COUNCIL NOMINATED FOR TWO NATIONAL AWARDS

12.00.00am GMT Fri 8th Jan 2010

City of York Council has been nominated for two awards at the upcoming Local Government Chronicle Awards .

The Council's Learning, Culture and Children's Services Directorate has been short listed for an award for it's work provision for children with disabilities.

The services provided to children with disabilities in York were hailed as an example for other local authorities to follow in a report published by the Audit Commission in December.

The service received a green flag in the Comprehensive Area Assessment, indicating that the services provided are of outstanding quality and are an example of innovative practice that other authorities should be following.

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Children & Young People's Services, Councillor Carol Runciman welcomed the news that the department had been nominated for an award.

She said, "I am delighted that the services we provide for children with disabilities and their families have once again been recognised for their high quality."

"Everyone works very hard to ensure we provide high standard services so it is very rewarding when the provision is acknowledged as being among the best in the country."

The authority has also been nominated for an award for it's work with Aviva on the Learn and Thrive financial literacy programme and the renovation of the city's central library.

Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Leisure, Culture and Social Inclusion, Councillor Nigel Ayre said the work with Aviva demonstrated what could be achieved when the council worked in partnership with other organisations.

He said, "Thanks to our partnership with Aviva we have been able to deliver some very useful courses to help people cope with the difficult economic times. We have been able to work together to use the strengths of both organisations to deliver real help to local people."

Councillor Ayre also said the partnership was helping to deliver exciting improvements to the city's main library. He said, "The Explore Centres in Acomb and New Earswick have proven very popular with visitors and have attracted many more people to the libraries. The partnership with Aviva is helping us transform the central library into an Explore Centre."

The winners of the awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on 24th March.