Calendar

When it comes to participation in local government, many of the people we need to hear from are likely to experience aspects of their participation in local decision-making as disabling.

The first part of this talk considers the benefits of designing for accessibility and illustrates some of the ways that, historically speaking, these processes have not been designed for everyone.  The second part proposes practical approaches and resources for governance professionals seeking to provide more accessible spaces and information for participants.

This Webinar provides an introduction to:

• What is meant by accessibility and universal design in an English local government context
• The importance of accessibility in public meetings and information design
• Steps DSOs and governance professionals can take toward more accessible public meetings and information, in compliance with the Equality Act 2010 and the WCAG 2.0

The webinar will be particularly suitable for Democratic Services Officers (DSOs) and governance professionals who:

• have a stake in how meetings are run and how information is received by decision-makers and participants
• want to support full participation of councillors and members of the public in their civic roles and processes

Our speaker is Katherine Harclerode, a Governance Advisor specializing in Overview and Scrutiny at Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council. She has an academic background and became passionate about disability rights whilst studying bodily rhetorics and representations and pedagogy as part of her Masters studies. Her penchant for usability and good design was sharpened through her past work as a Freelance Technical Communicator.  Katherine has also been an ADSO Regional Representative since 2020.

To book, click on the following link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8694719582685503063

Please note that you will need to be able to login in to GoTo webinar in order to access the webinar.  If you are logging in from your workplace, you will need to ensure that GoTo has not been blocked by your organisation.  Otherwise, you can log on from your mobile.

This webinar is sponsored by VP-AV Limited https://vp-av.co.uk/

VP-AV will deliver a comprehensive service to enable your Council to communicate effectively and manage your meetings.  Our audio-visual technology will allow you to:  Engage – Communicate – Collaborate

To explain how we achieve these and share the knowledge of what is now available to make it much easier to operate at less cost to stream your Hybrid meetings, VP-AV are planning a series of localised seminars/open days so please get in touch to find out where and when.

Explained in a “non-techy” way we will be covering, but not limited to, the following:

• Sustainable Streaming: web-streaming of Council meetings to social media
• Lower cost of ownership: without compromising features and functions
• Conference Systems – which one best suit your needs:  explaining voting, ID registration and automated camera tracking
• Audio:  explaining speech intelligibility and the changes in assistive listening
• Automation and self-publishing: See how streaming and Hybrid has become much easier.

Leading on the new shift towards sustainable streaming and Council Chamber AV Hybrid solutions, we have the integration know-how.

Please contact us to explore what’s available to find out more about our forthcoming education days: Info@vp-av.co.uk or 01264 723400

In May 2023, the Government released an amended version of the code on school suspensions and permanent exclusions effective from 1 September 2023: Suspension and Permanent Exclusion from Maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units in England, including pupil movement.  This webinar will highlight any changes in the amended version of the code to encourage a standardised approach in schools and hopefully ensure good practice as a result.

Our speakers are Ann Coldicott, Democratic Services Manager at Essex County Council and Jill Thwaites and Lindsey Atkinson who work as Independent Clerks.

The presentation aims to give participants a better understanding of the amended code and what is required following a permanent exclusion leading to an Independent Review Hearing.  It is particularly suitable for Democratic Services Officers who manage, organise or clerk Independent Review Panel (IRP) hearings as well as Panel Members i.e. serving Headteachers, lay Chairs or Governors.

Our webinar is sponsored by FCS Software Solutions Ltd https://fcssoftware.co.uk/ specialists in the development of web-based software for local authorities including AppealsPro, a suite of secure, web-based applications that have been designed to manage school admission, exclusion, and transport appeals across all schools and key stages.

AppealsPro puts all of the appeals data at your fingertips in a secure environment and removes the need for multiple spreadsheets and the traditional bundles of paper and post-it notes.

With parent and school portals for the submission and sharing of information and evidence, automatic generation of appeal letters and packs, automated appeal scheduling, appeal cost calculations and generation of the DofE report, you’ll wonder how you ever managed before AppealsPro.

To book, click on the following link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3462236103325197146

Please note that you will need to be able to login in to GoTo webinar in order to access the webinar.  If you are logging in from your workplace, you will need to ensure that GoTo has not been blocked by your organisation.  Otherwise, you can log on from your mobile.

This webinar will provide you with an introduction to community power in public services, including:

• What community power is
• The three routes to community power
• What community power means for decision-making and community participation
• Councillors and community power
• Reflections on community power for Democratic Services Officers.

We will talk about how and why councils have adopted this way of working, as well as sharing some case study examples to bring it to life and give a general introduction to New Local and our network.

The presentation is particularly relevant to Democratic Service Officers but could also be of interest to other officers in councils who are keen to learn more about community power.

By the end of the session, you should be able to:

• Understand what community power is
• Understand how community power is being put into practice in councils and what this means for council decision-making and community participation
• Have some useful takeaways to consider for the future for those in Democratic Services roles.

Our speakers are Stephanie Riches, Senior Network Officer and Grace Pollard, Head of Public Services Policy from New Local, an independent think tank and network of councils with a mission to transform public services and unlock community power.

Our webinar is sponsored by Politis Consulting (https://politisconsulting.co.uk/), a citizen-centric research and advice consultancy specialising in local government. Backed by PhD-qualified experts, Politis seamlessly blend academic rigour with practical experience to empower local Councils.

From bespoke research to expert advice services, Politis empowers local government officers with innovative ideas and practical solutions. Our governance support ensures timely issue resolution, often preventing escalation into formal complaints. Our mediation work with smaller Councils means we are frequently the Monitoring Officer’s best friend.

Politis excels in project management, including income-generating initiatives, capital schemes, community-led programmes, and service delivery enhancements. We also serve as a critical friend for corporate planning, a crucial yet often overlooked priority for local councils.

In times of transition, our locum services provide temporary support while you recruit full-time officers. Politis thrives in the complex landscape of local government, where academic excellence meets real-world expertise, driving success in your Council.

Oh, and we have a podcast called “Standing Orders”, which is mildly more entertaining than the introduction above.

https://politisconsulting.co.uk/

To book, click on the following link:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/321694445696451160

Please note that you will need to be able to login in to GoTo webinar in order to access the webinar.  If you are logging in from your workplace, you will need to ensure that GoTo has not been blocked by your organisation.  Otherwise, you can log on from your mobile.

Please contact the Chair of the group, James McLaughlin, if you are an MO/DMO who would like to join the group by emailing James_McLaughlin@sandwell.gov.uk

ADSO members can view the agenda, papers and link to join the meeting here

Please contact the Chair of the group, James McLaughlin, if you are an MO/DMO who would like to join the group by emailing James_McLaughlin@sandwell.gov.uk