Wigan Council highly commended for efficiency

Town hall bosses are highly-commended in the efficiency category in the 2018 Local Government Chronicle Awards - thanks largely to its work through The Deal.

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The council was hailed for continuing to provide a raft of services while maintaining the second lowest council tax rate in Greater Manchester.

Glasgow scooped the top award, with Wigan second placed.

Donna Hall, chief executive of Wigan Council, said: “We have worked so hard to transform our services through the principles of The Deal while managing to reduce both demand on services and our budget by £115m so far.

“This could not have been achieved without the whole of the council working together and of course the support of our residents.

“The finance team have been central to this achievement thanks to their expertise and dedication so this national recognition is richly deserved.”

The awards, run by the Local Government Chronicle, are the biggest and most prestigious awards ceremony for the local government sector.

They seek to identify and recognise local government’s greatest innovators, whose achievements are often under reported. Wigan Council’s entry focused on its successful work to reduce its budget by £160m since 2010.

In response, council chiefs set out a clear plan to transform rather than cut services and went on to make savings of £115 since the start of the austerity programme.

Wigan Council’s entry focused on its successful work to reduce its budget by £160m since 2010.

In response, council chiefs set out a clear plan to transform rather than cut services and went on to make savings of £115 since the start of the austerity programme.