On Thursday, February 27th, we celebrated the iNetwork Innovation Awards 2024/25 with a grand dinner and ceremony hosted at the Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert hotel.
This year we proudly unveiled a new award category, the Best Practice Imitation Award. This award was established to showcase projects that demonstrate a clear link to another organisation’s previous work, illustrating how they have effectively integrated best practices into their own operational framework while generating significant impact within their communities.
– iStandUK Award (for Data sharing)
– Connected Procurement & Commissioning Award
– Effective Information Sharing & Security Award
– Transforming & Innovating Public Services Award
– Partnership Excellence Award
– Most Creative Video Award
– Best Practice Imitation Award
– Outstanding Contribution Award
iStandUK Award
The first category of the night was for the iStandUK Award. This award recognises projects that demonstrate innovation and achievement in the effective use of data and information standards to improve services, to enable information transparency and/or to enable common understanding of a key issue. The award was presented by Paul Davidson, iStandUK, & Phil Swan, GMCA. The winner of this award was: Access to Community Support and Services (ACSS) Project | I network
Connected Procurement & Commissioning (CPC) Award
The next award category was the Connected Procurement & Commissioning (CPC) award recognises successes in public procurement and commissioning. In particular initiatives that have used innovative and collaborative procurement or commissioning practices to tackle social outcomes that are important to the public sector, delivered savings and efficiencies, and generally supported the improvement of public service organisations and the communities which they serve. This award is sponsored by YPO and was presented by Peter Schofield, Manchester City Council, and Andrea Smith, YPO. The winner of the CPC category was: GM One Network | I network
Effective Information Sharing & Security (EISS) Award
The Effective Information Sharing & Security (EISS) Award recognises projects that facilitate the secure storage, sharing, and/or use of sensitive information to deliver more efficient and effective services for users whilst ensuring that personal information is protected. The award was presented by Lesley Bullen, The Guinness Partnership and Phil James, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The winner of the EISS category was: zED with zED to the MAx | I network
Transforming & Innovating Public Services (TIPS) Award
The fourth category was for the Transforming & Innovating Public Services (TIPS) Award. This award recognises excellence in the transformation of public services and teams/organisations that have successfully implemented change for people and places. The winning project demonstrated evidence of improved outcomes through innovative citizen focused solutions in the areas of data, technology and/or culture change. This award was sponsored by Engage Process and was presented by Laurence Allen from Engage Process, and Alex Grundy, Plus Dane Housing, and Laurence Allen. The winner of the TIPS award category was: St Helens Approach to Tech Enabled Care | I network
Partnership Excellence Award
We then moved on to the Partner Excellence Award. This award recognises outstanding performance from partner organisations. The award celebrates innovation, collaboration, efficiency and going the extra mile in partnership working. The award was presented by Nichola Cooke from STAR Procurement. The winner was: Wyre Moving More | I network
Best Practice Imitation Award
This year’s newly introduced category: The Best Practice Imitation Award looks to showcase projects that demonstrate a clear link to another organisation’s previous work, illustrating how they have effectively integrated best practices into their own operational framework while generating significant impact within their communities. The award was presented by Paul James from Trafford Council, and the winners were: Reimagining Recruitment | I network
Most Creative Video Award
The next award on the night was for the Most Creative Video Award. All shortlisted finalists who attended on the night submitted fantastic projects this year and alongside this were required to submit a short video on their project. View all of this year’s shortlisted finalists.
All shortlisted finalists were then automatically entered into this category. This award recognised the originality and ingenuity to create inspired, fun and/or impactful video content. The award was presented by Shelley Heckman, iNetwork, and the winners were: Match My Project | I network
Outstanding Contribution Award
Finally, the most anticipated award of the evening, the Outstanding Contribution Award was announced. It recognises the outstanding contribution of the iNetwork member organisation that has done the most to promote learning and sharing of innovation and best practice. The award was presented by Alison McKenzie-Folan, Wigan Council and Sarah Bullock, Chorley Council and South Ribble Borough Council and the winner was: North Yorkshire Council!
The evening closed with some remarks from the iNetwork Executive Chair, Alison McKenzie-Folan, who thanked all those that have supported iNetwork and to all the judges who have given up their time to help and support the Innovation Awards 2024/25. You can view the winners page on our iNetwork Innovation Awards website here and view all the pictures from the night in our gallery.