Presentation of Top Toilet Awards

18th January 2012

Following The Highland Council's success at the Loo of the Year Awards, staff from the Education, Culture and Sport service responsible for looking after the award winning toilets were presented with their certificates at the start of last week's committee meeting.

In total the Council won 8 National Category Awards, a further 3 National Awards and a trophy for Thorr House in Thurso. The overall results show that of the 47 ECS entries, 43 of the toilets cared for by ECS cleaning staff received the top grading of 5 stars,7 of which were for new entries into the Loo of the Year Awards. A further 3 entries were graded as 4 star and 1received 3 stars.

National Category winners included Merkinch Community Centre in Inverness, Ullapool High School, St Brides Primary in Lochaber, Inverness Town House, Thurso Library, Mount Pleasant Nursery and Thorr House in Thurso. Thorr House also picked up the National Award winning certificate for the best Changing Places entry and a separate trophy for the best Changing Places entry. Acharacle Primary in Lochaber scooped the national Eco Friendly toilet award and the best Individual Attendant Team award went to the team based at Thurso High School.

Each successful entry was assessed using a strict judging criteria which included signage, d�cor and maintenance, cleanliness, fixtures and fittings, accessible facilities and overall management and customer care made during an unannounced visit by an authorised Loo Of The Year Awards Inspector.

Bill Fernie, Chairman of The Highland Council's Education, Culture and Sport Committee made the presentation of the awards at the start of the committee meeting. Congratulating the staff for their resounding success he said: "We have a remarkable track record of success in these awards and it is down to the commitment of teams of staff working to a very high standard and taking pride in doing their job well. It is particularly rewarding that we have won so many of the national awards against some stiff competition and the people doing the work are recognised for their professionalism. I would like to congratulate everyone involved and thank them for their dedication and hard work."

The awards went to the following facilities:

National Category Award Winners
� Community Centres - Merkinch Community Centre, Inverness
� Historic Buildings - Inverness Town House
� Libraries - Thurso Library & Registrar
� Early Schools - Mount Pleasant Nursery, Thurso
� Primary Schools & Play Centres - St. Brides Primary, Lochaber
� Secondary Schools - Ullapool High School
� Day Centres - Thorr House, Thurso
� Commercial & Public Offices - Osprey House, Alness

National Award Winners:
� Changing Places Toilet Entries - Thorr House, Thurso
� Eco Friendly Toilet Entries - Acharacle Primary, Lochaber
� Individual Attendant Team - Thurso High School

Trophy Winners 2011
Changing Places Toilet Entries - Highland Council for Thorr House, Thurso

Highland facilities, maintained by ECS staff which were awarded the top grading of 5 stars are:

Abernethy Primary
Acharacle Primary School
Archive Centre & Registrar, Inverness
Ardross Primary School
Assessors Office, Dingwall
Ballachulish Primary School
Balloch Primary School
Caberfeidh Rescource Centre, Kingussie
Council Headquarters, Inverness
Council Office, Drummuie, Golspie
County Buildings, Dingwall
Court House, Nairn
Daviot Primary School
Dornoch Primary Nursery
Elgol Primary School
Farr Primary School (new entry)
Gairloch Primary
Glenelg Primary School
Golspie Primary School
Hilton Primary, Inverness
Invergordon Academy
Inverlochy Nursery
Inverness Town House (new entry)
Isle of Eigg Primary
Kinlochewe Primary School (new entry)
Kirkhill Primary School
Merkinch Community Centre (new entry)
Merkinch Family Centre (new entry)
Milton of Leys Primary School (new entry)
Mount Pleasant Special Education Unit & Nursery
Osprey House, Alness
Pultneytown Academy, Wick
Reay Primary School
Ross House, Dingwall
Service Point, Golspie
St. Brides Primary School
The Glen Centre, Aviemore
Thorr House, Thurso
Thurso High School
Thurso Library & Registrar
Tigh-na-Sgire, Portree
Ullapool High School
Ullapool Primary School