Liskeard town clerk Steven Vinson has gained the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CILCA).

This enables him to be considered qualified under the General Power of Competence (GPC).

To gain GPC status, eligible councils require two-thirds at least of their councillors to be elected. Liskeard qualifies with 13 of its present 15 councillors having won their seats at the last council election.

The General Power of Competence gives councils ‘the power to do anything that an individual might generally do’ – provided it does not break other laws.

A qualified GPC could, for example, allow a council to run a community shop or post office if it so wished, or set up a company or co-operative to trade, as long as all company laws are obeyed.