Aberdeen City Council in running for second Local Authority of the Year award
23 July 2020
Aberdeen City Council has been named as a finalist in the Local Authority of the Year category of The MJ (Municipal Journal) Achievement Awards 2020 it was announced today (23 July 2020).
Aberdeen is the only Scottish authority to have been shortlisted for the prestigious national award celebrating achievements in local government. The other finalists are: Adur and Worthing Councils; Bristol City Council; London Borough of Redbridge; Salford City Council and Thurrock Council.
The nomination is the second national recognition this year for the local authority which is also the only Scottish council in the running for Council of the Year in the annual LGC (Local Government Chronicle) Awards 2020. The LGC Awards ceremony has been delayed from March until 28 October owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. Aberdeen City Council is also shortlisted in the LGC Community Involvement and Campaign of the Year categories.
Angela Scott, Chief Executive, Aberdeen City Council said: “To be shortlisted in The MJ Achievement Awards for Local Authority of the Year is a fantastic endorsement of the ambitious work being done by Aberdeen City Council and our innovative plans for the future. It is also recognition for the marvellous efforts by the thousands of City Council staff who work tirelessly for the citizens of Aberdeen.”
Councillor Jenny Laing, Co-Leader of Aberdeen City Council said: “During a period of stark public sector challenges, financial constraints and economic uncertainty, Aberdeen City Council has led from the front. The Council is driving the most significant period of transformation in the city’s history, radically enhancing the built environment through a £1billion capital programme and driving social and cultural change with significant investment in communities, education, arts and events.”
Councillor Douglas Lumsden, Co-Leader of Aberdeen City Council said: “Unprecedented change is being underpinned by the most ambitious and comprehensive redesign of the Council’s structure and approach to service delivery ever undertaken. We are embracing innovation in demand management to build the council of the future and become an exemplar local authority.”
There will be a judging day which will take place in early September, hosted by Green Park, the sponsors of the Local Authority of the Year category.
The winners of this year’s MJ Achievement Awards will be revealed at a special virtual ceremony held at 2pm on Friday 02 October.
The Municipal Journal (The MJ) is the online management journal for local authorities’ business. It believes that the best local government services and personnel should be recognised and so launched The MJ Local Government Achievement Awards as a result.
The Awards have been held every year since 2004 and The MJ Achievement Awards ceremony is one of the major events within the public sector calendar.
Winning an MJ Achievement Award not only allows local authorities to be recognised for the delivery of their services over the last 12 months, but it also allows them to share their expertise with their peers. Each category is judged by influential commentators from the private and public sectors giving their organisation the chance to illustrate its ability, ingenuity and performance.