Westmorland and Furness Council has been shortlisted for three national awards.
It is among the finalists in the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Awards, which will be revealed in June.
The LGC Awards are one of the most significant awards in local government and this year saw record-breaking entries.
Westmorland and Furness Council has been shortlisted in the following categories:
- Children’s Services: Getting to Good and Beyond– In less than 18 months and following major upheaval following the local government restructure in 2023, Westmorland and Furness Council has taken its children’s services on an improvement journey. This has seen improved outcomes for children, with Ofsted rating the council as good.
- Net Zero: In response to the climate crisis, Westmorland and Furness Council is aiming to ensure that the area it serves is carbon net zero by 2037. Last year, the council launched its five-year Carbon Management Strategy and Climate Action Plan, which details the programme of work that will take it on its net zero journey. The council said it made significant progress in year one following the completion of innovative projects, working with partners, suppliers, local businesses and communities to rethink the way it approaches carbon reduction.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Westmorland and Furness Council and Cumbria Tourism partnered to deliver Welcome to Work in the Visitor Economy, an innovative and needs-led project to tackle the acute issues of high rates of economic inactivity and poor employment outcomes among pockets of our local communities and significant staff shortages in the area’s world-famous tourism sector. To date, the project has worked with over 300 people seeking employment and supported 86 into work in our local visitor economy. This approach, involving a range of other public and third sector partners and local businesses, is making a real difference to our communities and economy. The project received £132,701 from Westmorland and Furness Council and the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Sam Plum, chief executive of Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “I am pretty overwhelmed and so pleased for the organisation as a whole.
“Given we have only been going since 2023, to get shortlisted for three categories in these prestigious awards is a major achievement. I feel it really reflects the quality and commitment of our staff and the projects they are working on and also our overall commitment to achieving better outcomes for our people and place across Westmorland and Furness. Whatever happens next, I couldn’t be prouder.”
