Skipton Town Council proud to receive national recognition

THE chief officer of Skipton Town Council says she is 'extremely proud' after the authority was recognised by the National Association of Local Councils for the progress it has made and its commitment to the community.

The town council, which has recently moved from the town hall to temporary offices in Otley Street, has received an award as part of the NALC's Local Council Award Scheme.

It recognises that the council has achieved good practice in the areas of governance, community engagement and council improvement.

The award also recognises that the council goes above and beyond its legal obligations, leading its communities and continuously seeking opportunities to improve and develop even further.

The award scheme report highlighted the council’s particular areas of strength, including the improvements it has made to its governance over the last three years.

Louise Close, the council's chief officer, said: "I am extremely proud of all that had been achieved by the team at the council. This award is a fantastic achievement, as it shows how importantly the council takes its responsibilities to the community of Skipton, who we are here to serve."

The Local Council Award Scheme is a peer- assessed programme that has been designed to both provide the tools and encouragement to those councils at the beginning of their 'improvement journeys'.

A spokesperson for NALC said: "The Local Council Award Scheme has been designed to celebrate the successes of the best local councils and provide a framework to support all local councils in improving and developing to meet their full potential.

"The scheme allows councils to show that they meet the standards set by the sector, assess them by their peers, and put in place the conditions for continued improvement.

"Only through the sector working together to share best practices, drive up standards and support those committed to improving their offer to their communities will individual councils and the sector as a whole reach their full potential."

Skipton Town Council, and other local councils like it, are at the front line of the government’s localism agenda and are doing as much as they can to delivery services while being efficient and cost-effective.

Currently the council provides a range of services from park management, allotments, events and managing Skipton Market.

The town council has moved from the town hall to Armoury House, Otley Street. The council had been waiting to move out after suspended ceilings collapsed in October last year at it offices, which reduced the amount of space available to staff. Permission has been given for repairs to take place at the town hall.