Prestigious National Award for Milton Keynes Skate Plaza

12.00.00am GMT Sun 19th Mar 2006

The MK Skate Plaza has been awarded the coveted Local Government Chronicle award for the best community involvement initiative in the country.

At a ceremony held in London, this was judged to be the best project that demonstrated the Council working hand-in-hand with local people, with imagination and enthusiasm, to meet local needs.

The Skate Plaza - one of the best in the United Kingdom, if not the world - is the single most important skate project to happen in Britain for years. The £100,000 facility was designed by SK8MK - a body made up of a number of community groups involving young people, as well as the Council, police and other organisations. It was funded through a joint venture between the Council and English Partnerships, with additional funding from Environment Body MK.

Commenting on the award, Liberal Democrat Councillor Douglas McCall, cabinet member for the environment, said: "This award is in recognition of how we've developed this facility with significant input from the users. Congratulations to all who have made this a success."

In another award category - Public-Private Partnership of the Year - the Council's partnership with HBS was the highly commended runner-up in the Local Government Chronicle awards. The award panel praised the Council for making use of business partnerships to deliver services to its residents.

Milton Keynes Council's Chief Executive, John Best, said: "I am delighted that Milton Keynes' commitment to working with the community, and with young people in particular, got national recognition at this year's Local Government Chronicle national awards. Council colleagues and the city's young skateboarders fully deserved this award, which was a fitting culmination to years of effort and innovation.

"Milton Keynes also received a highly commended award for our partnership with HBS. This was especially gratifying, given the amount of work that has gone into this over the last 2½ years, and the great progress that has been made. Colleagues from both organisations celebrated this shared success at the awards evening."