LOCAL authorities across the country are beating a path to Fenland Hall to learn from the council s hugely successful staff awards scheme. Authorities from London, the West Country and Yorkshire have all contacted Fenland District Council looking for advi

LOCAL authorities across the country are beating a path to Fenland Hall to learn from the council's hugely successful staff awards scheme.

Authorities from London, the West Country and Yorkshire have all contacted Fenland District Council looking for advice on how to develop an awards scheme and how to measure the benefits.

In Fenland, recognising and applauding staff achievements has helped to rapidly promote a can-do culture that has stimulated staff at every level of the organisation to develop their full potential.

The council held its first staff awards ceremony this year and it has proved such a success that the number of nominations for awards has rocketed. The council recognises that this is a measure of the success of the concept of applauding and rewarding staff for exceptional efforts.

The success of the scheme has raised the game of council staff, which can only be to the benefit of council tax payers. Now, authorities from around Britain are looking to replicate Fenland's success.

Leader of the council, Councillor Geoffrey Harper, said: "Recognising staff achievement, whether it is in the public or private sector, is a great moral booster and when morale is high, performance is too. I am delighted other authorities around the country are recognising that we have a successful, winning formula and are knocking on our door to learn from us.