Training & Events Calendar

Session overview:

Topics covered will include:-

• Legislation and guidance
• Making supplies of goods and services
• VAT Registration
• Recovering VAT on purchases
• Partial exemption and opting to tax
• Using grants and donations

Session benefits:

An Introduction to VAT will:

• give an overview of the relevant legislation and guidance
• explain key concepts of VAT
• outline the processes involved
• highlight common problem areas
• provide signposting to more detailed guidance

Who Should Attend?
RFOs, Clerks, finance staff, councillors on the finance committee and councillors who wish to develop their knowledge in this area.

Course Tutor

Steve Parkinson, The Parkinson Partnership LLP

Cost (per delegate)
£30 members
£60 non members

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

When booking onto this course, the details that you provide will be used to book you onto a third party website where you will receive booking confirmation. Your details will only be used for the purposes of sending joining instructions.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Description
An introductory training session for Parish/Town Councillors and Clerks covering the basic principles of planning including policy, applications, appeals and enforcement. This two hour session will also include tips on increasing the effectiveness of the responses that Parish and Town Councils send through to local planning authorities and the opportunity to ask questions of an experienced planning consultant who has worked for local Councils, a volume house builder and a planning consultancy.

Who Should Attend
Suitable for both Clerks and Councillors

Course Tutor

Lance Wiggins, Associate Director, Landmark Planning Ltd

Cost (per delegate)
£38 members
£76 Non Members

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

In an ever-evolving legislative landscape, it is vital that Councils ensure they have the most up-to-date understanding of their data protection and related obligations. This session walks Councils through the principles of GDPR and related legislation including PECR, what it means in practical terms and the systems and processes Councils should have in place to ensure they are working towards sustainable compliance.

Who Should Attend
Clerks and Officers who wish to develop their knowledge in this area.

Course Tutor

Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate
£38 members
£76 non members

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

When booking onto this course, the details that you provide will be used to book you onto a third party website where you will receive booking confirmation. Your details will only be used for the purposes of sending joining instructions.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This course is designed to help all Clerks and Councillors make an early, effective and confident start to their careers, by providing quality, constructive and participative training on the roles and responsibilities of Clerks and Councillors.

Key areas covered include:

• Roles and responsibilities within the Council
• Powers and duties
• General Power of Competence
• Elections
• Different types of meetings
• Community engagement
• Finance

Who Should Attend
Suitable for new Councillors and existing Councillors to refresh their knowledge

Cost per delegate
£44 member
£88 non member

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Session overview:

This session is designed to give councillors a greater understanding of their duties with regard to the council's finances. Topics include:

• Roles and responsibilities
• setting a budget and precept
• Financial control
• How VAT applies to local councils
• The Annual Return
• Internal and external audit

Session benefits:

By the end of Local Council Finance you will:

• Understand the council's duties regarding financial management
• Be aware of relevant legislation and sources of guidance
• Understand how VAT law applies to your council
• Be aware of how the council's accounts are prepared and audited
• Recognise the importance of internal controls

Who should attend
All councillors would benefit from this course

Course Tutor
Steve Parkinson, The Parkinson Partnership LLP

Steve is a former Town Clerk and an accountant with 30 years' experience in public and voluntary sector finance. He now specialises in delivering training and advice on VAT and finance matters for the local council sector.

Cost per delegate

£30 Members
£60 Non Members

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

When booking onto this course, the details that you provide will be used to book you onto a third party website where you will receive booking confirmation. Your details will only be used for the purposes of sending joining instructions.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This session introduces the Annual Return and the stages of the audit process, enabling you to complete all the relevant steps correctly.

Topics include:
• Closing the accounts
• Debtors and creditors
• Assets and borrowing
• Internal audit
• Reviewing internal control
• The Annual Return
• Electors rights
• Publication requirements

By the end of this session you will:
• Be able to identify the steps needed as part of the audit process
• Understand how to close the council's accounts
• Understand how to complete the Annual Return
• Be able to correctly allow the exercise of electors' rights
• Recognise the need to review internal controls

Who should attend
For officers who want to understand how to prepare their council's Annual Governance & Accountability Return and comply with the requirements of the audit process.

Venue
Online

Cost
£30 per person (member)
£60 per person (non-member)

Course Tutor
Steve Parkinson, The Parkinson Partnership LLP
Steve is a former Town Clerk and an accountant with 30 years' experience in public and voluntary sector finance. He now specialises in delivering training and advice on VAT and finance matters for the local council sector.

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This course looks at what requirements and obligations local councils have when it comes to Freedom of Information and related legislation. We look at what policies and procedures councils should have in place, how to ensure officers and councillors are aware of their obligations and what steps to take when you get an FOI request.

Who Should Attend
Clerks and Councillors who wish to develop their knowledge in this area.

Course Tutor

Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate
£38 members
£76 non members

Please note: When booking onto this course, the details that you provide will be used to book you onto a third party website where you will receive booking confirmation. Your details will only be used for the purposes of sending joining instructions.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Whether you are an experienced Councillor or have only recently been elected, it is vital that you understand how data protection fits with your role as an elected member. With legislation and case law evolving, this interactive session will provide you with an opportunity to make sure you are getting the essentials right and ensure you are meeting your legal obligations as a Councillor.

Who should attend
This course is aimed at councillors to councils of all sizes

Course Tutor
Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate

£38 members
£76 non members

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

When booking onto this course, the details that you provide will be used to book you onto a third party website where you will receive booking confirmation. Your details will only be used for the purposes of sending joining instructions.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This session introduces the Annual Return and the stages of the audit process, enabling you to complete all the relevant steps correctly.

Topics include:
• Closing the accounts
• Debtors and creditors
• Assets and borrowing
• Internal audit
• Reviewing internal control
• The Annual Return
• Electors rights
• Publication requirements

By the end of this session you will:
• Be able to identify the steps needed as part of the audit process
• Understand how to close the council's accounts
• Understand how to complete the Annual Return
• Be able to correctly allow the exercise of electors' rights
• Recognise the need to review internal controls

Who should attend
For officers who want to understand how to prepare their council's Annual Governance & Accountability Return and comply with the requirements of the audit process.

Venue
Online

Cost
£30 per person (member)
£60 per person (non-member)

Course Tutor
Steve Parkinson, The Parkinson Partnership LLP
Steve is a former Town Clerk and an accountant with 30 years' experience in public and voluntary sector finance. He now specialises in delivering training and advice on VAT and finance matters for the local council sector.

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Session overview:

Topics covered will include:-

• Legislation and guidance
• Making supplies of goods and services
• VAT Registration
• Recovering VAT on purchases
• Partial exemption and opting to tax
• Using grants and donations

Session benefits:

An Introduction to VAT will:

• give an overview of the relevant legislation and guidance
• explain key concepts of VAT
• outline the processes involved
• highlight common problem areas
• provide signposting to more detailed guidance

Who Should Attend?
RFOs, Clerks, finance staff, councillors on the finance committee and councillors who wish to develop their knowledge in this area.

Course Tutor

Steve Parkinson, The Parkinson Partnership LLP

Cost (per delegate)
£30 members
£60 non members

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

When booking onto this course, the details that you provide will be used to book you onto a third party website where you will receive booking confirmation. Your details will only be used for the purposes of sending joining instructions.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Course description
Social media offers Parish and Town Councillors as individually-elected members a fantastic opportunity to engage and communicate with their residents. Building up two-way conversations through the power of digital platforms has never been easier, but it can be tricky to get started and to know where to focus your time and effort as an individual Councillor. We walk you through the essential ways to get the most out of key social media platforms as a local Councillor, and provide top tips to engage with your residents

Who should attend
This course is aimed at councillors wishing to learn more about how to use social media

Date and Time
9 December 2021 19:00-21:00
27 January 2022 19:00-21:00

Venue
Online

Course Tutor
Breakthrough Communications

Cost (per delegate)
£38 member
£76 non member

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This session introduces the Annual Return and the stages of the audit process, enabling you to complete all the relevant steps correctly.

Topics include:
• Closing the accounts
• Debtors and creditors
• Assets and borrowing
• Internal audit
• Reviewing internal control
• The Annual Return
• Electors rights
• Publication requirements

By the end of this session you will:
• Be able to identify the steps needed as part of the audit process
• Understand how to close the council's accounts
• Understand how to complete the Annual Return
• Be able to correctly allow the exercise of electors' rights
• Recognise the need to review internal controls

Who should attend
For officers who want to understand how to prepare their council's Annual Governance & Accountability Return and comply with the requirements of the audit process.

Venue
Online

Cost
£30 per person (member)
£60 per person (non-member)

Course Tutor
Steve Parkinson, The Parkinson Partnership LLP
Steve is a former Town Clerk and an accountant with 30 years' experience in public and voluntary sector finance. He now specialises in delivering training and advice on VAT and finance matters for the local council sector.

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This session introduces the Annual Return and the stages of the audit process, enabling you to complete all the relevant steps correctly.

Topics include:
• Closing the accounts
• Debtors and creditors
• Assets and borrowing
• Internal audit
• Reviewing internal control
• The Annual Return
• Electors rights
• Publication requirements

By the end of this session you will:
• Be able to identify the steps needed as part of the audit process
• Understand how to close the council's accounts
• Understand how to complete the Annual Return
• Be able to correctly allow the exercise of electors' rights
• Recognise the need to review internal controls

Who should attend
For officers who want to understand how to prepare their council's Annual Governance & Accountability Return and comply with the requirements of the audit process.

Venue
Online

Cost
£30 per person (member)
£60 per person (non-member)

Course Tutor
Steve Parkinson, The Parkinson Partnership LLP
Steve is a former Town Clerk and an accountant with 30 years' experience in public and voluntary sector finance. He now specialises in delivering training and advice on VAT and finance matters for the local council sector.

Please note: the course is open to all county associations and will therefore have clerks and councillors not from Northamptonshire in attendance. We hope that this will allow for this course to be delivered more often and throughout the year.

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly