STEETON-with Eastburn Parish Council has been given an award for the quality of its service to villagers.

The council has achieved Quality status, the second of three tiers in the recently-introduced Local Council Award Scheme, run by the National Association of Local Councils.

Parish council chairman David Mullen said: “This latest award means we’re performing to a high standard and doing what we should do.

“We were assessed on criteria such as having a qualified clerk, a website and newsletters, and a certain percentage of councillors elected by the public.”

The Local Council Award Scheme provides a framework for parish and town councils to improve and develop to meet their full potential.

The Quality Award demonstrates that the Steeton council achieved good practice in governance, community engagement and council improvement, and had gone beyond its legal obligations to support local people.

The Steeton councillors achieved the Quality Award two years after achieving Foundation status, and will now to work towards the Quality Gold Award.