This introductory session is FREE for inexperienced clerks in their first year and is designed to give them an overview of the council's year, along with a basic understanding of the RFO's role. 

If you have 9 month's experience or more, this session is unlikely to cover anything you do not already know. Please leave this session for very new clerks and book yourself onto the more detailed sessions on Budgeting, Internal control, The role of internal auditor, Procurement, Year-end and VAT instead. 

The session covers:

• Roles and responsibilities

• Setting a budget and precept

• Internal control

• The Annual Governance & Accountability Return (AGAR)

• Internal and external audit

FREE per delegate for new clerks with less than nine months experience

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

This session is for councillors only and is designed to give them a greater understanding of their duties with regard to the council's finances.

The session covers:

• Roles and responsibilities 

• Setting a budget and precept

• Financial control

• The Annual Governance & Accountability Return (AGAR)

• Internal and external audit

• How VAT applies to local councils

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

This session is aimed at officers of parish & town councils, who are involved in preparing and monitoring budgets.

The session covers:

• Setting a budget and precept

• Contingencies and reserves

• How the council tax base affects the budget

• Inflation

• Budget monitoring

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

This session gives councillors and clerks an understanding of the need for internal controls and how they work, with practical examples and case studies.

The session covers:

• Roles and responsibilities

• Financial risks

• Purpose of internal controls

• Case studies

• Examples of controls

• Review of internal controls

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

For anyone involved in procuring goods and services, preparing tenders or entering into contracts on behalf of their local council.  The session is an introduction to the basics of procurement for local councils, inviting quotes, producing specifications and tender documentation, achieving competition, value for money and managing contracts.

The session covers:

• Procurement thresholds

• Basic terminology and steps involved in procurement

• Estimates, quotes and tenders

• Specifications

• Quality and value for money

• Advertising including Contracts Finder

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

For clerks and finance staff and councillors from councils that are VAT registered, who wish to develop their knowledge (VAT registered councils have a 9-digit registration number, submit quarterly VAT returns online and charge VAT on taxable sales.  If your council submits a VAT 126 claim, it is not VAT registered.

The session covers:

• how VAT law applies to local councils

• where to find the law and guidance

• business and non-business activities

• understanding whether sales are taxable or exempt from VAT

• When to charge VAT

• VAT rates

• when VAT can be reclaimed

• VAT returns

• Partial exemption

• Non-business activities

• Reclaiming VAT when using grants and donations

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

For clerks, finance staff and councillors from councils that are not VAT registered, but reclaim VAT using Form VAT 126.  This session explains how VAT affects local councils and is essential for any council contemplating major building projects.

The session covers:

• how VAT law applies to local councils

• where to find the law and guidance

• business and non-business activities

• understanding whether sales are taxable or exempt from VAT

• when a council must register for VAT

• when VAT can be reclaimed

• VAT returns

• Partial exemption

• Reclaiming VAT when using grants and donations

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

For councillors and officers that want to understand the role of the internal auditor and how to appoint one.  (Please note this is NOT a training session for people who want to undertake internal audits).  

The session covers:

• legislation and guidance

• roles and responsibilities

• risk management

• internal controls

• how the council appoints an internal auditor

• scope of the internal audit

• reviewing internal control

• internal audit reports

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

For officers who want to understand how to prepare and publish their council's Annual Governance & Accountability Return (AGAR) on a receipts and payments basis, complying with the Accounts & Audit Regulations and the Transparency Code for Smaller Authorities. This session introduces the Annual Return and the stages of the audit process, enabling you to complete all the relevant steps correctly. It includes additional information on exemption from audit and transparency, only applicable to councils with annual receipts and payments of less than £25,000. 

The session covers:

• closing the accounts

• exemption from external audit

• internal audit

• reviewing internal controls

• the annual return

• electors rights

• transparency and publication requirements

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

For officers who want to understand how to prepare their council's Annual Governance & Accountability Return and comply with the requirements of the audit process.  This session does NOT cover exemption from audit or the Transparency Code for smaller Authorities. This session introduces the Annual Return and the stages of the audit process, enabling ou to complete all the relevant steps correctly.  

The session covers:

• closing the accounts

• assets and borrowing

• internal audit

• reviewing internal controls

• the annual return

• electors rights

• publication requirements

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct. 

For officers who want to understand how to prepare their council's Annual Governance & Accountability Return on an income and expenditure basis (mandatory for councils regularly spending over £200,000) and comply with the requirements of the audit process.

This session explains how to convert receipts & payments to income & expenditure accounts, how this affects the Annual Return and the timing of year-end activities and the audit process, enabling you to complete all the relevant steps correctly. .

The session covers:

• closing the accounts

• debtors and creditors

• assets and borrowing

• internal audit

• reviewing internal controls

• the annual return

• electors rights

• publication requirements

£30 per delegate per session plus VAT

View dates, availability and book using this link to The Parkinson Partnership website.  SALC members are authorised to BOOK DIRECT.  SALC will invoice councils direct.