Malcom Burr wins lifetime achievement award at Scottish Public Services Awards 2025

Malcolm Burr has won the Scottish Public Service Awards 2025 lifetime achievement award.  

Burr, the chief executive of Western Isles Council, has been a public servant for over 40 years, working in the former Strathclyde region, Orkney, and the Western Isles.  

He was instrumental in pushing the single island authority, which the Scottish Government supported.     

In his role as chief executive, spanning 25 years, he forged a new, constructive and sustained relationship between the island councils and Scottish Government, UK Government and other key partners. This was achieved in difficult circumstances, relying on his personal credibility, drive, and leadership.  

He has also led local government on improving election practice and deepening local democracy, which has been recognised by the Electoral Commission.   

Burr also played a leading role in the drafting of the Islands (Scotland) Bill, which was enacted in 2018, and empowered island communities and ensured they receive fair treatment in policy-making processes, unlocking the potential for economic growth.  

Upon receiving the award, Burr said: “All of us who work in public services know our work is the proverbial marathon, not a sprint. It's a series of building blocks, rather than a rush to the opening ceremony. Our work is collaborative, and success in it cannot be achieved alone.”

He added: “I've been privileged to spend my whole career in local government, and the focus of local government invariably returns to partnership and to communities, and when I've occasionally been tempted along other paths, what's always kept me in the local government sphere is it's closeness, the closeness of local government, it's politics, it's members, it's employees, it's services, and it's accountability to communities, and that's particularly so in the islands.”

Head of the judging panel and managing editor of Holyrood magazine Mandy Rhodes described Burr as a “worthy winner”.  

Speaking at the awards in the Scottish Parliament, Rhodes said: “These awards are always a timely reminder for me that public service and public good come in many different shapes and guises. Often quite unexpected ones.

"I look around this room and all I see is inspiration and I say every year, that the Garden Lobby is simply filled with joy when we recognise the amazing work that you all do and how you go about it."

Other winners on the night included South Ayrshire Council, which picked up the Campaign of the Year Award, Dumfries and Galloway Council, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, Dumfries and Galloway Health and Social Care Partnership, which won the Campbell Christie Public Service Reform Award, and Glasgow Life, which won the Community Engagement Award.