The Liberal Democrat Voice Awards are but three days away. At 10 pm on Saturday 14 September, in Castle 2 of the Crowne Plaza, with cash bar on hand, and an imaginative dress code, the best in blogging, campaigning, social media and politics in general will be feted in a ceremony filled with razzmatazz, glitz and glamour.

Our Members’ Forum has now been e-mailed with the chance to vote for the majority of the awards so I can now start to reveal the shortlists in those categories. It’s high time we celebrated our councillors, so here is the shortlist for Councillor of the Year. Nominations were requested, along with a brief supporting statement, during the first 3 weeks in August.

Abi Bell. For continuing to redevelop a winning spirit in Hull after our near wipeout in 2011

Steve Carr, Beeston North (Nottinghamshire CC & Broxtowe BC), for giving the Labour Party in Broxtowe a bloody nose when they arrogantly thought they could walk in and take the County Division easily.

Karen Chilvers aka @LDKatz71 of Brentwood Council for Councillor of the Year. I’m nominating her for tireless work locally and being a core member of a local party that is growing and going from strength to strength.

Mark Cole for his work as Chairman of the  Ceredigion Council 2012-13

Sue Derbyshire, Council Leader of Stockport Council. For delivering savings on a shrinking budget without impacting vulnerable people

Alex Folkes for continuing to write an attractive blog and tweet stream which is informative and entertaining. An excellent example of bringing the workings of a very large council to the attention of the electorate in an attractive way.

Alison Hopkins (Dollis Hill, London Borough of Brent). Alison (the self-styled ‘Cllr Mrs Gobby’!) has lived in Dollis Hill all her life and is a fantastic, vivacious and relentless campaigner and advocate for people in Dollis Hill and the rest of the borough. She won a sensational by-election victory against Labour in March 2012, and has continued to campaign vociferously to improve her area and to hold the (hopeless!) Labour administration running Brent Council to account. A perfect Lib Dem councillor!!

Mathew Hulbert – He is constantly doing whatever he can to serve his constituents in #Barwell as a committed #SocialDemocrat.

Matt Knight, High Wycombe because he cares about the community and the people in it and wants to help to make it the best community possible.

Pauline Nash, Skircoat ward, Calderdale council. She’s probably not someone who’s come to the attention of the national party very much, but she’s done great work locally, and Lib Dems are all about Localism, right?

Dr Jon Rogers, City of Bristol Lib Dems. Sadly defeated in the Mayoral and Local elections, Jon is still hugely active in his ward in the face of antagonistic Green councillors.

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings