Parish & Town Training, Lancashire

This session is designed for councillors, regardless of whether you are an experienced chairperson or whether you are new to the role. We explore how to effectively prepare for meetings, how to get the most out of the meetings you chair and from other councillors, and how to deal with tricky situations.

This is the ground covered, with ample time allowed for participation as we go along: ´ What needs planning permission and what doesn't? This will include an update on the many changes to this that the Government has made recently ´ Who actually takes the decision? Officers? elected members? Inspectors? ´ Who gets to be consulted or notified when applications are made? ´ What factors are relevant to the decision? (a) The policy framework The importance of the Development Plan (the Local Plan and any Neighbourhood Plans); any other locally-approved policies; and the relevance of national policy ´ What factors are relevant to the decision? (b) other "material considerations" The responses from consultees and publicity; examples of what is and what is not "material" in planning terms - and the grey areas in between. ´ The choices for the Planning Authority - approve? refuse? defer? ´ The appeals system rights of appeal – the importance of evidence in defending the decision

This 2 hour online course is designed for new Councillors and Clerks. It describes the role of the Parish Council, its powers, responsibilities and purpose. The course will set out in some detail how Councillors should behave, how meetings are conducted, how the Council raises money, the rules surrounding how decisions are taken to spend it, and the need for transparency in conducting its business.

Traditional media offers councils a platform to engage and communicate with residents, but engaging with journalists can be daunting. We explore how you can build effective two-way relationships with journalists, how to write press releases and how to get regular coverage in your local and regional media.

Managing our professional relationships is important, yet it can be a challenge to deal with difficult people and difficult conversations. In this session we explore practical techniques and ideas to manage difficult people and conversations in a council environment.

This advanced data protection session considers how to deal with data subject rights requests, including Subject Access Requests. We explore specific steps to take to ensure you are compliant with the legislation, and we consider what exemptions may apply, and when. We also explore the importance of Information Security for local councils and what this means in practice.

This is a new short course to examine the pros and cons of NPs, where councils may be thinking of embarking on producing one for their area, but maybe aren’t sure of the benefits, or of what’s involved. In a straightforward manner, it looks at • the status of NPs in decision-making • the relationship with the Local Plan • the scope and potential value of NPs – are they worth doing? • what’s involved – the key stages in the process • the importance of the “evidence base” • the independent examination and the “Basic Conditions” • comments from practice on key policy areas • where to find out more The course doesn’t cover: • the various approaches to local engagement • organisational advice • resource implications in detail • details of funding and other resources • the pros and cons of specific national or local planning policies

This course is suitable for Councillors, Clerks and other Officers who may be new to the role or would like information on what the precept is and how it works for the Council. In this course you will learn What a precept is and how a Parish Council receives it What a Parish Council needs to do in preparation for setting it How a Parish Council can justify the money it seeks Who should be consulted

The Bribery Act 2010 is among the strictest legislation internationally on bribery. It is now possible to charge organisations if it is found they failed to prevent bribery, and to charge individuals who are found guilty of bribing or being bribed. Knowing exactly what is and isn't accepted under the Act enables employees to act within the confines of the law. This course explains the Bribery Act, including the four offences covered by it, and uses case studies to give learners more insight. This course can form an integral part of an organisation's defence against the crime of failing to prevent bribery. This course helps you understand the Bribery Act and shows you how the provisions of this UK legislation function. When you finish the course, you will be asked to demonstrate your understanding of some of the key points by completing a short assessment. E-Learning Courses are available at any time and undertaken independently at your convenience. To sign-up please email training@lalc.org.uk. Once processed you will receive joining instructions and your council will be issued with an invoice. Registration on this course will last 12 months. Available to members only

Most people experience stress from time to time, and this isn't necessarily bad; stress is a natural response, but prolonged periods of stress can be harmful. There are many ways in which employees can reduce or avoid stress, and if they are experiencing stress already, there are approaches they can follow to manage their stress most effectively. This highly interactive course helps your employees prevent, reduce, and manage their stress levels, by providing them with a wide range of tools to deal with stress. Courses developed by Nimble Elearning have been certified by the CPD Certification Service and count towards your annual CPD requirement. Objectives After completing this course, learners will be able to: Understand and identify stress and why it can be detrimental Identify stress and stressors in themselves and others Reduce their exposure to stress Develop a Wellness Action Plan Implement coping strategies in work and personal life Topics Topics explored in this course, Managing and Reducing Stress: Causes of stress Responses to stress Reducing stress Wellness Action Plans Stress coping strategies

Certain characteristics are protected by the equality law and it is necessary for every employee to know what these are, so they can abide by the equality legislation. If a person feels your organisation (or someone in your organisation) has treated them unfairly, they can start a grievance procedure or take their case to the employment tribunal. It is important to make sure everyone in your organisation complies with equality law. The course boosts understanding of the equality and diversity legislation, and its hand-picked examples demonstrate the benefits that come from promoting equality and diversity in the workplace. Objectives After completing the course, learners will be able to: Understand what is meant by 'equality' and 'diversity' and recognise how they benefit us Identify who is protected by the Equality Act, and explain what happens if their rights are compromised Recognise discrimination and other unfair practices in the workplace and know how to act on them Understand what they can do to promote equality and diversity Topics Topics explored in this course, Equality and Diversity: Equality and diversity Facts about equality and diversity Equality legislation Unlawful behaviour Making a complaint Discrimination Harassment and victimisation Responsibilities

Environmental Awareness Essentials. It explores the importance of being environmentally aware in your workplace and the steps we can all take to reduce our negative impact on the climate.

Main Features Every time we buy a product, sign up to a service or get a new job, we willingly hand over our personal information, placing our trust in countless companies to handle our data securely and responsibly, despite frequent news of hacks and data breaches. With technology now playing such an integral role in data management, it has been imperative that data protection laws evolve to reflect this.As a company employee, the responsibility falls on you to keep individuals' data safe, secure and processed appropriately. As such, you need to know about, and comply with, current data protection regulations – the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 – to avoid serious legal consequences for you and your employer. This course will help you understand the aims and provisions of the UK's data protection legislation and offers essential, practical advice on how to make yourself compliant. This session is worth 1 CPD point Objectives After completing the course, learners will be able to: Recognise why fair and effective data management is important to individuals and to society as a whole. Understand relevant data protection legislation and regulations, along with the penalties for breaching these. Work with information in a way that does not breach the data protection principles and individuals' rights. Respond to requests for information from individuals in a way that is legal and effective Topics explored in this course, Data Protection Essentials: Understanding the need for data protection laws Explaining the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 Defining personal data Individuals' rights Data protection principles Working with data

This e-learning course, suitable for councillors, clerks and officers is designed to help broaden and develop your knowledge and understanding of the role of Parish, Town and Community Councils in relation to planning matters. Objectives After completing the course, learners will be able to understand how the planning system works and the role of the town and parish council in relation to planning matters. Topics covered include: Types of planning applications that exist What constitutes material and non-material considerations Recommendations the town or parish councils make Understanding of planning conditions and developer contributions

Mental health is an important part of everybody's wellbeing. During this course we'll explore the causes and impact of things that can affect peoples mental health. In part one we'll be looking at depression, and in part two we'll cover stress. We'll also have tips on how to spot signs of mental health issues in yourself and others, and ways to stay mentally healthy. By the end of the course learners will be able to: Understand the causes and impacts of mental health conditions Identify key signs and symptoms of mental health conditions Understand mental health needs, conditions and the continuum Know how to stay mentally healthy Explain how to support colleagues and family Recognise when they themselves need support