North Northamptonshire Council teams reach finals of LGC Awards 2025
20 February 2025
North Northamptonshire Council has reached the final of the prestigious Local Government Chronicle Awards 2025 in three categories.
The authority’s Family Hubs initiative was shortlisted in the Digital Impact Award, while the Chester House Estate has made it through in the Innovation Award category.
The Council’s Public Health service has also made the final of the flagship sector awards in the Large Team of the Year – recognising the hard work and commitment to improve people’s health and wellbeing.
The winners of the categories will be announced at a ceremony which will be held at Grosvenor House, London on June 11 this year.
It is wonderful news that the council has been shortlisted in these three categories as finalists for the prestigious LGC Awards 2025.Jason Smithers, Leader of North Northamptonshire Council
These awards recognise and celebrate the finest examples of innovation delivered by local government across the UK and to be shortlisted is testament to the hard work and dedication of our local teams here in North Northamptonshire.
I never cease to be astounded by the inspiring work of our officers, and our invaluable partnership working with individuals, families and organisations.
I very much Iook forward to the announcement of the winners in the summer and wish our finalists every success.
Digital Impact Award finalist
The Family Hubs team, along with families and partners, has developed an online Family Hubs platform serving as a ‘digital front door’ for parents, families, young people and professionals in North Northamptonshire.
The platform consolidates a digital Family Hubs offer, Start for Life offer, Family Information Service and SEND Local Offer together in one online location. The platform hosts a variety of wider helpful information, videos, applications and interactive tools, acts as a directory of support services, signposts to partner organisations, and integrates NHS digital content.
Families are empowered by enabling access to 24/7 on-demand digital Family Hub support across any mobile, tablet or computer device. Early intervention is strengthened, and the needs of children and families are met more efficiently.
Innovation Award finalist
The Chester House Estate spans 85 acres of protected archaeological landscape, between Wellingborough and Rushden in North Northamptonshire, blending traditional preservation of a 10,000-year history with modern audience engagement strategies.
The estate’s Archaeological Resource Centre (ARC) is home to one of the UK’s largest archaeological archives and employs interactive exhibits and augmented reality to make history come alive for visitors.
Its success is measured not only in financial sustainability but in positive impacts on
communities, from educational programmes and job creation to environmental initiatives and charitable collaborations. Chester House Estate, with its pioneering approaches inspires other heritage projects to adopt forward-thinking, scalable models of heritage tourism.
Large Team of the Year Award finalist
Established in October 2022, following the formation of the new unitary council and the ongoing pandemic, the North Northamptonshire Public Health Service is making remarkable strides as a centre of excellence in public health and in delivering a council key corporate objective to help “people live healthier, more active, independent and fulfilled lives”.
The team does this through innovative commissioning; developing co-productive partnerships with the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector; and establishing a research-active reputation, to ensure that funding is maximised, and health outcomes enhanced.
The team comprises 77 staff and is structured to address key public health priorities such as Health Protection, Children, Young People and Families, Substance Misuse, Sexual Health, Health Improvement and Commissioning.