Quality Status

The Quality Parish and Town Council scheme was launched in June 2003, following the publication of the Government's Rural White Paper. The scheme is designed to provide benchmark minimum standards for Parish and Town councils to enable them to better represent the communities they serve. The scheme also aims to enhance relationships between local councils, principal authorities and community and voluntary sector organisations.

In order to achieve Quality Status Parish and Town councils must demonstrate that they have reached the standard required by passing several tests including;

• Electoral mandate
• A qualified clerk
• Council meetings
• Communications
• Annual report
• Accounts
• Code of conduct
  

As of 27 June 2008 the Scheme is changing to better reflect the increased professionalism of councils. There are now three tests and there are also a number of amendments to some of the existing tests:-

Changes to the Scheme, in addition to the three new tests, are as follows:

• Electoral mandate test - Councils will be required to show that at least two-thirds of councillors were elected. 'Elected' can mean either at a contested or uncontested election. However, they must have stood.
• Council meetings test - Councils will be required to publish draft minutes of meetings within two months of it taking place and make them available for inspection by any elector in the parish. This is in place of publishing agreed minutes.
• Communications and Community Engagement test (Mandatory):
  • Councils will be required to have a website which provides a list of council members and officers, details of how they can be contacted and which also provides access to the annual report.
  • Councils will also be required to have an email address that is publicly available.
  • Councils now have the option of either producing their own newsletter or contributing to a community newsletter. The information that is required to be included in the newsletter has not changed nor has the requirement that the newsletter is made readily available at public sites.
• Communications and Community Engagement test (Discretionary) - Two new options have been added;
  • A Community Engagement strategy has been formulated; and
  • Councils provide a regular weblog on their website about council activity or encourage the community to talk to them through an online forum or through surveys on the website.
• Code of Conduct test - Councils will be required to have formally adopted Section 12 (2) of the Code of Conduct which concerns the prejudicial interests of councillors and public participation.
• New test - Promoting Local Democracy and Citizenship test - Councils will be required to demonstrate that they work proactively to support local democracy and citizenship. A specific guidance note is available showing the kinds of activities you may wish to consider. However, the note is intended to be illustrative only and we would encourage councils to be innovative.
• New test - Terms and Conditions - Councils with a paid clerk will be required to provide evidence that they have adopted (as a minimum) the NALC/SLCC Terms and Conditions agreement and provide evidence in the form of a statement that they have issued all paid members of staff with a contract of employment.
• New test - Training - Councils will be required to provide a training 'Statement of Intent' which shows that the council has identified key areas of training need for both staff and members.

The tests exceed the statutory duties of Parish and Town councils and represent the standards that an efficient, well run Parish Council should achieve.

RMBC is committed to supporting Parish and Town Councils reaching Quality Status through support sessions facilitated by the Yorkshire Local Councils Association. Rotherham currently has three Quality Parish Councils:-

• Anston Parish Council
• Aston cum Aughton  
• Whiston Parish Council

  Please click here to find out more about Quality Status (263kb)