Hackney Council has been lauded as being a “real game changer”, in showing areas of high deprivation can also be areas of high achievement as it picked up an award for being the ‘council of the last 20 years’.

The council was amongst six shortlisted in January for the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards title, and it picked up the title on Wednesday night at the ceremony which marked the 20th anniversary of the awards.

Judges stated that the borough’s work over the past twenty years is a “compelling story of innovation and exceptional transformation across the whole range of services, with a clear focus on delivering leading services for residents”.

“Hackney has led the sector in showing that areas of high deprivation can also be areas of high achievement. It is a real game changer,” they said.

In particular the council was commended for its outstanding commitment to the local community, and for renewing the borough’s public infrastructure, securing an economic legacy from 2012 and setting new standards for inner-city education.

The other shortlisted contenders were Gateshead Council, Westminster City Council, Hertfordshire County Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council.