Many congratulations to our award-winning clients

Many of our clients have been making the most of conference season, entering for and winning awards.

Swansea City & County Council

Swansea City & County Council entered for five awards at the British Parking Awards in September and was shortlisted for all five, including the partnership award joint entry with Excel.

They won the Back Office Award, as well as the main event - Parking Team of the Year!

We asked Alison Willingale, Parking Services Manager, for her thoughts regarding their wins:

This was a first for our team - we’d never entered the BPA Awards before, nor had we seriously considered it. But we felt it was time to put Swansea on the map and proudly fly the flag for Welsh authorities across the UK. Despite facing uncertain times, our team has remained resilient, working with purpose, planning, and a drive to continually improve parking services for our residents. Entering the awards was a way to celebrate that journey….winning was the dream that came true!

We’re absolutely over the moon to have won! Being recognised at a national level has brought our team even closer together. Winning the Back Office Team Award was a huge achievement in itself—but taking home Parking Team of the Year felt like the ultimate prize. It’s a testament to our collaborative spirit - not just within our parking team, but with our fantastic colleagues in car parks and across the council.

Our mantra is “if you believe it you can achieve it and teamwork makes the dream work”. We live by these words. Keep pushing, keep growing, and never underestimate the power of a united team!

Looking forward, we’re building on the momentum of 2025 and looking to further enhance the services we provide to Swansea residents. We’re proud of our partnership with Excel Civil Enforcement and excited to see how that relationship continues to flourish.

As the country navigates challenging times, we’re committed to streamlining operations, strengthening our service delivery, and staying focused on what matters most - supporting our community with excellence and care.

Here are the interviews with Alison Willingale at the British Parking Awards ceremony on winning both awards:

London Borough of Waltham Forest

At the IRRV Awards in October, the team from Waltham Forest, in partnership with welfare advisor One Source, won the award for Excellence in Partnership Working (Public / Private Partnerships).

We asked Maxine Kirby, Head of Service – Revenues Service, for her thoughts on their entry and why they won:

Given the current economic climate, our service in collecting Council Tax has faced negative perceptions and criticism in the media, and we aim to demonstrate that there is compassion and support within the industry for those who are vulnerable.

We believe our efforts have made a positive impact on individuals' lives. Debt collection and enforcement processes have evolved over time, with recognition that not all residents are evading payments—some face genuine difficulty managing their bills or understanding their obligations. Significant work occurs at the pre-summons stage through text and voice messages, but some cases proceed to enforcement due to missed arrangements or overwhelming circumstances.

Limited resources at this stage led us to consider partnering with an Enforcement Agent (EA) as a possible solution. At the debt surgery, we sought to provide a comprehensive approach by having a welfare adviser from OneSource collaborate with one of our officers to address accounts directly during in-person sessions. Many individuals presented with hardship and were eligible for discounts they had not claimed or could not proceed with applications due to missing information. As a result, a benefits officer was included in the surgery to resolve such issues immediately, providing a multi-disciplinary team.

Our Leader and Strategic Director attended one of these surgeries and observed the approach used when interacting with customers. Staff members found it valuable to see tangible outcomes and engage with residents directly. The initiative produced measurable results, leading to our entry into the IRRV awards, where we were pleased to be shortlisted and subsequently recognised amid such strong competition. Staff members have been motivated by receiving recognition for their dedication and contributions to the outreach service.

The potential next step is to develop a service tailored for Business Rates payers, acknowledging that small businesses and sole traders make up most of our business community and are experiencing financial challenges. This solution will be developed in partnership with Excel Civil Enforcement.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council

Also at October’s IRRV Awards, the Revenues Team at Basingstoke and Deane BC were delighted to win the award for Local Taxation and / or Revenues Team of the Year.

We asked Lucy Gallyer for her comments on their submission and subsequent win:

The IRRV Awards are not just an event—they represent a standard of excellence and something for every Revenues team to aspire to. Here at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, we are constantly striving to grow, improve, and challenge ourselves, all in the name of delivering the best possible service to the residents of our borough.

We are driven by a shared belief in our team’s ability, dedication, and resilience. Recognition is incredibly important—not for the sake of accolades, but to honour the genuine commitment and hard work that happens every day behind the scenes. Winning the "Revenues Team of the Year" award has been a proud and defining moment for our department. It has shone a spotlight on the tireless efforts of the team and affirmed that the service we provide truly makes a difference.

The awards evening itself was more than just a celebration; it was a moment of unity, where the team came together outside the day-to-day pressures of the job. It reminded us of the value of teamwork, and that every individual contribution matters. It was a powerful team-building experience, one that inspired renewed energy and reaffirmed the importance of what we do.

So, what’s next for us? We know that local government never stands still. With the challenges of devolution and structural change on the horizon, we are preparing to adapt and evolve. Change can be daunting, but it also brings opportunity. We are embracing innovation and exploring how new technologies, including artificial intelligence, can help us improve the services we offer and make smarter, more efficient decisions.

Our focus remains clear: to keep putting residents first, to continue growing as a team, and to stay at the forefront of transformation in local government. The IRRV Awards may be a highlight—but for us, they are just the beginning. The future is full of possibilities, and we’re ready for the next chapter.

RTA Associates

RTA Associates was delighted to be shortlisted for the ITS Awards in October (Intelligent Transport Industry) for their RTA OrderPro solution in the Digitalisation and Digital Services category.

Peter Lowe, MD of RTA Associates said:

We entered to promote RTA OrderPro. Our unique managed service solution for Digital TROs (Traffic Regulation Order). To be shortlisted as an SME against huge corporations and for a prestigious panel of judges to consider our product worthy of shortlisting was an honour. There were 300 people there, including Simon Lightwood MP, Minister for Roads and Buses. It was great to have our name on the big screen and for all of us to be recognised for doing a good job. It was great for staff morale.

In terms of what's next for RTA Associates, we have just been awarded a local business grant to expand to provide more bolt on modules to create a complete DTRO one stop shop within OrderPro.

Get in touch with Peter Lowe, MD and Chair of BPA Wales if you would like to know more.