Councillor Bernie O’Neill, a cabinet member on the Forest of Dean District Council, has been nominated for a top award.

He has been shortlisted in the 2022 Cllr Awards , showcasing the vital contributions of councillors across England and Wales for the 13th year running.

The awards are the only national ceremony to celebrate the vital contributions of councillors.

As councils continue to respond to the pandemic, help residents through the cost of living crisis, support refugees, deliver aid in response to the war in Ukraine and help communities to come together to mourn the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, these Awards are a hugely important way to champion what councillors do locally. Their work, all too often goes unrecognised.

Organisers say competition was extremely tight again this year, with nearly 400 nominations received across five categories that celebrate the varied work of councillors.

The categories up for grabs this year are:  Community Champion, Leader of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Resilience and Recovery and Young Councillor of the Year awards. The full shortlist is included below.

Cllr O’Neill (Progressive Independent) and cabinet member for the economy is among those nominated for the Resilience and Recovery award.

A panel of judges composed of senior councillors and leading stakeholders from across the sector will select the winners who will be revealed at the Cllr Awards ceremony taking place on Thursday, October 20 (from 7pm-9pm) at the Roman Baths and Guildhall with Bath & North East Somerset Council as this year’s hosts. The ceremony will also be broadcast live on YouTube. 

This year’s awards are only made possible thanks to the generous support of founding partners CCLA.

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, LGIU said: “In a year like no other, councillors up and down the country have once again been working tirelessly to address the needs of their residents and bring much needed leadership to communities that are struggling day in and day out.

‘’The 2022 Cllr Awards shortlist is a reflection of the dedication and resilience shown by councillors during some of the most turbulent and worrying years in recent history.

“From supporting communities through flooding emergencies and fires to welcoming refugees from Ukraine into our local communities, these councillors are some of the most committed elected representatives across England and Wales. We are incredibly proud to showcase their stories in this year’s shortlist.

“Congratulations to all of the shortlisted councillors. We look forward to unveiling the winners of this 13th annual Cllr Awards in Bath on October 20.”