STEETON-with-Eastburn Parish Council has become the first council in Yorkshire to receive foundation status in the recently-established Local Council Award Scheme.

The achievement recognises that the council achieves good practice in governance, community engagement and council improvement.

Judges said the parish council went above and beyond its legal obligations, leading its communities and continuously seeking opportunities to improve and develop even further.

The Local Council Award Scheme is a peer-assessed programme that has been designed to provide tools and encouragement to councils as they set out to make improvements.

The scheme also promotes and recognises councils that are at the cutting edge of local authority operations

Parish and town councils are encouraged to work together to share best practice, drive up standards and support those who are committed to improving what they offer their communities.

The eventual intention is that individual councils will reach their full potential.

Steeton-with-Eastburn Parish Council chairman David Mullen said: “The council is very pleased that its efforts to serve the public are recognised and that our processes and procedures meet with national approval.”

The parish council is now reviewing ways it can improve its services to both villages, while being efficient and cost effective.

Councillors are inviting input from local people and other organisations and how the council can improve.

The council currently provides a range of services from playgrounds to the Steeton Community Hub.

Steeton with-Eastburn Parish Council will apply for the next level of the Local Council Award Scheme during this year.

In 2013 the council spearheaded the building of the £250,000 Community Hub, a community centre on Skipton Road, attracting major grants in addition to its own investment.