Training & Events Calendar

All parish and town councils are employers, even if they only have one part time employee – the clerk. This course looks at the council's obligations as an employer and will show councils how to get the best out of the employment relationship.

The course provides information from recruitment through performance management to termination. It will show councils how to calculate holiday entitlement and sick pay for part time employees and will go through the appraisal process and how to address grievance and disciplinary issues. Attendees will receive a pack of template documents such as appraisal forms, induction records and interview questionnaires, which they can adapt for the needs of their own Council.

The course is suitable for all councils whether at the very beginning of the employment relationship or nearly at the end but will be particularly relevant to those councils that:

• Are in the process of recruiting a new clerk (or have just recruited)
• Aren't getting the most/best from the clerk and want to support them to do better
• Have a good relationship with the clerk and want to explore how to grow and develop
• Are experiencing a breakdown of the employment relationship and want to know how to rescue it, or terminate the employment on mutually beneficial terms

There will be plenty of opportunity to ask questions and all information will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Who Should Attend?
This course is suitable for whoever is responsible for managing the employment relationship.

Course Tutor

Mr Chris Moses, Personnel Advice and Solutions Ltd

Cost (per delegate)
£42 +VAT Members
£84 +VAT Non Members

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Course Description

This 2-part webinar will give you a wider understanding of Trusts, and guidance for the trusteeship of charities.

The following will be covered in each session:

Part 1

• Nature of Trusts
• What are the requirements for a Charitable Trust?
• How is a Charitable Trust created?
• Role of the Charity Commission
• Registration with the Charity Commission or HM Revenue & Customs
• Legal personality of a Charitable Trust
• Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Part 2

• Trustees generally
• Role & responsibilities of Custodian, Holding and Management Trustees
• Duties of management & liabilities
• Winding up or amalgamating a charity
• Dealings with Property
• Village Halls & Recreation Grounds
• Trading

Who Should Attend
This course is suitable for all Parish Clerks and those involved with or would like to know more about Charitable Trusts and Members who might be trustees.

Date & Time
Part 1 - 3 July 2023 13:30 - 15:00
Part 2 - 10 July 2023 13:30 - 15:00

Venue
Online

Course Tutor
Roger Taylor is a Consultant at Wellers Hedleys Solicitors, a firm based in Surrey which has an extensive practice dealing with Parish and Town Councils in England. He lectures on subjects such as Common Land, Village Greens and Charitable Trusts and on other matters relating to the practice and procedure of Parish and Town Councils for a number of County Associations.

Cost per delegate please note this covers both sessions
£50 + VAT members
£100+ VAT non members

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

£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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

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

£33+VAT Members
£66+VAT 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
Condescending comments, demeaning emails, disrupting meetings, reprimanding someone publicly, talking behind someone's back, giving someone the silent treatment, not giving credit where credit is due, rolling eyes, and being yelled at, are regular occurrences for many councils. In this webinar, the issues councils face in their council roles. The impact this has on the individuals involved and the organisation will also be discussed.

This course then looks at personal resilience and self-protection. Having a good understanding of yourself means you'll know what to do when someone tries to push your buttons. This webinar discusses emotional resilience and emotional intelligence and how this applies to specific council situations. Each webinar will give real situation scenarios and what to do in each of them.

Who should attend
Clerks and Councillors are welcome to attend

Course Tutor

Becky Walsh is a comedian bringing her humour to subjects of personal development, mental health and is a UK leading expert on intuition. Becky is a sought-after speaker and has a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and is a qualified life coach. She has worked with the Civility and Respect Project to develop courses specifically for Town and Parish Councils.

Cost per delegate
£42+VAT Member
£84+VAT Non member

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Course description
Everything should start with a strategy – and good communication is no different. To get the most from an increasing range of communications platforms and tools, it's vital that your Council has a strategy that supports the delivery of your Council's existing aims and objectives. We walk you through best practice for creating an effective communications strategy that fits with the needs and aspirations of your Council, whilst making best use of communication opportunities available to you.

Who should attend
Clerks and Councillors wishing to develop an clear and effective communications strategy

Course Tutor

Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate
£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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 will help you consider practical and effective ways for your Council to systematically and proactively find out what really matters to people living within your parish, through a range of print and digital tools.

Discover the tools, strategies and techniques needed to not just better promote your own messages but also to better hear and respond to the voices within your local community, and get buy-in on your vision for your community's future.

Who should attend
This course is open to Clerks, Officers and Councillors wanting to engage with their community.

Course Tutor

Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate
£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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:

Marie Reilly

Contact:

Online

The NLCP is:

• A community of practice in which to share ideas and better ways of doing things

• A relationship brokerage both between larger councils within the partnership and between larger councils and other stakeholders including local, regional and national government

• A catalyst for skills development, identifying needs and working towards continuous development of staff and elected members

• A beacon for local governance in Northamptonshire – setting an example for others to follow

• A vehicle for best value both in terms of member services provided to larger councils by NALC and in services provided by councils to their electorate

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

For clerks, finance staff and councillors from councils that are VAT registered, who wish to develop their knowledge (VAT registered councils have a 9-digit registration number, submit quarterly VAT returns online and charge VAT on taxable sales. If your council submits a VAT126 claim, it is not VAT registered).

This session explains when and how VAT registered local councils charge VAT, when they can reclaim it and when they can't. Essential for any council contemplating major building projects.

Topics include:
• how VAT law applies to local councils
• where to find the law and guidance
• business and non-business activities
• understanding whether sales are taxable or exempt from VAT
• when to charge VAT
• VAT rates
• when VAT can be reclaimed
• VAT returns
• Partial exemption
• Non-business activities
• Reclaiming VAT when using grants and donations

By the end of this session you will:
• Know where to find the relevant legislation and guidance
• Understand the key concepts of VAT
• Know when a council can or can't reclaim VAT
• Recognise when a council must charge VAT
• Be aware of activities that require special attention

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)
£33+ VAT members
£66+ VAT 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, Lion Planning

Cost (per delegate)
£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT Non Members

Venue:

Moulton Community Centre, Sandy Hill, Reedings, Northampton, NN3 7AX

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Course description
Young people are often a hard-to-reach demographic for councils a engage with. In this session we explore what we mean by young people, what issues matter to them, how to effectively reach and engage with them both online and offline, and how to build partnerships with youth-focused organisations.

Who should attend
Councils wishing to engage more with the younger community.

Course Tutor
Breakthrough Communications

Cost (per delegate)
£42+ VAT member
£84+ VAT non member

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
£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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 advanced data protection session deep dives into how councils are required to demonstrate accountability with GDPR. We consider the lawful bases for how councils process personal data and we explore how to create different policies and documents, including your Privacy Notice and Data Protection Impact Assessments.

Who should attend
Clerks and officers

Course Tutor
Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate

£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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

This 2-part webinar will give you a wider understanding of Trusts, and guidance for the trusteeship of charities.

The following will be covered in each session:

Part 1

• Nature of Trusts
• What are the requirements for a Charitable Trust?
• How is a Charitable Trust created?
• Role of the Charity Commission
• Registration with the Charity Commission or HM Revenue & Customs
• Legal personality of a Charitable Trust
• Charitable Incorporated Organisation

Part 2

• Trustees generally
• Role & responsibilities of Custodian, Holding and Management Trustees
• Duties of management & liabilities
• Winding up or amalgamating a charity
• Dealings with Property
• Village Halls & Recreation Grounds
• Trading

Who Should Attend
This course is suitable for all Parish Clerks and those involved with or would like to know more about Charitable Trusts and Members who might be trustees.

Date & Time
Part 1 - 3 July 2023 13:30 - 15:00
Part 2 - 10 July 2023 13:30 - 15:00

Venue
Online

Course Tutor
Roger Taylor is a Consultant at Wellers Hedleys Solicitors, a firm based in Surrey which has an extensive practice dealing with Parish and Town Councils in England. He lectures on subjects such as Common Land, Village Greens and Charitable Trusts and on other matters relating to the practice and procedure of Parish and Town Councils for a number of County Associations.

Cost per delegate please note this covers both sessions
£50 + VAT members
£100+ VAT non members

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This year we are planning another conference with the theme of play equipment. We will have expert speakers from Kompan Play Institute share with us the science behind developing play equipment, Wicksteed share how to plan your project, where you can apply for funding the maximise your project as well as stories from councils who have recently purchased new play equipment or refurbished their local play areas.

There will also be an opportunity to browse an exhibition area with organisations offering play equipment, insurance and play inspections to name but a few.

Areas to be covered on the day are:

• The science behind designing play areas
• How to plan your refurbishment
• Children's play & adult exercise equipment
• Inclusive equipment
• The importance of Play inspections & Insurance
• Sources of Funding
• The Borrowing Process & Community Engagement

Places are limited so book early to avoid disappointment

Cost per delegate (includes lunch)

£88+VAT members
£176+VAT non members

Discount
Book two places for £150+VAT Members £300+VAT non members

Venue:

Grange Park Community Centre, School Lane, Grange Park, NN4 5FZ

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This session is an introduction to the basics of procurement for local councils – inviting quotes, producing specifications and tender documentation, achieving competition and value for money, managing contracts.

Topics include:
• Procurement thresholds
• Basic terminology and steps involved in procurement
• Estimates, quotes and tenders
• Specifications
• Quality and value for money
• Advertising, including Contracts Finder

Session benefits:
By the end of Contracts and Procurement you will:
• Be aware of procurement thresholds
• Recognise when you must advertise on Contracts Finder
• Understand how to produce a specification for what you want
• Understand the basic terminology and steps involved in procurement
• Be able to ensure your procurement achieves value for money

Who should attend
Clerks, Officers and Councillors involved in procuring goods and services, preparing tenders or entering into contracts on behalf of local councils.

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+ VAT Members
£60+ VAT 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

Social media provides town and parish Councils a unique opportunity to significantly enhance their communications – yet few Councils are fully reaping the benefits on offer. Moreover, few councils have a clear social media strategy in place. This comprehensive course looks at how to build a social media strategy that seeks to promote your services and key council priorities.

Who should attend
Clerk, officers and Councillors wanting to create an effective social media strategy for their council

Cost per delegate)

£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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

A comprehensive review of both the practical and legal considerations for Councils in their role as Employer, including.

How to overcome common Employee performance problems such as:

• poor standard of work
• attendance
• absenteeism
• misconduct

Includes informal counselling approaches, as well as how to conduct Formal Disciplinary action in accordance with current legal obligations.

Who Should Attend?
This course is suitable for whoever is responsible for managing the employment relationship.

Course Tutor
Mr Chris Moses, Personnel Advice and Solutions Ltd

Cost (per delegate)
£28 +VAT Members
£56 +VAT Non Members

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Beyond Facebook: how councils can make use of Instagram, Twitter and other platforms to get their message across

More and more Councils are looking to use a range of social media platforms in order to increase their digital reach into their community. Instagram and Twitter are two key platforms that offer a range of benefits for Councils. This practical session looks at how to get started and what strategies and techniques are working well for councils like yours.

Who Should Attend
Clerks, Councillors and officers wanting to know how to use social media platforms

Course Tutor

Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate
£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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

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

£33+VAT Members
£66+VAT 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
How can you find and encourage a more diverse pool of people to stand or be co-opted as town or parish councillors? It is increasingly hard to find people who are willing to put their names forward either at election time or to be co-opted. We explore effective ways councils and councillors can engage people over time, building up their awareness and interest in the work of the council, in order to better promote and demystify the role of a councillor.

Who should attend
Councils wanting to know how to encourage more, and diverse, people to stand as a councillor.

Course tutor
Breakthrough Communications

Cost (per delegate)
£42+ VAT member
£84+ VAT non member

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

The course will cover a range of topics including:

• How to conduct an efficient and effective council meeting
• Dealing with disruptive Councillors and/or members of the public
• The statutory role of Chairman – and all the other roles you weren't told about when you were elected!
• How to deal with new legislation affecting council meetings, including the new right for meetings to be recorded without notice
• The one secret that will make your meetings better – and shorter!
• How to build a council that works effectively as a team

At the end of the workshop there will be time allocated for a Q&A session.

Welcome to our Virtual Classroom! These are not webinars. These are live, interactive 'classroom' based sessions led by one of our experienced trainers. You'll take part, ask questions and contribute to the group discussion in the same way you would if you were attending an open course. With whiteboarding, 'raise your hand', and screen sharing, our aim is to as closely as possible replicate the experience of attending one of our open training courses.

Who Should Attend
This course is suitable for the council's Chairman/Mayor, Vice Chairman/Deputy Mayor as well as all chairmen of committees.

Course Tutor

Danny Moody, Chief Executive, Northants CALC

Cost per delegate
£48+ VAT members
£96+ VAT non members

Venue:

Moulton Community Centre, Sandy Hill Lane, Reedings, Moulton, Northampton NN3 7AX

Contact:

Marie Reilly

This advanced data protection session considers how to deal with data subject rights requests, including Subject Access Requests. We explore specific steps to take to ensure you are compliant with the legislation, and we consider what exemptions may apply, and when. We also explore the importance of Information Security for local councils and what this means in practice.

Who should attend
This course is aimed at clerks and officers

Course Tutor
Breakthrough Communications

Cost per delegate

£42+ VAT members
£84+ VAT 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

We've teamed up with BHIB to provide our member councils with vital information in managing their Community Assets to ensure that that the council does not fall foul of the potential financial and reputation risks if something went wrong. Community Assets can include Land, Buildings, Heritage as well as Public & Green Spaces.

This session will cover

• How to identify community assets
• How to protect them
• How to adequately insure them

Audience
This course is suitable for both Clerks and Councillors

Course Facilitator

Brian Brookes, BHIB Insurance

Cost (per person)
£33+VAT member
£66+VAT non member

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) is a Level 3 accredited and recognised qualification for the Local Council Sector, designed to test basic levels of competence for the role of parish clerk. CiLCA has been designed to cover all aspects of the clerk's role and learners are required to compile a portfolio of evidence to show they fully understand their job.

There are 30 Learning Outcomes within the 5 units covering the following topics:

• Core roles in local council administration
• Law and procedure for local councils
• Finance for local councils
• Management for local councils
• Community Engagement

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly

For clerks, finance staff and councillors from councils that are not VAT registered, but reclaim VAT on Form VAT126.

This session explains how VAT affects local councils. Essential for any council contemplating major building projects.

Topics include:
• how VAT law applies to local councils
• where to find the law and guidance
• business and non-business activities
• understanding whether sales are taxable or exempt from VAT
• when a council must register for VAT
• when VAT can be reclaimed
• Partial exemption
• Reclaiming VAT when using grants and donations

By the end of this session you will:
• Know where to find the relevant legislation and guidance
• Understand the key concepts of VAT
• Know when a council can or can't reclaim VAT
• Recognise when a council must register for VAT
• Be aware of activities that require special attention

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)
£33+ VAT members
£66+ VAT 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

Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) is a Level 3 accredited and recognised qualification for the Local Council Sector, designed to test basic levels of competence for the role of parish clerk. CiLCA has been designed to cover all aspects of the clerk's role and learners are required to compile a portfolio of evidence to show they fully understand their job.

There are 30 Learning Outcomes within the 5 units covering the following topics:

• Core roles in local council administration
• Law and procedure for local councils
• Finance for local councils
• Management for local councils
• Community Engagement

Venue:

Online

Contact:

Marie Reilly