Quality Parish and Town Council Scheme

The Quality Parish and Town Council Scheme was launched in June 2003, following the publication of the governments Rural White Paper, 2000. The scheme was designed to provide a benchmark minimum standards for parish and town councils and enable them to better represent the communities they serve. The scheme also aims to give enhance relationships between local councils, principal authorities and community and voluntary sector organisations.

Achieving quality parish status demonstrates that a council has met certain minimum standards expected from an effective, representative and active parish or town council.
In order to achieve Quality status, parish and town councils must demonstrate that they have reached the standard required by passing several tests. These tests as summarised below;

• Electoral Mandate
• Qualifications of the Clerk
• Council Meetings
• Communications
• Annual Report
• Accounts and
• Code of Conduct

The tests exceed the statutory duties of parish and town councils and represent the standards that an efficient , well run parish council should achieve. (Further details of the Test Criteria can be found in the Guidance ‘The Quality Scheme Explained’ which can be downloaded from NALC.)

The scheme is voluntary and is open to all parish and town councils in England. For more information please contact our County Officer on: countyofficer@herts-aptc.gov.uk