Quality Parish Status

For further information, contact www.nalc.gov.uk/Toolkits/Quality_Status.aspx

What is a Quality Parish Council?

Seven steps to quality status 

1. Electoral Mandate
· on first accreditation: 80% filled by members who have at least stood for election (even if there wasn’t one
· on re-accreditation: 100% seats filled as above.

2. Clerk Qualifications: either one of these counts - 
· Certificate in Local Council Administration awarded by Assessment & Qualification Alliance - AQA – details from your County Training Partnership
· Certificate of Higher Education in Local Policy or Local Council Administration awarded by University of Gloucestershire (these two are valid until 2007, when they will be reviewed).

3. Council Meetings
· at least 6 per annum
· Notices publicly displayed at least 3 days before
· Minutes available for inspection by electors
· Time for public participation at each meeting

4. Effective Communication with community.
Publication of regular information, perhaps newsletter at least 4 pa, including
· information on councillors and how they can be contacted, and
· synopsis of Annual Report.
· Information readily available at public sites across the parish.
plus at least 9 discretionary items from a list of 17, including: having parish plan, sending newsletters /annual reports to each household, maintenance of website, email, surgeries and consultation exercises.

5. Publication of Annual Report
· including certain information and in prescribed time-scale and available at sites across the parish.

6. Accountability
· Accounts prepared in accordance with Accounts and Audit Regulations
· Unqualified accounts

7. Ethical Framework
· Adoption of a local Code of Conduct

In Buckinghamshire 16 local councils have attained Quality Council Status: