For the second time in a week, Farnham Town Council has received national recognition for its achievements.

Declared ‘runner up’ in the Council of the Year category of the National Association of Local Council’s Star Council Awards, Farnham received a special mention for its role in successfully defending the Neighbourhood Plan against a High Court challenge by a consortium of developers. In addition, the judges found that Farnham Town Council had taken a progressive and entrepreneurial approach in raising sponsorship and had maintained and managed effective relationships with a wide range of partner organisations, focusing on effective service delivery with a strategic commitment to be a strong voice for Farnham, backed up by practical action to meet evolving objectives and future challenges.

The Mayor of Farnham, Councillor Mike Hodge who attended the awards presentation with the Town Clerk Iain Lynch said: “To get to the finals is a fantastic accomplishment for the team at Farnham Town Council. Councils across the country are facing challenging times but Farnham consistently and successfully pushes the boundaries and works above and beyond expectations.

“Entrepreneurial leadership means the events programme is largely self-funding. A pioneering sponsorship initiative generated £60,000 cash and 14,000 hours of volunteer time and in-kind support. There is no doubt in my mind that Farnham is improving the quality of life for its residents and visitors and will continue to do so long into the future.”

The overall winner of the Council of the Year category was Halewood Town Council in Merseyside.