The County Durham and Cleveland Training Partnership delivers training to member and non-member councils throughout County Durham and Cleveland. This page includes our training programme which is continually updated
Bookings close 48 hours before each course starts (unless otherwise stated) and invoices will be raised after each event. For further details about any of our courses please contact cdalc@durham.gov.uk.
Here is the training we currently have available for parish and town councils in County Durham and Cleveland
Town and Parish Council Elections briefing
Tues 18th Feb 2025 5.30 to 7pm at County Hall, Durham, and
Tues 4th March 2025 6 to 7.30pm on Zoom
For more info and to book on Elections briefing
The sessions will be the same but giving the option of different dates and formats.
County Durham and Cleveland CiLCA mentoring (ongoing)
For more information about CiLCA and to book on CiLCA mentoring
Please note that online CiLCA mentoring is ongoing and delivered over the course of an academic year (Sep to June) and is free to clerks from County Durham and Cleveland County Association member councils. It entails an introductory session plus 5 other webinars for each of the CiLCA units. It is possible to join mid-year and continue till you have attended all the units.
Finance and VAT – Via Parkinson Partnership
A whole range of courses are available to County Association member councils and can be booked directly at Parkinson Partnership courses for parish and town councils. Cost £35. Invoice after the event.
Currently available courses:
VAT
- Introduction to VAT – 16 Jan at 10am, 18 Feb at 10am & 27 Mar at 10am
- VAT Partial Exemption – 4 Feb at 10am
- VAT for registered Councils – 11 Feb at 10am
Finance for Councillors
- 23 Jan at 10am
- 30 Jan at 6.30pm
- 4 Mar at 10am
Internal Controls
- 22 Jan at 10am
- 19 Feb at 10am
The Role of Internal Audit
- 15 Jan at 10am
- 5 Mar at 10am
Procurement Act 2023
- 27 Feb at 10am
New Clerks’ Finance (Plus a second course FREE after you attend)
- 28 Jan at 10am
- 26 Mar at 10am
Year End & Audit – Councils over £25,000
- 13 Feb at 10am
- 25 Feb at 10am
- 11 Mar at 10am
- 20 Mar at 10am
Year-end & Transparency – Councils under £25,000
- 6 Mar at 10am
- 18 Mar at 10am
- 19 Mar at 6.30pm
Income & Expenditure accounts (for larger councils)
- 13 Mar at 10am
- 25 Mar at 10am
Further information and to book on Parkinson Partnership courses for parish and town councils
Communications and Engagement – via Breakthrough Communications
More courses are available to County Association member councils (clerks, officers and councillors) covering all aspects of council communications, community engagement and GDPR/FOI compliance. Here is the current schedule of Breakthrough Communications courses which also includes booking information. Course costs are £35. Invoice after the event.
Example courses include:
The range of courses currently includes:
- Communicating with your Community
- How councils can engage effectively with young people in their communities
- How councils can recruit a more diverse pool of local councillors
- Get the most from local and regional media
- Crisis communications for local councils
- Dealing with difficult people and conversations in our local councils
- Councillors: Chairing council and public meetings effectively
- Data Protection
- Freedom of Information for local councils
Click here for the current schedule of Breakthrough Communications courses
Cancellations for training should be emailed to cdalc@durham.gov.uk, and like registrations they will normally close 48 hours before each course (unless specified otherwise in the course information). After this time all live bookings will be charged (where there is a fee payable) whether the person attends or not, but non attendees will be sent the presentation. Councils will be invoiced after each event.
Online training will be delivered using Zoom or Microsoft Teams and the link will be emailed to participants no later than 24 hours before the event.
