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 uupdated
For further details about any of our courses please contact cdalc@durham.gov.uk. Bookings close 48 hours before each course starts (unless otherwise stated) and invoices will be raised after each event.
Here is the training we currently have available for parish and town councils in County Durham and Cleveland
New Clerks Training
Weds 18th Sep 2024 6 – 8pm
Sedgefield Parish Hall, 19 Front St, Sedgefield TS21 3AT
£10 County Association members/£30 non-members
For more info and to book on New Clerks training
Local Councils : The basics
Tues 24th Sep 2024 at 6pm on Zoom, 2 hours
£10 County Association members/£30 non-members
For more info and to book on Local Councils: The basics training
Biodiversity Net Gain – briefing for parish and town councils by DCC
Thurs 26th Sep 2024, 2pm (up to 1 hour) on Teams
FREE for County Association members
For more info and to book on Biodiversity Net Gain
County Durham and Cleveland CiLCA mentoring
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 & Budgets
Tues 5th Nov 2024 6-8pm
Spennymoor Town Hall DL16 6DG
For more info and to book on Finance and Budgets for parish and town councils
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.
The following courses have been arranged from now to the end of July 2025
Budgeting
Finance for Councillors
Internal Audit – The role
Internal Controls
New Clerks Finance
Procurement Act 2023
VAT – An Introduction to
VAT – partial exemption
VAT – for VAT registered councils
Year End & Transparency – Councils < £25,000
Year End & Audit – Councils >£25,000
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 (£30 if booked before 31 August). 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 close 48 hours before each course (unless specified otherwise). 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.
Participants are asked to ensure that they are named, so that they are identifiable.
