Essential Councillor

Being a councillor means operating within a defined legal framework, understanding how decisions are made, and knowing your responsibilities as part of a corporate body.
This course explains those fundamentals in a straightforward, engaging way, using real examples from the ALCA training curriculum.

What is covered:

• How your council works in law - its duties, powers and limitations as a corporate body
• Duties vs powers and why acting outside them creates risk for the council and individual councillors
• Meetings that make decisions - agendas, quoracy, lawful processes and confident participation
• Roles and responsibilities  - Code of Conduct, Nolan Principles, DPIs and managing conflicts of interest.
• Practical scenarios -  including trustee conflicts, dispensation issues and other common governance challenges.
• Working with your Clerk and Chairman - understanding their statutory responsibilities and how good partnership supports good governance.
• What good looks like - preparation, behaviour, decision-making discipline and effective teamwork.

Why this course matters:

Councillors often say they “didn’t know what they didn’t know” before attending this session.
This training fills those gaps with clear explanations, grounded examples, and practical guidance — empowering you to serve your community confidently, compliantly and effectively.

Ideal for:
New councillors, returning councillors, co-opted members, and experienced councillors looking to refresh their understanding of modern good practice.