Do you know an inspirational councillor who has gone above and beyond expectations to serve their community?

The LGiU and CCLA are delighted to announce that the 2014 Annual Cllr Achievement Awards are now open for nominations. Back for a fifth year, the Cllr Awards are the only national awards ceremony to celebrate the outstanding work of councillors from across the political spectrum.

Councillors play a vital role in championing the interests of their communities, but all too often their contributions can be overlooked and undervalued. The C’llr Awards provides a brilliant opportunity to highlight the dedication and commitment of councillors from across the country.

This year, there will be a total of 11 different awards on offer at the 2014 ceremony. These include the Community Champion Award, the Judges’ Special Award for Contribution to Local Government, the all-new Digital Innovator of the Year Award and the Bruce-Lockhart Member Scholarship. The latter includes a £10,000 bursary, supported by Kent, Essex, and East Sussex councils.

Our past winners have included Cllr Clare Feeney-Johnson, South Lakeland District Council, who scooped the Sustainability of the Year Award for her work piloting the first collective energy switch project, using bulk purchasing power to negotiate cheaper deals for residents, and Councillor Carla Butler from Newhaven, winner of the LGA group young councillor of the year.

Our winners can claim a whole host of achievements: from innovative use of skype surgeries, to enabling huge savings through the introduction of paperless meeting systems to driving changes in cultural attitudes towards older people. The breadth and diversity is truly outstanding.

However, we know that there are many more impressive councillors out there and we want to hear about them! So if you know a councillor who has worked tirelessly for their community, show your appreciation and nominate them for an award. Everyone and anyone can make a nomination, and it’s free to do so.

To download an application form and for further information, please go to www.lgiu.org.uk/cllrawards. The closing date for all entries is Tuesday 31st December 2013.

* Josephine Suherman is a policy researcher at the LGiU, a think-tank and membership organisation whose mission is to strengthen local democracy to put citizens in control of their own lives, communities and local services.