A COUNCIL legal team has secured a national quality award for the fifth year running.

Sedgefield Borough Council's legal team has been awarded Law Society Lexcel Accreditation for the provision of quality legal services.

Each year, the department has had to stand up to rigorous inspections of its practices and procedures to ensure it meets the Law Society's standards for legal work and administration.

Solicitor to the council Dennis Hall said: "Once again, this award is recognition of consistent and sustained effort by the council's legal team who have demonstrated that they meet with regularity the high standards of the Law Society's national quality mark."

Council leader Bob Fleming said: "This achievement speaks for itself and I am particularly aware that Sedgefield Borough Council is the only District Authority in Durham to have retained this national award for five consecutive years."