Burgess Hill Town Council received the award for obtaining Quality Council Status at a special ceremony held at the Mid Sussex District Council Offices in Haywards Heath on Wednesday 14 January 2004. Cuckfield Parish Council, East Grinstead Town Council and Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common Parish Council also received the prestigious award.

Councillor John Merrill (pictured back left) who was Chairman of the Council at this time said "I am proud and delighted to receive this award on behalf of the Town Council.  It underlines the professionalism of our staff in helping to provide the best possible and most cost effective services to the people of our town.  We will continue to develop partnership working."

The concept of Quality Parish Councils was introduced by the Government in the Rural White Paper in 2000 and was officially launched on 1 July 2003. Alun Michael MP, the Minister responsible for Local Government Issues, said of the Scheme that it provides 'confirmation and assurance that those awarded with Quality status are representative, competent, well managed, and able to take an enhanced role".

In order to meet the requirements of The Quality Parish Council Scheme, the Council passed a number of specified Quality Tests.  These included:

• The publication of an Annual Report
  

• The preparation of accounts in line with Accounts and Audit Regulations
  

• Effective communication with the production of the About Town magazine, weekly information on notice boards in the town, Council websites, Councillors' surgeries and consultation exercises
  

• Electoral mandate requirements which were met in the May 2003 local elections
  

• Qualifications of the Town Clerk.  David Carden received the Assessment and Qualification Alliance award, which accompanied the Quality Status Scheme
  

• The adoption of a Code of Conduct for Councillors which all Councillors at the Council have adhered to
  

• The number of Council meetings held and the involvement of the public through the Open Forum.

The Council has Quality Parish Status for 4 years and will be able to use the Quality  logo during this period.  See the Sussex Association of Local Councils Press Release on the Quality Council Status awards for more information.

EXCEPTIONAL RESULTS AS FOUR LOCAL COUNCILS IN MID SUSSEX ARE GIVEN QUALITY STATUS

Four town and parish councils in Mid Sussex have two reasons to celebrate, not only have they received their accreditation as Quality Councils but have also made the local government history books.

This is the first time that four councils within one District have received Quality Council status in one go. It is a unique accomplishment; there are only 22 recipients of the status nationwide and this level of achievement is unparalleled anywhere else in the country.

Quality Council status has been granted to Burgess Hill Town Council, Cuckfield Parish Council, East Grinstead Town Council and Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common Parish Council by the Accreditation Panel of the Association of Local Councils.

At a special awards ceremony held at the Mid Sussex District Council offices in Haywards Heath on Wednesday (14 January) representatives from each of the four councils were congratulated by the president of both the National and Sussex Association of Local Councils The Rt Hon. The Earl Of Lytton and presented with their certificates by Dr John Godfrey, Clerk to Sussex Police Authority and Chairman of the Accreditation Panel.

On receiving their certificates Cllr John Merrill, Chairman of Burgess Hill Town Council said: "I am proud and delighted to receive this award on behalf of the Town Council.  It underlines the professionalism of our staff in helping to provide the best possible and most cost effective services to the people of our town.  We will continue to develop partnership working."

Cllr Colette Collins, Chairman of Cuckfield Parish Council said: "This is a great achievement for everyone involved with the Parish Council and provides official recognition of all the hard work that our clerk and team do for the community."

Cllr James Baldwin, Leader of East Grinstead Town Council said the award would help members in their mission: “To make a difference for the people of East Grinstead. We base that belief on the remarkable alignment of our values with those of the Quality Local Council scheme, most notably our ambitious agenda to increase the provision of local services, community leadership and partnership working. Let’s make this the beginning of a renewed and revitalised commitment to real partnership for the lasting benefit of those we serve.”

Cllr Jo Kaddish, Chairman of Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council said: "I think we are in an excellent position here in Mid Sussex in having four of us achieving quality status together. This gives us a fantastic opportunity to work together to share contractors and keep costs down. Between us, our experience and local knowledge should benefit us all."

Leader of Mid Sussex District Council, Cllr Mrs Christine Field, said: "I would like to congratulate each of the Town and Parish Councils which now hold Quality Status – a prestigious Award that is not easy to obtain.  We have a long track record of working closely with our Town and Parish Councils and have always seen close co-operation with them as a key to the successful delivery of services to the community.  We all very much look forward to developing even stronger working relationships with them in the future."

Quality Councils were introduced in 2003 as part of the Government’s drive to modernise local government and ensure that all local authorities are in touch with the communities they serve. It recognises that local councils have demonstrated the ability to work effectively within set standards to provide a representative and active body capable of playing a stronger role in the community.

Quality Councils are empowered to approach the District or County Council and seek to deliver services locally either under a partnership or devolved arrangement. For the larger town councils this could mean that services transferred to the District Council in 1974 could once again be the responsibility of the town.