Central Government are committed to delivering high quality public services to everyone wherever they live. The Beacon Council Scheme, now at the start of its third year, helps us to do just this.
The aim of the Beacon Council Scheme is:

• To recognise the best performing councils 
• To assist councils in learning from each other about how to improve their performance on specific or cross-cutting themes. 

The themes that are chosen are those which are important to people in their day-to-day lives and central to local communities. This years themes include promoting racial equality and better access and mobility which are at the heart of making our communities a better place to live and work. The more service specific themes, such as transition in education and adoption, make a real difference to peoples lives.

The first two rounds of the scheme have been a real success; 76 beacon awards have been made in 18 service themes, with nearly all councils attending at least one learning event. Up
to two thirds of councils who have attended events have reported that they have made, or intend to make, positive changes to the services they provide. The Beacon Scheme, now in
its third year is starting to do what its supposed to do - drive up standards across local government and ensure high quality services are delivered to the communities we serve. The true test of the Beacon Council Scheme will be when local people can see a real improvement
in service delivery across the board.

The Beacon Council Scheme provides a successful, positive way of spreading best practice. It is a scheme for all councils regardless of size or location. The scheme provides an opportunity for all councils to learn from the best. If you believe your service performs well and has excellence in any one of the eleven themes that other councils could benefit from, then apply for beacon status. You will be helping to achieve a shared goal of high quality public services for all.

Becoming a Beacon

In order to be selected as a beacon, councils must be able to show:

• Excellence in one of the published beacon themes
• Good general performance
• Plans for effective dissemination

To show excellence in a theme, applicants for beacon status should aim to give their view on why they should be a beacon and provide evidence of:

• Vision and strategy
• Consultation with the public and stakeholders
• Partnerships
• Actions
• Outcomes
• User/community satisfaction

Councils can be involved in up to three applications on an individual or joint basis. However, councils should not submit both joint and individual applications for the same theme. Many applications involve partnership with non-council public, voluntary or private sector bodies. In such cases, beacon status will be awarded to the council(s) only.

How the scheme works

Ministers expect to appoint between 40 and 50 councils in the third round of the Beacon Council Scheme.

Beacon Status will, where possible, be awarded to councils who represent the diversity of local government - urban and rural, unitary and two-tier, and councils from different parts of the country. Joint applications - from councils working in partnership - are encouraged. As far as possible, ministers intend to award beacon status evenly across the eleven themes.

Who is involved?

Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils

The Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils is an independent advisory body supported by a secretariat of officials in DTLR (Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions). The Panel provides advice to Ministers on:

• The selection of themes or cross-cutting service areas under which beacon status is awarded
• The criteria to be used when selecting beacons;
• Which councils should be given beacon status

The Panel consists of a Chair and nine permanent members, who have been nominated by specific organisations to serve on the Panel for three years. In addition to the core membership, specialist members with expertise in each of the themes are appointed for each round. Ministers will make the final decisions based on the advice of the Panel together with any relevant information that may subsequently become available.

The Government

The Beacon Council Scheme is a cross-government initiative. Ministers make decisions based on advice from the Panel on which themes to select and which councils should be awarded beacon status. The beacon council team in DTLR co-ordinates the scheme. Government departments provide policy advice on each of the themes.

The Improvement and Development Agency

The Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) works in partnership with DTLR and is involved throughout the selection process in assessing the dissemination section of each application. The IDeA supports beacon councils with their dissemination activities.

The Assessment Process

The assessment process involves five stages which are listed below:

Please note, the closing date for applications for year 3 themes was the 2nd October 2001.

Stage 1: Shortlisting

All applications will be sent to specialist members of an Advisory Panel, to government offices in the regions. To relevant government departments and to the IDeA. An initial sift of applications will be conducted by the Panel supported by officials from the DTLR and other government departments. The Panel will then consider the recommendations and agree a shortlist of applicants. All applicants will be advised whether they have been shortlisted. Councils that have not been shortlisted will receive detailed feedback. The Panel will also issue a press notice announcing their decisions.

Stage 2: Visits

Shortlisted applicants will be visited by officials from the DTLR, relevant government departments and the IDeA. These visits are expected to take place in December 2001 (for the third year applicants), and January 2002. The visits will provide an opportunity to confirm key elements of the application and to look more closely at any aspects which the Advisory Panel believes to be critical. Shortlisted councils will be given advance notice of the issues to be examined further during visits. The visits provide shortlisted councils with an opportunity to bring their applications to life. The officials who visit each council will provide the Panel with a written report.

Stage 3: Presentations

In addition to the visits, shortlisted applicants will be invited to make presentations to members of the Advisory Panel in January/February 2002 (for year 3 beacon applicants). These should focus on the best practice for which beacon status is being sought, although those attending should also be prepared to answer questions on general performance and dissemination.

Stage 4: Panel recommendations

After the visits and presentations, the Advisory Panel will meet to consider the assessments and decide which councils to recommend to Ministers for beacon status. The Panels recommendations will be published with a summary of their assessment for each applicant.

Stage 5: Ministers decisions

Ministers will consider the Panels recommendations together with any relevant information that may subsequently become available. After their decisions have been made the Local Government Minister will write to all shortlisted councils informing them of the outcome. Successful councils will be invited to attend a reception to receive their certificates and meet the other beacons.

Ministers aim to announce their selection of beacon councils in April 2002. (For Year 3 beacon applicants).

Themes for Year 3 Beacons

The themes for Round 3 of the scheme were announced by Hilary Armstrong MP on 15th February 2001.

• Adoption
• Better access and mobility
• Community Legal Services
• Crime reduction in rural areas Fostering business growth
• Improving urban green spaces
• Libraries as a community resource
• Neighborhood renewal
• Promoting racial equality
• Tackling fuel poverty
• Transition in education

Timetable for Round 3

The closing date for intention to apply forms was Tuesday 4th September 2001

• Applications were received on Tuesday 2nd October 2001
• A shortlist of candidates will be announced in November 2001
• Assessment visits to shortlisted councils will take place in December 2001/January 2002
• Shortlisted councils will give presentations on their applications in January/February 2002
• Successful applicants will be announced in April 2002
• Successful applicants will hold beacon status from April 2002 to June 2003

Before applying you may wish to&

• Read the Application Brochure, which contains all the information you will need to know to submit an application
• Examine your performance in the theme you are considering to see how it meets the needs of the community
• Speak with councils that have applied for beacon status in the past - including those who were not successful. The IDeA can help you to find contacts if needed.
• Brainstorm with all the key people within the council (including people working on the frontline), and plan a course of action you will take to make an effective application
• Look at the theme research commissioned jointly by DTLR and the IDeA. This can be found on the DTLR website
• Speak with the IDeA and DTLR, whose contact numbers are listed below under useful contacts

Barnsley Beacons

Barnsley MBC is a Beacon Council for competitiveness and enterprise. Our Trading Standards Department was awarded Beacon Council status in April 2001, and is currently busy disseminating best practice both here in Barnsley and at other venues around the country.

More Trading Standards Information on their beacon

Useful Contacts

Further information on beacon councils can be found by accessing the The BEACON Scheme or Tel: 0207 296 6587