Applications for this category reflect the key role that councils have in tackling health inequalities and improving health and wellbeing. Whilst improving the health of the general population is important, these projects are also about targeting interventions to decrease health inequalities. Applications may reflect work taking place in specific subject areas, or in terms of policy development.

West Dunbartonshire’s Positive Attitudes Group wins Chair’s awards for creating “The Good Life”.

The Good Life: Positive Attitudes Group is a group of adults with learning disabilities whose work improves the lives of people like them. They challenge attitudes, influence the planning of relevant policies and offer unique training for organisations delivering public services.

Family Matters scoop Best Team Award for Renfrewshire Council and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The service is targeted at expectant mothers and carers of children aged under three years of age where addiction, mental ill health, learning disability, and a poor experience of being parented can negatively impact on outcomes for adult and child, including health.

Backing Falkirk’s Future wins Scottish Government Award.

As the largest employer in the Falkirk area, the council confirmed its commitment to “Backing Falkirk’s Future,” by adopting a policy integrating the development of the future workforce with increasing the number of Falkirk School leavers entering work based training and employment as a positive school leaving destination.

South Lanarkshire’s ‘First Steps’ are One to Watch.

Women expecting their first babies and new mums from some of South Lanarkshire’s poorest areas are being helped to ensure their children get off to the best possible start in life – thanks to the First Steps Programme.

In October 2008 Inverclyde Council launched ‘New Horizons’, a diversionary and disciplinary programme for young people aged 14-17, with a history of low level offending / anti-social behaviour.

The Inverclyde Local Energy Savings Scheme (LESS Inverclyde) was introduced in November 2008 is and is a partnership project aimed at tackling fuel poverty through improving home thermal insulation, promoting sustainable energy use and maximising household income by reducing heating bills and ensuring benefit take-up.

In 2007, West Lothian Council embarked on a programme of new build Council housing. This project offers a unique opportunity for 30 apprentices employed by the Council to experience new build construction with the developer, Gladedale East Scotland.

Renfrewshire’s Public Sector Academy helps Secure a Workforce for the Future.

Renfrewshire Council has recognised the enormous potential of those who want to work but are furthest away from the labour market offering real employment opportunities to long term unemployed.

The JET (Job + Education + Training) Programme is a year long, work-based learning programme, which combines school education with vocational training and real work experience.

Renfrewshire Council’s five Local Area Committees (LACs) were introduced to bring decision making closer to its communities and to allow its citizens to play an active role in setting local priorities, and scrutinising and developing local services and resources.

Aberdeen City Council’s “Transition Extreme” embraces Local Democracy.

Purpose built as part of Aberdeen City Council’s regeneration programme, the Transition Extreme project engaged with the city’s young people to find out what they wanted and worked with them to deliver over and above this.

The Waste Management / Recycling Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project delivered an innovative waste management solution on two main issues: firstly, improved value for money for the Council; and secondly to meet the EU biodegradable landfill diversion targets.

Promoting Sustainability in North Lanarkshire Council.

Current work required to maintain roundabouts, central reservations and approaches was not sustainable. Relying heavily on cyclical maintenance and changing the maintenance regime or reducing it drastically has had a massive impact, improving maintenance costs, sustainability of works and reducing the council’s carbon footprint.

Fife Council (FC) is the first and only Local Authority in Scotland to commit to land filling zero municipal waste, setting new standards in waste strategy, management and partnership working.

Peer Education Tackles Health Inequalities and Improves Health in Dundee.

The Dundee Peer Education Project (DPEP) has successfully developed and delivered peer education across Dundee. The project has developed an effective model in Dundee to tackle issues relating to drugs, smoking and alcohol using peer-led methods to inform and educate young people.

The NL Connection Project utilises BIG Lottery Funding to deliver an innovative partnership of volunteering, participatory arts and community connecting activity – to achieve social change and build community capacity.

Community and Citizen Well Being in Perth and Kinross.

The multi-disciplinary North Perth Community School Team has worked with schools and communities in North Perth (within the 15% most income deprived areas (SIMD)) to produce innovative family support and family learning opportunities over the last 10 years.

Glasgow City Council and Cordia scoop Service Innovation and Improvement Award.

In order to improve the efficiency of Cordia and its level of service to local citizens, the IT team developed a Blackberry Smartphone application for the Care Tracker system named “E-Router”. This application gives home care coordinators secure and direct access to customer records on their BlackBerry smartphones and informs them in real-time of any customer changes.

Saint Anne’s Primary School is situated in Calton, an area of considerable poverty and multiple deprivation where there are significant health issues in the community. The school took the decision to begin to tackle the health inequalities and improve the health of both the children and the wider community by a targeted intervention of Healthy Eating and Cooking in the Curriculum – ‘Come Cook With Us’.