Virtual Training Seminar June 2021 Agenda

The Climate Emergency: The Bereavement Sector Response
Darryl Kelly, Technical Director & Justin Smith, Business & Development Director, CDS Group

On average 5-10% of a city council’s carbon emissions are created by the bereavement sector. In a parish council with a crematorium, this rises close to 50%!!”

Over the last 16 years The CDS Group has undertaken over 400 feasibility studies and designed and built over 40 new cemeteries both in the UK and Europe.

In 14 years, by 2035, the bereavement sector must be 85% carbon zero!! In partnership with the Environmental Stewardship Group we have set ourselves the task of leading the bereavement sector to sustainability.

This presentation will provide an overview of the climate emergency and the impact to the bereavement sector. It will include an insight into how councils of all sizes can gain an understanding of how their bereavement services can be environmentally measured and how to achieve environmental compliance within the timelines prescribed by the environmental agency.

Government’s reforms of the planning system – what clerks need to know
Andrew Towlerton, SLCC National Planning Advisor

This session includes vital updates for clerks in England including details on the latest round of funding for Neighbourhood Plans.

The Government’s Planning White Paper ‘Planning for the Future’ proposes ‘radical’ and ‘far-reaching’ reforms of the planning system in England which will ‘streamline’ and ‘modernise’ it. This session will explain the key aspects of the reforms that will have implications for the sector and how they are likely to work in practice.

It is being led by Andrew Towlerton, SLCC National Planning Advisor, who is a qualified planner and has worked in various senior planning roles in the public and private sectors. He is also a parish clerk so is familiar with local councils.

Reduce energy costs and Carbon emission
William Campbell, Commercial Director & Sarah Monteith, Head of Outbound Sales, UtilityAid

This session will be to provide valuable information on how easy it is to collaborate with Utility Aid and show results which will benefit the Council and the communities they serve.

Bullying: an accepted part of being a clerk?
Claire Rolston, Solicitor/Director, CLR Law

What do tomato plants, lawn mowers and allotments have in common?  They have all been at the heart of a bullying claim by clerks. Clerks seem to have a disproportionate chance of being bullied for simply doing their job.  Find out how to identify what bullying and harassment looks like and what to do about it if it happens to you.

@clrlaw

Tackling poverty through partnership
Sam Scotchbrook, Partnerships Support Officer Advice in County Durham Partnership & Scott McInally, Assistant Assessment and Awards Manager Durham County Council

This session will explain the ‘No Wrong Door’ approach, a programme aimed to improve accommodation, education, employment and training (EET), and to reduce high-risk behaviour in young people.

It will explore how this approach has been both challenging and successful (before and during Covid-19).

@DurhamCouncil

Covid-19: community, councils & clerks
Katherine Hierons MBA, LLB, PG Dip, Town Clerk to Spennymoor Town Council

Town, parish and community councils are the closest level of Government to communities and covid-19 proved how valuable they are in pulling together with, and leading their communities in a crisis – this is just one of many examples.