘Programme Incubator’
The Leadership Development Centre Award for Excellence in Managerial Leadership
• Career Services, for ‘Project Aspire - The Leadership Capability Programme’
The Te Puni Kōkiri Award for Excellence in Crown-Māori Relationships
• Department of Labour, for ‘Manaakitanga I Ō Tātou Marae (Taking care of our marae)’

ENDS

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