Everything you need to
present Council Clearsight to your council
This page is designed for Parish Clerks. It includes a template council agenda item, a budget justification guide, and a full LCAS evidence mapping — everything you need to get the subscription approved at full council.
Template agenda item
Copy-paste ready. Customise with your council's name and budget line.
Budget justification guide
The case for Council Clearsight in plain English, with supporting data.
LCAS evidence mapping
How Council Clearsight's four pillars map to Foundation, Quality, and Quality Gold criteria.
Clerk's FAQ
Answers to the questions councillors are most likely to ask.
Why clerks recommend Council Clearsight to their councils
No extra work for you
Council Clearsight assesses your council using publicly observable evidence. You don't fill in questionnaires, prepare documents, or self-report. The assessment is entirely independent — which makes it more credible, not less.
Answers the precept question
When residents ask why the precept has risen, Council Clearsight gives you an independent, evidence-based answer. The report is designed to be published — on your website, in your newsletter, at the Annual Parish Meeting.
Supports LCAS accreditation
If your council is working towards Foundation, Quality, or Quality Gold, Council Clearsight provides the independent third-party evidence your application needs — without duplicating work you're already doing.
Strengthens your Annual Report
The resident-facing summary PDF is designed to be included in your Annual Report or published on your website immediately. It communicates your council's performance in plain English, without jargon.
Benchmarks against peer councils
Council Clearsight compares your council against a matched peer group — same type, similar geography and population. This gives councillors meaningful context, not just a raw score.
Eight actionable recommendations
Every report includes eight evidence-based recommendations, each with specific actions and cited sources. This gives you a ready-made improvement plan to present to full council.
Making the case to full council
Below is the evidence and framing you need to justify the Council Clearsight subscription at full council. Copy and adapt as needed.
How Council Clearsight maps to the Local Council Award Scheme
Council Clearsight's four pillars map directly onto LCAS assessment criteria. The table below shows how each pillar provides independent evidence for Foundation, Quality, and Quality Gold applications.
Governance & Compliance
Council Clearsight pillar: Digital Presence
Indicators assessed by Council Clearsight
- Publication scheme compliance (ICO standard)
- Standing orders and financial regulations published
- Meeting minutes published within 28 days
- Accessible website with mandatory content
Why this matters for LCAS
Council Clearsight assesses these indicators from publicly observable sources — no self-assessment required.
Community Connectivity
Council Clearsight pillar: Community Connectivity
Indicators assessed by Council Clearsight
- Active social media presence (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram)
- Community consultation evidence
- School and youth engagement data
- Partnership working with local organisations
Why this matters for LCAS
Council Clearsight's Community Connectivity pillar score can provide supporting evidence for LCAS community criteria, based on publicly verifiable data.
Council Improvement
Council Clearsight pillar: Accessibility & Inclusion
Indicators assessed by Council Clearsight
- Annual report published
- Improvement plan or action plan in place
- Clerk qualifications (CiLCA or equivalent)
- Training and development evidence
Why this matters for LCAS
The Accessibility & Inclusion pillar covers indicators that align with LCAS council improvement criteria, assessed from publicly available sources.
Resident Accountability
Council Clearsight pillar: Governance & Transparency
Indicators assessed by Council Clearsight
- Resident survey or consultation evidence
- Published response to resident feedback
- Accessible complaints procedure
- Equalities and accessibility compliance
Why this matters for LCAS
Council Clearsight's Governance & Transparency pillar can provide supporting evidence for Quality Gold applications, based on independently assessed public data.
Ready to present to full council
Copy the template below and customise it with your council's name, current VDTI score (from your free Snapshot), and relevant budget line. It is designed to be added directly to a full council agenda.
AGENDA ITEM [X]: Council Clearsight Subscription — Approval of Expenditure Purpose To seek Full Council approval for an annual subscription to Council Clearsight, an independent performance assessment service for parish and town councils. Background Council Clearsight is an independent service that assesses parish and town councils against the Village, District and Town Index (VDTI) — a four-pillar scoring framework covering Digital Presence, Governance & Transparency, Community Connectivity, and Accessibility & Inclusion. The assessment is based entirely on publicly observable evidence. The council is not required to self-report, prepare documents, or complete questionnaires. Council Clearsight gathers and analyses the evidence independently. The standard annual assessment takes place during the January–March window each year. Subscribing councils receive their updated assessment within 4 weeks of subscribing — meaning you can present your score to full council before the next public assessment is published. The resulting report provides: • An overall VDTI score out of 100 (scores above 88 typically require subscriber-level verification to confirm engagement evidence) • Four-pillar breakdown with indicator-level evidence • National and regional peer benchmarking • Eight evidence-based recommendations • A resident-facing summary PDF for publication Relevance to [Council Name] [Insert: current VDTI score from free Snapshot / key improvement opportunities / LCAS accreditation plans / precept context] Financial Implications Annual subscription: £249 (Clearsight) or £349 (Clearsight+) per year This falls within the council's budget for [communications / transparency / governance / community engagement]. [Monthly payment option available: £24.99/month — may fall within Clerk's delegated spending authority] Recommendation That Full Council approves an annual subscription to Council Clearsight at a cost of £[249/349] per year, to be funded from [budget line].
Tip: Get your free Snapshot first
Before presenting to full council, get your council's free VDTI Snapshot — it takes 60 seconds and gives you the current score and top improvement opportunities to include in the agenda item. Get your free Snapshot →
Subscription options
Both options include a first report free for new subscribers
First report free for all new subscribers · Monthly payment option available · Cancel at end of any subscription year