Kent leads the way for its work on the Olympic and Paralympic Games!

Tessa Jowell, Olympics Minister, awarded Kent County Council its first ever Beacon for its work on the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. KCC achieved the top score of ‘Outstanding’ and was one of only five local authorities in the UK to be recognised by the Government for its work relating to the London 2012 Games.

Managed by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA), the Beacon award celebrates excellence and innovation in local government.

Kent County Council as a whole is now able to use its Beacon status to demonstrate its ability across a range of areas including sport, the arts, business, volunteering, regeneration, schools and young people to use 2012 as a catalyst for long-term benefits.

Kent’s Beacon bid focused on how we are using ‘2012’ to increase participation in sport and physical activity, regenerate communities, and increase participation in cultural and volunteering activity.

Through achieving this status, KCC has the responsibility and opportunities to promote its work nationally and to learn from other organisations, enabling it to engage communities further to take advantage of the 2012 Games.

For more information on Kent’s Beacon’s Status and how best practice surrounding the 2012 Games is going to be disseminated contact Stephanie.holt@kent.gov.uk.