PERSHORE Town Council is planning to go hi-tech in a bid to gain "quality" status.

Government changes mean that councils can now have their efficiency and quality gauged and Pershore is keen to adopt the new standards.

Chairman John Grantham told members about a seminar he chaired in Worcester which discussed the implications of the latest Rural White Paper and the possibility of the town council gaining quality council status.

The paper, issued last November, gives town and parish councils a chance to become a "quality council", which could open the doors to more funding and give more responsibility to parish and town councils.

Councillors agreed last Thursday to pursue the possibility of becoming such a body, which may require some of the members undergoing training in new technology.

It is also recommended that the council is on the internet, has a full-time and fully qualified clerk and provides proper business plans, which will then be ratified by an auditor.

Coun Grantham said the move would be good for the council and hoped that it would make understanding different councils and the services they provide much easier.

Although it was too early to say when the council would go on line, he approved the suggestion, especially email, pointing out that it would be much quicker than answering queries by letter.

He said: "With email you can get an answer to a question within 20 minutes, which is a much more efficient way of conducting business.

"We are moving towards a much more professional age, and the council should be part of it."