The NALC foundation award demonstrates that the Council meets the required standards to operate lawfully and according to standard practice. It is an award that demonstrates the quality and professionalism of the Council to the local community and service partners.
NALC promotes the award as follows:
The Local Council Award Scheme (LCAS) 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 them by their peers, and put in place the conditions for continued improvement.
The 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 practices, 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 their full potential.
https://www.nalc.gov.uk/our-work/local-council-award-scheme
The council’s foundation award was achieved in 2017
see http://www.templecloud.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Confirmed-Minutes-11-October-2017.pdf
The award expires on 30/9/2021
To renew the award a resubmission for assessment is required.
Staff time required:
The table below shows progress to 7/9/21. It is estimated that a further 6 to 8 hours may be required to complete and submit the award. This could either be added to the current workload as overtime, or postponed and then completed over time during quieter periods.
Costs:
NALC Registration to take part: £50
Accreditation Fee: £80 +VAT
TO ACHIEVE A FOUNDATION AWARD A COUNCIL DEMONSTRATES THAT IT HAS THE DOCUMENTATION AND INFORMATION IN PLACE FOR OPERATING LAWFULLY AND ACCORDING TO STANDARD PRACTICE. THE COUNCIL ALSO HAS POLICIES FOR TRAINING COUNCILLORS AND OFFICERS AND IS BUILDING A FOUNDATION FOR IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT.
https://www.nalc.gov.uk/library/our-work/lcas/1855-lcas-guide/file
| The Council confirms by resolution that it recognises its duties in relation to bio-diversity and crime and disorder and that all documentation and information is in place for a specified award | Does the council meet this requirement? | Hyperlink to council resolution: |
| Criteria | Do you meet these criteria? | Where are these published online? |
| Its standing orders | y | |
| Its financial regulations | y | |
| Its Code of Conduct and a link to councillors’ registers of interests | y | |
| Its publication scheme | y | |
| Its last annual return | y | |
| Transparent information about council payments | y – to collate | |
| A calendar of all meetings including the annual meeting of electors | partially complete | |
| Minutes for at least one year of full council meetings and (if relevant) all committee and sub-committee meetings | y | |
| Current agendas | y | |
| The budget and precept information for the current or next financial year | to publish | |
| Its complaints procedure | y | |
| Its accessibility statement | y | |
| Its privacy notice | to complete | |
| Council contact details and councillor information in line with the Transparency Code | y | |
| Its action plan for the current year | y | |
| Evidence of consulting the community | to publish | |
| Publicity advertising council activities | to collate | |
| Evidence of participating in town and country planning | to collate |
| The Council confirms by resolution that all documentation and information is in place for a specified award | Does the council meet this requirement? | Hyperlink to council resolution: |
| Criteria | Do you meet these criteria? | Where are these published? Can they be provided electronically? |
| A risk management scheme | y | |
| A register of assets | y | |
| Contracts for all members of staff | y – but confidential due to GDPR, can be provided electronically | |
| up-to-date insurance policies that mitigate risks to public money | y – to publish | |
| Disciplinary and grievance procedures | y | |
| A policy for training and training and development of and councillors | y – to check and improve | |
| A record of all training undertaken by staff and councillors in the last year | n – to be collated | |
| A clerk who has achieved 12 CPD points in the last year | y – evidence to be collated |
- Posted: 7th September 2021