Local democracy reporters are set to be honoured for their work in a new set of awards to be presented at a conference next month.

The first Local Democracy Reporting Service conference and awards will take place next month, with the hope that as many of the 140-or-so journalists currently employed under the scheme as possible will attend.

Prizes will be given for categories including broadcast or use of multimedia in LDR reporting, impact story of the year for stories which have resulted in local change, use of FoI for an LDR story and a ‘Spotlight’ award for an important story which would have otherwise gone untold.

Scoop of the year, LDR use of social media, and an overall LDR of the year award winners will also be named.

The idea for the awards and conference came from the regional publishers involved in the BBC-funded project, with the BBC providing the venue at its MediaCityUK base, in Salford.

As-yet-unnamed guest speakers will appear, while the conference will serve to allow LDRs to “share information and for the BBC and partners to thank them for their hard work”.

Matthew Barraclough, pictured, editor of the BBC’s Local News Partnerships, said: “This is the first opportunity to gather Local Democracy Reporters from all parts of the UK in one place, and an awards ceremony is the perfect way to celebrate their achievements and focus on the really important journalism they’re producing every day.”

Nominations for the awards close on 25 May, with the conference and awards being held on 25 June.