What You Need To Know

This course will be held in two parts and you will need to attend both sessions
Part 1 - Tuesday 27th January 2026
Part 2 - Tuesday 3rd February 2026

This informal small-group course gives new and inexperienced Officers an introduction to some of the key aspects of the role and highlights many support mechanisms and signposts for further information. Just bring yourself and any questions you may already have!

Topics include introduction to legislation, things to do before, during and after meetings, sharing initial experiences, problem-solving and troubleshooting, signposts and support and recommended publications.

Suitable Audience
Members of staff such as clerks, deputies, assistants. We recommend that you attend this course as soon as possible after appointment; however, it is useful to anyone who has been in post for less than a year.

Benefits
This session is informal, and we welcome you to bring your own questions to be answered, in addition to this some of the key topics that will be covered are:

• Setting the context of local councils, both nationally and locally;
• The ALC, and where it fits in for councils and members of staff;
• Powers and duties of a local council (defining duties and powers and looking as some of the specific powers in more detail, for example, The Local Government Act 1972, s.137 and the General Power of Competence);
• Meetings and decision-making (thinking about the cycle of meetings, managing their administration with councillors and considering the agenda, meeting and minutes.