Peter needs your vote!

Vote for Peter!

IT worker Peter has been shortlisted in the innovation category, in recognition of the computer programme that he developed to help combat climate change and save the authority around £40,000 a year in energy bills.

Peter realised the potential waste caused by staff forgetting to switch off their PC's when they leave work. So he adapted existing software to scan the authority's 7,500 computers and automatically switch off any left on overnight. The development has already won an award in the Green IT Award section of the Government Computing (GC) Awards.

Other councils and businesses have been in touch to find out how they can tap into the work that Peter has done. And the programme could potentially be worth more than £500,000 a year to the UK economy, if just a quarter of those companies who contacted the county council about the programme achieve similar savings.  

The awards are being hosted by the Local Government Channel, in association with the Local Government Association. And after an unprecedented 350 entries, 41 finalists from councils across the UK have been shortlisted for the seven awards this year. We're the only council from the West Midlands to feature in the main awards.

It's now up to us and members of the public to vote for the winners. We think Peter definitely deserves to scoop the top prize, so we want you to back Peter all the way and go to:

 www.localgovernmentchannel.com/awards/c/innovation/v/peter_kear/

There you can see also more details on Peter, including a film of his work work.

Other ways to vote for Peter are by SMS to 80039 quoting LGATV 1 Peter.

The most votes determine the winner so we've got until 12pm on 3 July, when the winners will be announced by BBC presenter Jeremy Vine at a gala dinner at this year's LGA annual conference in Bournemouth, to get as many votes for Peter as possible. Get voting now!

Peter said: "I am delighted to have been nominated for this award and of course I would be thrilled to win. But I certainly didn't design this programme for recognition. I did it because I value the team I work in and want to make a difference. Already we've seen how it's helping the county council reduce its carbon footprint which is one of our key priorities."