ADSO continues to run its annual training programme and details can be found on the website, with some linked directly to our qualifications. We are increasingly being asked to run bespoke courses for authorities or groups of authorities and we are very happy to do this where there is demand. For example, we ran a Governance (Committee) Administration course earlier in April for a group of councils in the South West, are returning to that region on 15 Junefor a Minute Writing course and have a day booked in Reigate & Banstead for ‘Dealing with Difficult Situations’. In partnership with the AEA we ran a successful ‘Introduction to Electoral Services’ course in London back in February and we will be looking to run more in the future. If you are interested in us running a course in your area, please get in touch. You can offset the cost by selling places to your neighbouring authorities.
You may recall the consultation we carried out last year on the discussion document ‘The Governance Professional of the Future’. Feedback identified a wish for training in supporting new ventures such as trading companies. We are therefore looking at the options for company secretarial training and will publish proposals as soon as they are available.
The qualifications continue to progress and the pilot cohort for the new Certificate are doing well. Most of the learners are on course to complete their qualification by this year’s conference which is great news. We have 11 learners in the new Diploma cohort which started in October last year. Again, most are making good progress.
Finally, a plug for the ADSO awards for 2018. Details will be published soon. We are hoping for a really good response as it’s two years since the last awards. To make it a bit easier for you, we will be making a template available for you to fill in. So you now have no excuse! Start thinking about all the things you do well and tell us about them.
The very best of luck to those of you working on elections this week. Hope it goes well
Sue Keogh
Director of Development