A SOUTH Lakeland councillor has been shortlisted for a national award that recognises his hard work and commitment to the role.

Cllr Chris Hogg, who sits on Kendal Town Council, is up for the 2016 C'llr Achievement Awards for Parish Councillor of the Year.

With nearly 200 nominations received from across the UK, the competition has been described as 'extremely tight' this year.

Cllr Hogg said it was a 'lovely surprise' to be nominated and then shortlisted for the award.

"It obviously reflects the fantastic work done by the Kendal Organ Donor Town Committee and I'm hugely grateful to them and all who signed up as donors," he said. "It also shows the strength and resilience of Kendal as a community and the remarkable reaction of the public to the December flooding. Everyone really pulled together and I am proud I was small part of that."

Cllr Hogg used his mayoral year to encourage Kendal residents to sign up for organ donation and has continued working to raise awareness since his term finished.

Jonathan Carr-West, chief executive of The Local Government Information Unit, said that the shortlist was 'by far' the best one yet.

He said: "For the past seven years we have been showcasing the incredible work of councillors from across the country. Each year we are blown away by the calibre of entries, and this year is no different."