Will Quality Parish Status help Stamford Town Council?

Stamford LibDems continue to receive complaints about the 'public survey' being sent out to members of the public. The survey questions the continuance of the Town Council but does not suggest a replacement; perhaps direct rule from SKDC or Stamford Vision - or even a coalition of the two!!

Such surveys do nothing to serve democracy; neither do they do justice to the fact that members of the Town Council are unpaid representatives of the people of Stamford with no vested financial interest. They do, however, highlight what little power your Town Council currently has. This situation can, however, be reversed by obtaining Quality Parish status which will bring back many significant powers held by SKDC.

What is Quality Parish Status?

Quality Parish Status were introduced in 2002. They give a greater say to Parish/Town Councils in more elements of local government and give access to additional funds from Central government; an obvious advantage. It enables local councils to take back under their control key items such as car parking. Your LibDem Councillors have lobbied continuously for Stamford Town Council to apply for Quality Town Council status as we feel that this is essential for the future of Stamford.

Early this month (February) your LibDem Councillors finally succeeded in winning a motion by the Council to get an urgent timetable for this. Town Councillors have now received a proposed time table, dated 19th February, from the new Town Clerk - Mrs Patricia Stuart-Mogg - which recommends that an application for Quality Status is submitted to the County Accreditation Panel by July 2007 by which time all seven criteria required will have been met and confirmed.