WEST Dunbartonshire Council has been named Best Public Sector Employer at the 2017 Scottish Top Employers for Working Families Awards.

The council scooped the top prize in a category that also included finalists such as Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, North Ayrshire Council, University of the West of Scotland, Independent Living Fund Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

The Scottish Top Employers for Working Families Awards, organised by Family Friendly Working Scotland, celebrate progressive employers that have successfully embedded family friendly and flexible working practices and their awards recognise best practice, innovation and sustainability.

The categories recognise Scotland’s outstanding employers of all sizes, which have created jobs and working environments in which employees can thrive and achieve excellence.

Councillor Kath Ryall, convener of Corporate Services, said: “The council’s decision to offer staff the chance to work from various locations and even to work from home has had a fantastic impact on employee satisfaction levels and has helped to drastically reduce sickness rates.

“And for our staff who are also carers, the flexibility in working locations and working hours can be life-changing.

“It is clear that this is the correct approach for a modern employer to take and it is brilliant to see this recognised at the Scottish Top Employers for Working Families Awards.”

This latest award comes after the council was named one of the top Government organisations to work for in the Bloomberg Best Employers UK 2016 survey.

Councillor Thomas Rainey, depute convener of Corporate Services, added: “It’s a fantastic boost to get recognition on this level. Congratulations to all the council staff who have worked to reach this point and we hope that our 6,000 employees continue to enjoy working here and tell us what they expect from their employer.”