Reading Council wins prestigious national accolade for Reading Arts & Venues

READING BOROUGH COUNCIL’S Sports, Leisure and Cultural Service team has been announced as the winner at the APSE, Association for Public Service Excellence Service Awards.

The national awards recognises the best and most innovative local authorities, focusing on the delivery of frontline services and seeks to celebrate those councils who are achieving excellent results in a wide range of different service areas.

Reading’s Reading Arts & Venues (which includes the Hexagon, South Street Theatre and the Concert Hall at Reading Town Hall) was recognized for the leading role it played in the cultural sector during the pandemic, including working with partners to launch a digital venue, ‘Reading Culture Live’. The team’s role in running a vital community hub was also highlighted, which provided support for Reading’s most isolated and vulnerable families at the height of the pandemic. The award also acknowledges the Hexagon’s decarbonisation ambitions to reduce the theatre’s carbon footprint.

As well as winning ‘Best Service Team’ for its Sports, Leisure and Cultural Service, in a category with four other councils, Reading was shortlisted for the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Council of the Year award, an award that goes to Councils considered to deliver excellence across all services.

Reading was also selected as one of the top finalists in three other categories:

• Best Housing, Regeneration or New Build Initiative
• Best Service Team: Waste Management and Recycling Service
• Best Collaborative Working Initiative (with other public or third sector)

Reading Council Leader Jason Brock said: “This really is a wonderful achievement for Reading. These awards are extremely competitive, with over 300 submissions from across the UK. I would like to congratulate everyone in our winning team and in the nominated teams. The winning award and nominations are recognition of all the hard work Reading does to deliver the best services for our residents.

“I’m incredibly proud of Reading’s Arts & Venues for their Sports, Leisure and Cultural Service award. From our vital community hub run from the Hexagon, to our innovative online theatre offer and adapted programme of shows during Covid, to our partnership with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and the Hexagon’s contribution to a net zero carbon Reading by 2030, Reading’s Arts and Venues have rightly been highlighted as a shining example of good practice and excellent quality of service.”

For more information on the awards, visit https://apse.org.uk/index.cfm/apse/news/articles/2022/announcing-the-finalists-of-the-apse-service-awards-2022/