Quality Standard for Parish Council

Foundation-Quality-StandardQuality Standard for Parish Council

The Essex & National Association of Local Councils (EALC & NALC) have recently accredited West Bergholt Parish Council as one of the first to be awarded their Foundation Quality Standard under a pilot scheme which is being launched formally on 6th January 2015.  The new Local Council Award Scheme has been designed to celebrate the successes of the very best local councils, and to provide a framework to support all local councils to improve and develop to meet their full potential.  The scheme offers councils the opportunity to show that they meet the standards set by the sector, assessed by their peers, and to put in place the conditions for continued improvement.

The Award Scheme has been designed to provide the tools and encouragement to those councils at the beginning of their improvement journeys, as well as promoting and recognising councils that are at the cutting edge of the sector.  It is only through the sector working together, to share best practice, drive up standards and supporting those who are committed to improving their offer to their communities that individual councils and the sector as a whole will reach its full potential.

Commenting on the West Bergholt application the judging panel said:

Panel Members agreed that this was a good application and the Council had provided excellent information on its web site.  The web site was well organised and easy to navigate.
The Bulletin was excellent giving up to date information.
The Panel unanimously agreed that Foundation Level of the Standards of Practice Scheme were met.
The Quality Standard will also have 2 further levels of accreditation, including a ‘Gold’ level, when launched but this was not a part of the pilot scheme that West Bergholt participated in; the Chair of the Parish Council, John Gili-Ross, in response to the award notification, said:
Achieving the foundation level is very satisfying from a Councillors perspective but our community deserves a “Gold Quality” Council and it is our objective to give them one in 2015.
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