More than 740 people from across the local government world packed London’s Hilton Hotel in London’s Park Lane this week for the culmination of The MJ Local Government Achievement Awards 2006. There were 14 winning local authorities across 14 different categories, as well as 65 finalists who were shortlisted and announced at the gala awards night on 27 June. The awards were announced by BBC TV’s Ten O’Clock News presenter, Fiona Bruce, while guests included communities and local government secretary, Ruth Kelly, and local government minister, Phil Woolas. Michael Burton, editor of The MJ, who introduced the awards, said: ‘The number of entries just proves the extraordinary level of innovation in local government and the desire by local authorities to tell the world about their services.’ Best Achieving Council was Telford & Wrekin, while Sunderland City won the Best Achievement in Children’s Services, a new category this year. There were also new categories in efficiency, top team leadership, e-procurement, public protection and the voluntary and community sector (see below). Full details and pictures from the night will be available in a special awards supplement appearing in The MJ next week, and copies will also be available at the LGA conference in Bournemouth from The MJ’s exhibition stand.Best Achieving Council Winner Telford & Wrekin Council Finalists Canterbury City Council Islington LBC Kent CC Southwark LBC West Lothian Council Worcestershire CC Wychavon DC Sponsored by Tribal Best Achievement in Children’s Services Winner Sunderland City Council Finalists Barnet LBC Gloucestershire CC Leeds City Council Sutton LBC Tower Hamlets LBC Sponsored by 4Children Community Leadership Achievement of the Year Winner Blackburn with Darwen BC Finalists Canterbury City Council Carmarthenshire CC Derbyshire Dales DC & High Peak BC Ipswich BC Knowsley MBC and PCT Telford & Wrekin Council Sponsored by Unison Effective Top Team Leadership Achievement of the Year Winner East Sussex CC Finalists Canterbury City Council Mid Sussex DC Tower Hamlets LBC Sponsored by The Leadership Centre for Local Government Efficiency Achievement of the Year Winner East Riding of Yorkshire Council Finalists Haringey LBC Lambeth LBC Medway Council Sutton LBC Wandsworth LBC Sponsored by Deloitte Employee Wellbeing Achievement of the Year Winner South Cambridgeshire DC Finalists Dartford BC Somerset CC Three Rivers DC Sponsored by Benenden Healthcare Society E-Procurement Achievement of the Year Winner Wakefield City Council Finalists Ealing LBC Havering LBC Waltham Forest LBC Sponsored by @ukplc Legal Achievement of the Year Winner Barnet LBC for Barnet Homes Finalists Durham CC Salford City Council West Lothian Council Sponsored by Eversheds Member Development Achievement of the Year Winner Halton Council Finalists Calderdale MBC Liverpool City Council Staffordshire CC Wiltshire CC Sponsored by the IDeA Pay and Workforce Achievement of the Year Winner Hertfordshire CC Finalists Cambridgeshire CC East Riding of Yorkshire Council Nottingham City Council Rotherham MBC Tower Hamlets LBC Sponsored by Local Government Employers Public Private Partnership Achievement of the Year Winner Rotherham MBC & BT for RBT (Connect) Ltd Finalists Brighton & Hove City Council Edinburgh City Council Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive Rotherham MBC for Rotherham Grouped Schools PFI – Extended School Use Rotherham MBC for E-Procurement Southwark LBC Sponsored by Dickinson Dees Law Firm Public Protection Achievement of the Year Winner Warrington Council Finalists Birmingham City Council Enfield LBC Hampshire CC Southwark LBC Trafford MBC Sponsored by LACORS Reducing Health Inequalities Achievement of the Year Winner Knowsley MBC & Knowsley Health & Social Care Finalists Coventry City Council Greenwich LBC Isle of Anglesey CC Manchester City Council Merton LBC Sponsored by the Department of Health Working with the VCS Achievement of the Year Winner Merton LBC Finalists Croydon LBC Derby City Council Ealing LBC Islington LBC South Somerset DC Sponsored by the Cabinet Office