This week, 10-14 June, is Local Council Clerk Week, a celebratory week to raise the profile of the role of the clerk and recognise the work they do for their community!

Local Council Clerk Week aims to help raise the profile of this important profession and explain the the work clerks do on behalf of town, parish and community councils. Clerking is an important role, and clerks are often at the heart of their councils and communities, carrying out a number of roles to support their councils. Whether councils have a large staff team, or only have one employee, the clerk is critical to a range of tasks and ensuring they get done. This might include:

This shows what a wide range of responsibilities a clerk has, and what a varied role it can be. Learning how to manage of all of this, while staying up to date with changes to legislation, and current issues, can be very hard work. Devon is lucky to have so many clerks working so hard for their councils!

The SLCC have created a video to summarise the Local Council Clerk Week campaign, which you can share to celebrate the work of clerks!

A networking opportunity for clerks!

We look forward to our Clerks Summer Socials all year, which provide a chance for clerks across Devon to come together for a cream tea and a chat. Organised in partnership with the SLCC Devon Branch, we have four events taking place throughout the summer and across the county providing an ideal opportunity to meet nearby clerks as well as your officers from DALC and the SLCC.

Read more about the Clerks Summer Socials here, and book your place!

Interested in the professional qualification for clerks?

The Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) is the professional qualification for clerks. While CiLCA is administered by the SLCC, DALC has Recognised CiLCA Trainers. Have a look here for details of our CiLCA Support Programme and how it can support a clerk getting qualified!

Time for our Clerks Summer Socials! An opportunity to join DALC and the Devon branch of the Society for Local Council Clerks to socialise, network and enjoy a free cream tea

The Clerks Summer Socials are free events which we host every summer in partnership with the Devon branch of the SLCC.

The summer socials are some of our favourite events of the year, and we are so excited to see everyone again this year! The Summer Socials are a perfect networking opportunity for clerks, offering the chance to relax with a cream tea while enjoying a chat with other clerks. Your DALC officers will be there too for a chat, as well as officers from the SLCC Devon branch, so it’s a great chance to catch up with us all.

Feedback in previous years has reflected the enormous value of these events for clerks as they can meet other clerks in their area, build a supportive network and develop friendships. We know a clerk’s time is precious with lots to do and not enough time to do it in, but we would strongly suggest taking this chance to join us for a social afternoon.

Last year, following popular demand, we added a fourth event in West Devon. That event was very successful, so we’re delighted to be able to offer four events again this year so clerks across the county can join us:

• • 18 July, Lifton Farm Shop, Lifton
  • 30 July, Padbrook Park Hotel, Cullompton
  • 20 August, Cedars Inn, Barnstaple
  • 28 August, Passage House Hotel, Kingsteignton

We’d love to see you all there so just book your place through the links above, or email us to let us know you’ll be coming and which event you’ll be attending. You’re very welcome to attend whichever event suits you best, and encourage others to come along as well. If you have any queries about the events, then please just let us know; we’re looking forward to seeing you all there!

This week is the 2023 Local Councils Clerks Week, aiming to celebrate the work of clerks and raise the profile of this important profession.

This week marks Local Council Clerks’ Week and we’d like to take a moment to say thank you to all the clerks across Devon working so tirelessly to benefit your councils and communities. Clerks do so much, often unseen. Clerks are professionals and serve around 10,000 councils across England and Wales. The role has changed enormously over time, but whatever your council is delivering for your community, your clerk is likely at the heart of getting it done. Local Council Clerks Week aims to help raise the profile of this important profession, explaining the work clerks do for their councils.

It can be a difficult role, with many different skills to master.  Clerks perform administrative tasks for your council such as writing agendas, taking minutes and handling correspondence. However, as the council’s Proper Officer they are also expected to advise their council (even when that advice may not be what you want to hear!). The clerk’s position as an impartial officer allows them to offer guidance on what may be a prudent course of action, financially, legally, and procedurally. Clerks may also be the council’s Responsible Financial Officer, keeping the council’s accounts and presenting them for the council to monitor.

Clerks will also, variously, act as a line manager to other staff, manage volunteers or contractors, handle the council’s PR and marketing, act as a bookings clerk for any venues you may have, manage any projects the council is implementing, build relationships with other local authorities and partnership bodies, and much much more. They are the ones writing to MPs, liaising with principal authorities about potholes or bins, applying for grants, researching planning issues, managing buildings and events. They are also critical in a crisis which we saw when they helped coordinate community efforts during the pandemic; in many communities, parish councils and their clerks were the first to respond.

Understanding your clerk’s role on the council, and your own, can be critical to building a good relationship with your clerk that allows the council to function effectively as a team to best serve your community. The Civility and Respect Project Roles and Responsibilities Guidance may be helpful to understanding the different roles and responsibilities of people on the council.

Watch the video to learn more!

The video opposite, produced by the Society for Local Council Clerks, provides more information about what clerks do, what they bring to the council and its community, and the role they play.

Supporting your clerk!

Since clerks cannot be self-employed, councils act as an employer to their clerk and as with all employees, have a duty of care towards them. If you’re unsure about your role as an employer, you may find The Good Councillor’s Guide to Employment helpful or check out our range of employment training.

The Civility and Respect Project is doing a lot of work in how councils can demonstrate that they are committed to standing up to poor behaviour across the sector and driving through positive changes. This includes a range of policies, guidance, podcasts and more to help your council develop a councillor-officer protocol, put in place a dignity at work policy, and make a strong statement on bullying and harassment.

As with any employment role, investment in training and development is essential to achieve high standards of performance, and support the council to operate effectively. We have a range of training available for clerks or staff at various points in their clerking journey including those who might be interested in taking the professional qualification, the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA). Any clerks interested in the CiLCA may want to contact us for more information about upcoming courses.

Celebrate your clerk!

If you have a particularly fantastic clerk (and we think all clerks are!), then why not nominate them for Clerk of Year in the Star Council Awards? This is your opportunity to celebrate your clerk and the difference they have made in your community!

The importance of networking

Being a Clerk can often feel an isolated role, especially for those working in smaller councils, often on their own.  It is therefore important for Clerks to be part of a network and able to access peer support when needed.  The Society of Local Council Clerks provides just that, and a local Devon branch meets several times a year.

This summer, DALC is working in partnership with the SLCC Devon Branch to host our Summer Socials; four events taking place across Devon.  These free events are a perfect opportunity to network with other clerks around the county, to build relationships, access support, and meet officers from DALC and SLCC.

DALC AGM and Conference 2021

DALC’s annual conference is our flagship event of the year.  The 2021 event is a 3-day online conference offering the widest choice of speakers, workshops and panels for councillors and officers to date.

About

Date: Tuesday 5 to Thursday 7 October 2021.
Cost: £40 for first delegate, £10 for each additional booking. AGM only participants are free.

Councillors and officers will benefit from a mix of informative and practical sessions covering key issues facing our communities as well as hearing a range of best practice examples and case studies from other councils in Devon.  We also have a number of companies showcasing their knowledge and products to assist local councils to serve their communities.

The 3-day online conference includes:

• Opportunity to learn about DALC, who we are and what we do
• Three inspiring panels showcasing local councils covering the topics: Young People, Health & Wellbeing, and Climate/Ecological Emergency
• A range of informative sessions providing insight, advice and guidance to local councils
• Companies highlighting products to support local councils

The event also incorporates the Annual General Meeting, where the Annual Report 2021 will be presented, elections of board members, and discussion on member motions.

Tuesday 5 October

Young People

How and why should councils engage with younger people? We are delighted to welcome Cllr Keely Allin and Cllr Ollie Tucker who will be giving their insights as young councillors themselves; find out why they became councillors and their tips for encouraging others to stand.  We will also hear from a council about their work engaging with young people in their community.

Sponsored by: 

Sponsor to be confirmed

Wednesday 6 October

Health and Wellbeing

How are councils supporting the health and wellbeing of their communities? Councils large and small support the health and wellbeing of their communities in a variety of ways.  We welcome Great Torrington Town Council, Dawlish Town Council and Fremington Parish Council to share the projects they have been involved in for the benefit of their residents.

Sponsored by: 

Learn more about Parish Online

Thursday 7 October

Climate/Ecological Emergency

Making progress with the climate/ecological emergency. It’s been a few months now since declarations of emergency have been made by councils, and across the county Parish and Town Councils are approaching the issue in variety of ways, and projects large and small.  We welcome Exmouth Town Council and Brixham Town Council to share their recent work and their plans for the future.

Sponsored by: 

Sponsor to be confirmed

Parish Online is a self-service online mapping tool that helps your local council use maps to make council tasks more efficient and ultimately save money. Parish Online helps councils improve their local management of assets and improves efficiency and communication with principle authorities and the public, all using digital mapping. Some of the most common uses are for building neighbourhood plans, recording street assets, insurance liabilities, and planning events.

Whether you are interested in attending all or part of the conference, and/or the AGM, please use the booking form below to register your place at the event.  A couple of weeks before the event we will send you a list of all the sessions, and you can register in advance to attend the sessions of interest to you.  Please note that each session will have its own zoom link.

Fees will be charged at £40 for the first delegate from your council, and £10 for each additional delegate.  Delegates can book as many or as few sessions as they like.  Cancellations for the event must be received at least 48 hours before the event takes place, and any delegates which fail to attend will still be charged.