NALC have updated the model contract of employment for clerks and officers, and have added a template contract of employment which can be used for other employees. Please note that this does not affect current employees; these documents are not intended to replace the contracts of existing employees. Changes to contracts of existing employees requires consultation and mutual consent; councils are advised to seek specialist advice before proceeding.
There are three documents in total:
NALC Model Contract of employment for Councils with Green Book terms Feb 24. This has been drafted for NALC by Worknest HR and is endorsed by the Society of Local Council Clerks. NALC and the SLCC recommend councils offer enhanced terms aligning with best practice within the local government sector, which is defined by the Green Book terms and conditions which are incorporated in this contract. Offering good terms of employment supports recruitment and retention of a high-quality workforce, demonstrating that the council is a good employer which values its staff.
NALC Template Contract of employment for Councils with all options (Feb 24). This provides information on the statutory minimum provisions under employment legislaation to ensure awareness and compliance with at least minimum requirements. Councils have the option to offer enhanced terms and conditions appropriate to their resources, and the template shows where they might offer enhanced terms with clear recommendations from NALC to show how to align with Green Book terms or wider best practice.
NALC Guidance note for Template and Model Contract of employment for Councils Feb 24. The council should refer to this accompanying set of guidance notes while drafting a contract, to ensure they understand the terms they are committing to in the contract, while reflecting what is appropriate for the role and the council.
The model and template contracts can be used by councils to issue to new employees. They are not intended to replace the contracts of existing employees. Any requirement to change the contractual terms of existing employees would require consultation, and councils are advised to seek specialist advice before proceeding.
The NALC model contract has been draft for NALC by WorkNest HR. It is endorsed by the SLCC. NALC and the SLCC recommend councils offer enhanced terms, aligned with best practice in the Local Government sector as defined by Green Book terms and conditions. Using the NALC model ensures the contract is up to date with statutory requirements. Offering good terms of employment supports recruitment and retention of a high-quality workforce and demonstrates that the council is a good employer which values its staff.
Please contact DALC in the first instance, and our Advice Service will be happy to help. We can offer HR support through a local arrangement, or through NALC’s national HR service with Worknest. NALC strongly recommends that HR advice is sought by councils when drawing up a contract of employment.
The employment section of our Knowledge Bank contains more information and resources to support the council as an employer.
The Good Councillor’s guide to employment is a thorough resource for NALC with information about the council’s role as an employer.
We offer various bits of employment training (more information in the Councillor Development Framework) so keep an eye out for those courses.
*Please note that the model contract and guidance was updated in February 2024 to tidy up typographical errors and add reference to One Voice Wales.