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The Welsh Government (WG) is pleased to announce further funding to help strengthen the financial management and governance in local councils.

The funding will allow councils to access a support package to boost their governance infrastructure, including increasing training for clerks and councillors.

There are two streams of funding that can be accessed by clerks and deputy clerks – the CiLCA Bursary Scheme provides funding to undertake the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) or the Wales Training Bursary Scheme which contributes towards the costs of training.

Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA) Bursary Scheme
Welsh Government (WG) has agreed to cover the costs of clerks who wish to undertake their CiLCA qualification in 2023-24. Initially funding will be available for up to 50 clerks but this could be varied depending on demand. This bursary funding will be open to clerks and their deputies from any local council in Wales, regardless of the council’s budget.

The criteria to receive a 2023-24 CiLCA Wales Bursary is as follows:

• Bursary will cover the registration costs for the qualification, either face to face or webinar training and up to 5 sessions of group mentoring. There are 50 bursaries available and you will be notified within 7 days of receipt if you have been awarded one. They are awarded on a first come basis
• The bursary scheme is open to any clerk or deputy clerk regardless of the council’s budget
• The training element must be undertaken within the financial year
• The registration of CiLCA must take place within 30 days of receiving your code to input on the SLCC website, or your bursary will be terminated and offered to another applicant
• This bursary cannot be claimed if you are taking part in the Training Bursary

Please note that the bursary covers the cost of the registration fee, training and mentoring provided by the SLCC. Any additional support required would be at the cost of the applicant.

Download the Wales CILCA Bursary Scheme Application Form (English language).

Wales Training Bursary Scheme
WG has also made the bursary scheme available to clerks to cover 50% of the cost of ILCA, FiLCA, SLCC webinars, SLCC training courses, SLCC conferences or SLCC CPD event up to a maximum bursary payment of £100.

The criteria to receive a Wales Bursary is as follows:

• Bursary limit is 50% of the cost of the SLCC training course, SLCC conference or SLCC CPD event up to a maximum bursary payment of £100
• This bursary can only be applied to training provided by SLCC and cannot be used against training provided by other organisations such as One Voice Wales (OVW).
• This bursary cannot be claimed if you are taking part in the CiLCA Bursary
• The bursary scheme is open to any clerk or deputy clerk who works for a council in Wales with an annual budgeted income of less than £100k
• If a clerk or deputy clerk works for more than one council, they are eligible to apply for a bursary at each of their councils, as long as they have not benefited from the CiLCA Bursary
• The clerk at each eligible council can submit multiple claims during the financial year ensuring that the total does not exceed the £100 reimbursement
• The SLCC training course, SLCC conference or SLCC CPD event may start on the day this form is signed but must take place within the time frame of this bursary – it cannot be claimed retrospectively. Training must be completed by 28 February 2024.

The Wales bursary can be used for residential events as well as one day training events.

Download the Wales Training Bursary Scheme Application Form (English language).