MOD celebrates high-achieving civilian teams

The four civilian teams just missed the major awards at this year's high profile event, but MOD's top management still wanted to celebrate their achievements.

Permanent Secretary Bill Jeffrey, Second Permanent Under Secretary Sir Ian Andrews, Personnel Director Richard Hatfield and Finance Director Trevor Woolley all toasted the teams' exemplary performances. Speaking at the reception, Sir Ian said:

"We had to make clear that what they have done is a success, and we want to celebrate that."

The four teams were: the Basra political advisors (POLAD), led by Fiona White, who served alongside Forces colleagues in Basra from August 2006 to September 2007 (shortlisted for the Public Value Award); the Strategic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (SUAV) Taranis integrated project team, headed by Simon Cheeseman (shortlisted for the Procurement Award); Defence Estates' MOD Estates London (Project MODEL) team, headed by Peter Croote (shortlisted for the Procurement Award); and the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) project team, led by Mike Robinson (shortlisted for both the Technology and Project Programme Management Awards).

"We did exceptionally well to be so well represented," said Mr Jeffrey. "I felt that getting you all together to say we're proud of you is the right thing to do. The real value [of the awards] is that it raises our profile. They get us into the wider world and put our achievements at centre stage."

Sir Ian added:

"We are getting increasing numbers of teams put forward for awards, but we are generally not good at celebrating them and saying thank you. We need to be celebrating people and stressing that what they do is valued."

MOD could learn some tactical tips from this year's Civil Service Awards winners, he suggested:

"We need to focus not just on our work which relates to the front line, but on that which is important domestically." Referring to the SUAV Taranis team, he added, "Taranis, for example, is not just about front line capability; it is also about creating jobs."

The mood among the teams that came so close to winning the top awards was buoyant, and any disappointment appeared to have been moderated by the warm words of MOD's bosses:

"I felt we had done a very good job in very difficult circumstances," said Fiona White of the Basra political advisors team. "The team played a vital role during the handing over to Iraqi rule of three provinces. It required very careful management. We had to make the right decision at the right time."

Her colleague, Emma Frost, said that the worst times in Basra had been when Service personnel were injured or killed:

"You felt it every single time," she said.

Julia Finch of the MOD Estates in London team described the complex and innovative selling and development strategy that her team has been applying to major developments at Northolt in West London:

"What has been recognised is our new way to use public-private partnerships," she said.

Julia probably spoke for all four teams when she said:

"We've done well. We're chuffed."