Local Government Award Winners
Wakefield Regional Council staff members (from left) Ting Madrio, Holly Cowan, Muhammad Jawad, Rosalind Jarvis, Larissa McPharlin, Nicole Alberton, Holly Hannaford, Les Pearson and CEO, Andrew MacDonald, who all helped deliver the Community Support Package. The initiative won the Local Economic Development Award at the Local Government Professionals SA Leadership Excellence Awards on Friday night.
We are so pleased to announce that Wakefield Regional Council was awarded the ‘Excellence in Local Economic Development’ Award for its COVID-19 Support Package.
This is a huge achievement for a small regional community like ours, who compete with larger cities in the same awards.
In 2020, we very quickly launched the support package - worth up to $867,000 - to steer the community through the COVID-19 crisis.
Along with rate relief, Council offered utility grants to community and sporting groups, as well as generous business support grants of up to $5,000.
40 businesses and 33 community groups and sporting clubs were supported by the program.
The award is a well-deserved acknowledgement of council staff and teamwork to achieve something so successful for our community.
Also, some fantastic stories of resilience and ingenuity came out of the program since it started. From businesses working hard to diversify and survive to installing new ways to deliver services safely for both staff and customers.
We want you to know that this recognition is as much yours, as it is ours. Without our community, none of this would have been possible.
We want to thank you for supporting us and for continuing to make Wakefield a great place to do business and a great place to belong.