A CHRISTMAS boost was paid to Tavistock Town Council last week in the form of a £45,000 grant from central government.
The cash is to enable the council to carry out its ?best value? duties. In line with previous commitments from the Government, all best value town and parish councils ? those with a budget greater than £500,000 in the years 1997 to 1999 ? have received this grant. It will help towards the cost of carrying out best value reviews, preparing annual performance plans and meeting audit costs.
Phil Hope, minister for local government, said: ?I am delighted we have provided these councils with a grant towards their best value costs. Best value is central to our programme of driving up the quality of local government services, through the continuous improvement in council services.
?Payment of this grant demonstrates the Government?s commitment to best value town and parish councils, including Tavistock, and the important contribution they make to the delivery of high quality services for the communities they serve.?
There are 41 best value town and parish councils ? known collectively as the ?41 club?.
Town clerk Roger Howard said: ?We are very happy we have some money in from central government that will meet these extra costs ? and we have proved that parish and town councils can produce the goods, even though they haven?t got hundreds of staff like the principle councils.
?It?s amazing actually ? this is the very first time ever that central government has given money to a parish or town council, it?s never happened before.?
Col Howard said best value committed the council staff and members themselves to a great deal of extra work.
?It takes a lot of man hours ? and of course, the members themselves don?t get paid for that,? he said.
Col Howard said any member of the public who wished to see the council?s best value performance plan can view it in the library or contact the council on 01822 613529 to obtain a copy.