Liverpool City Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, has been named Leader of the Year at a national awards ceremony celebrating the work of elected members.
Cllr Robinson was nominated for his “calm, committed leadership, focused on integrity and good governance” which has helped lead the Council out of statutory intervention” and he was praised for “new relationships with partners and community engagement being at the heart of his leadership style”.
Cllr Robinson was first elected to Liverpool City Council in 2008, representing the Kensington & Fairfield ward. He became Leader in May 2023, having previously held the position of Cabinet Member for Finance, responsible for setting the Council’s budget. He is also the Liverpool City Region Cabinet Member for Innovation.
Prior to that, Cllr Robinson was Chair of Merseytravel, and subsequently Portfolio Holder for Transport for the Liverpool City Region. During his time at Merseytravel and the Combined Authority, making public transport more affordable, particularly for young people, was a key focus.
A second major award of the night was for Liverpool’s Cllr Rahima Farah, who represents Toxteth, who won in the Community Champion category of the 15th annual LGIU and CCLA Cllr Awards.
The judging panel noted that Cllr Farah “has made an immediate and outstanding impact across her community, with a particular focus on tackling health inequality and providing opportunities for young people.” Elected in 2023, Cllr Farah was commended by the judges for her “commitment to constituents.”
The LGIU and CCLA Cllr awards are the only national awards to celebrate the vital work of councillors across the country.
The winners were announced at a ceremony at London’s Guildhall, showcasing the best of local government, and were chosen by a judging panel comprised of senior councillors and leading stakeholders from across the sector.
Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive, Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) said: “Councillors across England and Wales do incredible work day in and day out to support their communities, make local areas better places to live, and ensure the voices of residents are heard across council decision making.
“At LGIU, we are determined to celebrate these remarkable achievements, which genuinely improve residents’ lives and the well-being of our communities. I want to congratulate all of our very worthy Cllr Awards winners this evening. Their dedication and service represent the very best of local government.”
Kelly Watson, Head of Public Sector Relationships, CCLA said: “Local councillors are at the heart of communities and nights like this are an opportunity to showcase the contributions and real world impact made by these unsung heroes striving for a better world. The work undertaken by councillors positively impacts people’s lives in countless ways.
“As councils are facing unprecedented challenging times, these Awards remind us of how important and vital the work of local councillors and councils is.”
Cllr Liam Robinson said: “I am very pleased that our efforts to improve how we work and operate in Liverpool have been recognised.
“This is a collective award for Cabinet, the senior leadership team and all of the wider team that make up Liverpool City Council.
“We’ve made some positive changes, but our work continues, and we know there is more that we can do to support residents right across our City”.
