Lewisham Councillor shortlisted for national…

17 Kasım 2025

Lewisham Councillor shortlisted for national Lifetime Legend Cllr Award

Cllr Chris Best of Lewisham Council has been shortlisted for Lifetime Legend at the 2025 LGIU and CCLA Cllr Awards.

Now in their 16th year in England and 8th year in Scotland, these Awards highlight the vital contribution of councillors, often the unsung heroes of local democracy. From championing residents’ interests to leading innovation in public services, councillors play a crucial role in shaping communities and improving lives, and they do so while giving up their time and energy for what is often a voluntary, unpaid role.

This year’s competition was extremely tight, with more than 400 nominations received across five categories that celebrate the wide-ranging work of councillors: Community Champion, Leader of the Year, Young Councillor of the Year, Innovator of the Year and Lifetime Legend.

The Lifetime Legend award recognises those councillors who, over many years of public service, have made a lasting and transformative difference to their communities.

 The full England & Wales shortlist is available here and Scotland winners can be found here.

Winners in Scotland were revealed on Wednesday 5 November at the Glasgow City Chambers while winners in England & Wales will be announced on Tuesday 18 November at the Guildhall in London.

The Cllr Awards judging panels comprise senior councillors and leading stakeholders from across the sector. These are the only national awards to celebrate and showcase the work of individual councillors. This year’s awards are made possible thanks to the generous support of founding partner CCLA.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) said: “Our annual Cllr awards demonstrate the best of local government. With more than 400 nominations, competition was extremely tight, with inspiring stories of councillors up and down the country going the extra mile to improve their local area.

Councillors are at the heart of local democracy, working tirelessly to support their communities and drive change. These awards are about celebrating the often unseen but hugely important contribution councillors make every day. This year’s shortlist is a testament to the dedication, creativity and leadership shown by councillors across the country.

Congratulations to all the councillors nominated and shortlisted and I look forward to announcing the winners in November.”

Lee Jagger, Local Government, Relationship Manager, CCLA said: “Every one of the councillors on the Cllr Awards shortlist this year has had a significant and positive impact on their communities and on the lives of their individual residents. That’s what the councillor role is all about – ordinary people trying to make the places that we live and work better. CCLA is very proud to have supported these Awards from the very beginning and to be part of this important celebration of the best of local government.”

Notes

Cllr Awards

The LGIU and CCLA’s 16th annual Cllr Awards in England and Wales and 8th annual Cllr Awards in Scotland celebrate the vital work being done by councillors across England, Wales and Scotland. Past winners of the Awards can be found here and rules can be found here.

About Cllr Best

Councillor Chris Best of Lewisham Council has served residents for almost 40 years, with a seemingly tireless dedication to public service and improving lives. She has played a central role in shaping policy and driving progress across housing, health, finance, and social care. This has been coupled with a deep commitment to grassroots change, empowering residents through initiatives such as the Sydenham Community Regeneration Partnership.

About LGIU

Established in 1983, LGIU is an independent, local authority membership organisation supporting officers and councillors across the UK, Ireland and Australia with the unrivalled intelligence they need every day.

About CCLA

CCLA is a leading specialist fund manager for local authorities and charities. When they began sponsoring the Cllr Awards they had 22 local authority accounts. Today, they have over 700 and this number is growing every month. They are owned by their clients – their mission is to serve the whole sector, regardless of size.

LGIU Briefings – free access for press You have complimentary access to our briefings service. Our team of expert associates produce over 250 local government briefings each year and have an archive of 2000+ briefings. Our Daily News provides a professional summary of the top local government news making the headlines and is emailed first thing each morning ensuring that you are always up to date with latest developments. To sign up to receive our updates, make sure you set up an account as a member. For any queries, please contact jen.pufky@lgiu.org.

 

source: LGIU Briefings