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Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Logo

04/04/2025

Council’s Leisure Services Win Local Government Award

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has been recognised with a top honour at the 2025 Northern Ireland Local Government Awards, securing the ‘Service Innovation and Improvement Award’ for leisure services.

This prestigious award celebrates the Council’s transformative vision to revolutionise the Borough’s leisure services which has tripled membership, doubled usage, and dramatically reduced the service subsidy, delivering exceptional value for residents.

This ambitious initiative has not only bolstered the health and well-being of the Borough’s residents but has also garnered multiple prestigious UK-wide awards across both public and private sectors, cementing the Council’s reputation for excellence.

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Neil Kelly, expressed his pride in the Council’s achievement, stating:

I am delighted that NILGA has acknowledged the commitment and dedication of our staff, the quality of our front-line services, and our ground-breaking initiatives with this award.

It illustrates the Council’s ongoing commitment to service excellence and follows our recent success at the 2025 CIPD Awards and the prestigious APSE UK Council of the Year Award 2024. I extend my gratitude to our staff for their continued efforts in delivering outstanding results for our residents.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council was also nominated for five other awards at the 2025 Northern Ireland Local Government Awards which included the Engaging Communities Award, Innovative Planning for the Future Award, Best Initiative by a Councillor Award (x2) and A Commitment to Excellence.