Quality
parish information
Ravenstonedale got "the Badge" on 22nd November 2005. At that time it was one of only 230 out of the 8500 parish & town councils nationally (and only four of 236 in Cumbria) to have qualified. Orton received Quality status on 20th December 2005, bringing the total of Quality Councils in Cumbria to five. Orton Parish Council and Ravenstonedale PC share the same clerk – Chris Elphick. This is our first instance of a double accreditation to two councils sharing one clerk in the same county.
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| Melvyn Redger, president of CALC, presents quality status certificates to David Smith, of Orton Parish Council, and to John Bull, chairman of Ravenstonedale Parish Council. The presentations were made at the Roundthorn Country House Hotel. |
The Quality Parish and Town Council scheme was launched in June
2003, following the publication of the governments Rural
White Paper, 2000. The scheme was designed to provide a benchmark
minimum standards for parish and town councils and enable them to
better represent the communities they serve. The scheme also aims
to give enhance relationships between local councils, principal
authorities and community and voluntary sector organisations.
In order to achieve Quality status, parish and town councils must
demonstrate that they have reached the standard required by passing
several tests. These tests as summarised below;
• Electoral Mandate • Qualifications of the Clerk •
Council Meetings • Communications • Annual Report •
Accounts
• Code of Conduct
The tests exceed the statutory duties of parish and town councils
and represent the standards that an efficient, well run parish council
should achieve.
The Benefits of Quality Status
Quality parish and town councils are not only in a position to show
their local communities that they are performing above national
minimum standards but they are 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.
Who benefits?
The benefits of this scheme affect three groups:
1. the community
2. the parish or town council itself
3. the principal local authority
1) Community benefits:
• local people will know that the council will be well led
and is accountable, visible and representative
• more responsive services - the Quality council will be capable
of solving local problems with greater authority and have real ownership
and control over services and decisions that effects local lives
• real contact and discussions with their Quality council
• a local access point providing information on services
2) Benefits to 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
• it will achieve more by working in partnership with other
organisations
• able to demonstrate that it is effectively and properly
managed which will install greater confidence in the community
• delivery of more local services - if the council wishes
to
• greater involvement by the voluntary and community sector
and principal local authorities, e.g. developing parish 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)
• Possible more powers and funding in the future.
3) Principal Authority benefits
• reassurance that the Quality council has been independently
assessed and is therefore capable of working with the principal
authority and can 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 therefore capable of taking on and sustaining
an enhanced role
Reproduced from the Cumberland & Westmorland
Herald 17th December 2005...
Three parish councils in Cumbria have been awarded 'Quality' status
under a national scheme from DEFRA and the Office of the Deputy
Prime Minister.
The councils - Ravenstonedale, in Eden; Arnside, in South Lakeland;
and Lamplugh, in Copeland - all had to demonstrate that they were
representative of their community, good at communicating with them
and open, as well as transparent and efficient in the way they conduct
their business.
They now join Keswick Town Council as the four Quality councils in the county.
Tom mcMullen, the Quality Parish co-ordinator for Cumbria said "I congratulate the parish councils on their success. All had to pass seven stringent tests of their effectiveness, and this then had to be proved by submission of evidence.
"All the councils are relatively small but were not afraid to test themselves against national criteria and were willing to go the extra mile on behalf of their communities. They justly deserve the accolade and should be proud of their achievemets."