We're in the process of updating this page, however, you can view a selection of our achievements.
2019 awards
North West In Bloom
We and our partner organisations were awarded an incredible 23 gold awards, including:
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Best small cities - Rochdale In Bloom and Middleton In Bloom.
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Best large towns - Heywood In Bloom and Pennines In Bloom.
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Large parks - Jubilee Park, Middleton and Queen's Park, Heywood.
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Small parks - Hare Hill Park, Littleborough and Hopwood Park, Heywood.
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Pocket park - Norden Jubilee Park, Rochdale.
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Best large tourist attraction - Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough.
North West In Bloom
Disability Confident
Disability Confident is a government scheme designed to encourage employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with health conditions. A self-assessment is undertaken every 2 years to ensure we still meet the criteria and can retain the status.
Internet Crystal Mark 2019
This website achieved the Internet Crystal for the 6th consecutive year which shows our commitment to plain English throughout the website.
2018 awards
North West In Bloom
Months of hard work by volunteers and council staff has been recognised by judges from the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as all 4 areas in our blossoming borough have been awarded medals at the 2018 regional North West in Bloom competition.
- Rochdale in Bloom: gold
- Heywood in Bloom: gold
- Pennines in Bloom: gold
- Middleton in Bloom: silver-gilt
North West In Bloom
Britain in Bloom Awards
We've scooped a top award at the biggest and most prestigious horticultural competition in the country, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom.
We were a first time entrant into the national award and we celebrate a Gold award in the 'small city' category with our partners Rochdale in Bloom.
The RHS judges were impressed with our stunning displays which were inspired by the First World War, to mark its centenary and honour the 16 million people who died.
Norden Jubilee Park also received a national Certificate of Distinction.
Green Flag Awards
As well as the 8 parks and green spaces in the borough that retained their Green Flag Award status, Denehurst Park and Middleton Memorial Gardens were also recognised by the scheme in 2018 as some of the very best in the world. This means that the borough of Rochdale now has 10 award-winning parks for the first time in its history.
The Green Flag Award is a sign that the park meets the highest possible environmental standards, is fully accessible, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.
The MJ Achievement Award 2018 for Digital Transformation
We've won the Digital Transformation award at The MJ Local Government Achievement Awards. The MJ believes that the best local government services and personnel should be recognised. It's one of the major events within the public sector calendar. The award recognises our use of technology in maintaining quality services at a time of higher public expectations and acknowledges the effort by teams across the council.
Socitm Better Connected 2017-18
Council websites get independently rated on aspects such as ease of completing tasks, site navigation and accessibility every year. In June 2018, this website was again awarded a maximum 4-star rating by Better Connected. It is one of only 42 4-star subscribing council websites in the country and well within the top 10% of highest performing council websites in the country.
Internet Crystal Mark 2018
This website achieved the Internet Crystal Mark which shows our commitment to plain English throughout the website.
GeoPlace Exemplar Awards 2018
We have been recognised and awarded a Gold Achievement for Street Data by GeoPlace, a partnership between the Local Government Association and the Ordnance Survey. The Gold Award recognises the high quality of the street data that we have submitted to them over the past year. This data is used by a number of service providers to deliver services to the public.
2017 awards
North West In Bloom
We and our partner organisations celebrate massive North West In Bloom successes in 2017.
UK Heart Safe Awards
The Heart Safe Awards are the UK’s leading national awards competition to celebrate organisations and employers who invest in creating Heart Safe environments as well as the acts of individuals who have saved lives while at work or leisure.
The council was awarded ‘Public Sector Organisation of the Year’ for the
#RochDefibs project (in partnership with North West Ambulance Service). Judges were impressed by the number of defibrillators the project has installed in the borough and the successful social media campaign.
Green Flag Awards
8 of our parks and green spaces have won Green Flag Award status this year: Hare Hill Park, Littleborough, Hopwood Park, Heywood, Jubilee Park, Middleton, Middleton (Boarshaw) Cemetery, Milnrow Memorial Park, Queen's Park, Heywood, Rochdale Memorial Gardens and Truffet Park, Middleton.
Socitm Better Connected 2016-17
Council websites get independently rated every year. This website was awarded a maximum four-star rating by Better Connected, identified as one of only 35 4-star subscribing council websites in the country and well within the top 10% of highest performing council websites in the country.
Internet Crystal Mark 2017
This website achieved the Internet Crystal Mark which shows our commitment to plain English throughout the website.
Cleaning Team of the Year Awards
Our team collected the award for the Best Public Sector Cleaning Team in the UK at the Cleaning Team of the Year 2017 Awards, sponsored by the Association of Building Cleaning Direct Service Providers (ABCD) and Denis Rawlins.
Local Government Chronicle Health and social care award
Rochdale’s intermediate tier service reduced the number of emergency hospital admissions and helped keep people independent. It's delivered by a partnership between the NHS, Rochdale council, the third sector and carers, and supports about 2,000 people per year.
2016 awards
Supplier Excellence Award
The Digital Services Team won the Supplier Excellence Award that recognises outstanding performance for working with a supplier and celebrates innovation, collaboration, efficiency and going the extra mile.
White Ribbon Status
White Ribbon Campaign UK is part of a global movement to put a stop to male violence against women and girls.
We are committed to support the aims of the White Ribbon Campaign: Never to commit, condone, or remain silent about violence against women.
North West In Bloom
We and our partner organisations celebrate massive North West In Bloom successes in 2016, with Gold Medals for Heywood in Bloom and Rochdale in Bloom.
This beats the Silver Gilt medals of previous years and shows we are improving our local environment with the support of many partner organisations.
Local Authority Recycling Advisory Committee
We won Best Communications Campaign of the year for our Recycling Saves Money campaign and were runners up in the Team of the Year, for our team of Recycling and Participation Officers and Recycling Officer of the Year.
Reading Ahead
The Library service has won a silver award for successfully supporting over 100 people to complete The Reading Agency’s Reading Ahead challenge.
MRW National Recycling Awards
2 awards. Food Waste Initiative Award for innovation and creativity in tackling food waste. Communications Award for taking a fresh approach to delivering key communication initiatives.
Green Flag Awards
6 of our parks and green spaces have won Green Flag Award status this year: Truffet Park in Middleton, Middleton (Boarshaw) Cemetery, Queen's Park in Heywood, Rochdale Town centre parks (incorporating Broadfield Park, Packer Spout and St Chad's Gardens and Rochdale Memorial Gardens), Milnrow Memorial Gardens and Hare Hill Park in Littleborough.
Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment
The Royal Town Planning Institute Awards for Planning Excellence, highlight exceptional examples of planning and celebrate the contribution that planners and planning make to society.
Resilience Award winner
We won the Resilience Award at the 2016 Alarm Risks Awards ceremony in Manchester, held to recognise the excellent work of risk and insurance professionals throughout public and community services across the country.
Lead Association for Catering in Education awards
Shirley Murphy, Assistant Catering Manager at Rochdale Borough Council won two bronze awards at the Lead Association for Catering in Education (LACA) Awards in Birmingham in July 2016.
Best Council 2016
This website picked up best local authority website in the country in the 'Search, navigation and A-Z' category at the Better Connected Live 2016 awards.
Socitm Better Connected 2016
This website was awarded a maximum 4-star rating at the Better Connected ceremony in Birmingham in May 2016. Rochdale was one of only 13 councils in the UK to maintain its 4-star rating from 2015.
Internet Crystal Mark 2016
This website achieved the Internet Crystal Mark which shows our commitment to plain English throughout the website.
2015 awards
Cardiac Smart Gold Award 2015
The Cardiac Smart award recognises those who are dedicated to raising awareness of heart health, basic life support and defibrillators. The public health team had to fulfil a series of criteria to gain its gold award, including ensuring all staff were trained in CPR and defibrillator use, and installing 2 defibrillators at Number One Riverside, Rochdale.
Green Flag Awards
8 of our parks have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag status by the Keep Britain Tidy group. Queen’s Park in Heywood, Middleton (Boarshaw) Cemetery and Crematorium, Truffet Park in Middleton, Milnrow Memorial Park, Hare Hill Park in Littleborough and Rochdale Town Centre Parks (Broadfield Park, Packer Spout Garden and Rochdale Memorial Gardens).
The Nudge Awards 2015
The Nudge Awards (or ‘Nudgeys’) set a gold standard for work in the behavioural science community. Rochdale Borough Council has been awarded a 2015 Nudge Award for the 'Get Moneysmart' campaign in association with
ICE Creates Ltd
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2015
The Certificate of Excellence award is given to outstanding hospitality businesses that have received praise and recognition in reviews by TripAdvisor travellers. We are proud Rochdale Town Hall has won this award for the second consecutive year.
SOCITM Better Connected 2015
Rochdale Borough Council has been awarded 4 out of 4 stars for the quality and performance of our website for the 3rd consecutive year. SOCITM review public sector websites in the UK across a variety of categories: desktop and mobile usability, ease of access to services and online transactions and quality of information. We are now the only council in Greater Manchester to receive this 4-star rating.
Plain English Campaign 2015
Our website has reached the Internet Crystal Mark standard for the 2nd consecutive year. In undertaking the initial review The Plain English Campaign examined the language, accessibility, navigation, design and layout of the site.
The Reading Agency Six Book Challenge
The Library service won a bronze award for successfully supporting 78 people to complete The Reading Agency Six Book Challenge.
2014 awards
TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence 2014
The Certificate of Excellence award is given to outstanding hospitality businesses that have received praise and recognition in reviews by TripAdvisor travellers.We are proud Rochdale Town Hall has won this award.
British Council for Offices National Awards
National winner, best of the best and the best corporate workplace in the country. The BCO described the building as ‘a true success, meeting an exacting brief for a great looking and energy efficient building.’
British Council for Offices Awards
North West winner, Number One Riverside. The awards recognise top quality design and functionality and are a benchmark for excellence in workplaces. The award is another seal of approval for the council building.
Civic Trust Awards 2014
Commendation for Number One Riverside.
SOCITM Better Connected 2014
Our website has again been singled out for special praise in a UK-wide review of local authority and public sector websites, rated 4 out of 4 stars, mobile responsive and 'outstanding'.
English Heritage
2 more structures in the borough have been handed prestigious Listed status.
MRW National Recycling Awards
Local Authority Innovation for the Right Stuff Right Bin campaign.
Green Flag Awards
8 of our parks have been awarded the prestigious Green Flag status by the Keep Britain Tidy group.
RIBA North West Regional Award
Number One Riverside, The Royal Institute of British Architects North West Regional Award.
RICS North West Awards - Building Through Innovation
Number One Riverside, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, North West Awards - Building Through Innovation.
The Reading Agency Six Book Challenge
The Library service won a bronze award for successfully supporting over 50 people to complete The Reading Agency Six Book Challenge.
Plain English Campaign 2014
Our website reached the Internet Crystal Mark standard. In undertaking the review The Plain English Campaign examined the language, accessibility, navigation, design and layout of the site.
Greater Manchester Police
Community Services Consequence Management Team, were awarded the Greater Manchester Police Divisional Award, for the work done in partnership with the Police at the funeral of Fusilier Lee Rigby.
Kashmir Youth Project
(KYP)
Community Services Cohesion Hub, won the Special Award for their work following the death and during the funeral of Fusilier Lee Rigby.
2013 awards
Mixology Interior Design Awards
Winner 2013 Public Sector Project of the Year for Number One Riverside.
Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Award
Number One Riverside, winner Building of the Year 2013.
Concrete Society
Number One Riverside, mixed use building winner.
Local Authority Building Control (North West)
Number One Riverside. Highly commended, Best Public Service Building.
North West In Bloom Awards
North West in Bloom is the voluntary regional organisation that runs the competition in Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside. In 2013, In Bloom silver gilt medals were won in Heywood, Pennines and Rochdale.