As I write this, I’m looking out of my window to see the neighbours decorating the front of their house for Halloween. Where on earth has 2020 gone? Some will say the sooner it’s over the better. As it’s half-term, it’s been a fairly slow news week for ADSO, but there are some important messages below:
ADSO AGM and Awards
It’s less than a month now to the ADSO AGM and Awards ceremony – on Thursday 26th November from 5.00pm. Joining instructions will follow soon. Please reserve this date and time in your diary.
South East Employers and ADSO Advanced Democratic and Committee Administration course
Places on this highly-valued course are running out quickly – as I write this, there are just six places left. The two- day programme is scheduled to take place on 13th and 14th January 2021 on a virtual basis using ‘MS Teams’. Joining instructions, programme and all advanced documents and handouts will be sent to delegates during W/C 4th January 2021.
To book a place on the programme for you or a team member use the following link: https://seemp.co.uk/events/advanced-committee-administration/
School Appeals
We understand that Government is hoping to extend the temporary education appeals regulations from 31 January 2021 until 30 September 2021. This is subject to Ministerial and Parliamentary approval so it’s not definite yet. We still await a response to the LGA letter with regard to the extension for remote meetings more generally beyond May 2021. We’ll bring you further news on both when we can.
Members’ forum
As always, there are many interesting threads in the forum. Do please have a look. There’s a new one on civic ceremonies, which colleagues working in Member and Civic Support functions may wish to contribute to.
LGA webinars
Please see below details of two forthcoming webinars being run by the LGA:
COVID-19 Political Leadership Webinars for councillors
To access any of the below recorded webinars, please click https://www.local.gov.uk/our-support/lga-covid-19-support-offer/covid-19-political-leadership-webinars-councillors
Effective Chairing of Remote Meetings
This webinar provides some advice and assistance to councillors when undertaking council business through digital platforms. It provides some case studies and hints and tips from councillor colleagues who have been undertaking meetings online and some thoughts on the process and conduct of meetings.
E-Learning Modules
We have now made the modules available on an open access platform. This means that the modules can be accessed without the need for a username and password. Councillors will be able to evidence that they have completed the module by completing the certificate of completion, but it does not provide the same tracking options as our previous platform. This includes the module on Holding council meetings online which offers assistance to councils. The e-learning modules are available via this link:
https://lga.melearning.university/course/view/1?gc=WMA7LFIA1FZCUC1QCVSK.
The councillor e-learning modules available to download from the LGA E-Learning platform for councillors are as follows:
Holding Council Meetings online
The Coronavirus pandemic has brought about fast-paced changes to the way people live and work. The need for self-isolation and social distancing has led to a focus on home and remote working, with councils exploring how to make the most of current technology to enable this. So that council’s democratic functions and public council meetings can continue legislation has been changed to permit the conducting of meetings online, using software applications, or ‘apps’, designed for this purpose. The module looks at the revised provisions, the technology available and how to engage the public effectively
IIMC webinar
Michelle Beaumont and John Austin attended the recent IIMC webinar on remote meetings. It was attended by 20 representatives from councils in the USA, South Africa, Holland, Belgium, Scotland and of course England. It was a very interesting hour and showed that wherever in the world we are, remote meetings have brought similar challenges. What came across strongly was the social cost of working from home for long periods, whether that be a lack of face to face contact with colleagues, inadequate IT and other facilities at home or the difficulty of working with children and families in proximity. We hope that this session will be repeated and ADSO will again be allocated 2 places. We can recommend you taking part.
Peter Sass, Vice-Chair