Council gains quality status
THE gaining of Quality Town Council status could see more devolution to the lower level of local government. This is the hope of Garrick Stevens, chairman of the Herts Association of Town and Parish Councils. Speaking during the presentation of quality co
THE gaining of Quality Town Council status could see more devolution to the lower level of local government.
This is the hope of Garrick Stevens, chairman of the Herts Association of Town and Parish Councils.
Speaking during the presentation of quality council status to Royston Town Council, Mr Stevens said he hoped that a group of quality status councils could be set up.
This, he said, would then lobby for the devolution of responsible down to the town council level of local government.
Cllr Lindsay Davidson, who led a working party on quality status, said the town council could be "proud" of its achievement.
She said earlier that she hoped that the town council would be seen on a "higher level" than in the past.
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There was the hope, she said, that North Herts District Council would "engage" in a different way.
The town council is one of 515 out of the 12,000 town and parish councils in the country that has achieved quality status.
It is the fifth council in Herts to gain quality status and the first in North Herts to be recognised with the award.
Speaking last month when the town council was told it had achieved quality status, town clerk Susan Thornton-Bjork said: "Achieving quality status demonstrates that a council has met certain minimum standards.
"The town council has demonstrated that it is an active, professional and competent body," she said.
Mrs Thornton-Bjork added that the quality status recognition would mean that the town council would be seen as "having greater credibility in the eyes of the local community".
In presenting the town council will the award, Derek Farquharson, chairman of the Herts Quality Status Accreditation Panel, said its submission had been "an excellent application".
He said: "You must all be proud and we as a panel were delighted to give approval.
