GLASGOW City Council has been named one of the top five councils in the UK.

lt is one of five local authorities in the running for the Council of the Year title in the Local Government Chronicle awards.

The city made the shortlist for exceptional leadership in hosting the successful Commonwealth Games and sustaining economic growth.

It is also praised for delivering the first City Deal in Scotland which will see £1.2billion invested in infrastructure projects in and around the Glasgow area.

And judges say despite a difficult economic climate, the city council is investing in local services and transforming Glasgow's reputation.

The city is up against Chelmsford, Cheshire West and Cheshire Council, East Riding of Yorkshire and South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse councils.

The five finalists will now come face to face with expert panels to present their cases.

The winners will be selected at the 2015 awards ceremony at Grosvenor House in London on March 11.

Overall there were 663 entries for this year's awards submitted by a record-breaking 222 organisations.

Each entry showcases local government innovation and recognises the teams and individuals who are adapting their work to deliver public services on smaller budgets.

Nick Golding, editor of the Local Government Chronicle, said: "To be shortlisted for the Local Government Chronicle's Council of the Year Award shows a local authority's overall work really is among the best undertaken by local government across the UK."

City council leader Gordon Matheson said: "To be shortlisted for Council of the Year is a huge honour.

"As with most local authorities we have had to make some tough decisions to help us navigate through challenging financial times while continuing to provide frontline services and in the midst of planning the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"In being shortlisted we've shown we have delivered for our citizens and we eagerly await the outcome in March."