CERTIFICATE in LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION (Cilca)

CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION (CiLCA) ______2016/ 2017 CiLCA CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION

PORTFOLIO GUIDE AND LEARNING AGREEMENT

Administered by the Derbyshire Association of Local Councils

Locally run comprehensive training programme for all Clerks in the Derbyshire area CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION (CiLCA) ______CiLCA 2015 – an overview: This qualification is available to clerks and councillors in England and results in a clerk gaining credit as a qualified Note that holders of the clerk. CiLCA is suitable for all officers working with local Certificate of Higher councils. The qualification is also an important feature in a Education in Local Policy (or council’s application for the Local Council Award Scheme. its predecessor and To gain Quality and Quality Gold LCAS status a council must successor qualifications), fulfil a checklist of requirements and one of these is to awarded by the University have a qualified clerk. Achievement of the CiLCA award is of Gloucestershire, do not also one of the main criteria enabling a Council to use the need to take the CiLCA, as General Power of Competence. qualification has already been demonstrated and CiLCA is a foundation qualification for local council officers assessed through this and others working with local councils. It’s a Certificate in advanced training course. Local Council Administration awarded at Level 3 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) where it is worth If you work for more than 20 credits. one council the cost of training and fees can be Familiar qualifications at Level 3 are AS/A Levels, NVQs Level 3 or BTEC Nationals. At Level 3 you describe relevant knowledge in shared by the councils some detail and demonstrate skills and understanding by using that concerned. Do note knowledge in a professional setting and in a broad range of however, that the different activities. Assessment includes written explanations that Certificate is a personal show an accurate and detailed understanding and examples of relatively complex work undertaken in the workplace. qualification awarded to the clerk rather than to the council or councils for which CiLCA is administered by the Society of Local Council Clerks the clerk works. - www.slcc.co.uk.

The Portfolio Guide When will the course commence? The exercises and tasks The summer 2016 training dates - that must undertake are Sessions will last from 9.30am - 2.30pm, on Wednesday 22 contained in the Portfolio June and Wednesday 20 July, with the possibility of a Guide 2015. This, together further short morning session if needed at the end. with registration forms is Venue Stretton, nr Alfrteton available from the SLCC Cost £250 per delegate (member council) or £500 per non www.slcc.co.uk (under member council delegate. “Professional Further details on CiLCA can be found under "Documents" Development”) and the CiLCA on this website. All registrations must be made via NALC website Glen Ingham [email protected] www.nalc.gov.uk (under “Training”)

How do I register for the course? CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION (CiLCA) ______Your first step is to The course is open to all clerks and councillors. The cost is register. This is done by £250 for council member delegates and includes 4 daytime completing the course sessions and support time The cost of registering for the application form annexed qualification with SLCC is an additional £250. to this Prospectus and returning it to DALC with your payment. 2016/17 course delivery The course will focus on giving an overview of the Portfolio Candidates cannot submit Guide, going through the exercises and tasks and for the their portfolios until they tutors to answer any questions. Following the initial have registered with the session, candidates will work to a timetable and be SLCC. expected to liaise, if support is required, with the DALC trainers via e-mail. Do I need to have any other qualifications to At each subsequent training session ongoing problems will do the CiLCA? be discussed, progress will be assessed and submission No, but some candidates information will be given to candidates. prefer to have studied Working with Your Council Candidates have one year in which to submit their course before embarking portfolios from the date of registration. on CiLCA. Candidates that Depending on the state of your Council’s documents your have not completed this portfolio could take from six months to a year to complete. course will be assessed for Your council should support your studies, and in this suitability based on their respect is a partner to this training agreement. knowledge and experience. Clerks new to the sector The five study units are expected to take a total of are advised not to embark around 200 hours of your time – and include training, on CiLCA 2015 for at least research, writing and time at work. Over a year, 200 six months, ideally longer. hours is about four hours a week but up to three hours can be part of your normal work.

2016/17 course costs The candidate’s commitment – our The Learning Agreement, your expectations commitment and expectations A candidate should only It is important that the CiLCA is delivered via a successful embark on this course if partnership and each candidate must agree to the s/he is confident that the conditions laid down in the learning Agreement (Appendix time is available to fully 2) the primary purpose of which is to help secure commit to it. commitment from everyone involved. DTP’s commitment – your expectations CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION (CiLCA) ______Via the Learning Agreement the Derbyshire Association of Outcomes of the Local Councils (DALC) commits to deliver appropriate and effective training to the candidate and to respond to marking process communications in a reasonable time scale. If your work reaches the standard required, The parish/town council’s commitment you will be notified of The clerk’s council is expected to provide support to the your success. The clerk to complete the Portfolio of evidence. This matter verifier will inform the should be negotiated between the council and the clerk SLCC who will issue your and we advise that any agreement is recorded in the certificate. minutes. If your portfolio does Please sign the Learning Agreement and send it to DALC not reach the required with your application form and payment. It will be signed standard (even if this on behalf of the Partnership and a copy returned to you, relates to only one with a receipt and details of training sessions. section), you will be given the opportunity to What happens to the portfolio once it is completed? make a re-submission of Once the portfolio is completed the candidate will be the fail section(s) within required to treasury tag it and send it to the CiLCA three months. There is Administrator, at the Society of Local Council Clerks. From no extra fee for the there it will be allocated to a verifier for marking. first referral.

The verifiers are subject specialists who make professional The Internal QA judgements evaluating your evidence against agreed objective Verifier overmarks at standards. These criteria include the characteristics of each item that are essential and acceptable if the document is to random 10% of all demonstrate competence. All verifiers follow strict portfolios from each guidelines issued by the Chief Verifier and are regularly assessor to ensure assessed to ensure that standards are maintained. consistency of marking. The Internal QA Additional Information Verifier also designs If either candidates or councils need any further advice or training activities for information before embarking on this course, please contact assessors to achieve DALC – [email protected] consistency in assessment.

In the event that you are dissatisfied with the result of your submission, there is a formal appeal process. CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION (CiLCA) ______

Appendix 1

APPLICATION FORM FOR TRAINING SUPPORT, 2016/17

Name: ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Address: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Telephone: ……………………………………………………………….. E-mail: ………………………………………………………………………

Clerk or Councillor: ………………………………………………………………..

Your parish/town council: …………………………………………………….

I have enclosed a copy of the Learning Agreement which has been signed by me:  (A copy of the Agreement, signed by DALC (as the Derbyshire Training Provider) will be returned to you for your records) I have enclosed a cheque for £250  (member council delegate) I have enclosed a cheque for £500  (non - member council delegate) (Please make cheques payable to ‘DALC’)

Have you already undertaken any courses or gained relevant experience as a Clerk? Please provide details.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… …………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………….

If applicable, how long have you been a clerk? ………………………………………………………….

Please return this form, your payment and the completed Learning Agreement to:

Derbyshire Association of Local Councils Aldern House, Baslow Road, Bakewell. Derbyshire DE4 4E5 1AE CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION (CiLCA) ______

Appendix 2 LEARNING AGREEMENT - CERTIFICATE IN LOCAL COUNCIL ADMINISTRATION This Learning Agreement between the Derbyshire Association of Local Councils and the candidate aims to provide a clear statement of the responsibilities of each party concerned with regards to the candidate’s achievement of the Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA 2015) Derbyshire Association of Local Councils Agreement The Derbyshire Association of Local Councils will:  Provide access to the guidelines for completion CiLCA 2015 (either via hard copy or electronically), and other relevant materials essential to undertake CiLCA  Ensure candidates are briefed in detail of the requirements of CiLCA to enable accreditation to be achieved in a mutually agreed timescale  Provide a programme of learning, guidance and support to enable the candidate to undertake CiLCA  Provide support through preparation and up to submission of the portfolio  Ensure students are aware of their responsibilities in recording their progress and achievement

Candidate Agreement I agree that I  Am responsible for registering to undertake CiLCA at the start of my studies  Have access to copies of relevant documentation that guides me through the preparation of my Portfolio  Will engage in a dialogue with my employer to update on progress  Will attend and participate in any scheduled training sessions  Accept that private study/research is an essential element of the preparation of my Portfolio

Reserve Matters 1. In the event that a student withdraws from the programme of learning and support then all fees paid will be non-refundable and DALC support will cease at that point.

2. DALC reserves the right to withdraw support for a candidate where the agreed progress is not being made.

This agreement is signed by:

Party Name Signed Derbyshire Association of Local Councils

Candidate

SMP/April 2015 revised February 2016 rev1 May 2016