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Eighteen people have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to supporting justice and the work of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) at the inaugural SCTS Service Excellence Awards. Their achievements range from supporting Sheriff Court business following the discovery of RAAC, to ensuring high-profile Fatal Accident Inquiries run smoothly and efficiently, and from promoting the health and wellbeing of colleagues to making lifetime contributions to the SCTS.
The SCTS Service Excellence Awards was established to celebrate the successes of those who go the extra mile, have made a meaningful difference to the organisation and consistently demonstrate the SCTS values of Respect, Service and Excellence when carrying out their roles.
The finalists represent all areas of SCTS, including Courts, Tribunals, and the Office of the Public Guardian.
Malcolm Graham, Chief Executive Officer of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service congratulated all the finalists: “People are at the heart of SCTS and every day colleagues go above and beyond to deliver an excellent service for the users of our courts, tribunals and the Office of the Public Guardian.
“Our SCTS Values and Behaviours are at the core of our organisation’s culture and the SCTS Service Excellence Awards recognise those individuals and teams who are exemplary in demonstrating our Values and Behaviours and show appreciation for their efforts.
“We had over 100 nominations from across the organisation and the response awards reflects the number of fantastic people working across SCTS in support of delivering justice in Scotland.
“I congratulate all nominees and finalists.”
The 18 finalists, three finalists across six categories, each received their award at an event in Parliament House recently.
The six award categories and finalists were:
Gemma Burt was selected as a finalist for showing exceptional care, leadership and commitment during a period of significant change at the Office of the Public Guardian and Accountant of Court. She was commended for providing training support, mentorship, supporting staff development and cover if required.
Pauline O’Brien, a senior manager with Tribunals Operations, has been described as inspirational and leads her team to deliver excellent results. Her commitment to continuous improvement is making an impact beyond her team and unit and has also developed a suite of management information products for Tribunals Operations.
Paul Stewart was nominated for going above and beyond to support wellbeing, engagement and the promotion of our values and behaviours. Paul is described as a visible, approachable and positive leader. He is always open to collaboration and has built and developed good working relationships both within Tribunals Operations and across the wider organisation. Paul has had a positive impact beyond his own team, supporting wider organisational goals.
Sue Baxter was described as “one of the most powerful forces shaping a supportive, inclusive, and positive working environment.” In particular, she was praised for her leadership in actively encouraging conversations about neurodiversity, personal challenges and mental health, promoting understanding, which is greatly appreciated by her colleagues.
Karen Currier was nominated for her exceptional work to promote and mark World Menopause Day, promoting a truly inclusive culture for the wellbeing of employees. Karen proactively offered to hold a webinar for employees based on a book she had written which focuses on the impact of menopause, particularly in a work context, to help provide strategies to help and benefit individuals.
Shaunlee Ogilvie organises events to raise money for charity and boost team morale not just with SCTS but with justice partners as well. He also runs ‘Fry-day Friday’ - taking orders for breakfast rolls from colleagues, purchasing the ingredients in his own time and coming into work early to prepare everyone’s rolls, ensuring this is inclusive by taking into account individual requirements. He was described as having taken the wellbeing representative role very seriously, working hard alongside his own busy role, to ensure a variety of wellbeing options for his colleagues.
Matthew Casebury has undertaken a degree in his own time, supported by SCTS, to enhance his expertise. His work ethic, enthusiasm for learning, and collaborative mindset have been a positive influence and contributes to a culture of continuous improvement, supporting organisational goals.
With a focus on innovation and efficiency, Matthew has also independently researched and proposed new tools and processes, producing papers on potential improvements.
Arron Alderson has been proactive in developing improvements to processes, presenting to external parties and was instrumental in revamping the format of school visits to the Court, devising and delivering a very successful Law Experience Programme to local secondary school pupils. Arron is currently studying remotely for a law degree, with some funding from SCTS.
Alexander Shaw became a finalist after exceeding role expectations, delivering measurable benefits, and showing sustained commitment to the service. Using his technical experience and knowledge and great attention to detail he always looks to improve processes, which has been of great benefit to the Finance Team. He has also helped improved the processes for Glasgow Tribunals Fees, EPC Audit and Webroster. Alexander has also been studying for AAT finance/accounting qualifications, so he can better support the team, recently passing Level 2 with distinction.
Gillian Hutton has continuously demonstrated the SCTS Values and Behaviours. She has exceeded the expectations of her role, making use of her experience to make a difference not only for her colleagues but for patients and the NHS. Her contribution to the improvement of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland two-year review process of applications has been praised. On her own initiative, Gillian developed calculators which could be used by team leaders to check applications for compulsory treatment orders and compulsion orders. The calculator automatically tells them whether an application is a notification only or if it requires a hearing to be arranged.
Hazel Hay has been recognised for the significant work she has undertaken in leading her team and remodelling Tribunal Operations’ approach to annual business planning, scheduling advanced KPI review workshops, supported by robust historical data to allow informed decision making in respect of performance goals.
Her team has been enabled to be responsive to workload demands as they have expanded. She has led them to undertake additional FOI and SAR training as well as delivering an awareness session to those charged with providing information request responses, safeguarding the reputation of Tribunals and SCTS.
George Henderson was nominated for his work in supporting a large, high profile, fatal accident inquiry held at the Civil Centre in Aberdeen. He worked closely with the Sheriff and a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, including participants in the inquiry. George played a part in the inquiry being efficiently concluded in a shorter timeframe than originally expected. They said he was unflappable, displayed excellent communication skills and received very positive feedback from all those involved. George also contributed his existing IT knowledge and learnt how to operate new equipment for the livestream of the inquiry. He fielded press enquiries when required, hosted a press visit and made sure everyone had wi-fi access.
Tracey McDonald has been recognised for her professionalism, dedication, and commitment to excellence. Tracey has taken ownership of national customer surveys, acting as liaison with contractors and supporting new business areas through the process. She has also led the organisation through the national Customer Service Excellence accreditation. She also developed clear business rules for issuing high-profile Fatal Accident Inquiry determinations, ensuring compliance and preventing procedural errors. Her work has had a significant positive impact on her unit and the wider SCTS.
Wendy Robertson was instrumental in helping Airdrie Sheriff Court to continue to operate following the discovery of RAAC in the court building in 2023, managing the move to a new location for staff to work from, and assisting in the preparation of refixing and transfer orders so business could be moved to Lanark and Hamilton, to ensure that service was able to continue.
Ian Baillie has worked for the courts since 1972 and will achieve 54 years of service in October this year. He manages the court programme for 18 courts in Edinburgh and the challenge of allocating 20 Sheriffs based on their availability. Ian has been recognised for his continued excellent service, his ability to suggest improvements and find solutions to problems, and the support and guidance he provides to colleagues and Sheriffs. Also, for sustained commitment to service in providing sessions for new Clerks of Court on the intricacies of the court programme and assigning court dates.
Liam McLachlan began his career over 45 years ago and has worked in almost every part of the SCTS. Liam is currently the Clerk to the Lord Justice Clerk and well respected amongst both his colleagues and the judiciary.
In his nomination, it was noted that Liam’s contribution to training has been outstanding. He helped to design and deliver assessment centres and helped to reshape the training system in the Supreme Courts. Liam has also undertaken a significant amount of training himself throughout his career to support his roles.
Johanne Whyte joined SCTS in December 1997 and has amassed a wide range of experience gained from working in several different including roles across various Sheriffdoms, including Lothian and Borders and Tayside, Central and Fife. Johanne has provided inspiration to others in their own career and has been described as a “quiet superstar” and a “true unsung hero”. Johanne has always had a focus on inclusion and wellbeing and encourages others to do this too. She is also a role model for engagement, setting the standard for People Survey action plans to ensure employee experience is improved.
