April – the month of April showers and tulips, although we have also seen snow and sleet. Thankfully the temperatures appear to be returning to double figures as we approach the weekend.
AGAR and Council’s reserves: At our recent Clerk only Café Cluster, a question was raised about council reserves, policy and practice. Reserves do need to be considered and reviewed by council if they are to positively comply with the first assertion on the AGAR, governance statement. So, a quick check on page 8 and 35 of the Practitioner’s Guide March 2020 will give you a reminder of what’s important.
While on this subject, there have been some changes to the Practitioner’s Guide March 2021, which will come into play for accounts from April onwards. NALC have provided a guide to these changes and a downloadable 2021 guide.
HOT NEW COURSES
HR WEBINAR – Managing Good Performance – pre-book your place with Gabbie
Wednesday 28 April 1.30pm (90 mins)
Whether your staff work from home, the office or are out and about, you want to ensure their motivation and delivery both remain strong. This session explores the theory and practice of motivating and achieving high performance from your team.
Speaker - Maria Aguilar, Director at HR Services Partnership
Maria Aguilar worked across various organisations within the public sector for 15 years before co-founding and co-leading the HR Services Partnership for the past 18 years. The HR Services Partnership specialises in providing HR support to smaller employers in the not-for-profit sector including a large number of Parish and Town Councils.
Effective Communications for Positive Outcomes
This two-hour course helps delegates to understand their own and others communication styles, helping them to build better rapport with colleagues, staff and peers resulting in positive exchanges and outcomes. The course covers:
Communication styles – understanding your own and others
Body language in communication
Building Rapport
Shaping outcomes
Two dates to choose from – 10am, Tuesday 27 April or 7pm, Thursday 29 April
Building Resilience
This two-hour course helps delegates to understand and increase their own resilience levels, manage expectations and effectively communicate with others. The course covers:
Resilience – what is it and how do we increase it?
Understanding Ourselves and Others
Expectations – how to manage them
Two dates to choose from – 10am, Wednesday 5 May or 7pm, Thursday 6 May
April courses that still have some places available – book your place
For those who like to operate a ‘just in time approach’ to year end accounts:
Preparing the file for your Internal Auditor with Pauline James, Thursday, 15 April 2.30pm
Preparing the AGAR with Pauline James, Tuesday, 20 April 2.30pm
For Clerks and Councillors:
An introduction to Neighbourhood Planning, Tuesday, 20 April 7pm – evening date
Effective Communication for Positive Outcomes, Tuesday, 27 April 10am
Engaging your community, Wednesday 28 April 7pm – evening date
Planning for Parish Councillors, Wednesday, 28 April 7pm – extra new evening date
Effective Communication for Positive Outcomes, Thursday 29 April, 7pm – evening date
Introduction to Neighbourhood Planning with Rachel Leggett, Tuesday, 2 March 7pm – just two places left
Managing burial ground memorials with Alan Fairchild, Wednesday, 10 March 11am – just two places left
Preparing the AGAR with Pauline James, Thursday, 11 March 2.30pm – just one place left
FOIA/EIR Essentials for Clerks and Councillors with Phil Brown, Tuesday, 23 March 10am
GDPR Essentials for Clerks and Councillors with Phil Brown, Wednesday, 24 March 7pm
Looking ahead to May
New Chairman – pre-book your council’s place now and fill in the name later.
Chairmanship skills with Alan Fairchild – Monday, 24 May 10am.
Essential learning for Councillors (clerks also welcome)
FOIA/EIR Essentials for Clerks and Councillors with Phil Brown, Tuesday, 25 May 10am
GDPR Essentials for Clerks and Councillors with Phil Brown, Wednesday, 26 May 7pm
New courses
Building Resilience with Nicki Williamson, Wednesday, 5 May 10am
Building Resilience, Thursday, 6 May 7pm – evening date
Our regulars
Being an effective Councillor 2-part course – 10 & 12 May
Planning for Parish Councillors – 19 May
Managing cemeteries, churchyards & memorial safety – 26 May
Finance courses – a membership benefit is access to a range of specialists and practitioners, such as Steve Parkinson who specialises in local council finance. He regularly delivers a rolling programme of the following courses and you can book direct and secure our negotiated rate of just £30 per booking.
Finance for Councillors
VAT for local Councils
Year end accounts & audit (focus is on medium to large councils)
Internal Controls for local councils
New Clerks – our four-session Role of the Clerk course provides you with a firm foundation knowledge. . Our next course is June – pre-book your place direct with our Trainer, Gabbie. Gabbie is SLCC CiLCA recognised Trainer and is an excellent foundation for your professional development onto CiLCA.
New Councillors – our popular Effective Councillor two-part course is the essential starting point for your professional development. This course runs every month and varies between evening and daytime, so there is sure to be a date that suits you.
Don’t forget our twice a month online Clerk Café Clusters - 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month, 2pm. Each month, we have a special guest on one date and a free-flow session on the other. Free and only open to Clerks – book your place on any or all of these events. Alan Fairchild will be joining us on 21 April to answer topical questions about cemeteries and closed churchyards.
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