WIREDGOV

After 10 years of celebrating and sharing, the Beacon Scheme is ending. It is being replaced by the new and exciting Local Innovation Awards Scheme. The scheme rewards partnerships which can demonstrate how their innovative services bring real benefits to citizens.

The aims of the scheme are to:

• identify, acknowledge and spread innovation and excellence
• raise standards by promoting best practice through peer learning and knowledge transfer
• improve services to make a real difference to quality of life and life chances for individuals and communities
• give national recognition to local, frontline services and partnerships.

The new scheme is now open for entries, and applications close at 5pm on Tuesday 27 October 2009.

Find out more about the scheme and apply online – on the Local Innovation Awards Scheme website

Local Government Minister backs new scheme

Local Government Minister Rosie Winterton has called for the best ideas from local service providers to be put forward for the new awards. She said:

"At their best councils and their partners are creative, innovative and highly responsive to local needs. In today's economic climate it is more important than ever that they make every taxpayer pound work as hard as it can to deliver vital public services more efficiently.

"The Local Innovation Awards will put the very best councils and their partners through their paces in a Dragon's Den style assessment to decide who has come up with the best ways to help their communities in the challenging economic climate.

"I want to see councils and their partners with the brightest ideas come forward with their achievements so they can get the recognition they deserve and prove just how innovative local service providers across the country are."

Dragon's Den test for Council Innovation Awards – on the Communities and Local Government website