THE planning team from North Wiltshire District Council has won a top professional award only a year after the service was condemned as one of the worst in the country.

Weekly trade journal the Local Government Chronicle gave the planners its Management Team of the Year Award.

The North Wiltshire team beat off stiff competition from Birmingham City Council, Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Liverpool City Council and Torfaen County Borough Council.

The Management Team of the Year Award recognises ongoing improvement in teams and the impact that they have on results that their employer delivers.

A year ago North Wiltshire's planning service, which covers Wootton Bassett and Cricklade, was ranked eighth worst in the country, but is now ranked as one of the best.

The authority says the turnaround is due to a new management team, a radical culture change and a team approach to improvement and achievement.