Announcing the winners of the APSE Service Awards 2026

 

We are delighted to announce the winners of our APSE Service Awards 2026! 

The winners were announced at the APSE Annual Charity Awards Dinner, in aid of Parkinson’s UK, on Thursday 17 September 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Liverpool. 

 

Speaking about the awards, Mo Baines, APSE Chief Executive, said:  

“In local authorities across the UK, frontline service teams continue to work tirelessly to make a positive impact on their communities and improve the lives of residents.  

APSE is proud to shine a light on the councils who are delivering excellent frontline services and celebrate them through our Annual Service Awards.  

From housing and recycling to leisure and greenspaces, this year’s winners demonstrate the innovation, dedication and commitment at the heart of local government. 

A huge congratulations to all of the finalists and winners!” 

 

The awards brought together councils from across the UK to celebrate excellence in frontline service delivery, recognise innovative initiatives and honour the teams working hard to make a real difference to their communities.  

The APSE Awards are specific to frontline services provided by UK local authorities. This year, the Awards included 17 categories, covering the vast majority of local services, as well as the prestigious Overall Council of the Year Award. 

 

Overall Council of the Year 

Sponsored by:  

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council 

Carmarthenshire County Council 

Fife Council 

Lancashire County Council 

Liverpool City Council 

Outcomes Matter Consulting with London Borough of Ealing 

South Ayrshire Council 

Torfaen County Borough Council 

Watford Borough Council 

WINNER: Torfaen County Borough Council

 

Best Workforce Initiative 

 

Sponsored by:

 

Carmarthenshire County Council   

East Ayrshire Council  

Erewash Borough Council   

Flintshire County Council   

South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership  

South Tyneside Council   

Wealden District Council   

Wigan Council 

WINNER: South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership

 

Best Building and Housing Initiative 

 

Sponsored by:

Fife Council (A Blueprint for the Future: Transforming Occupied High-Rise Homes)  

Fife Council (Hill Street, Cowdenbeath (Valley House) – Regeneration of a brownfield site)  

ODS  

Sefton Council   

Watford Borough Council   

Wealden District Council   

WINNER: Fife Council: A Blue Print for the Future

 

Best Efficiency and Transformation Initiative 

Sponsored by:

Cumberland Council   

East and North Herts Councils  

East Ayrshire Council   

Hounslow Highways   

Outcomes Matter Consulting with the London Borough of Ealing  

South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership  

Watford Borough Council   

WINNER: Watford Borough Council

 

Best Health and Wellbeing Initiative 

 

Sponsored by:

 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council   

Durham County Council  

East Ayrshire Council   

Inverclyde council  

Local Government East   

Nottingham City Council   

Watford Borough Council   

Winchester City Council   

WINNER: Winchester City Council

 

Best Public/Private Partnership Working Initiative 

 

Sponsored by: 

 

Cornwall Council   

Derry and Strabane District Council  

Kent County Council   

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council   

Outcomes Matter Consulting with the London Borough of Ealing  

Sheffield City Council   

Stevenage Borough Council   

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council   

WINNER: Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

 

Best Collaborative Working Initiative 

 

Sponsored by:   

 

Fife Council (One Team, One Vision: Safely Transforming Occupied High-Rise Homes)  

Fife Council (Climate Action Fife: Transforming Climate Action Through Public–Third Sector Collaboration)   

Inverclyde Council   

Kent County Council   

North Tyneside Council   

ODS   

Outcomes Matter consulting with the London Borough of Ealing   

South Ayrshire Council   

YES Energy Solutions CIC Company   

WINNER: Outcomes Matter Consulting with the London Borough of Ealing

 

Best Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship Initiative 

Sponsored by:

Derby City Council  

Haringey Council   

Lancashire County Council   

Liverpool City Council  

London Borough of Islington   

Nottingham City Council   

Outcomes Matter Consulting with the London Borough of Ealing   

WINNER: Derby City Council

 

Best Community and Neighbourhood Initiative 

 

Sponsored by: 

 

Kent County Council   

Lancashire County Council   

Liverpool City Council   

ODS   

South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership   

South Ayrshire Council   

Stockton-on-Tees Borough council   

Torfaen County Borough Council   

Wirral Council   

WINNER: South Ayrshire Council

 

Best Innovation or Demand Management Initiative 

 

Sponsored by:   

 

Hounslow Highways  

Kent County Council   

Lancashire County Council   

Liverpool City Council   

Outcomes Matter Consulting with the London Borough of Ealing   

Torfaen County Borough Council  

Watford Borough Council 

WINNER: Torfaen County Borough Council

 

Best Climate Action or Decarbonisation Initiative 

Sponsored by:

Amey Ltd   

East Lothian Council   

Hackney Council   

Inverclyde Council   

South Kesteven District Council   

Tayside Contracts   

Torfaen County Borough Council  

Winchester City Council 

WINNER: South Kesteven District Council

 

Best Service Team of the Year: Soft Facilities Management 

Sponsored by:   

Carmarthenshire County Council  

East Riding of Yorkshire Council   

Juniper Ventures  

Lancashire County Council   

North Yorkshire Council   

Vinci Facilities   

WINNER: North Yorkshire Council

 

Best Service Team of the Year: Technical Services 

 

Sponsored by:   

 

East Lothian Council   

Hackney Council   

Hounslow Highways   

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council   

Midlothian Council   

Wigan Council   

WINNER: Wigan Council

 

Best Service Team of the Year: Waste, Recycling and Circular Economy 

 

Sponsored by:   

 

Flintshire County Council   

Lancashire County Council   

East and North Herts Councils   

North Kesteven District council   

Sherbourne Recycling – via Coventry City Council   

South Lanarkshire Council   

WINNER: Lancashire County Council

 

Best Service Team of the Year: Streetscene 

 

Sponsored by:  

 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council   

Cumberland Council   

Ipswich Borough Council   

Luton Council   

Newport City Council   

Sefton Council   

Westminster City Council 

WINNER: Newport City Council

 

Best Service Team of the Year: Parks and Green Spaces 

Sponsored by:  

Cardiff Council   

Gravesham Borough Council  

Nottingham City Council  

Torfaen County Borough Council   

Watford Borough Council (Active, Inclusive, Award-Winning: The Watford Parks and Open Spaces Story)   

Watford Borough Council (The transformation of Watford’s parks through the ‘Green Spaces Strategy’)   

WINNER: Nottingham City Council

 

Best Service Team of the Year: Cemetery and Crematorium 

 

Sponsored by:

 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council   

East Lothian Council   

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council   

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council   

Wirral Council 

WINNER: Antrim and Newtownabbey Council

 

Best Service Team of the Year: Sports, Leisure and Cultural 

 

Sponsored by:

 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council  

Carmarthenshire County Council   

Gravesham Borough Council  

South Ayrshire Council   

Warwick District Council   

Wealden District Council   

WINNER: Antrim and Newtownabbey Council