Congratulations Cllr Paul Hayward, the Axminster councillor awarded recognition for his community work:
AN Axminster Councillor has been recognised nationally for his “exceptional contributions to the local community” through the LGA Independent Group’s, “prestigious” Clarence Barrett Award.
Paul Hayward’s service to the community spans more than a decade. He was elected to the Town Council in 2011, becoming the Town Mayor between 2016 and 2017...
In 2023, he was re-elected to EDDC, but this time, to represent Axminster alongside Independent Councillors Sarah Jackson and Simon Smith.
At East Devon District Council, Cllr Hayward holds the position of Deputy Leader and Cabinet member responsible for the Economy and Assets Portfolio.
A spokesperson said: “His ongoing work with East Devon’s business sector has been instrumental in helping local enterprises access vital support, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, where he chaired the funding panel at EDDC to distribute more than £13m in government support grants to help businesses recover.”
Beyond his formal duties, Paul has been involved in and supported numerous local community-led initiatives and charities.
The Clarence Barrett Award from the Local Government Association is quite something:
The Clarence Barrett Award is our highest award presented to LGA Independent Group Members. The Award recognises those councillors who go above and beyond in their work to contribute something significant to local government and residents.
As his former colleagues at Axminster say:
Axminster Town Council was delighted to learn that East Devon Paul Hayward – District Councillor for Axminster has been awarded one of the two 2025 Annual Local Government Association Citations for the Clarence Barrett Award. Paul was awarded Independent Councillor of the Year for his outstanding achievement within the local community.
Congratulations Cllr Hayward
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