Renfrewshire Council named Council of the Year at UK Awards

Renfrewshire Council has been named Overall Council of the Year 2025 for Service Delivery at a prestigious UK-wide awards ceremony.

The Council was one of seven finalists for the award at the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) Awards ceremony last week in Glasgow, which recognises innovation, commitment to public service, and excellence in frontline service delivery.

The Council and its partners, including OneRen, were shortlisted in seven of the 16 award categories, the highest number of nominations of any UK local authority.

Council Leader, Iain Nicolson expressed his pride in the achievement.

“Winning Council of the Year is a tremendous honour and a reflection of the incredible work happening across Renfrewshire.

“This award recognises how we’re delivering smarter, more inclusive services, regenerating our towns, and building strong partnerships that attract investment and create opportunities. It’s a credit to the dedication and creativity of our teams, whose commitment to making Renfrewshire a great place to live, work and do business shines through every day.”

Chief Executive, Alan Russell said:

“We are incredibly proud to have received the Overall Council of the Year in Service Delivery award at the APSE Awards. This national recognition reflects the strength, innovation and impact of the services we deliver across Renfrewshire.

“From inclusive workplace initiatives and community regeneration to pioneering digital solutions, our teams—alongside our OneRen partners—have demonstrated what’s possible when public service is driven by collaboration, creativity and commitment. I want to thank every colleague whose hard work made this achievement possible. This award belongs to all of you.”

The seven Renfrewshire Council initiatives shortlisted at the awards were:

• Best Workforce Initiative – Supporting Our Carers
• Best Building and Housing Initiative – Park Lane Developments (Renfrewshire) LLP: Arnotts Site Redevelopment
• Best Health and Wellbeing Initiative – Supporting Colleagues Through Menopause
• Best Public / Private Partnership Working Initiative – Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS)
• Best Community and Neighbourhood Initiative – Renfrewshire Council Renewal of Playparks Project
• Best Innovation or Demand Management Initiative – Meet Millie, our AI Digital Advisor
• Best Service Team: Soft Facilities Management – Soft FM Remodel