Ealing scoops top MJ award

Communities secretary John Denham addresses the awards

The council won local government’s top award, The MJ Best Achieving Council of the Year, at a gala evening attended by almost 1,000 people in London’s Hilton Hotel, Park Lane last night.

Hosted by BBC broadcaster Huw Edwards, the gala night saw 16 councils win top awards with Ealing’s triumph providing the grand finale.

The judges said the council already had ‘displayed consistent and real improvement coupled with a constant ear to its public's concerns’.

Introducing the awards, the communities secretary John Denham said: 'I was a councillor for 12 years. I believe in local government and I believe that it can respond to local communities in way that central government can't.

He also announced a new category for the awards next year: 'Some of you may have noticed that one of our national newspapers have run a campaign against wheelie bins. In some places they are a bit of an issue. I know local government is up for a challenge which is why our department is going to sponsor a new category at The MJ awards next year called environmental sensitivity in waste collection.'
 
Michael Burton, editor of The MJ, added: ‘We had a great response this year and it is a fantastic achievement by Ealing and all the other councils that either won or were shorlisted for an award.’

The results:

Best Achieving Council
London Borough of Ealing

Best Achievement in Children’s Services
Bury Metropolitan Borough Council

Specially commended
Blackpool Council
Essex County Council

Councillor Development Achievement
Staffordshire County Council

Specially Commended
Wyre Borough Council
Western Improvement Partnership
Kettering Borough Council

Diversity Achievement of the Year
West Lothian Council

Energy Efficiency Achievement of the Year
London Borough of Islington

Specially Commended
Kent County Council
Milton Keynes Council

Facilities and Asset Management Achievement
Teignbridge District Council

Specially commended
Milton Keynes Council

Legal Achievement
Essex County Council

More People, More Active, More Often Achievement
Kettering Borough Council

Specially commended
Blackburn with Darwen Council
King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council

Most Effective Political Team Achievement
London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham

Specially commended
London Borough of Waltham Forest

People and Workforce Achievement of the Year
Birmingham City Council

Public Private Partnership
Rushcliffe Borough Council and Partners

Public Protection Achievement
Westminster City Council

Specially commended
Hampshire County Council
Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council

Reducing Health Inequalities Achievement
Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Regeneration Achievement
Leeds City Council

Specially Commended
Fenland District Council

Service Innovations in Health and Social Care Achievement 
Glasgow City Council

Sustainable Transport Strategy Achievement
London Borough of Sutton