TOWN councillors in Helmsley are hoping to upgrade the status of the authority to enable them to take on extra responsibilities and to plan for its long-term future.

They agreed at their monthly meeting to seek Quality Status under an assessment scheme launched by the Government this week.

If the status is granted, the authority could take on responsibility for services such as leisure and tourism, street lighting, litter collection, parking, noise and nuisance abatement, library management and home help.

Chairman Lord Feversham said: "We should aim to be a quality council. We have been shaping up towards it for some time."

Key criteria will include the clerk obtaining a qualification in local council administration, councillors putting themselves forward for election, the frequency of meetings, attendance of members, auditing, publishing of annual reports and making accounts available to the public.

As a first step towards increasing public involvement in the council's business, a 15- minute open session is to be held at the start of each meeting when residents can address the council. In addition, the setting up of a website is to be investigated.