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An Overview

What is a Quality Parish Council?

The Government’s vision of a Quality parish council is one which:

is representative of, and actively engages, all parts of its community, providing vision, identity and a sense of belonging;

is effectively and properly managed;

articulates the needs and wishes of its community;

is committed to work in partnership with principal authorities and other public service agencies;

in proportion to size and skills, delivers local services on behalf of principal authorities when this represents the best deal for the local community;

works closely with voluntary groups in its community;

gives leadership to work by the community on town or village plans; and

working with its partners, acts as an information point for local services.

The Quality Criteria

In order to attain Quality Parish Status, a parish council must demonstrate that it has the attributes expected of a Quality Parish Council and has the ability and capacity to take on the enhanced role and responsibility that Quality Status will bring.

Tests have been devised to measure these criteria and cover the following:

  1. Electoral Mandate

  2. Qualifications of the Clerk

  3. Council Meetings

  4. Communication and Community Engagement

  5. Annual Report

  6. Accountability

  7. Code of Conduct  

  8. Promoting Local Democracy and Citizenship

  9. Terms and Conditions

  10. Training

Taken as a whole, the Tests exceed the statutory duties, with which all parish councils should comply as a matter of course, and represent standards which an efficient, well-run parish council that actively engages with and works for its community should achieve.

The Tests are intended to be as straightforward as possible, and to include measures, which will enable all parish councils, irrespective of size, to attain Quality status if they wish. 

The Communications Test allows for the different approaches by giving some flexibility in meeting the Test criteria.

For more information on the detail of the Tests, please look out for the leaflet on ‘The Quality Tests’.

The Benefits of the Quality Scheme

Quality Parish Councils will play an enhanced role in their communities and in partnership with principal authorities...

as an integral part of all relevant consultation and co-ordination arrangements set up by principal authorities and other service providers on how services are delivered in the parish council area;

in the management and delivery of services which parish councils may carry out either on behalf of the principal authority, or by using their existing powers; and

working with partners on the provision of access points to information on services of principal authorities and other service providers.

This enhanced role will be achieved by parish councils’ negotiating Charters with principal authorities.  The ‘Cheshire Charter’ has been out for consultation with the Cheshire Parishes and now awaits the responses from the County and District Councils.  The Charter is in two parts, the first part concerns all parish councils and the second applies to Parish councils that have attained Quality Parish Status and sets out the enhanced role that such councils will play. 

The Accreditation Process

 Applications for Quality Parish Status are scrutinised by the County Accreditation Panel serviced by the Cheshire Association of Town and Parish Councils.  Representation on the Panel includes the County Council, the SLCC and the Cheshire Association of Town and Parish Councils and is chaired by an independent Chairman.  The Panel has been approved by the ODPM and DeFRA. 

Where the Panel declines to confer Quality Parish Status, the council will be told why, and the Panel will indicate the specific improvements that are expected and a date after which it will be possible to apply again for Quality Parish Status.

Successful parish councils will receive a certificate confirming their Quality Parish Status for 4 years and will be able to use the Quality Parish Council logo during this period.  Parish councils will be required to re-apply every 4 years to keep their Quality Parish Status.

The fee for accreditation is dependent on expenditure of your council as follows:

Expenditure of Local Council Application fee (including VAT)
Under £ 50,000 £ 58.75
£ 50,000 - £ 100,000 £ 117.50
Over £ 100,000 £ 235.00

 

 

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