Dudley Council has been shortlisted for two awards in the 2023 Land Data Awards for Excellence.

The authority’s Local Land Charges team has made the shortlist for the Customer Satisfaction Award and the Best Migrated Local Authority in the specialist awards.

The Dudley Council team manages thousands of land and property searches each year and is an essential part of the home buying and selling process for residents. The Customer Satisfaction award covers local authorities in England and Wales and is voted on by conveyancers and solicitors who are asked to describe how their LLC team goes above and beyond to turn around searches quickly, efficiently, accurately with a great attitude and providing excellent value for money.

The Best Migrated Local Authority award is supported by HM Land Registry and covers local authorities in England and Wales who have already migrated their LLC data to HM Land Registry’s central register: a major programme to modernise the local land charges sector and create greater efficiencies, leading to swifter, smoother house purchases.

The team at Dudley remains responsible for ongoing management of new data onto the register, ensuring the most accurate information available is accessible to conveyancers and home buyers. Councillor Steve Clarke, cabinet member for finance, legal and procurement, said:

"Dudley Council continues to operate a very efficient Local Land Charges service and we are pleased to have been shortlisted for these awards. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the officers who continue to go above and beyond in providing this important function for the council."

Other award categories include Best Performing Local Land Charges Department, the Local Authority Searches Team of the Year, Best Newcomer, and the Unsung Hero Award.

Since their launch in 2008, the annual Local Land Charges Awards for Excellence remain the only national awards celebrating the achievements and successes of local authority local land charges departments across England and Wales.

The winners of the awards will be announced on 28 March 2023.