Latest Courses
Update to Employment Law Changes - Briefing Session
The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces key changes from April 2026 that will impact councils. Join our free member lunchtime briefing sessions to understand the updates and the decisions you’ll need to make this year to be ready for the changes.
Update to Employment Law Changes - Briefing Session
The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces key changes from April 2026 that will impact councils. Join our free member lunchtime briefing sessions to understand the updates and the decisions you’ll need to make this year to be ready for the changes.
Budgeting for Clerks and Officers
This 2-hour informal course is aimed at officers who are involved in preparing and monitoring budgets. If your larger council uses accounting software for budgeting, we will have part of the group looking at how to make the software work for you while those from smaller councils looking at how best to get an overall picture using spreadsheets. Topics include zero base and incremental budgeting, medium and long term capital planning, earmarking, spotting the gaps, assessing contingencies as well as trouble shooting past problems and sharing ideas and suggestions. We will also look at available best practice via the Transparency Code.
Councillor Essentials - Knowledge and Core Skills
20th October 2026
10:00 - 14:30
School Green Centre School Green Shinfield Reading Berkshire RG2 9EH
Spaces Available
This course is suitable for new councillors or those that would like a refresher in the key aspects of being a parish or town councillor.
Making Effective Planning Representations
This 2.5 hour session will explain the principles which underpin how a planning decision is made, and how your comments as a consultee can be drafted to best effect. It will give you an understanding of the key terminology planning officers use and where to find relevant information amidst what is often a mass of documents. It will also cover what issues to consider (and what issues to avoid) when your council is discussing its response. It is a practical session designed to help anyone giving guidance to councillors as they consider their representations and get the parish councils message across more effectively.
Introduction to Appraisals
10th November 2026
10:30 - 13:00
Weybrook Park Golf Club, Basingstoke RG24 9NT
Spaces Available
This session will enable you to use best practice when preparing for and conducting appraisal meetings with employees and understand where these meetings sit within the wider context of performance management systems. You will have the opportunity to practice the skills learn through role play in a safe environment. Suitable Audience Councillors and staff responsible for managing people and performance, or those who wish to develop their knowledge in this area.
Local Council Governance - Understanding Your Responsibilities
17th November 2026
10:30 - 13:00
Weybrook Park Golf Club, Basingstoke RG24 9NT
Spaces Available
As a Parish and Town Councillor you bear ultimate responsibility for ensuring the Council is well governed and that public money is being spent appropriately. This course will explain these responsibilities and outline some suggested processes to have in place to help you carry out this function.
Community Engagement
18th November 2026
10:30 - 13:00
Alresford Golf Club, Cheriton Road Tichborne Down, Alresford, SO24 0PN
Spaces Available
Local councils engage routinely with their communities through a variety of channels, and receive feedback on a multitude of issues in, and affecting, their area. Community engagement is a form of communication, but making it meaningful involves more than making information available for stakeholders to receive, review and respond. This session is designed to support local councils consider how best to engage with their stakeholders, including how to prepare a plan and implement effective strategies for effective community engagement.
Digital and Data Compliance (COURSE FULL)
This 2 hour session is designed to update council’s on data protection legislation and how to achieve compliance with Assertion 10 on the Annual Governance & Accountability Return.
Prevention of Sexual Harassment Training: Your Obligations
To fulfil your duty of care to your employees, it is vital that councils as employers understand the impact of sexual harassment and the steps to take to prevent it. This 2 hour course will give you an understanding of what constitutes sexual harassment, the legislative framework surrounding it, and the role that councils as an employer play in fostering a safe working environment. You will learn practical tips on how to prevent, intervene and challenge inappropriate behaviour and feel confident in recognising sexual harassment.
Preventing Sexual Harassment
A practical course helping councils understand sexual harassment, their legal responsibilities and duty of care towards employees. Participants will learn how to recognise, prevent and challenge inappropriate behaviour, and gain confidence in creating and maintaining a safe and respectful working environment.
Clerk and Officers Update
1st December 2026
10:00 - 12:30
Chilcomb Down House, 124 Alresford Road, Winchester, SO21 1HB
Spaces Available
These sessions, for local council employees, are relatively informal and are designed for information sharing and networking. Topical subjects are introduced, occasionally by external expert speakers. You will also have time to raise own issues and questions and given a forum for discussion, problem-solving and support.
Latest Updates in Planning
This course will provide an update on recent planning changes, including the government’s remodelled planning system to support housing, economic growth, and climate goals. Key updates cover the revised National Planning Policy Framework, implementation of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (2023), and the impact of devolution and local government reorganisation on local and neighbourhood plans.
Digital and Data Compliance
This 2 hour session is designed to update council’s on data protection legislation and how to achieve compliance with Assertion 10 on the Annual Governance & Accountability Return.
Managing Absence and Capability
This session is designed to give you an overview of dealing with staff absence and capability relating to ill health.
Councillor Essentials - Knowledge and Core Skills
Part 1 - Wednesday 13th January 18.30 - 21:00 Part 2 - Wednesday 20th January 18.30 - 21:00 This two part course is suitable for new councillors or those that would like a refresher in the key aspects of being a parish or town councillor. Please note these sessions are being held online and you should attend both sessions.
Handling Challenging Individuals
19th January 2027
10:00 - 13:00
Alresford Golf Club, Cheriton Road Tichborne Down, Alresford, SO24 0PN
Spaces Available
A practical course helping councillors and council staff understand, manage and respond confidently to challenging behaviour. Participants will explore different types of difficult behaviour, communication styles, techniques for defusing situations, assertive communication and personal coping strategies.
Intro to CiLCA
9th February 2027
10:00 - 12:30
Weybrook Park Golf Club, Basingstoke RG24 9NT
Spaces Available
This is offered as a 2.5 hour stand-alone session for attendees to gather information to make a decision on whether they would like to take the CiLCA qualification and whether they would like to enrol on the Hampshire ALC Training & Mentoring programme to support them in completing their CiLCA Portfolio.
Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures
The Disciplinary & Grievance Procedures Course is aimed at helping those in management roles or members of staffing committees responsible for discipline and grievance in their councils. It is designed to help ensure that disciplinary and grievance procedures are fair, consistent and support everyone in the workplace.