'˜Quality' Leighton-Linslade Town Council gets award recognition

It is the only fourth council in Bedfordshire to have qualified for the Local Council Award Scheme, gaining both Foundation and Quality awards.

The scheme involves providing evidence of meeting numerous criteria, which demonstrate that the council is at the forefront of best practice, engages positively with the local community and is driving forward continuous improvement.

Councils applying for the award must be able to demonstrate, through their website, that they have a number of procedures and processes in place, that they publish an Annual Report each year, that they engage with their local community (for example, by newsletters or social media), that they plan ahead to meet the future needs of the parish and that they invest in training for staff and councillors.

The council says its website (www.leightonlinslade-tc.gov.uk) provides all the required data and is a valuable source of information for local residents.

A spokesman said: “Not only is it possible to access information on town council meetings, finances and policies but residents can also find out more about the town market, the parks and pavilions, the meeting room and facilities which are available to hire, the community grant schemes and the programme of annual community events, such as the Linslade Canal Festival.

“The town council intends to build on this achievement by continuing to invest in forward planning for the community. Our aim for 2016 is to progress to the next stage and qualify for the coveted Quality Gold award.”