Excellence Wales is run by the Welsh Local Government Association, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and supported by a range of sponsors. The scheme aims to improve services to customers by encouraging learning and sharing amongst welsh local authorities and in 2007/8, it became open to the wider local government family.
The scheme was first developed during 2005 following extensive consultation with local authorities, regulatory bodies and the Welsh Assembly Government. Themes and sub-themes are designed in consultation with policy experts in those specialist fields to build knowledge of practice in the field and supporting research to develop a picture of what relative excellence might ‘look like’.
Assessment is undertaken by a panel of external assessors and includes a site visit.
There are three levels of recognition within the scheme:
- Highly Commended: where an authority with its partners demonstrates consistent achievement across all sub themes;
- Commended: where an authority with its partners demonstrates achievement in one or more of the sub themes;
- Certificates of Recognition: commends pockets of good practice
The awards are an important part of the Excellence Wales process and not its end. Excellence Wales is very different to any other award scheme as the emphasis is very much on the continued sharing of learning. The good practice will be shared at learning events throughout the following year. In addition good practice case studies which capture key challenges and secrets of success are detailed on the website.
The themes for 2008/9 will be announced soon.
For more information contact: Clover Rodrigues