Cheshire West and Chester Council is seeking residents' votes in the Co-operative Council of the Year awards, for which our borough council has been shortlisted alongside four other local authorities.

The Co-operative Council of the Year award honours councils across the UK which are committed to co-operative principles and working with communities to achieve common goals.

Cheshire West is up against Kirklees, Rochdale, Telford and Wrekin and Torbay Councils in this category.

According to the awards organisers, Cheshire West has been shortlisted for using "co-operative approaches to help build greener, fairer and stronger communities with a council plan that focuses not just on the council, but how communities can play their part.

"Declaring a climate emergency, the council held a conference and public evidence session to define the way forward.

"An advisory panel of partner organisations and local environmental groups met monthly to consider key themes - such as industry and transport - and develop and challenge the action plan for a carbon zero borough by 2045.

"Following two Poverty Truth Commissions and the impact of Covid, the council declared a poverty emergency.

"Throughout the pandemic the council worked with local communities to safeguard people, matching volunteers with requests for help and joining with the Westminster Foundation and Cheshire West Voluntary Action to create a community response fund that support local initiatives.

"The council is engaging with communities in new way; co-opting six partners onto their outbreak management board, webcasting the meetings and taking public questions.

"It has developed a network of 350 community champions to share trusted messages whilst feeding back local issues and concerns.

"The council has brought waste collection back in-house through an arms-length company managed through co-operative principles with active ownership and involvement from residents and staff."

Councillor Louise Gittins, Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: "This is not just a nomination for the Council but for our whole community, and for our collective approach to working together to build stronger communities.

"We are taking a co-operative approach to decision making because we want our communities to thrive and, by working together, we are able to achieve much more.

"The winners will be decided by a public vote. By voting for our borough we are celebrating our collective successes in what has been a very difficult past year."

The judges' scores will be combined with public votes to decide the winner. Voting closes on 1 June and the winners will be announced on 5 July 2021. To find out more or to vote, click here.