Local Council Award Scheme
We know that local councils are at the very heart of their communities; giving neighbourhoods a voice and making people more involved in the decisions that affect them. Over 15 million people (35% of the population) live in the communities served by local councils. Local councils want to serve their communities as best they can and make a real difference to the lives of the people that live there.
The new Local Council Award Scheme has been designed to celebrate the successes of the very best local councils, and to provide a framework to support all local councils to improve and develop to meet their full potential. The scheme offers councils the opportunity to show that they meet the standards set by the sector, assessed by their peers, and to put in place the conditions for continued improvement.
The Award Scheme has been designed to provide the tools and encouragement to those councils at the beginning of their improvement journeys, as well as promoting and recognising councils that are at the cutting edge of the sector. It is only through the sector working together, to share best practice, drive up standards and supporting those who are committed to improving their offer to their communities that individual councils and the sector as a whole will reach its full potential.
Which award level should we apply for?
Foundation
The Foundation award is for councils who want to show they meet a set of minimum standards to deliver effectively for their communities. To meet this award the council demonstrates that it has the required documentation and information in place for operating lawfully and according to standard practice. The council also has policies for training for its councillors and officers and so has the foundations for improvement and development in place.
The Foundation award allows you to benchmark your performance as well as challenging you to consider your councils continuing development and improvement.
Quality
The Quality Award demonstrates that a council achieves good practice in governance, community engagement and council improvement. Quality councils go above and beyond their legal obligations, leading their communities and continuously seeking opportunities to improve and develop even further.
To achieve the Quality Award a council demonstrates that it meets all requirements of the Foundation Award and has additional evidence of good governance, effective community engagement and council improvement. Due to the level of this achievement, a council with a Quality Award is eligible to use the general power of competence.
Quality Gold
The Quality Gold Award demonstrates that a council is at the forefront of best practice and achieves excellence in governance, community leadership and council development. Quality Gold councils provide leadership for their communities, bring people together, have excellent business planning processes, ensuring value for money as well as constantly seeking new innovations and opportunities to improve. They highlight the very best we, as a sector, can achieve for our communities.
Local councils receive their certificates recognising hard work, creativity and good practice.
Well done to all at Thetford Town Council for this achievement. We are really impressed by all the work that has been done to reach the 'Gold' standard for town and parish councils. Thetford provides an excellent example of how a Town Council can contribute positively to the well-being of their local and the wider community. It also reflects well on the work of local councils across Norfolk when this sort of national recognition occurs.
Russell Reeve, County Officer
We are pleased to congratulate Winterton-on-Sea Parish Council on receiving their LCAS Quality Level Award! Well done to their Parish Clerk, Catherine Moore and all the Councillors on their well-deserved success.
Congratulations to South Wootton Parish Council on achieving Quality status in the Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS). Recognising quality is vital in the parish and town council sector.
Rackheath Parish Council has recently both achieved getting a Quality Status Award in the Local Council Award Scheme and adoption of the Rackheath Neighbourhood Plan.
Presenting their LCAS Award, Phil Harris, NALC Deputy Chairman, congratulated the Parish Council and said, "The Award is evidence of the council's commitment to ongoing improvement and development and good governance and good practice in managing the business and finances of the councils and its service to the community. The Panel were particularly impressed with your high levels of community engagement using a range of media; from a detailed website through to your recent Neighbourhood Plan". Chairman, Emma Whymark responded, "This is a significant achievement for the Parish Council members and the Parish Clerk, who have all worked hard to gain this award. We are particularly pleased with the acknowledgement of our high level of community engagement and we will strive to improve further. The Parish Council now has a firm base of good governance to face the challenges that will affect Rackheath in the future' So well done to Diana and all the RPC team/councillors!