Winners of the Northern Ireland Local Government Award 2025

The Northern Ireland Local Government Awards celebrate the outstanding contributions of Northern Ireland councils, councillors and partners in delivering exceptional services, spearheading innovative initiatives and showcasing personal dedication within the local government sector. LGIU was delighted to attend last night’s awards ceremony at the Game of Thrones Studio in Banbridge and was honoured to sponsor the Best Outcome of the Past Decade Award, presented by our Chief Exec Jonathan Carr-West.

In this article, we bring you the winners of the 10 different categories of the awards, to give you a taste of the high level of best practice demonstrated across all aspects of Northern Ireland’s local government system. These prestigious awards not only recognise outstanding achievements in public servcie but also serve to inspire those who work tirelessly to provide and maintain essential front-line services.

Best Outcome of the Past Decade Award: Food Heartland – Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council

The Food Heartland initiative, launched in 2015 by the Armagh, Banbridge, and Craigavon Borough Council, fosters a thriving food culture by connecting farmers, food producers and chefs across the region. The collaborative network celebrates the area’s unique and outstanding culinary offerings through regular forum meetings, quarterly gatherings and annual showcases at Lurgan and Armagh Shows. These shows, in particular, provide a platform to celebrate the borough’s rich food heritage and introduce local delicacies to a wider audience. By promoting knowledge-sharing and partnership, the initiative not only supports the region’s rich food heritage but also introduces local delicacies to a wider audience.

Service Innovation & Improvement Award: The Transformation and Modernisation into a U.K. Award Winning Service – Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council

In 2015, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council set a bold and transformative vision to revolutionise the Borough’s leisure services following the merger of the two legacy councils. Through the strategic combination of rebranding efforts, cutting-edge programming, targeted investments and staff development, the service has attained remarkable success.

This success includes, membership increasing threefold, usage having more than doubled and the service subsidy being significantly reduced, providing outstanding value for residents. Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council’s transformation has not only improved the health and wellbeing of its community but has also earned the service multiple prestigious U.K. awards across both private and public sectors.

Best Use of Data & Technology Award: Bespoke CRM Digital Solution for Regional Enterprise Support Service –  Belfast City Council

Belfast City Council spearheaded the development of a custom-built Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution designed to be used by the entire Northern Ireland region. This innovative system is set to be utilised by all 11 councils, consisting of 100 users, and 570 external users, including 550 delivery agents, 11 call handlers via a contact center, and 20 stakeholder organisations.

The CRM solution facilitates the creation and management of client information, program documentation, and collaboration with clients on business plans via an integrated SharePoint platform. The delivery of the Enterprise Support Service (ESS) consists of four key Pillars representing a continuum of support required from pre-startup engagement, foundation, growth and scaling journeys. The ultimate goal is to engage with 22,050 individuals and businesses.

The advanced architecture ensures streamlined service delivery for clients while providing local councils with the necessary tools to monitor, measure and report on program delivery. Additionally, it offers audit assurances to funding entities. Belfast City Council led the design and development of the CRM solution, including partnership collaboration and administrative management.

Engaging Communities Award: Belfast 2024 Programme – Belfast City Council

Belfast 2024, a strategic pillar of Belfast City Council’s 10-year Cultural Strategy, was the city’s largest celebration of home-grown culture led by the Council. Developed through an authentic co-design process involving city stakeholders, the creative sector and citizens, Belfast 2024 broke away from traditional audience roles by empowering the community to co-create, develop and make decisions on various aspects of the celebration. This approach manifested in several ways:

• Participatory Budgeting: 28 grassroots projects developed and voted for by communities
• Community Takeovers: creative interventions in public spaces
• Creative Bursaries: financial support for 16 artists working in socially engaged practice
• Large-scale Commissions: 20 large-scale commissions valuing £3m+ with Outreach, Inclusion and Participation at their core including section 75 communities: LGBTQIA+, minority, people with disabilities, women’s groups, men’s groups, young people, and deprived areas
• Events: Delivering 750+ events, with 53,657 participants and attendees, 201 community groups and 164 partners.
• This will form the basis of future engagement for cultural delivery in the Council.

Collaborative Partnership Award: Mid Ulster Labour Market Partnership: Working Together to Improve  Employability in Mid Ulster – Mid Ulster District Council

The Mid Ulster Labour Market Partnership (LMP) is a unique, industry-led collaboration involving key business stakeholders, education, community and public sectors, all facilitated by Mid Ulster District Council.  The partnership’s primary aim is to enhance employability outcomes and improve labour market conditions within the region. Mid Ulster is the most entrepreneurial region in Northern Ireland outside of Belfast, but skills and employability challenges are impacting the area’s current and future economic growth.

With the strongest business representation among the eleven LMPs across Northern Ireland, the Mid Ulster LMP has played a pivotal role in the success of its first two Action Plans, resulting in job creation and increased visibility throughout the district. Partnership and collaboration are the cornerstones of all LMP initiatives, fostering strong local relationships that enable effective implementation and successful employment outcomes.

Local Government Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award: Autism Friendly Borough Initiative – Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council prides itself in providing strong leadership within the Borough. The Council has been working closely with the Northern Health & Social Care Trust (NHSCT) and various organisations since 2020 to establish an autism-friendly council and borough.

The Autism Friendly Borough initiative has developed a wide range of interventions, including an educational awareness-raising package, online and printed information, training, information events and other ad hoc supports. Through the delivery of this initiative, we have set Mid and East Antrim as a leading council in Northern Ireland to raise awareness of autism with a range of public, private and community sector service organisations, helping them to improve the experiences of autistic people who avail of their services.

By championing and delivering this initiative, the Council has set Mid and East Antrim as a leading council in Northern Ireland, promoting autism awareness across public, private and community sector service organisations. Ultimately enhancing the experiences of autistic individuals who rely on these services, all in an effort to make Mid and East Antrim an accessible, safe, welcoming and inclusive place.

Communications Campaign of the Year Award: Visit Causeway Coast and Glens Spring Campaign 2024 –  Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council

The Visit Causeway Coast and Glens Spring Campaign 2024, focused on the area’s iconic landscapes, cultural heritage and diverse experiences. It was developed to showcase the region as a must-visit destination, targeting audiences from both Northern Ireland the Republic of Ireland. The campaign employed a range of innovative traditional and digital marketing strategies to captivate and inspire travel.

Key features included promoting the world-famous Causeway Coastal Route, local events and hospitality and the unique experiences offered in the area. By blending engaging social media content, radio advertising and visually captivating creative elements, the initiative successfully drove engagement and boosted footfall and spending. The campaign’s success was marked by a significant increase in online engagement and visibility, culminating in shortlisting for three prestigious awards. It set a benchmark for regional tourism promotion in Northern Ireland, supporting local businesses and bolstering the local economy.

Best Initiative by a Councillor Award: Councillor Cadogan Enright – Green Economy –  Newry Mourne and Down District Council

Councillor Cadogan Enright, representing the Downpatrick and Lecale Electoral Area in the Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council, has been a prominent advocate for the green economy in Northern Ireland. His steadfast commitment to integrating environmental sustainability with economic development has significantly contributed to the region’s progress.

Councillor Enright’s key contributions include:

• Renewable Energy Initiatives
•  Advocacy for Green Economy Projects
•  Community Environmental Projects.

Through these initiatives, Councillor Enright exemplifies the vital role local representatives can play in fostering a green economy. His leadership demonstrates that environmental stewardship and economic development can indeed progress hand in hand, paving the way for a more sustainable future in Northern Ireland.

Employee of the Year Award: Deirdre O’Connor, Anti-Poverty Officer – Fermanagh and Omagh District Council

Deirdre O’Connor has made significant strides in her role as Community Development Officer (Anti-Poverty) since her appointment in August 2022. She immediately embraced her role, swiftly building strong relationships and alliances at both local and regional levels, in alignment with Fermanagh and Omagh District Council’s commitment to supporting communities in minimising the impact of poverty.

Deirdre played a pivotal role in establishing and implementing crucial support systems for individuals through the council’s ‘Hardship Fund’ for 22/23, 23/24 and 24/25. Furthermore, she developed an innovative delivery mechanism for social supermarket funding, effectively addressing the unique challenges faced by the rural Fermanagh and Omagh district.

Acknowledging the need for long-term solutions, Deirdre collaborated with a diverse range of stakeholders to co-design the ‘Pathways out of Poverty’ Anti-Poverty Strategy. The high level of support during the public consultation phase signifies widespread backing for the strategy’s proposed direction, marking a promising step towards a more equitable future for the district.

Innovative Planning for the Future Award: ABC Place Plans – Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council

ABC Place Plans, like all place shaping in Northern Ireland, is playing a vital role in fostering a vibrant and sustainable community. Place shaping harmonises economic, social and environmental goals, addressing local challenges while maximising opportunities. The development of the ABC Place Plans has provided a valuable opportunity for the Community Planning Partnership, led by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, to collaborate with local residents and stakeholders. This collective approach has unlocked innovation and change, improving the quality of life across the Borough for all its inhabitants. The partnership has developed three place plans since 2021, Armagh Place Plan was the first Place Plan to be developed in Northern Ireland (2022), followed by  Banbridge Place Plan (2024) and Dromore Place Plan (2025).

By empowering communities, promoting collaboration, and integrating sustainability, place shaping bolsters civic pride, enhances well-being, and secures the long-term prosperity and resilience of towns and cities.