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Both the Municipal Journal (MJ) and the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards have recently announced their shortlists for their awards taking place later this year.
The MJ Awards shortlist includes North Somerset Council in its ‘place-based approaches to health equity’ category for the council’s work on North Somerset's Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
The council is also shortlisted in the LGC Awards public health category.
Cllr Mike Bell, North Somerset Council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Public Health, said: “I’m delighted that the hard work of our public health team has been recognised by not one, but two national awards.
“Local government has a vital role in supporting communities and families to thrive. Here in North Somerset, we’re committed to closing the health inequalities gap and helping communities who are experiencing poor health outcomes to make improvements faster than others, ultimately making North Somerset a fairer place to live.”
“I’m really proud to have portfolio lead for this team who are delivering an ambitious health and wellbeing strategy and tackling health inequalities in North Somerset so that everyone has the opportunities to lead a healthy life, regardless of where they live or who they are.”
Matt Lenny, the council’s Director of Public Health added: “Our Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy was designed from the grassroots up, with our communities at the heart of the strategy.
“We were led by local values and priorities, alongside health need data, helping to identify which health and wellbeing challenges people felt we should address most urgently and then producing a strategy that’s insightful, relevant and bold.
“Our public health team has already been putting the strategy into practice including a new Better Health North Somerset website, expanding our Health Trainer service, offering local grants to help reduce food insecurity and creating funding for local social prescribing projects to overcome loneliness and improve wellbeing.”
Winners of the MJ Awards will be announced on Friday 24 June with winners of the LGC Awards announced on Wednesday 22 July.
You can find out more about the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/healthwellbeingstrategy.