Making A Difference Is The Real Award
Folkestone & Hythe District Council has been praised for its “leading edge approaches” to supporting vulnerable residents for the third consecutive year.
The local authority’s council tax, benefits and welfare team has once again won the Excellence in Social Inclusion category at the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation’s national awards ceremony.
Its efforts in targeting those people most needing help – allowing much-needed items to be provided through the Crisis and Resilience Fund, as well as the Home Essential Fund – were praised by judges.
Tim Prater, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance and Governance, said:
“Acknowledgement from peers is, of course, very special but the real award is knowing the difference we’re making to residents across the district.
“We’re not aware of a local authority winning the same category three years in a row. That’s real testament to the amazing work that is being done by the team and I’m incredibly proud of them. Their track record over the past decade is highly coveted.”
Other interventions include a holistic approach to support via a partnership with ReachOut, a private sector service aimed at working with the most vulnerable.
The Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation panel were specifically looking for “leading edge approaches to the delivery of social inclusion policies, which had improved the life of those experiencing poverty or deprivation”.
Folkestone & Hythe District Council was also highly commended in the Benefits/Welfare Team of the Year category at the ceremony in Telford last week.
The work of Folkestone & Hythe District Council has been recognised by the Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation regularly since 2018:
Winners
2019: Revenues Team of the Year
2021: Excellence in Education and/or staff development
2022: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2024: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2024: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2025: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2026: Excellence in Social Inclusion
Highly commended
2022: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2023: Excellence in Education and/or staff development
2026: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
Finalists
2018: Revenues Team of the Year (District Authority)
2019: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2019: Revenues Team of the Year (District Authority)
2021: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2021: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2021: Excellence in Education and/or Staff development
2021: Revenues Team of the Year
2022: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2022: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2022: Excellence in Education and/or Staff Development
2023: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2023: Excellence in partnership Working in Community Involvement & Debt resolution (with Policy in Practice)
2023: Excellence in Education and/or Staff Development
2023: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2024: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2024: Excellence in Partnership Working (Service Delivery) (with Sigma/Reachout)
2024: Excellence in Innovation (Revenues & Benefits Administration)
2024: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2025: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2025: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year
2026: Excellence in Social Inclusion
2026: Benefits and/or Welfare Reform Team of the Year