YOUR Civic Catering Service

It’s official - the team behind 50,000 school meals across Birmingham and the West Midlands is the best in the business.

Cityserve, Birmingham City Council’s education catering division, was declared the best catering service team at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards.

The awards recognise frontline services provided by UK local authorities and winners are decided by a panel of expert judges.

Cityserve beat off opposition from councils across the country to win Best Service Team: Catering Service.

The Birmingham-based organisation was also shortlisted for the Best Public/Private Partnership Working Initiative and Best Efficiency and Transformation Initiative at the awards.

Brian Cape, Head of Service at Cityserve, who picked up the award at the APSE Annual Charity Awards Dinner in aid of Parkinson’s UK in Newcastle, said:
“Adding another national award to our trophy cabinet proves that yet again, Cityserve is helping to put Birmingham on the map as a place that strives and succeeds - to be the best in so many areas.

“Providing the best service we can possibly provide is front and centre of what we do at Cityserve. We’re confident that’s exactly what we’re doing but to go up against local authorities and come out on top really does give us a boost.

“We absolutely couldn’t do what we do without the support, enthusiasm and resilience of our staff so this award really is more about them than anybody else. Thank you to every single member of the Cityserve team, you’re the ones showing everyone just how good Birmingham can be.”

This year’s APSE awards included 22 categories covering the majority of local services, as well as the Overall Council of the Year in Service Delivery Award.

APSE Chief Executive Paul O'Brien said: "Not only do these awards recognise and promote individual achievement, they also provide an opportunity for best practice to be shared with other local authorities and organisations.

“In this way, councils’ hard work and dedication is used to deliver vital services to communities across the UK."

The award adds to an already-packed trophy cabinet at Cityserve’s headquarters in Birmingham. Previous awards include: Workforce Transformation (2019) and Best Service Team (2017) in the UK at the MJ Awards and Best Catering Service Team at the APSE (Association for Public Service Excellence) Awards in 2016, 2017 and 2018.