1. How to nominate
1.1 The awards will close 21 July 2024.
1.2 All nominations must be received by the council by no later than midnight on the closing date. All nominations received after the closing date are automatically disqualified.
1.3 To nominate someone to be entered into the awards:
- choose a voluntary group or person that you feel has made a difference to their community through their voluntary work (a “nominee”)
- complete the online nomination form at https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/communityawards. Paper forms are available on request if you are unable to complete the form online
- you may complete an entry form nominating yourself as a Nominee
- it is the responsibility of all nominators to ensure that the nominee is aware of the nomination
- to submit a nomination you must agree that the information you provide in the nomination form can be stored, processed and used by North Yorkshire Council as part of the awards judging process and associated communications
1.4 The council will not accept:
(a) responsibility for nominations that are lost, mislaid, damaged or delayed in transit, regardless of cause, including, for example, as a result of any postal failure, equipment failure, technical malfunction, systems, satellite, network, server, computer hardware or software failure of any kind; or
(b) proof of posting or transmission as proof of receipt of entry to the awards.
1.5 By submitting a nomination, you are agreeing to be bound by these terms and conditions.
1.6 Following an eligibility check, a minimum of three nominees per category will be shortlisted by a panel of judges including:
- councillors of North Yorkshire Council
- employees of North Yorkshire Council
- representatives of voluntary and community sector
1.7 Shortlisting will be based on information provided in the nomination forms (the “shortlisted nominees”). The decision of the panel of judges (acting reasonably) will be final. Shortlisted nominees will be notified by email by 30 August 2024.
1.8 Visits to, or virtual meetings with, the shortlisted nominees, where necessary, will take place by 30 September 2024.
1.9 Finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony at the North Yorkshire Wider Partnership Conference at the Pavilions of Harrogate, North Yorkshire Showground on the morning of Friday 25 October 2024 (the “awards ceremony”). Each finalist shall receive three tickets to attend the awards ceremony.
1.10 The winners of the Lifetime Achievement in Volunteering award will shortlisted by the judges and the final decisions will be made with delegates of the North Yorkshire Wider Partnership Conference attendees.
1.11 In the event that a finalist is unable to attend the awards ceremony, then they may (subject to giving the council prior reasonable notice) nominate someone to attend the awards ceremony on his/her behalf.
1.12 At the awards ceremony winners for each category will be announced. The decision of the panel of judges (acting reasonably) and conference delegates will be final.
2. Eligibility
2.1 There are three categories for the North Yorkshire Community Awards Scheme 2024.
- best community group – awarded to groups carrying out voluntary activity/activities in North Yorkshire
- best community project - awarded to community groups who have delivered projects utilising local community assets to support their community and/or improve the local area. For example, holding arts festivals, developing a community garden
- lifetime achievement in volunteering – awarded to individual volunteers who have been volunteering for 20 years or more to the benefit of the community.
2.2 The criteria for the North Yorkshire Community Awards Scheme 2024 are:
- activities that have taken place or been completed between 1 May 2023 and 30 April 2024
- nominations in all categories must have had a positive impact on people living in the North Yorkshire Council area
- nominated community groups must be constituted, not for profit, and operate in the North Yorkshire Council area
- community groups may be a branch of, or affiliated to, a larger regional or national organisation, as long as the volunteers started and developed the initiative for the activity locally, and the group's achievements go beyond what is expected of similar groups in the wider organisation's network
- nominated individuals must volunteer within the North Yorkshire Council boundaries in the area of work for which they are nominated
- self-nominations will be accepted for groups but not individuals
2.3 The council will not accept award entries that are:
(a) automatically generated by computer
(b) completed in bulk
(c) illegible, have been altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with
(d) incomplete
2.4 The council reserves all rights to revoke your entry into the awards if either your or your nominee’s conduct, is contrary to the spirit or intention of the awards.
3. The prize
3.1 There will be one winner and two runners up for each category.
3.2 Each winner will receive:
a) £1,000 paid electronically into the group's bank account or, in the case of individuals, to be donated to the local charity of the winner's choice
b) an trophy and certificate
3.3 Each runner up will receive:
a) £250 paid electronically into the group’s bank account or, in the case of individuals, to be donated to the local charity of the runner up's choice
b) an trophy and certificate
3.4 The prize is not negotiable or transferable.
3.5 The decision of the council is final and reserves the right not to make awards if there are no eligible nominations.
4. Winner announcement
4.1 The winners and runners up will be announced at the awards ceremony
4.2 The decision of the judges is final and no correspondence or discussion will be entered into.
5. General
5.1 If there is any reason to believe that there has been a breach of these terms and conditions, the council may, at its sole discretion, reserve the right to exclude your nomination from the awards.
5.2 The council reserves the right to hold void, suspend, cancel, or amend the awards where it becomes necessary to do so.
6. Data protection and publicity
6.1 North Yorkshire Council is the ‘Data Controller’ as defined by Data Protection regulations.
6.2 The council has appointed Veritau Ltd to be its Data Protection Officer. Their contact details are:
Information Governance Office
West Offices
Station Rise
York
YO1 6GA
Phone: 01904 552943
6.3 The following personal information is collected:
- name
- address
- email address
- phone number
- image - for nominations made by video and shortlisted nominations
- bank account details - finalists only - constituted group only, not individual – for payment of prize monies
6.4 Personal information is collected as part of the nomination process to enable us to assess the nominations and to communicate directly with nominees and nominators. The contact details will be used to send letters and to arrange judging / videoing visits. Some information is used to promote the community awards.
6.5 The personal contact information will only be shared with the administrators, judges and photographer of the awards. The administrators are North Yorkshire Council staff. The judges consist of councillors, North Yorkshire Council staff and representatives of the voluntary and community sector. The photographer is contracted by North Yorkshire Council. The judges and photographer will not receive any personal contact data until visits have been confirmed. Initial judging decisions will not use any personal details other than name.
6.6 Nominees will need to agree that the council may list their name and town of residence on the North Yorkshire Council website in relation to the awards. Nominees will be asked to confirm their agreement.
6.7 Shortlisted nominees and finalists will need to agree that the council may use their name, image and district of residence in connection with the awards. Nominees will be contacted to confirm their agreement.
6.8 Videos will be played at the awards ceremony and will be made available on the council intranet and website. Participants in the videos will be asked for their consent.
6.9 The table below sets out the retention period for the data. The retention period is from the closing date of the nominations.
| Data held | Retention period - from nomination closing date | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominees | Shortlisted nominees | Finalists | |
| Name | Three months | Six months | Three years - finalists’ name will be kept for three years to enable the administrators of the awards to ascertain eligibility for future awards. |
| Address, phone number, email | Three months | Six months | One year |
| Full nomination forms | Three months | Six months | Six months |
| Short description of reason for nomination | - | Six months One year - shortlisted nominees who receive a highly commended certificate will have their details used for longer. |
One year |
| Videos and photographs | Three months | Six months | One year |
| Bank account details - groups only, no details held for individuals | - | - | In line with the council’s financial policies and procedures |
6.10 For more information about how the council uses your data, including your privacy rights and the complaints process, please see our corporate privacy notice.