The wait is over for Birmingham's political classes to find out who made their mark on 2016 as our local government correspondent offers up his alternative awards.

Lord Voldermort award: Sir Albert Bore

Sir Albert Bore and Voldemort

After resigning as leader in 2015 Sir Albert has been generally keeping a low profile.

But he ruled the Birmingham Labour group with an iron grip for so long that people refuse to accept that he is winding down. Instead, like Harry Potter’s arch enemy, his successors firmly believe and fear he is still influencing events from the shadows.

Jobcentre Plus award: Council leader John Clancy

After promising no jobs for the boys he has managed to create four openings for new 'assistant leaders' - the four councillors who are paid £10,000 a year each to talk, think and consult communities on local service reforms.

Not only that but he has expanded his own office contingent by two in recent weeks. He really is getting Birmingham back to work.

Aristotle award: Cllr Matt Bennett

Matt Bennett
Matt Bennett: Why am I here?

Never let it be said that council question time doesn’t deal with the big issues.

Here, the Edgabston Conservative asked the biggest of all: "Why are we here?" and left colleagues pondering the pointlessness of their debates.

Top Gear U-turn of the year award: The Home to School Tranpsort debacle

Free school transport for hundreds of youngsters with severe disabilities was cut in July on the say-so of expensive consultants and over-zealous officials. Everyone else thought this was a stupid idea and the outcry was enough to see a swift reverse by the education department.

First runner-up: Khalid Mahmood MP

Birmingham Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood
Birmingham Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood

The Perry Barr MP entered 2016 as a firm backer of the Leave campaign but by the time the referendum battle was joined in earnest had switched sides.

He said he had become dismayed at the campaign's focus on immigration and attacks on migrants.

Second runner up: Cllr Ian Ward

The council deputy leader enjoyed a Road to Damascus like conversion from cautiously sceptical over a Birmingham Commonwealth Games bid (in case it cost the council money it hasn't got) to leading the bid when it was formally unveiled during the Conservative Party Conference in October.

Diane James award for longevity: Cllr Kerry Jenkins

The UKIP leader made it to 18 days as leader, but there was barely 18 hours between the Hall Green councillor’s cabinet appointment and refusal.

She found her day job, which obviously has longer term prospects than political office, was incompatible with the cabinet role.

Elvis style comeback of the year: The Birmingham Independent Improvement Panel

The Panel Steve Robinson, Keith Wakefield, Frances Done and chairman John Crabtree

In March, the Government overseers packed their bags and left satisfied that the city council was well on the road to recovery and stability.

Their return six months later found a council in chaos struggling with a gaping budget black hole. What was an initial 12 month appointment has now entered its third year.

The Keep Britain Tidy award: Cllr Gareth Moore

Nightclubs fly-posting in Birmingham

The Conservative was frustrated at the hundreds of nightclub fly-posters littering the streets of our city. His innovative approach was to order reviews of the nightclub licences. A few weeks later and they have fallen into line and lessened the blight on our highways. He needs to find a way of tackling non-licenced businesses now.

Worst kept secret award: Andy Street

Among the worst kept secrets in the world today are around the sacking and appointments of football managers - the media and fans know long before it becomes 'official'.

In a similar vein, everyone knew Andy Street was going to be Conservative candidate for West Midlands mayor months before it was confirmed.

Thank you of the year: Council leader John Clancy

"Thanks guys"

In November 2015, a delighted Clancy posed for photographs with councillors Tahir Ali and Shafique Shah as the only two then council cabinet members to openly endorse his leadership bid. Having won the leadership he then dropped the two from his cabinet at the first opportunity in May this year.

George Osborne memorial award: Tom Watson and Siôn Simon

Tom Watson and Sion Simon

Picking up the mantle from the former Chancellor, the Labour deputy leader and mayoral candidate donned the hard hat and high-vis gear for a trip to a disused Dudley hospital.

As a construction site, it was designed to show the region building under Labour. But it was also a set for zombie movie Girl With All The Gifts. Talk about mixed metaphors.

Inspector Clouseau award for disguise: Cllr Gary Sambrook

Conservative Cllr Gary Sambrook (Kingstanding) at the Jeremy Corbyn rally in Centenary Square

The mischievous Kingstanding Tory put on his scruffiest outfit and headed out to join the left-wing rabble at Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership campaign rally in Centenary Square. He still stuck out like a sore thumb though.

Princess Kate award: Brigid Jones

The children's services chief decided to highlight the lack of employment rights for elected councillors and one of the examples was the lack of maternity pay.

Completely missing the point, colleagues seemed more interested in the type of is she/isn't she speculation usually saved for royalty than wondering why running multi-million pound services is not regarded as a job.

NCP award: Cllr Gareth Moore

Never afraid to be the lone voice in a crowded room, the Erdington councillor has repeatedly banged the drum for the humble motorist from his planning committee position.

Offering no car parking with large developments cuts the costs for the builders and, according to planning officers, encourages more use of public transport. Cllr Moore knows this is rubbish and merely means an outbreak of double parking and blocked drives for neighbours.

Jack and Vera bickering award: Cllrs Barry Henley and Fiona Williams

They might be on the same team politically and sit side by side at the planning committee but when it comes to architecture the two Labour councillors couldn't be much further apart.

It came to a head last month when a plea from Cllr Williams to preserve and protect the city's 60s Brutalist architecture was met with a tirade in the name of progress from Cllr Henley.

National treasure award: Lord Mayor Carl Rice

National treasures: Nick Owen, Lord Mayor Carl Rice and Gary Lineker at SPOTY

Almost everyone likes him. Colleagues, from all parties, broke with protocol to sing a rousing chorus of Happy Birthday at the September council meeting

The BT broadband award: STP negotiation team

Anyone who has compared advertised broadband speeds with actual ones will know the frustrations of over promising and under delivering.

That's what happened when the council proudly declared it would save £20 million through health and social services reform and the Sustainable Transformation Plan (STP).

Six months later and the council budget had a huge black hole in it.

Diplomat of the year: Wolverhampton leader Roger Lawrence

John Clancy and Roger Lawrence

When people share a Labour membership card and sit round the combined authority table table, together they tend to keep any divisions out of the public gaze.

Not so the Black Country leader who labelled his Birmingham counterpart John Clancy 'Mr Pompous' as the dispute over the region's pension fund expenses boiled over.