The Leader of Farnham Town Council, Councillor Carole Cockburn, has been recognised in the prestigious Star Councils 2016 awards run by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC). She was named as joint runner-up in the Councillor of the Year category at the awards’ ceremony on 19 October.
Councillor Cockburn was one of three finalists in the awards and was nominated for the considerable work she does for Farnham. She is also a former mayor of Farnham and Waverley and is the ward member for The Bourne.
Commenting, Councillor Cockburn said: “Reflecting on the nomination has reminded us all that councillors would achieve very little without the support and hard work of the community. The awards ceremony was very enjoyable but also really useful. It was interesting to learn about initiatives in other areas across the country and I shall bring some of these into our future discussions, as the council continues its work to make Farnham a better place for all its residents.”
Councillor Cockburn received the nomination for her can-do approach and her contributions to leading key projects for the town such as the Farnham Design Statement and the Farnham Neighbourhood Plan, both of which enable the local community to influence development in the town.
The Mayor of Farnham, Councillor John Ward says: “We are delighted that Councillor Cockburn made it through to the finals of Star Councils. She is the epitome of a dynamic, hardworking councillor, valued by colleagues and constituents alike and known for getting things done.
“In all that she does, she is determined to raise standards and achieve excellence. Her can-do approach is both practical and strategic – you are as likely to see her painting railings or planting flower beds as you are to see her in the Council Chamber. Without doubt, Carole goes beyond what people expect of their local councillor and being a Star Councils finalist goes some way towards recognising this.”
Outside Council life, Councillor Cockburn is actively involved in groups supporting young people, older people, sports, arts and education.
The Star Councils 2016 awards celebrate the hard work and achievements of local councils, councillors and council officers at neighbourhood and community level, particularly in the current challenging financial climate.
The NALC received hundreds of nominations across six award categories, giving the judges an unenviable task of shortlisting and choosing the eventual winners. The judges praised the high standard of nominations at this year’s awards.
The awards ceremony was held at the NALC annual conference in Birmingham where Councillor Helen Ogden of Westerham Town Council in Kent pipped Councillor Cockburn to the post by winning the award for Councillor of the Year.
Cllr Carol Cockburn
