Support for Parish Clerks and Councillors

From Camlink

Several organistions provide support and training for Parish Clerks and Parish Councillors.

Society of Local Council Clerks

The Society of Local Council Clerks was founded in 1974 at a side meeting held during a National Association of Local Councils Conference. Originally there were just under 50 member Clerks working as a self support group. The role of the Town, Parish and Community Council has changed out of all recognition in the intervening years. In the period up to 2001 membership rose to 2200 and the Society negotiated a basic terms and conditions agreement with the National Association, published editions of The Clerks Manual, provided a quarterly Journal for members and an early version of the Working With Your Council the distance learning course pack.

Since 2001 the Society has developed and grown rapidly following the National Executive Council’s decision to appoint professional officers and to invest in new services. Membership has increased to the point where members now serve over 4000 councils and revenues have increased five fold. A new modern terms and conditions agreement was negotiated and a whole range of new services established. Members of the Society today benefit from a membership package which includes access to:

• An online and telephone based advisory service giving immediate answers to technical, professional and employment queries.

• Direct support and assistance in the event of grievance and disciplinary issues.

• A programme of 10 regional and four national conferences covering a wide range of topics of immediate concern.

• A programme of National, Regional and Local Training Courses which underpin the Continuous Professional Development strategy which is being developed for Local Councils.

• The Society website providing downloadable content and other services such as a job finder, an online bookshop and a suppliers guide, advice notes and how to guides.

• A number of e-forums putting Clerks in touch with other practitioners all over the country and creating a professional network of high quality contacts.

• A County based branch network providing local support and resources

• The range of publications including a new version of The Clerks Manual, a Practitioners Guide for Financial Management and Local Council Administration by Charles Arnold Baker.

• A toolkit CD providing downloads of commonly used forms, procedures, spreadsheets and databases.

• A bi-monthly journal “ The Clerk”

• Negotiation of Terms and conditions and advice on implementation and annual awards.

• Representation with The National Association of Local Councils, with One Voice Wales and with Government Departments.

• Research undertaken on behalf of the profession the sector and government.

Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Association of Local Councils

The Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Association of Local Councils, known as CPALC, provides support to Parish and Town Councils throughout Cambridgeshire. It includes a password controlled members' area which is open to Parish and Town Councillors in subscribing Councils. Most Parish and Town Councils in Cambridgeshire do subscribe.

National Association of Local Councils

The National Association of Local Councils, known as NALC, represents the interests of town and parish councils in England - a total of around 8,500 councils. These councils have powers to raise their own funds through precept. Parish and town councils provide employment for over 25,000 staff, while their annual expenditure is in the region of £400 million.

The councils NALC represent serve electorates ranging from small rural communities to major cities, and are all independently elected. Together, they can be identified as the nation's single most influential grouping of grassroots opinion-formers. Over 15 million people live in communities served by parish and town councils nationally – this represents about 35% of the population. Over 150 new parish and town councils have been created since 1997.

Working with, and for our member councils, NALC is actively involved in lobbying government at a national level to advance and protect the interests of these councils, and their communities.

NALC provides support and advice to our members directly through a network of county associations.

NALC is committed to developing the role of town and parish councils, in order that they can represent the communities which they serve effectively and be at the forefront of community leadership.

Next page: Town Councils.