BURY Council bosses are celebrating after winning two highly coveted Charter Marks for top quality services to the public.

The awards have gone to the local authority's cultural services division and its Pinfold Lane day care centre in Bury.

This specialist centre has improved on its own success and been awarded a second Charter Mark after being recognised again.

It was presented with its Charter Mark at a special ceremony in London on Tuesday (Feb 1).

The centre opened in 1992 to provide a borough-wide specialist day-care service with 40 places each day for people with various forms of dementia.

Manager Mrs Monica Crossley said: "The award identifies us as providing a very good service, which is what we already thought, but to have this acknowledged by an external assessor makes it even better." Staff are trained to provide a stimulating, therapeutic and enjoyable environment for users. Specialised activity sessions are held to stimulate the brain and encourage the users to participate and socialise.

To gain the Mark, organisations are judged on service standards, choice, fair treatment, prudent spending and a good complaints system.

Also celebrating a similar Charter Mark is the council's cultural services division, responsible for the borough's libraries and art gallery.

Local authority chiefs say the Charter Mark, the only major public service accolade of its kind, is a tribute to the department's 120 staff.

Councillor Andrea Hughes, chairman of lifelong learning, said the award "underlines the professional and popular service they provide".

She added: "Many take this excellence of service for granted and perhaps this is the occasion to point out that to achieve high standards needs a conscientious and consistent effort by everyone.

"Winning the Charter Mark is a team effort and every single one of the division's staff deserves a "well done" and "thank you"."

The cultural services department runs eight libraries, the borough's arts unit and arts development service, and Bury art gallery and museum.

To gain the Mark, organisations are judged on service standards, choice, fair treatment, prudent spending and a good complaints system.

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