There is an “enormous amount of publicity” around the PAC’s negative reports on the civil service, she said, but its positive reports are often ignored by the media. Presenting PAC’s new award, which went the Olympic Delivery Authority, Hodge cited the BBC’s Today programme – which dropped an item on a PAC report on the education of 16-18 year olds when she told them it wasn’t going to be critical of government.
The awards were hosted at Lancaster House and presented by Sir Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, and civil service head Sir Bob Kerslake. The Dame Lesley Strathie award for operational excellence – one of 17 awards – was won by the Jobcentre Plus team from Stranraer, her hometown. A member of the team told CSW the award was “recognition” for six years delivering services and outreach work.
The winner of the Professional of the Year award, Nicholas Scola, a deputy director at the Office of Fair Trading, said officials work “very hard” and the awards are important in making them “feel valued”.