I AM writing as a Royston town councillor and member of a working party that has been set up to look at how Royston Town Council can apply for Quality Status. I feel that we should explain to the people of Royston just a little more about why we want to d

I AM writing as a Royston town councillor and member of a working party that has been set up to look at how Royston Town Council can apply for Quality Status.

I feel that we should explain to the people of Royston just a little more about why we want to do this and what the benefits will be to them, if we become a Quality Status town council.

First however, I would just like to stress that in seeking to apply for Quality Status in no way implies that the town council in its present state has not been doing an excellent job.

I would like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the commitment, hard work and dedication of previous and current town councillors and council officers.

Without all the standards of excellence that they have already put in place, we would not even be able to contemplate applying for Quality Status.

If we achieve Quality Status, we will be one of only three town and parish councils in Hertfordshire to have this mark of excellence, and the accreditation will demonstrate our ability to deliver efficient local services to residents and speak with greater authority to principal councils.

We will have to prove that we are representative of, and actively involved in, all parts of our community, and that we are effectively and properly managed, with members and officers upholding a high standard of conduct.

This in turn will bring more responsive services - the Quality council will be capable of solving local problems without recourse to the principal authority, our community will have real contact and discussions with us, and we will be more able to provide community leadership, be more visible and accountable and, hopefully, identify the problems and needs of our town through developing a town plan and other areas of community consultation.

We believe passionately that Royston is a Quality town which is growing and changing rapidly, and we want to show that we can provide the visionary leadership that Royston deserves.

Your town council will be rooting for Royston, as it begins the hard work of becoming accredited, but we will need the help and support of all residents if we are going to succeed.

Royston is a town to be proud of. Let us go forward together to make this a place that will shine as a beacon of excellence in the whole county of Hertfordshire.

Cllr LINDSAY DAVISON

Royston Town Council