BASILDON Council’s Housing Choice team became the first in Essex - and the sixth in England - to win a national award for homeless prevention services.

The Gold Standard award from the National Practitioner Support Service (NPSS) follows the team’s Silver Standard accolade received last summer.

Anthony Hedley, councillor responsible for housing and community safety, said: “This is a wonderful achievement. This team does extraordinary work under high pressure to meet the demand for housing services, upholding the council’s commitment to providing quality housing options for Basildon residents.”Mo Slade, Basildon Council’s housing choice manager, dubbed the award an “excellent result.”