A SPECIAL kind of driving licence has helped a Teesside council pick up a top national award.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council devised a new road safety policy, including an innovative internal driving licence, and has now been awarded an Alarm 2000 award from the Association of Local Authority Risk Managers.

Kevin McGlone, chairman of Alarm, explained: "The award scheme raises the profile of the profession and highlights that good risk management can radically benefit the financial bottom line."

Ray Richardson, chairman of the council's risk management working party, said the internal driving licence meant the council could ensure the right people were driving the right vehicle and those people had received sufficient training and subsequent refresher courses as a way of preventing accidents.

In the first year of the scheme, costs in Redcar and Cleveland went down by almost £25,000, through a training programme being created to improve driving standards and the publication of a manual to raise awareness of accidents, damage and losses.

Mr Richardson said he was delighted to receive the award and the national recognition it brings.

"Our initiative has been the culmination of a lot of hard work within the council and is one of the many risk management initiatives we have undertaken."