HARD-WORKING staff have been recognised for their tireless efforts during ‘The Beast from the East’ with awards from Argyll and Bute Council’s chief executive.

Donald Connolly, from Helensburgh, collected Cleland Sneddon’s special accolade for the roads and amenity services team at the authority’s Employee Excellence and Recognition Awards, which took place last month. He was joined in doing so by Dunoon man Alistair MacDonald.

And the council’s ‘care at home’ services team from Helensburgh was also recognised by Mr Sneddon with another special award.

Both awards were for their services to the people of Glen Fruin, where families were trapped in their homes with diminishing food supplies.

Making it a hat-trick for Helensburgh and Lomond-based units, the special projects team and the estates and property development team, who are partly based in Helensburgh, won the team of the year prize.

Mr Sneddon said: “There are unsung heroes across the council and it’s good to take the time to recognise the good work that all of our employees do on behalf of the people of Argyll and Bute, which is why the Employee Excellence and Recognition Awards is such an important event.

“February and March saw Scotland hit with unusually severe weather, which left some members of our communities vulnerable or unable to access critical services. And yet employees worked tirelessly to pull out all the stops to protect our communities.

“I gave out two chief executive’s special awards this year, for roads and amenity services and the care at home services teams, for going above and beyond during that torrid time.

“A huge number of staff and services were involved in that response, but I chose to recognise the efforts of these teams as an illustration of how the council goes the extra mile in challenging conditions to keep our people safe and our communities operating.”

MP Brendan O’Hara was also in attendance at the ceremony, which took place in Dunoon.

Mr O’Hara said: “I was honoured to attend the Excellence and Recognition Awards.

“The hardworking employees of Argyll and Bute Council are day in, day out, doing their best to serve our communities.

“I congratulate all the winners and thank all staff, who in times of austerity and budget cuts are doing their utmost to continue to provide services.

“I was particularly delighted that Donald Connolly and Alistair MacDonald on behalf of the roads and amenity services and Ellen Clarkin, Genevieve Hunter, Victoria Laws, Sarah Docherty, Angela McMullan, Jean Laws and Michelle Kane on behalf of care at home services, received the chief executive’s special award.

“[These were] for their care and dedication to the residents of Glen Fruin, helping the families who became trapped in their homes with diminishing food supplies during the aptly named ‘Beast from the East’.”