Western Sydney councils have set a new standard for excellence in local government, winning a swag of prestigious industry awards for outstanding achievement – and helping build credibility with residents, businesses, and stakeholders.

“In the space of a just a few days, Blacktown City Council was named ‘Overall Sustainable Cities Winner’ at the 2024 Keep Australia Beautiful NSW awards, and Liverpool City Council took out two awards at this year’s Keep Australia Beautiful Sustainable Cities Awards,” said Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils (WSROC) President, Barry Calvert.

“Blacktown City Council’s improvement to the environment and leadership in community participation ensured it was named NSW’s ‘Overall Sustainable Cities Winner’.

“In addition to the top award, Blacktown’s initiatives promoting best practice recycling and waste management to people living in apartments and units were acknowledged with a win in the ‘Communication and Engagement’ category.

“Blacktown also took top honours in the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW awards ‘Heritage and Culture’ category for its Makers Space art project with First Nations artist Tarni Eastwood at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre.

“To top it off, Blacktown City Council’s outstanding service to sport, too, has been recognised after it was named ‘Council of the Year’ at the recent Sport NSW ‘Community Sports Awards’.

“Not to be outdone, Liverpool City Council has taken out two awards at the Sustainable Cities Awards, with their ingenious ‘The Croc’ mattress shredder and The Liverpool Pioneers Memorial Park each taking a gong for excellence,” said Mr Calvert.

‘The Croc’ won the ‘Circular Economy’ award and was also a finalist in the ‘Resource Recovery’ category.

Meanwhile, Liverpool’s Memorial Park Remembrance Garden project won in the ‘Heritage and Culture’ category.

‘The Croc’ is a mattress-shredding machine that solves the problem of unwanted mattresses, saves ratepayers some $500,000 a year in tipping costs and reduces landfill by recycling shredded mattresses.

The Remembrance Garden project was a collaborative effort between the Office of Australian War Graves and Liverpool City Council, the Memorial Park being one of the earliest cemeteries in Sydney and the earliest to still contain original grave architecture.

“Those buried there include pioneers from the early 1800s, members of the first fleet and WW1 servicemen,” said Mr Calvert.

Liverpool City Council also won four awards at the 2024 ‘Western Sydney Tourism Awards’, three Gold awards and one Platinum award:

• Platinum winner: Best Visitor Economy Event (Night Visitation) – for ‘Most Blessed Nights’
• Gold winner: Event Campaign Award Councils – for ‘Experience the World’
• Gold winner: Best Multicultural Show or Event – for ‘Motherland Africa’, and
• Gold winner: Best Rated Cuisine Hotels, Clubs and Restaurants – for Bellbird Dining and Bar, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.

“Such awards boost the local economy and last year the council’s events generated around $25 million worth of business into Liverpool,” said Mr Calvert.

“Cumberland City Council, too, previously won the ‘NSW Local Government Excellence Award’ for its ‘Cherry Blossom Festival’ (pictured below) — a tourism drawcard that generates millions of dollars in local economic output.

“Cumberland City Council regularly wins plaudits for its environment initiatives, too, having won the ‘Sustainable Cities Award’ among others.

“Such awards signal to investors that the council is forward-thinking and capable of creating sustainable, vibrant destinations that draw tourism, attract businesses, and encourage investment which boosts local economies.

"A good example is Liverpool City Council’s new Yellamundie Library and Gallery, officially one of the best new libraries in the world having been a finalist in the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions awards held this year in Barcelona, Spain.

“That level of recognition informs the community that Liverpool’s beautiful new library is vital social infrastructure that serves a highly diverse community to the highest standard.

“Other recent wins by Western Sydney councils include Hawkesbury City Council being acknowledged at the 2024 Local Government NSW Awards in August for its ‘Hawkesbury River Safety Campaign’ and the ‘Bangadyi Nawi – Making a Canoe’ project.”

The ‘Hawkesbury River Safety Campaign’, focused on Hawkesbury River at Macquarie Park in Windsor, centred around new river safety signs developed in consultation with Royal Life Saving NSW using best practise design, and internationally recognised safety symbols.

‘Bangadyi Nawi’ was a community project between Hawkesbury Regional Museum, the Dharug community and Brewongle Environmental Education Centre, providing a transformative experience for local Aboriginal high school students who created a traditional canoe during an inter-generational camp.

“More than simply boosting community pride, awards for initiatives that enhance local life help residents and local businesses feel more confident in - and connected to - their local council, which can lead to greater civic engagement.

“For example, Blue Mountains City Council is justifiably proud of recently having won two awards at Local Government NSW’s ‘Excellence in the Environment Awards’, including an award for its ‘Water Sensitive Blue Mountains Strategic Plan’ which sets out the best-practice approaches and design principles to manage the city’s waterways and water resources,” said Mr Calvert.

“By winning these awards, councils showcase their commitment to responsible governance, sustainable development, and community well-being, reinforcing a culture of excellence and forward momentum.

“Award-winning councils may attract more funding from state or federal sources, as these bodies often prioritize initiatives proven effective and impactful. Winning awards can also strengthen grant applications by showcasing a history of success.

“The recognition such awards confer strengthen a council’s position in advocating for policy changes and can serve as a model for best practice, encouraging other councils to adopt similar approaches for broader regional or even national impact.”

Image caption: 

Liverpool Council wins four more awards: L-R: Cllr Fiona Mc Naught,  Natasha Checinski (LCC Events),  Tina Bono (LCC Director),  Frederico Rekowski (Head Chef, Bellbird Restaurant),  Clara McGuirk (LCC Events),  Deputy Mayor Peter Harle,  Madison Young (LCC Civic) and Cllr Matthew Harte.