Top councillors unveiled at annual Cllr Awards

Top councillors unveiled at annual Cllr Awards

The winners of the only national awards to celebrate the vital work of councillors across England, Wales and Scotland were revealed at the 2024 LGIU and CCLA Cllr Awards ceremonies taking place at Edinburgh’s City Chambers and London’s Guildhall last week.

In Scotland, the top prize of the evening, Leader of the Year, went to Cllr Emma Macdonald, Leader of Shetland Islands Council. Cllr Annette Christie of Glasgow City Council was this year’s Innovator of the Year and Cllr Katie Pragnell from East Renfrewshire Council walked away with Young Councillor of the Year. Another East Renfrewshire councillor, Cllr Betty Cunningham was crowned Lifetime Legend and the coveted Community Champion award went to Glasgow City Council’s Cllr Elaine McSporran.

Winners in England and Wales Cllr Liam Robinson of Liverpool City Council won Leader of the Year. Lifetime Legend went to Tony Page of Reading Borough Council. Cllr Amanda De Ryk of Lewisham Council was awarded Innovator of the Year, while Cllr Chris Burden from the City of Wolverhampton Council won Young Councillor of the Year. The coveted Community Champion award went to Cllr Rahima Farah of Liverpool City Council. And, an Exceptional Community Leadership Award from this year’s judges was given to Cllr Marion Atkinson, Leader of Sefton Council.

Showcasing the best of local government, the five Cllr Awards categories reflect the varied contributions made by a wide range of councillors, and winners were chosen from nearly 500 nominations. All too often the work of councillors can go unrecognised. The purpose of the Cllr Awards is to champion what councillors do for their local communities.

Winners were chosen by a judging panel comprised of senior councillors and leading stakeholders from across the sector. These important Awards – a staple in the local government calendar – are made possible thanks to the generous support of founding partners CCLA.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) said:

“Councillors across England and Wales do incredible work day in and day out to support their communities, make local areas better places to live, and ensure the voices of residents are heard across council decision making.

“At LGIU, we are determined to celebrate these remarkable achievements, which genuinely improve residents’ lives and the well-being of our communities. I want to congratulate all of our very worthy Cllr Awards winners this evening. Their dedication and service represent the very best of local government.”

Kelly Watson, Head of Public Sector Relationships, CCLA said:

“Local councillors are at the heart of communities and nights like this are an opportunity to showcase the contributions and real world impact made by these unsung heroes striving for a better world. The work undertaken by councillors positively impacts people’s lives in countless ways.

“As councils are facing unprecedented challenging times, these Awards remind us of how important and vital the work of local councillors and councils is.”