ADSO is hosting the interactive, virtual course ‘Law and Practice of Local Government’. The course will be delivered as two, three-hour workshops. Delegates will be required to attend both workshops.
Audience
This course is aimed at Democratic Services Officers who wish to develop their understanding of the legal framework within which councils operate and the practical application of this to the range of work areas undertaken by democratic services teams. The course content will be relevant both to those who are relatively new to democratic services and officers with a few years’ experience.
The content is also linked to the Law and Practice module of the ADSO Certificate so it will help learners with their research for this module.
How the course will be delivered
The workshops will
- Provide an understanding of the statutory position of local government and the main pieces of legislation governing its operation and constitutional arrangements.
- Examine the practical application of this legal framework to the aspects of a council’s operation that impact most directly on the democratic services function, including:
- Governance arrangements and decision-making under executive arrangements or a committee system;
- Political proportionality rules;
- Legal provisions affecting members and officers; and
- Arrangements to ensure good governance including access to information, transparency and ethical standards.
The workshops will include plenary presentations, case studies and smaller group working, enabling delegates to learn with delegates from across the country.
Trainers
John Williams has over 30 years’ practical experience in the field of democratic services, governance and constitutional advice. For 12 of these he headed up the service at the London Boroughs of Croydon and then Tower Hamlets, where he was also appointed as Returning Officer and Deputy Monitoring Officer. John now works as a consultant in democratic and electoral services and has extensive experience of delivering training in each of these areas. He is also an assessor for the ADSO Diploma.
Tracy Couper has been Democratic Services Manager at East Cambridgeshire District Council since 2005 and Deputy Monitoring Officer since 2015. This is her 36th year in Democratic Services and previously she has held senior roles at Bedfordshire County Council prior to its abolition, Peterborough City Council during the transition period to it becoming a Unitary Council and started her career at Huntingdonshire District Council. She has been Clerk to the Fire Authority whilst at Bedfordshire and more recently involved in the establishment of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
Dates and times
Workshop One: Tuesday 2nd July 2024, 9.30am-12.30pm
Workshop Two: Tuesday 9th July 2024, 9.30am-12.30pm
Please note that you only need to book on 2nd July course date to be able to attend both workshops.
Cost
- ADSO Member rate – £110 + VAT per person to attend the course
- Non-ADSO Member rate – £160 + VAT per person to attend the course
How to book a place
To book a place please use the online booking form available on the following webpage:
ADSO – Law and Practice of Local Government (emcouncils.gov.uk)
Booking requirements
- A purchase order number is required for all bookings made out to ADSO. Courses cannot be attended if a purchase order is not received.
- A hardcopy of the purchase order is required.
- Please provide us with your ADSO Membership number (if applicable)
- A few days after booking you will receive a calendar invite for the workshop(s). Please note that your email address will be visible to all participants unless you advise us otherwise.
- Please send the above information to adsotraining@emcouncils.gov.uk.