To ensure that our judges are able to make the most informed decision, the judging process involves three stages.

Stage 1: Long Leeting

COSLA has a team of assessors drawn from across local government for each award category. The teams use a set of criteria to agree a score for each application, and to provide written feedback on strengths and areas for improvement.

A long leet of ten submissions for each category is announced in November each year.

As well as innovative approaches, the assessment teams look for applications that demonstrate evidence of sound approaches and results, and therefore successful applications will need to clearly show how they meet the award criteria.

Stage 2: Short Leeting

Building on the award criteria, short leeted submissions will demonstrate an exceptional approach to delivery and evidence of leading practice within the relevant policy context.

Naturally, they will have achieved impressive impact or potential. The COSLA Judging Panel will consider and refine the long leet, including feedback provided by the assessment teams, to decide on their top three submissions for each category.

The panel receives assistance from experts on each category from within COSLA and other organisations. The short leet is announced in December.

Stage3: Winners

The short leeted organisations will be invited to Edinburgh to present their entry to the judges in face to face presentations in February.  The judging will involve a 10 minute presentation of the project to the judges followed by 20 minutes of questions from the judges. Following the presentations the judges make the final decision.