The government has announced the creation of a new quango to oversee the spreading of best practice among local councils.

It was announced on Tuesday that the Advisory Panel on Beacon Councils has become an advisory non-departmental public body.

The Beacon Council scheme is a government initiative to spread best practice in local government.

The move fulfils a government commitment made to clarify the future of the scheme, said Nick Raynsford, the minister for local government.

"The Beacon Council Scheme has proved over the past three years that it has an important part to play in developing quality local services," he said.

"This announcement marks our belief in the scheme to develop and encourage best practice even further."

Now that it is officially a quango, the Advisory Panel will be subject to the guidelines on appointments set out by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

The role and remit of the panel will remain the same - to provide independent advice to ministers on the operation of the Beacon Council Scheme, including selecting which councils should be awarded Beacon status.