Cork City Council projects win Excellence in Local Government Awards

29th November 2019

Pictured above at the Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards 2019 are the Cork City Council Housing team involved in delivering the Arus Mhuire Downsizing Project.

Cork City Council won the Local Authority Innovation Award for its Arus Mhuire Downsizing Project and the Health & Wellbeing Award for the Cork Sanctuary Runners initiative at the 16th Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government last night.

The Excellence in Local Government Awards recognise best practice in local government and are held annually in conjunction with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. 

This is the second award win for Arus Mhuire. Last month it won the top prize in the ‘housing for older people’ category at the Irish Social Housing Awards. This is the third year in a row that Cork City Council’s Housing Directorate has won the Local Authority Innovation Award, having won previously for its use of the ‘competitive dialogue’ procedure to deliver social housing and for its Bishopsgrove project which provides housing to young people in third level education at risk of homelessness.

Sanctuary Runners is also one of four Cork City Council shortlisted in this year’s Pride of Place awards which are taking place in Kilkenny this weekend. The nominated groups are Sanctuary Runners, Cork Community Art Link, Learning Neighbourhoods and Glanmire Area Community Association.

Pictured above: The Sanctuary Runners project team receiving their award, including journalist and Sanctuary Runner Graham Clifford (centre).

 Cork City Council had projects nominated in ten categories at this year’s Chambers Ireland Excellence in Local Government Awards.

The Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr. John Sheehan said: “It has been a huge year for Cork City Council, with a major boundary extension and the election of a new Council, but our staff have worked so hard behind the scenes, continuing to deliver innovative projects across all sectors of local government services.  It’s wonderful to receive recognition for this.”

• Sanctuary Runners is a groundbreaking initiative which facilitates Irish residents to run alongside asylum seekers and refugees living in direct provision. The project, which was supported by Cork City Council since its inception, is aimed at fostering friendship, positivity and respect while bringing greater awareness of the migration system. 

• Arus Mhuire on Skehard Road, Blackrock is a 30-unit sheltered ‘rightsize’ housing development. A mix of one- and two-bedroom homes, the development is largely aimed at over 60s considering downsizing from larger homes. The scheme was designed by Mahony Pike architects and delivered by Lyonshall / Clancy Group and procured by an EU Competitive Dialogue process. By downsizing to Arus Mhuire, this frees up larger council and privately- owned homes to families on the housing waiting list. The scheme is open to private home-owners, where the council can acquire their former homes subject to eligibility criteria. The community scheme is managed by the approved housing body, Tuath and includes an onsite caretaker.