Quality status
Who benefits from Quality Status? The benefits of this scheme affect three groups:
1) The community
- More responsive services - the Quality council will be capable of solving local problems without recourse to the principal authority
- Real contact and discussions with its Quality council
- A local access point providing information on services
- A council which is more accountable, visible, representative and provides community leadership
2) The parish or town council itself
- Greater credibility in the eyes of the local community, voluntary and private sectors, and principal local authorities
- Greater civic pride
- More representative of the local community
- Better ability to articulate the needs and wishes of the local community
- More will be achieved by working in partnership with other organisations
- Ability to demonstrate that it is effectively and properly managed, which will instill greater confidence in the community
- Can deliver more local services - if the council wishes to
- Greater involvement by the voluntary and community sector and by principal Local authorities (e.g. developing community led plans, market town health checks etc.)
- A better informed community
- A well trained clerk, through the Certificate in Local Council Administration (or University of Gloucestershire qualification in Local Policy)
3) The principal local authority
- Reassurance that the Quality council has been independently assessed and is therefore capable of working together with the principal authority to deliver services on their behalf or in partnership
- Reliable evidence of the competence of the Quality council, through the four year re-assessment process
- Proof that the Quality council is willing and able to be fully involved in local issues (this will be particularly valuable when implementing new initiatives)
- Stronger partnership working, with the town or parish council bringing their local perspective and experience to the table. Quality councils should be more innovative and pro-active, and will want to share their ideas and experiences
- Increased confidence that the Quality council is representative, competent, well managed, and thus capable of taking on and sustaining an enhanced role
What are Quality Parish or Town Councils expected to do?
- Be representative of and actively involve all parts of their community
- Be effectively and properly managed, with members and officers upholding a high standard of conduct
- Work closely with voluntary and community sector groups, and articulate the community needs and wishes through effective communications, which might include the production of parish plans or other similar documents and work in partnership with other local authorities and agencies and, depending on their size, be able to deliver local services which give the best deal for the local community
- In addition to being able to demonstrate to local communities that minimum standards have been met, Quality councils will also be in a better position to influence the decision making process and/or take on additional services and areas of responsibility from their principal local authorities.
Further Information
Should you require further information on Quality Status click here to access The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) website.