“Our public services are changing fast. And the best providers and commissioners of services are responding to spending constraints not by curbing innovation, but by accelerating it. From the top of the civil service down to local community groups, austerity is being met head on with fresh thinking, creative planning and flexible service delivery.”

Guardian Editor-in-Chief Alan Rusbridger

Now in their ninth year since they started back in 2004, the Guardian Public Services Awards have become some of the most sought after awards in the sector with councils and other public services from around the country vying for a range of accolades.

So you can imagine that I was pretty chuffed that not only was FutureGov asked to support the awards, but that I was also asked to take part in judging them as well along some of these rather impressive names. How could I say no?

This year there are nine awards up for grabs including:

Financial initiative
Digital innovation
Partnership working
Evidence-based policy making
Communications project
Community engagement project
Public leader of the year
Society Guardian public servant of the year
Overall winner

Clearly the one that most catches my eye these days is the digital innovation award given FutureGov’s digital public services geekery, although I must say as someone who started life as a policy wonk and now spends a lot of his time advising on communications and engagement, I’m really looking forward to seeing what comes through in all the categories.

So time to get your thinking caps on and quick. What achievement are you most proud of? Who would be your public servant of the year?

The entry deadline for the awards is 13th July so you’ve got just under a month to get your applications in.

See you at the awards ceremony in November!