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Northants CALC is the lead agency for the County Training Partnership, which is responsible for the local implementation of the National Training Strategy for Town & Parish Councils.
Go straight to the 2010 Training Programme.
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT FOR LOCAL COUNCILS
Northants CALC has been busy putting together a comprehensive and challenging training programme for 2009. The aim is to have a course for everyone, whatever your interest and whatever your level of expertise. Some of the dates and venues have not been finalised yet but the 2009 Training & Development Programme will include:
Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA):
The CiLCA is the core skills qualification for local council clerks. Clerks holding the qualification are nationally recognised and the NALC Model Contract of Employment for Local Council Clerks awards a salary increment for attaining the qualification. In addition a qualified clerk is a prerequisite for any council wishing to pursue Quality status.
This year’s CiLCA includes seven afternoon sessions from April to November (excluding August) in Litchborough.
At the end of the year candidates will be able to submit their portfolios for marking by the CiLCA Chief Verifier.
The CiLCA tuition fee will be £475 (£585 from a non-member council). The fee is due with the booking and the closing date for applications will be 26th March. Because the closing date is in this financial year cheques sent in April will be accepted if the booking is confirmed in writing before 26th March. Please note there is also a separate £150 registration fee, payable direct to SLCC.
All the details on CiLCA can be found at: http://www.nalc.gov.uk/Training/CiLCA.aspx.
For Clerks:
Clerks not wishing to commit to the CiLCA will be delighted to hear that we are running our annual Clerk’s Day on Saturday 28th March in Litchborough. It is an opportunity for new clerks to meet each other and ask all those “stupid questions” you’ve been storing up (the only really stupid question is one that you don’t ask!). The day will also benefit those not-so-new clerks who might value a refresher, or just the opportunity to network with others and share common issues.
Not enough councillors come on training courses. There, I’ve said it! The clerk might be the one needing the technical and legal knowledge but it’s the elected members that are making the decisions and surely this must be done from an informed and knowledgeable position? For new and newish councillors we are repeating the incredibly successful “Off To A Flying Start” course on Wednesday 18th February and Wednesday 14th May. We put this course on three times in 2008 and were still oversubscribed! It gives councillors an excellent grounding in the work and roles and responsibilities of being a local councillor. There is particular emphasis on how a council works, the framework for discussion and decision making, and the respective roles of members, chair and officers. It’s a must for anyone new to the sector, or anyone wishing to bring their training up to date.
Specialist Courses:
A range of one-off specialist courses will be run throughout the year in response to new issues or new legislation affecting parish and town councils. An example would be the much touted Power of Wellbeing in the new Local Government & Public Involvement in Health Act.
2009 Training & Development Programme Details:
Please contact Northants CALC on 01604 706333 or training@northantscalc.gov.uk for details on any of the above courses.
Dates, times and costs are subject to confirmation as we firm up the final details of the programme. Booking forms and course information will be sent to all councils and will be available from www.northantscalc.gov.uk.
The first thing to learn is that you never stop learning!