A COUNCIL boss has won a top Asian award for helping to improve the community.

Basildon Council chief executive Bala Mahendran has been named as winner of the Asian Achievers Gold Award for Uniformed and Civil Services.

Mr Mahendran, 53, saw off competition from hundreds of entries across the country, after being picked by a judging panel that included England cricketer Mark Ramprakash.

He was chosen for his leadership of the council and for helping to reduce local crime through his work on the Local Strategic Partnership, which teams the council up with police and other groups. The prize marked a high point in a long journey for Mr Mahendran, who first left Sri Lanka for Britain 35 years ago, aged 18, and fell into public sector work by accident.

When he arrived he trained as a mechanical engineer, but he lost part of his right hand in an industrial accident 27 years ago, which forced him to change career.

His first council job was as a housing development officer in Lambeth and his career soon grew.

Mr Mahendran joined Basildon Council in 2001 as the district’s chief housing and personal services officer, later becoming its chief executive in 2005.

He explained some of the projects he was most proud of in his time.

He said: “Crime has reduced by 37 per cent, the Sporting Village is currently being built and there are regeneration proposals which are going to be discussed in two days time.

“All the while we have been improving the bread-and-butter services.

“I have really enjoyed the job. It is quite demanding, but I feel it’s a great privilege to be in a job in Basildon.”

As well as his work on the council, Mr Mahendran travelled to Sri Lanka in the wake of the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami, to his native area of Tamil Mullaitivu, which had lost 300 fishing boats.

Mr Mahendran said he was looking forward to helping the council with regeneration programmes, including Basildon town centre’s £1billion masterplan in the years to come.

He praised council staff for helping to make the district a better place.