THREE organisations in Hampshire are this week celebrating their third successive Charter Marks.

Ordnance Survey, Gosport Borough Council's Building Control Services and Development Services and Test Valley Borough Council's Housing Services have all desmonstrated nearly a decade of continuously improving services to the public. A further five Hampshire organisations have achieved the award for the second time. Frogmore County Infant School, the Gosport Division of Hampshire Constabulary, Paddock Wood Primary School, the Environmental Health department of Test Valley Borough Council and Environmental Health at Winchester City Council have all been named as repeat Charter Mark award winners.

"Today's winners can be proud of their efforts,'' said Prime Minister Tony Blair. "They are making the difference in our schools, hospitals and across the whole range of public services but it is important that others in the public service learn lessons from these beacons of excellence.''

Ordnance Survey won praise on ten counts from independent assessors who were appointed to advise the Prime Minister on which organisations should be awarded the accolade. Having sought the views of customers as well as investigating developments at Ordnance Survey itself, they report that the agency is seen as "a dynamic organisation with a substantial business agenda an organisation clearly aimed at providing high-quality products and services to meet the needs of customers."

There is particular praise for innovations like the development of new and improved databases and services such as the swift despatch of mapping data via e-mail and the Internet. Also high-lighted are Ordnance Survey's strong partnerships with pub-lic, private sector and volun-tary organisations, such as its work with SUS-TRANS on mapping the new National Cycle Network; and improve-ments to Ordnance Survey's own world wide web site, including the provision of free road maps of Britain to help both individuals and businesses enhance other web sites.

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