Utility Week - authoritative, impartial and essential reading for senior people within utilities, regulators and government
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Northumbrian Water's chief executive, Heidi Mottram, seizes the Utility of the Year Award at the Utility Week Achievement Awards 2013. A new champion will be named on 8 December at the 2014 ceremony in London at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel. Recalling last year's victory, Mottram says: "We were, and are, very proud to have won the award. It reflects our dedication to achieving our vision of being the best in the industry. Having the crown of Utility of the Year has certainly strengthened our brand and it definitely boosted morale in the company as it recognised the expertise and hard work of employees, without whose support no company can ever hope to win such a prestigious title." People & Opinion Utility Week community Reigning champion Northumbrian Water: Utility of the Year 2013 UtILItY WeeK | 28th November - 4th December 2014 | 7 Super Streetworks the National Joint Utilities Group (NJUG) announced the winners of its 2014 streetworks awards at a ceremony at the house of com- mons on 19 November. there will also be a winner of winners from among the various category champions, selected by attendees at the awards on the night. the following companies were shortlisted for this award and the overall winner will be announced at the Utility Week Achievement Awards on 8 December. • Scotia Gas Networks • Amey and United Utilities • Thames Water and Optimise Sniffing out success A device which is estimated to be saving UK distribution network operators (DNos) £145 million a year was named winner of the Institution of engineering and technology Innovation Award 2014. cablesniffer from eA technol- ogy significantly increases the accuracy and reduces the time required to identify and address cable faults. It works by sampling gasses given off when insulation faults occur and is accurate to within 1m. It is now in use by every UK DNo. eA technology's innovation triumphed over 400 other entries into the category from organisa- tions in 22 countries. and the winner iS… Utility Achievement Awards 2014: what the judges are saying As we prepare for the 2014 Utility Week Achievement Awards ceremony, some of this year's judges give their perspec- tive on the value of industry competi- tions and share some of their own professional triumphs and tumbles. Lewis Shand-Smith, chief ombudsman What benefits are attached to entering industry awards schemes? It gives participants the chance to celebrate and showcase achievements. What is your most memorable moment from an industry awards night? At last year's Utility Week Awards as Northumbrian Water "swept the board". What's your advice to teams who go away empty handed from an awards ceremony? okay, you didn't win, but even by entering you recognised that your achievement was worthwhile. Use the process to show all involved that what they did for their business was an excellent effort. What's your personal 'award winning' career achievement? Being elected the youngest council leader in Scotland. holding that position taught me that while you can't let anything slip, you do need to delegate and monitor. What about a moment where you felt you'd missed the mark? I was once badly let down by senior colleagues in a way that damaged not me but my company. Lesson learned: don't let go of trust, but make sure people are not being asked to deliver beyond their capabilities. Utility Week extends its thanks to all members of this year's judging panel for their involvement. Next week we hear from awards judge mark bygraves, director of strategy and development, elexon 21% Proportion of social rented households unable to heat their living room comfortably in the winter of 2012, according to Monitoring Poverty and Social Exclusion 2014, a report from the Joseph rowntree Foundation