Balfour Beatty Living Places has secured a prize at this year's Public Service Excellence awards.

The firm along with partner Southampton City Council won the Best Public / Private Partnership Working Initiative award at the annual event.

These awards recognise the very best in local government frontline services across the UK and provide an opportunity for best practice to be shared with other local authorities and organisations.

Balfour Beatty Living Places was awarded a five-year Highways Services Partnership contract extension by Southampton City Council in 2017 following a history of good performance and collaborative working with the local authority. The extension further builds on the 10-year contract which commenced in October 2010, extending it until the end of September 2025.

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The firm's digitally focused approach led the team to success; identifying, trialling and implementing systems and technological innovations such as 3D laser scanning and BIM to support and enhance the delivery of its Highways service.

The 'Digital by Design' initiative has been implemented across its Southampton City Council Highways Services Partnership contract, resulting in improved customer satisfaction, enhanced quality and accessibility of information while also delivering significant cost efficiencies.

Brian Hammersley, Contract Director, Balfour Beatty Living Places, said: "We are delighted to have received the Best Public / Private Partnership Working Initiative award for our considerable efforts to deliver a digitally focused Highways service for Southampton City Council.

"The award is testament to our commitment to driving innovation and embedding new practices across our business and also to our people who work tirelessly to provide an exemplary service for our customers."

Cllr Jacqui Rayment, Cabinet Member for Transport & Place at Southampton City Council, added: "It was fantastic to accept the award for Best Public/Private Partnership Working Initiative on behalf of our highways team. This is well earned recognition of the hard work that staff at both Southampton City Council and Balfour Beatty put in every day to deliver for our residents."

(CM/MH)