The Parish Council is pleased to announce that the national Local Council Award Scheme Accreditation Panel has awarded us Quality status. We understand that the panel commended the application generally and made particular reference to the council’s website, our training record and the evidence of consulting the community. The panel also commended the schedule for implementing the recommendations in the Community Plan. It was impressed by the process for reaching the decision to decide whether to have a community plan or a neighbourhood plan and the actual Community Plan which was produced. The panel cited the setting up of the Community Land Trust with the aim of providing affordable housing and the ambition to include some employment units as a great achievement for the council. We are proud to say that the panel generally found the achievements of the council to be excellent, particularly given the size of the council, the clerk’s hours and the level of resources.
We feel that such an award and commendation is not just a recognition of what we have been trying to achieve as a parish council supported by our excellent clerk, but also a tribute to the people within the parish. There is a strong community feeling, a can do attitude and a terrific willingness to volunteer. Attendance at the parish council meetings and annual parish meeting have been impressive and we have welcomed the contributions people have made to the discussions. The 60% response rate to the Community Plan was exceptional and way above the average. The time that people have been willing to put in to making things happen to implement the resulting policies has been amazing, from the community speed watch to improve road safety through to the celebration of Feast Day as well as walks leaflets, finger post restoration, large membership of the community land trust board and the community spring clean.
