QUALITY STATUS

‘A COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE FOR YOUR COMMUNITY’ ...........National Association of Local Councils

In August 2009 Brewood and Coven Parish Council was reaccredited as a Quality Council; in 2004 Brewood and Coven was one of the first ‘Quality’ Councils in Staffordshire to achieve Quality status, along with Lichfield City Council, Colwich Parish Council and Eccleshall Parish Council, following the Scheme’s initial launch in March 2003.

The Scheme is supported by six National Stakeholders:

· The Commission for Rural Communities

· The Department for Communities and Local Government

· The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

· The Local Government Association

· The National Association of Local Councils

· The Society of Local Council Clerks

The aim of the Scheme is to provide benchmark minimum standards for parish and town councils. In order to achieve Quality status, councils must demonstrate that they are representative, in touch with their communities, competent, and capable of taking on an enhanced role. To demonstrate the required standard has been reached tests in the following areas must be passed:

• Electoral Mandate
• Qualifications of the clerk
• Council meetings
• Communication and Community Engagement
• Annual Report
• Accounts
• Code of Conduct
• Promoting local democracy and citizenship
• Terms and conditions
• Training

More information is available at: Quality Councils