The team has been commended in the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) awards, with one nomination in the commissioning pioneer category for the team’s work on smoking. The stop smoking service is co-ordinated by the council and operates across the whole of Berkshire.

Since the service’s launch in April 2013, it has consistently achieved some of the best quit success rates in the country and helped more than 8,000 people in the county kick the habit.

The second nomination is for the public health award, which recognises outstanding performance across the wide range of public health work. Particular achievements include the scaling up of key health improvement services such as the health check and weight management programmes, as well as the successful health promotion work such as the “What’s In Your Glass?” alcohol campaign.

In the next stage of the judging process, representatives of the shortlisted councils will present their cases to a panel of experts. The winners of each award will be announced on Wednesday, March 11, at a ceremony at Grosvenor House in London.

Nick Golding, editor for the LGC, said: “To be shortlisted for an LGC Award shows that a council’s work in this particular area really is among the best undertaken by local government across the UK.

“We have had a record number of organisations entering this year’s awards. The competition is stiffer than ever as councils use their innovation to strive to improve services at a time they must cut costs.” Dr Lisa McNally, consultant in public health, said: “Everything we have achieved has depended on the great working relationships we have with our council and NHS colleagues. “Public health is not so much a team of people, but a way of working across the area.” Cllr Dale Birch, executive member for adult services, health and housing, said: “I am delighted that Bracknell Forest’s public health team has been shortlisted for these awards because they are delivering real results. I wish them every success with the presentations to the LGC panel later this month.”