An Overview

What is a Quality Parish Council?

A Quality parish council:

• 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. Communications
    
5. Annual Report
    
6. Accounts
    
7. Code of Conduct.

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.

We have tried to design these Tests 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.

It is also recognised that Parish Councils inevitably carry out their duties and communicate with their electorate in different ways depending on size, resources and circumstances.

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 at '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;
   
• to manage and deliver 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. Charters will be 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. County and District Councils are to be strongly encouraged to enter into agreement with Quality Parish Councils.

The Accreditation Process

• Applications for Quality Parish Status are to be vetted by "Panels" at county level, which will be established by NALC in consultation with stakeholders including LGA and SLCC and approved by ODPM and DEFRA. NALC's County Associations will service the Panels.
   
• ODPM and DEFRA will approve a panel's membership where they are satisfied that the panel will collectively have experience and knowledge of both principal local authorities and parish councils.
   
• Where the Panel decline 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.
   
• A small fee will be charged just to cover the costs of the accreditation process.