The LGiU and CCLA are delighted to announce that Councillor Lisa Rutter of Barnet Council has won the 2016 Local Trust’s Community Collaborator Award. Cllr Sarah Judge of Manchester City Council also received an honourable mention.
The seventh annual Awards Ceremony was held on Tuesday evening (November 1st) against the beautiful backdrop of the Guildhall’s Livery Hall in London. The Awards are the only national ceremony to honour the hard work of councillors from across the country that often goes unrecognised.
Councillor Rutter was selected for the Local Trust’s Community Collaborator Award for her campaigning work to help those suffering from dementia in Barnet as well as her role on local planning issues and other issues within her ward. She is Chairman of Dementia Club UK which is a charity formed in January 2016, and has been active in setting up ‘dementia cafes’ and support groups for those suffering from dementia and their carers.
Councillor Judge received an honourable mention for her work on Wythenshawe Safe Spots, an attempt to tackle domestic abuse in her area and help victims seek the help and support they need.
With nearly 200 nominations, a record amount for the Awards, competition was extremely tight this year. The winners were selected by a group of judges made up of local government experts and councillors.
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGiU said: “The 2016 C’llr Award winners showcase the best of the best across local government. These are the councillors who are working tirelessly to make our communities better places to live.
“For the past seven years we have been honouring the work of councillors, but this year’s winners have really pushed the envelope. It is such a privilege to honour their achievements. We congratulate Councillor Rutter on her outstanding work and are looking forward to hearing about her future accomplishments.”
Ben Hughes, Interim Chief Executive of Local Trust, said: “The fantastic collaboration between C’llr Rutter and the residents of Barnet has improved support for people living with dementia and their families across the area.
“The tight competition for the award reflects the huge appetite among councillors to pioneer exciting new ways of working with residents and communities, and we hope tonight’s winners will inspire many more.”