COUNCILLORS in Hexham have been praised for their work by being named the best local council in Northumberland and Newcastle.

Alex Wallace, chairman of the Northumberland Association of Local Councils (NALC), attended last week’s Hexham Town Council meeting to hand over the certificate.

It was announced that Hexham would be the first recipient of the new award at the previous meeting of NALC held in Bedlington.

Mr Wallace said it recognised the “tremendous work being carried out by Hexham Town Council.”

Attending last week’s meeting of Hexham Town Council, he presented the award to mayor of Hexham and chairman of the council, Coun. Bob Hull.

Mr Wallace added: “The reality is when you have got volunteers delivering more than £500,000 in services, it can take someone who isn’t on your council to come along and say ‘you have done it very well’, and this is why we have introduced it.”

He added that if Hexham went on to win the award next year, it could be entered in to the national award, judged in London.