THE search is on to recruit a group of residents to assess the performance of Knutsford Town Council.

People are invited to take part in a focus group meeting.

This is all part of a corporate peer challenge, an external review of how a council is performing and how it can improve as an organisation to better serve its community.

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Peer challenges are common for principal authorities like Cheshire East Council and now available for town councils too.

Knutsford will be the seventh town Council in the country to have a corporate peer challenge, following Houghton Regis, Morecambe, Cirencester and Falmouth amongst others.

The peer challenge will see a panel comprising a representative of the Local Government Association, National Association of Local Councils, and a councillor and clerk from another council coming for a three-day visit to meet with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

The peer challenge team will meet with councillors and staff, partner organisations such as Knutsford in Bloom and Knutsford Allotment Society, as well as market traders, local businesses and community leaders.

The town council also wants to arrange a panel of around eight residents for the peer challenge team to meet with on Wednesday, November 6 at 4.15pm and is looking for volunteers from across the community.

Town clerk Adam Keppel-Green said: “We are keen to create a group representing the diversity of our community and we aim to create a comprise of residents from across the town and at different stages of life.”

Volunteers do not need any particular skills or to prepare, they just need to be willing to answer questions and discuss Knutsford and the town council as part of a group.

To apply to be part of the panel, simply complete a form at knutsfordtowncouncil.gov.uk/cpc

Following two days of meetings, the peer challenge team will present its findings to the council and stakeholders.

Then, a formal report will be issued and published alongside an action plan from the council of how it will respond to any recommendations.