Croydon Council has scooped two awards at a ceremony celebrating the UK’s best initiatives in local government.
At last night’s Local Government Chronicle Awards in central London, Croydon won two categories – Campaign of the Year for the council’s Choose Your Future initiative and the Health and Social Care Award for the partnership work of the One Croydon Alliance, formed of the council, local NHS and Age UK.
The winning Choose Your Future campaign was launched to unite Croydon against youth violence and has secured support from dozens of organisations, engaged more than 3,000 young people and focused on giving them a stronger voice and better prospects.
The One Croydon Alliance is a partnership between the council, Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, Croydon GP Collaborative, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and Age UK Croydon. It was set up to deliver an integrated health and social care system, starting with prevention work to reduce unnecessary hospital stays for elderly residents and boost their independence.
The council was also a finalist in four other award categories:
• Business Transformation – for the Gateway service’s work preventing homelessness
• Driving Growth – for the Croydon Means Business initiative to boost the borough’s economy through partnership work
• The Community Involvement Award for Croydon BME Forum’s work tackling knife crime
• Team of the Year for the council’s programme retrofitting fire sprinklers to 26 tower blocks
“I’m delighted for our staff and partners behind the Choose Your Future campaign and the One Croydon Alliance for winning at these awards, which celebrate the best schemes in local government. Both initiatives are making a real positive difference to Croydon people, and I look forward to them going from strength to strength.
“To have six finalists at these awards underlines the dedication and talent of council staff who serve the people of Croydon day in and day out, so very well done to everyone involved.”
Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council
