How do I submit a nomination?
Nominations for the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards are submitted via an online portal.
So you can prepare your nomination in advance, please download a copy of the nomination questions below to ensure you have all relevant information available before you commence your nomination.
Please Note: You will be unable to save your progress when completing your submission in the online portal, as such we recommend you prepare your responses in full as per the Nomination Questions link below prior to lodging.
Nomination Questions
When you have all the information required, commence your online nomination by clicking the button below.
Submit Your Nomination
You will receive a notification that your submission has been received within 2 business days.
Once submissions have closed the person nominated on your form will be sent an invoice. The invoice is required to be paid prior to the award judging.
Why should I nominate?
Be recognised for excellence
Showcase the quality of the work you produce for your community
Enhance your council's brand and reputation
Show appreciation for the hard work and results of your employees
Take the opportunity to celebrate your success
How are the awards judged?
An independent, expert judging panel will assess all entries. Each category will be judged on its merits. In assessing nominations, the judges will consider the environment in which the project has been initiated. As a result, the biggest and most financially significant projects will not automatically be assessed as more meritorious than smaller, lower impact initiatives. Rather, a relative assessment will be made regarding which projects have done the best in the context of what resources they have available and the environment in which they operate.
Although a project may be entered into two categories, each project is only eligible to win a single category . If a project is deemed the winner in a category, it will be removed from subsequent categories at the judges’ discretion.
Am I eligible to submit a nomination?
Any NSW Council, Regional Organisation of Councils (ROC) or Joint Organisation (JO) may nominate projects for the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards. There is no limit on the number of nominations each council, ROC or JO ca submit, and multiple nominations are permitted in each category. Any project or initiative may be nominated in a maximum of two categories, and each will be treated as a separate nomination. If nominating a project in more than one category, nominators should ensure the nomination is tailored to address the individual category requirements. LG Professionals, NSW reserves the right to cancel or amend an award category at anytime. Any councils impacted by this change will be notified accordingly.
Is there a nomination fee?
The fee per award nomination is $660 ( inc GST)
Each award nomination will receive one complimentary ticket to attend the 2022 Awards Dinner, where winners will have the opportunity to get their official photo taken. You must provide the name of the individual who will use this complimentary ticket when you submit your nomination. Councils with a LG Professionals, NSW Professional Development Bundle may have a nomination included in their bundle as well as tickets to attend the Awards Dinner. Please call LG Professionals, NSW if you are unsure if your council has a bundle and if it can be used for your nomination.
Where do I find the nomination criteria?
The nomination criteria can be found here.
We encourage you to prepare your nomination in advance by downloading a copy of the nomination questions to ensure you have all relevant information available before you commence your nomination.
Please Note: You will be unable to save your progress when completing your submission in the online portal, as such we recommend you prepare your responses in full as per the Nomination Criteria prior to lodging.
Where can I view the list of previous winners?
A full listing of previous winners can be viewed here.
Is the Nomination Criteria the same for each Award Category?
Excluding the Emerging Leader Award, all awards have the same nomination criteria.
While the nomination criteria for each award category is the same, be advised that the below lens will be considered for each individual category.
Asset and Infrastructure
Does the project deliver exceptional engineering and urban outcomes, enhance community liveability, improve conditions for the community and/or businesses?
Does the project demonstrate innovative and high-quality engineering, urban and landscape design features that demonstrate a comprehensive transformation?
Does the project demonstrate problem solving solutions for key challenges and risks through design and construction techniques?
Borderless Communities
Has the project created an imbedded communication channel for councils in neighbouring jurisdictions or was this simply a one off?
Does the project demonstrate strategic collaboration or alignment of policies, programs or frameworks for growth across the border?
Does the project provide or improve services that strengthen and enhance the physical or social infrastructure across the border?
Community Development
What is/was the impact of the project: its outcomes on council or community; how were they measured; and what is the ongoing status?
At a community level, community development and empowerment initiatives can achieve long-term outcomes such as stronger and more cohesive communities; does the project identify positive changes in social capital, civic engagement, social cohesion and improved health? Is there evidence that supports these outcomes?
Is the project a one-off event? Is it part of council’s community development strategy?
Community Partnerships
How has the initiative aligned to your Strategic Community Plan?
Does the project demonstrate strategic collaboration or alignment of policies, programs or frameworks for development and growth?
Does the project provide or improve services that strengthen and enhance the physical or social infrastructure of a region, facilitating close integration with other spheres of government activity?
Customer Experience
Does the project recognise how customer service impacts across multiple business units and their performance?
Does the project represent leadership excellence in promoting a positive customer experience, specifically in the local government sector?
What impact did the project have on the customer as well as the council? Consider both the implementation and post-implementation phases.
Environmental Leadership
To what extent does this project stand out as a leader in sustainability?
Does this project implement new assets or processes that integrate natural resources or ecosystems that contribute to the provision of everyday services?
Does the project make use of sustainable/green building materials? What is its longevity? Is it a holistic approach to sustainability (as demonstrated through materials etc.)? Were there high levels of research into use of resources?
First Nations Community Partnership
Benefits to the organisation, Indigenous community, and the broader community/municipality
Was the project implemented in such a way that it worked to adopt and promote practices which support, strengthen, empower and sustain Indigenous communities?
Does the project foster and facilitate reconciliation between the wider Australian community and Indigenous peoples?
Innovative Leadership
Does the project challenge the status quo and apply creative and innovative solutions to affect positive change?
Does the project demonstrate connection and collaboration by bringing others together to achieve a common purpose?
To what extent does the project support staff to grow, develop capability and contribute to the strategic objectives of the organisation?
Organisational Diversity and Inclusion
Does the project recognise the strategic value of diversity and inclusion across its business (employees, customers and other stakeholders) and have they gone beyond formulaic commitment to clear understanding of how to achieve the desired outcomes in its particular context?
Does the nomination provide examples of how this has been embedded into the organisation’s culture?
Does the nomination provide examples of how this is beneficial to employees/council residents as well as the downstream impacts that are good for business and community?
Partnerships and Collaboration
Is there a clear description of the partners involved in the initiative that outlines their roles and contributions to the initiative?
What barriers did the partners have to overcome for the collaboration to succeed?
Does the nomination identify what makes this partnership/collaboration more effective than others? Are there measures that benefit all parties?
People, Workplace, Wellbeing
Did this initiative seek to improve workplace wellbeing of employees?
Does the project recognise the power of teams in championing and influencing positive workplace initiatives?
Was this project targeted to a particular problem or area of council and did it meet that need or, where it is a whole of council initiative, did it provide equal benefit across the organisation?
Risk Management
Outline the strategies and processes undertaken in identifying the risk and how these effected planning
Risk management resources were monitored and deployed, including how senior staff were engaged and took ownership of new strategies or processes
Clear performance measures being set in the short to medium term used to track the achievements of the risk initiative.
Special Project Initiative
To what extent was this innovation timely (i.e. did council see a problem early and move quickly - early adopter, or was it a solution to a long term issue)?
Is the project an improvement on existing practice; or a newly created process/practice? Is this initiative driven by community or council focus?
How does this project address a particular need of community or council?
Supporting Local Enterprise
Does the nomination place more emphasis on the benefits to local businesses or the benefits to the council?
To what extent does the project activate, educate and/or celebrate within the local community, encouraging the support of local enterprise across the community?
What prompted the creation of the project? Was it in response to feedback received from an existing local enterprise? Was it in response to an assessment conducted in house within council?
Is the nomination closing date likely to be extended?
Despite the closing date being extended in previous years; because the award nominations open in October, the closing date WILL NOT be extended in any way.