PERSHORE Town Council celebrated the renewal of its Quality Town Status last week following a visit by inspectors.

The council, which is the first in the county to gain and now retain the status, has to meet certain criteria which ensure it is performing in a professional way.

This includes having a qualified clerk, demonstrable communication and consultation with residents, accounts which are in order, published minutes, and more, such as forming a youth council.

Joy Clee, president of the Worcestershire County Association of Local Councils, presented the status to the Mayor of Pershore, Richard Grantham, at a meeting last Thursday.

She said: “It’s my great pleasure to give this award again. It means a lot to me, I feel deeply about the work we do. Thank you for keeping up the standards we wish to maintain.”

Coun Grantham replied: “We are very pleased to achieve this award once more, and we all know the hard work our town clerk Ann Dobbins has put in.”

Mrs Dobbins explained that it was having Quality Town Status which has allowed the town council to purchase and refurbish the library.

She said: “It has meant that we have been able to adopt The Power Of Wellbeing. Without this the town council is limited in the amount it can spend on things, so it has freed up the action we could take on securing the future of Pershore Library.”