2025 Winners

Campaign of the Year

Winner: Redbridge LBC - This Has to Stop

Highly Commended: Staffordshire CC - Little Heroes

Shortlist:

• Barnet LBC - Money Worries?
• Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CA - The Tiger Pass
• North Lanarkshire Council - The Hive – Women’s Business Incubator
• North Lanarkshire Council - Working for Families
• Redbridge LBC - This Has to Stop
• Sheffield City Council with the South Yorkshire Tobacco Control Alliance - It is Time to Talk about Smoking and Mental Health
• Southwark LBC - Securing the Future of Council Housing
• Staffordshire CC - Little Heroes
• Tower Hamlets LBC with London Fire Brigade - ChargeSafe Tower Hamlets
• Westminster City Council - Way to Wellbeing Campaign

Sponsored by

Children's Services

Winner: East Riding of Yorkshire Council - Our Place

Shortlist:

• Barnet LBC - Youth Justice Service Residential Programme for 14-16-year olds
• Barnsley MBC - Practice Development Hub
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council - Our Place
• Enfield LBC - Our journey to support young people with SBSS
• Greater Manchester CA - Summer Takeover Project
• Haverhill Town Council - Boost - Youth skills and family support
• Hertfordshire CC - The 'Making SEND Everyone’s Business' Programme & Hertfordshire SEND Academy
• Northumberland CC - Our children’s services are outstanding
• South Gloucestershire Council - WAYPOINT – A point at which a course is changed
• Westmorland and Furness Council - Getting to Good and Beyond

Sponsored by

Community Involvement

Winner: Cambridgeshire CC - Fenland Youth Work Network and Fenland Youth Tribe

Highly Commended: Belfast City Council - Belfast 2024 - Our largest cultural programme co-designed by citizens

Shortlist:

• Belfast City Council -  Belfast 2024 - Our largest cultural programme co-designed by citizens
• Cambridgeshire CC -  Fenland Youth Work Network and Fenland Youth Tribe
• Greenwich RBC -  Engaging and empowering ​the residents of the ​Woolwich Common Estate
• Lambeth LBC -  Transforming research and health equity
• Medway Council -  The Medway Food Strategy
• Norfolk CC -  The REDI team in conjunction with Parent Champions
• Stoke-on-Trent City Council -  Community First: A vaccine success story from The Potteries
• Tower Hamlets LBC -  Communities Keeping Well: reducing health inequalities
• Waltham Forest LBC -  Citizens' Assembly on the future of neighbourhood policing
• Wealden DC -  Community Orchards
• Wyre Forest DC -  Adopt a Street - our volunteer litter picking initiative

Sponsored by

Council of the Year

Winner: Telford & Wrekin Council

Highly Commended: Burnley BC

Shortlist:

• Burnley BC 
• Stockport MBC 
• Stockton-on-Tees BC 
• City and County of Swansea 
• Telford & Wrekin Council 

Sponsored by

Digital Impact

Winner: Sutton LBC with The Access Group - Transforming independent living through innovative technology

Shortlist:

• Aberdeen City Council -  Technology as a driver for positive change
• Birmingham City Council -  Contact Centre Transformation
• Kingston Council LBC -  Leading digital transformation in adult social care and health
• Lichfield DC -  Transforming the resident experience
• North Northamptonshire Council -  Digital Front Door to Children's Services
• Surrey CC -  Our Digital Journey
• Sutton LBC with The Access Group -  Transforming independent living through innovative technology
• Westminster City Council -  Revolutionising Resident Services with AI: Westminster City Council’s Report It Platform

Sponsored by

Diversity & Inclusion

Winner: Plymouth City Council - Supported internships

Shortlist:

• Denbighshire CC -  Leading with Pride: Belonging for refugees and All
• Gravesham BC -  Health & wellbeing in the Sikh Community
• Kensington and Chelsea RBC -  Bi-borough children's services anti-racist practice
• Liverpool City Region CA -  Trainee Race Equality Employment Advocates
• Plymouth City Council -  Supported internships
• Sutton LBC 
• Waltham Forest LBC -  Moving from ideas to action and impact
• West Northamptonshire Council -  Well Northants: Empowering communities and transforming lives
• Westminster City Council -  Dance Westminster 2024
• Westmorland and Furness Council -  Welcome to Work in the Visitor Economy

Sponsored by

Economic Development

Winner: Northumberland CC - Deal agreed for multi-billion pound data campus

Highly Commended: Havant BC - Leigh Park Youth Hub

Shortlist:

• Essex CC -  The Essex Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Service
• Hackney LBC -  Local people creating local jobs growing their local economy
• Hammersmith and Fulham LBC -  EdCity
• Havant BC -  Leigh Park Youth Hub
• Hull City Council -  Invest Hull - supporting business growth
• Leicester City Council -  Workspaces for growth
• Lewisham LBC -  Economy Jobs and Partnerships Service
• Northumberland CC -  Deal agreed for multi-billion pound data campus
• Torbay Council -  Responding to local challenges
• Walsall Council -  Walsall Works

Environmental Services

Winner: Plymouth City Council - Ocean City Nature – Plymouth’s Habitat Bank

Shortlist:

• Enfield LBC -  Wilbury Way Wetlands
• Gravesham BC -  GBC Electrical Recycling Project
• Hackney LBC -  ZERO plastic markets
• Mid Devon DC -  Increasing recycling and reducing fly tipping and littering
• Nottingham City Council -  Nottingham Clean Champions
• Plymouth City Council -  Ocean City Nature – Plymouth’s Habitat Bank
• Southampton City Council -  Air quality projects in Southampton
• Telford & Wrekin Council -  Cutting waste and changing behaviour via monthly reuse events
• West London Waste Authority with Bio Collectors -  Partnership for sustainable food waste recycling

Sponsored by

Future Places

Winner: Watford BC - The Green Loop – Turning vision into reality

Shortlist:

• Barnet LBC with JOLT -  Driving Innovation in EV Infrastructure
• Cambridgeshire CC -  Future-ready Cambridgeshire: Pioneering innovation enabled by digital connectivity
• Greenwich RBC -  Royal Hill Independent Living Service
• Harrow LBC with London Councils -  One World Living Sustainable Neighbourhood Model
• Sheffield City Council -  Heart of the city
• Staffordshire CC -  Staffordshire Warmer Homes
• Tendring DC -  The Sunspot Project: Transforming Jaywick Sands
• Watford BC -  The Green Loop – Turning vision into reality

Health and Social Care

Winner: Somerset Council - My Life, My Future adults transformation programme

Shortlist:

• Birmingham City Council -  Providing support to health and social care providers
• Cambridgeshire CC -  Cambridgeshire Shared Lives Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Project
• Knowsley MBC -  Rapid Response Team supports residents to live independently
• Lancashire CC -  Step-Down Pilot – Enhancing mental health hospital discharges and housing solutions
• Leeds City Council -  A HomeFirst model for intermediate care
• Leicester City Council, Leicestershire CC, Rutland CC with LLR Integrated Care Board and These Hands Academy - Connected Care Programme
• North Somerset Council -  Developing an urgent care response, preventing hospital and care home admissions and supporting a home first approach
• Somerset Council -  My Life, My Future adults transformation programme

Sponsored by

Housing

Winner: Oxford City Council - Housing Needs Team

Shortlist:

• Broxtowe BC -  Affordable Housing Programme
• Haringey LBC -  Housing Delivery Team
• Knowsley MBC -  Bridging the gap: How our private rented rescue scheme is preventing homelessness and reducing costs
• Oxford City Council -  Housing Needs Team
• Oxfordshire CC -  The Better Housing Better Health Partnership's impact on housing, health, and environment
• Plymouth City Council -  Stirling Veterans’ Self Build Project
• Tendring DC -  Spendells and Honeycroft Projects: transforming redundant sheltered housing for community benefit
• West London Alliance - Setting the standard for temporary accommodation

Innovation

Winner: Lancashire CC - Pause and Reflect Fostering Arrangements: transforming lives with compassion and innovation

Highly Commended: Bradford MDC - Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Perpetrator Pilot

Shortlist:

• Bradford MDC -  Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Perpetrator Pilot
• Breckland Council, East Cambridgeshire DC, East Suffolk Council, Fenland DC, and West Suffolk Council -  Transforming Revenues Services
• Cambridgeshire CC -  Dig Once: Driving digital connectivity and carbon savings through innovation
• Ealing LBC -  Care Leavers Take Over the Council Day
• Lancashire CC -  Pause and Reflect Fostering Arrangements: transforming lives with compassion and innovation
• North Northamptonshire Council -  The Chester House Estate
• Plymouth City Council -  Delivering better outcomes through Skills Launchpad Plymouth
• Salford City Council with Agile Applications (part of IEG Group) -  Revolutionising planning with AI

Sponsored by

Large Team of the Year

Winner: Dumfries and Galloway Council - Youth Work Team – Youth Beatz Festival

Highly Commended: Lancashire CC - Refugee Integration Team

Shortlist:

• Dumfries and Galloway Council -  Youth Work Team – Youth Beatz Festival
• Hackney LBC -  Parking Services
• Hackney LBC -  Markets, Shop Fronts, and Street Trading Service
• Haringey LBC -  Housing Delivery Team
• Lancashire CC -  Refugee Integration Team
• North Northamptonshire Council -  Public Health Team
• Westminster City Council -  Customer Experience and Digital
• Worcestershire CC -  Skills and Employability Service

Medium Team of the Year

Winner: Enfield LBC - Communities Can Move Mountains

Shortlist:

• BCP Council - Superheroes for Business
• East Riding of Yorkshire Council - Making a Change Team - Exploitation and Missing Service
• Enfield LBC - Communities Can Move Mountains
• Greater Manchester CA with SUEZ recycling and recovery UK -  Renew Greater Manchester
• Norfolk CC - Relocation, Ethnic Diversity & Intergration
• North Lanarkshire Council -  Assistive Technology Team
• Redbridge LBC -  Reach Out Domestic Abuse Service
• South Kesteven DC -  East Midlands Building Consultancy
• Westminster City Council -  Vulnerability programme - Customer Advocacy Team and Care & Support Team

Most Improved Council

Winner: Oldham MBC

Shortlist:

• Cambridgeshire & Peterborough CA 
• Croydon LBC 
• East Hampshire DC 
• Liverpool City Council 
• Oldham MBC 
• Sandwell MBC 
• Sheffield City Council 
• Swindon BC 
• Thanet DC 

Sponsored by

Net Zero

Winner: Newham LBC - Leading Local Government Cultural Shift for a Just Transition to Net Zero

Shortlist:

• Barnsley MBC -  Energising Barnsley
• East Ayrshire Council -  Accelerator Programme
• Essex CC -  Using Essex community power in transitioning to clean energy
• Hackney LBC -  Parking Services
• 3Ci (Cities Commission for Climate Investment) -  The Regional Net Zero Pipeline: a visionary initiative to progress local authority Net Zero projects
• Newcastle City Council -  Green Careers Programme
• Newham LBC -  Leading Local Government Cultural Shift for a Just Transition to Net Zero
• Northumberland CC -  Warmer Homes Programme
• Salford City Council -  Building a fairer, greener and healthier Salford for all
• Westmorland and Furness Council -  2024: the First Year in Our Journey to Net Zero

Outstanding Individual Contribution

Winner: Mervin Cato - Enfield LBC

Highly Commended: Michael Wiktorko - Hackney LBC

Shortlist:

• Westminster City Council -  Shummi Begum
• Enfield LBC -  Mervin Cato
• Sheffield City Council -  Tracey Ford
• Northumberland CC -  David Green
• Richmond upon Thames LBC and Wandsworth LBC -  Lisa Poole
• Kensington and Chelsea RBC -  Kirsty Tobin
• Hackney LBC -  Michael Wiktorko

Public Health

Winner: Worcestershire CC - We Are Westlands: community-led innovation to reduce health inequalities

Shortlist:

• Bromley LBC -  Homeless Health Project
• Ealing LBC with West London Alliance -  The ‘Open Minds’ SEND Programme
• East Suffolk Council -  Healthy Homes
• Luton BC -  Health Equity Town
• North Lincolnshire Council -  Roots of Hope: engagement in suicide prevention
• Oxfordshire CC -  The Better Housing Better Health Partnership's impact on housing, health, and environment
• Sheffield City Council -  Compassionate Sheffield
• South Tyneside Council -  Individual Placement and Support
• Worcestershire CC -  We Are Westlands: community-led innovation to reduce health inequalities

Public/Private Partnership

Winner: South Derbyshire DC with Olio - From small acorns…Developing processes for the safe collection and redistribution of food in partnership with the private sector

Shortlist:

• Barnet LBC with JOLT -  Transforming Urban EV Charging
• Birmingham City Council with Equans -  Housing repairs, maintenance and capital improvement programme
• Bristol City Council with Arcadis, Arup and Mott MacDonald -  Capital Projects Strategic Partnership
• East Staffordshire BC with Future Yard -  Reigniting Burton's Musical Heritage
• Liverpool City Region CA with Lloyds Banking Group, Vodafone UK, Assurant, FRC Group and 100 participating organisations -  The Digital Inclusion Initiative
• Peterborough City Council with Milestone Infrastructure -  Highway Services – the partnership delivering excellence in highways management.
• South Derbyshire DC with Olio -  From small acorns…Developing processes for the safe collection and redistribution of food in partnership with the private sector
• Staffordshire CC with Community Homes Solutions, Energy Efficient Consultants, Broadoak Properties and Beat The Cold -  Staffordshire Warmer Homes
• Stockport MBC with One Stockport -  Working collaboratively to build greater financial resilience
• West London Waste Authority with Bio Collectors -  Innovative partnership for sustainable food waste recycling

Public/Public Partnership

Winner: Leicester City Council with Leicestershire Police and Turning Point - A partnership to save lives

Shortlist:

• Breckland Council with partners -  Swaffham: a historic market town
• Ealing LBC - Ealing Learning Partnership
• Leicester City Council with Leicestershire Police and Turning Point -  A partnership to save lives
• Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government -  Open Digital Planning - innovative public partnership transforming England's planning system
• Newham LBC with The University of East London -  Establishing the UK centre for artificial intelligence in the public sector
• Redbridge LBC with The Child Friendly Redbridge Partnership -  Working together towards a child friendly Redbridge
• Telford & Wrekin Council with West Mercia Police and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board -  A collective response to tackling child sexual exploitation
• Wirral MBC with Cheshire and Merseyside ICB - Branch

Rising Star

Winner: Daniel O’Sullivan - Hackney LBC

Highly Commended: Adeel Zahman - Sheffield City Council 

Shortlist:

• Hull City Council -  Sam Bacon
• South Kesteven DC -  Fran Beckitt
• Melton BC -  Jazz Gallocker
• Tower Hamlets LBC -  Usha Kong
• Hackney LBC -  Tahiara Munshi
• Hackney LBC -  Daniel O’Sullivan
• Kingston Upon Thames RBC -  Emily Ormerod
• Lewisham LBC -  Spike van der Vliet-Firth
• Hackney LBC -  Michael Wiktorko
• Sheffield City Council -  Adeel Zahman

Sponsored by

Small Team of the Year

Winner: Suffolk CC - Flood Investigations and Grants Team

Shortlist:

• Antrim and Newtownabbey BC -  Ballyearl Leisure Centre: setting the gold standard in excellence
• Calderdale MBC -  EAST - Champions of financial stability and wellbeing
• Lancashire CC -  Homes for Ukraine
• Lewisham LBC -  Small but Mighty - Electoral services team
• Norfolk CC -  Tech Skills for Life Community Tech Coaches
• Oxfordshire CC -  Cost of Living Support Team
• Sandwell Children’s Trust -  House Project
• Sevenoaks DC -  Economic Development Team
• Southend-on-Sea City Council -  Small team, big impact as Southend delivers democracy
• Suffolk CC -  Flood Investigations and Grants Team