Councils are still occasionally asking the question...

"What is the benefit of Quality Status for our Council?"

Whilst the 400 plus Quality Councils throughout the country (ranging from the smallest 156 elector Parish Council to the largest 70,000 plus elector Town Council) are clearly better at answering this question, there are a number of more obvious benefits that can be outlined here.

Firstly - and above everything else - is the question of credibility.  If you have achieved Quality Status, your electors, your district, unitary or county councils, any partners from private industry, but perhaps most importantly, you as councillors and clerks, will know that you have had to go through an INDEPENDENT assessment of the council.  This assessment will look at the way the council is run, how it engages with its community, how it engages with its partners - both public and private sector and how it controls its finances.

Without the Quality Council accreditation, you may believe that you are a quality council, but you cannot be absolutely certain.

Benefits to your community

Clearly there is no point in any Town or Parish Council doing anything unless there is a benefit to the people who live within its bounds.  For this reason there has been a summary of the benefits published by the National Association of Local Councils in conjunction with some Government Agencies and Departments.  These are as follows: - 

1. The Community will have more responsive services.  In other words, the Quality Council will be capable of solving local problems without recourse to the District, Unitary or County Council.
2. The Community will know that they can have REAL conversations with their Quality Council, as they are known to engage with the public.
3. The Community will have a local access point providing more information on services from the District, Unitary or County Council.
4. The Community will be aware that their Quality Council is more accountable, visible, representative and is their genuine leader.

Benefits to the Town or Parish Council

1. It will have greater credibility in the eyes of the local community, the private sector, UK Government and the District, Unitary or County Council.
2. It will be more representative of the local community.
3. It will be better able to articulate the wishes of the local community.
4. It will achieve more by working in partnership with other organisations.
5. It will be able to demonstrate that it is effectively and properly managed.
6. It will deliver services - if it wishes to.
7. It will enable greater involvement by the Voluntary sector.
8. It will provide more information to the community.

All of this shows that your council and community clearly benefit by having a Quality Town or Parish Council.

[ Home ] [ Up ]