Does your local councillor in Preston, Chorley or South Ribble deserve an award for the work they do?

The deadline is looming for entries to the annual Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) Councillor Awards for 2022. Nominations close on Wednesday (7th September) for the prestigious event which recognises local politicians who “go above and beyond” for the areas they serve.

Preston City Council’s cabinet member for communities and social justice, Nweeda Khan, made the shortlist in 2020 in the one-off “Covid-19 hero” category. She was put forward in recognition of her role in the authority's response to the onset of the pandemic and its work to support residents through lockdown and beyond.

Although she was pipped to the award itself, Cllr Khan - who is one of three councillors who represents the Plunginton ward - says that her nomination was a boost not only to her personally, but to Preston.

“It was a real honour and privilege even getting shortlisted - I was really happy with it, [especially] as a lot of the work was around community cohesion during Covid.

“The people who had nominated me had recognised some of the behind-the-scenes work that had gone on and the efforts to help the community. It also raised the profile of Preston,” Cllr Khan explained.

She also believes that the awards have the added bonus of helping people to understand the "hidden" work that councillors do - and maybe even to persuade others to put themselves forward for election.

“[People think] we only deal with fly-tipping, bins and roads, but there’s a lot more to it. Some of us have extra responsibilities as a portfolio holder [member of the cabinet] as I am - but nobody sees that, they only see me in my ward.

“Maybe people who already have a background in community work or health, might [see the awards] and think that [being a councillor] is something they could do as well, because it's similar to what they are doing already.”

Only two Lancashire councillors have scooped accolades in the Councillor Awards since their inception back in 2010.

This year, nominations are being sought across five categories in England and Wales - Community Champion, Leader of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Resilience and Recovery and Young Councillor of the Year. Suggestions drawn from district councils like Preston, Chorley and South Ribble – as well as Lancashire County Council - can be made online at lgiu.org until Wednesday.

A shortlist is due to be unveiled at the end of September and the winners will be decided by a panel of judges made up of senior councillors, officers and others from across the local government sector. The winners will be revealed at a ceremony taking place at the Roman Baths and Guildhall in Bath on 20th October, in association with charity fund manager CCLA.

Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of LGIU, said that the work of councillors touches every part of residents' lives on a daily basis - “from how our towns look to the home care we receive and the funding of much-valued community projects”.

“Councillors and councils are key to keeping the machinery of everyday life going, ensuring the most vulnerable in the community are looked after and making sure the places where we live and work are thriving, safe and inclusive.

"Much of the work done by elected members is behind the scenes, which is why we created the Councillor Awards back in 2010, so that every year we can take time to recognise this work and celebrate their achievements.

“The LGIU is proud to once again open nominations for the annual Councillor Awards to honour the commitment of our locally elected representatives.

“Our local democracy and our local democratic structures are stronger because of our councillors. We look forward to seeing a record number of nominations this year and getting to know the many inspiring stories behind them.”