Wellington Town Council has reached the finals of the national 'Council of the Year' awards.

The contest is being held as part of the Star Council Awards, and its outcome will be decided by a public vote.

The town council has appealed to residents to back them with their vote so they can be crowned as the nation's best council in 2023.

Cllr Keith Stevens, chair of the National Association of Local Councils, congratulated Wellington on reaching the finals, and said: "Congratulations to Wellington Town Council. Your outstanding achievements have placed you among the best in your field, and this recognition is well-deserved.

"Your hard work, dedication, and talent have shone through, and it's an honour to see you as a finalist for this prestigious award. Best of luck for the awards ceremony, and may your journey continue to be filled with success and inspiration. Your achievements serve as an inspiration to us all!"

Mayor Marcus Barr asked for residents to show their support by lending their vote, he said: "We are honoured to have been shortlisted for this award. It is great that all the positive work that the Council does is being recognised nationally and is putting Wellington on the map.

"We obviously appreciate that we can’t please all the people all the time and that things don’t always go as we would like them to but as councillors and staff we are fully committed to doing the best for Wellington. Just being named as finalists is a great achievement but it would be great if we could go one step further and win the award so please show your support by voting for us."

The contest victor will be declared at a parliamentary reception on November 29, in the House of Lords.