LAKES Parish Council has been named as 'council of the week' by the National Association of Local Councils (NALC).

The honour comes from the national body which supports and promotes town and parish councils across the country.

It says Lakes Parish Council, which has 16 councillors, keeps an office open to everyone four days a week in Ambleside.

It also administers '52 square miles of fine countryside serving Ambleside, Grasmere, Rydal and Loughrigg, Troutbeck and the Langdales'.

NALC points out that Lakes Parish Council has undertaken a 'pro-active programme of bus shelter installation' and run a 'high quality public seat replacement programme'.

Three years ago, Lakes Parish Council also stepped into to save seven public toilets throughout its patch which were at risk of closure from South Lakeland District Council.

NALC says: "Working in partnership with the district council four of these toilets were modernised to a high degree and a charging system of 20p put into place.

"Toilet cleaning partnerships were put in place with Langdale Valley Association and a local family in Grasmere.

"To support the running of these toilets, again in partnership with the district council, the parish took over the running of White Platts, a major recreation area in Ambleside, with crazy golf, crown bowling, tennis courts, putting and mini golf.

"The income from this operation has also paid for a partnership with Age UK who run a monthly group in Ambleside for those suffering from dementia and Alzheimers disease."

NALC has also highlighted the council's quarterly newsletter delivered to every home in the parish and its parish plan adopted, among others.

Michael Johnson, clerk to Lakes Parish Council for the last 10 years, commented: "Three years ago, Lakes PC councillors decided to grasp the opportunity to move away from talking and embrace delivering outcomes for people. It has been a great success and congratulations are due to the unpaid and sometimes unseen hard work of many individuals in the Parish. We hope to go on the even better delivery of services in the future."