What's on the agenda?

In this episode we delve into the unique structure of French communes, contrasting it with the local council system in England and Wales. Richard Walden FSLCC, SLCC Honorary Vice President, shares his rich experience from living in a French village and discusses how French communes originated post-revolution and evolved with the introduction of intercommunal cooperation. These communes manage stra...

In this episode we dive into the initiatives driving the support and engagement of SLCC branches. Michael King, SLCC Head of Policy and External Communications, hosts Lara Jacob PSLCC, SLCC Branch Empowerment Officer, and Hayley Jennings PSLCC, Secretary of the Warwickshire and West Midlands Branch. They discuss the importance of face-to-face interactions, the varied challenges branches face, and...

In our latest podcast episode, Michael King, SLCC Head of Policy and External Communications is joined by Katie Walding, Clerk to Sway Parish Council, and Estela Hernandez Smith Apprentice Clerk to discuss their exciting apprentice clerk initiative. Katie explains their decision to introduce an apprentice position to manage increasing council duties and provide valuable training. Estela shares her...

In this podcast, Lance Allan shares his incredible journey from being a young parish councillor to becoming the President of the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC). Lance reflects on his career, emphasising the transformative power of local councils in community development. He recounts his cycling adventure to honor the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, highlighting the unique challenges and...

In the latest episode of ‘What's on the Agenda?’, our host Michael King is joined by Kevin Roberts, a Consultant in Security Licensing and Events Management, and Helen Ball, Clerk to Shrewsbury Town Council and SLCC Board Director, to discuss Martyn’s Law. They explore how the law will impact local councils, what clerks need to be aware of, and the guidance available to help them navigate these ch...

In this episode we sit down with John McCarthy CBE and hear his story of the terror and tedium of his five-year captivity in Beirut during the Lebanon hostage crisis in 1986. He details his initial naivety as a young journalist getting to work out in the field, the onslaught of his capture, the enduring friendship with fellow hostage Brian Keenan, and the periods of utter terror and depression. He...

In our latest podcast episode, seasoned sports broadcaster Rob Nothman gives us a unique peak into the world of sports broadcasting and his fascinating career at the BBC. From Olympic Games to Premier League football, he shares his favourite interviewees, including golf legends Severiano Ballesteros and Tiger Woods. Rob also talks about the difficulties in interviewing high-profile figures such as...

In this episode we sit down with Gina Lopes PSLCC, the 2024/25 SLCC President, following a historic election aspresident, and re-election as a director of SLCC on the same day. Gina shows her readiness to undertake the demanding nature of her new role, expressing her enthusiasm for the chance to visit as many branches as possible, and raise the profile of clerks globally through meeting internatio...

In this episode we talk to Steve Trice PSLCC, SLCC Director and Clerk to Haywards Heath Town Council, Sharron Jones FSLCC, SLCC Director and Clerk to Hawarden Community Council, Gina Lopes PSLCC, SLCC President, SLCC Director and Clerk to Stoke Ferry Parish Council, and Adam Keppel-Green FSLCC, SLCC Chair and Clerk to Knutsford Town Council, about the White Ribbon campaign, how it fits into SLCC's...

In this episode, Michael King, SLCC’s Head of Policy and External Communications speaks to Lisa Garcia, Town Clerk of Florence, Arizona USA and IIMC President, Chris Shalby, IIMC Executive Director, Linda Larter, Clerk to Sevenoaks Town Council and IIMC Region XI Director, and Arnout van Kooij, Griffier (Clerk) to the municipality of IJsselstein in the Netherlands and IIMC Region XI Director who s...

In this episode we talk to Sandra Lowe, Communications & Engagement, and Khidr Suleman, Domains’ Governance Lead, from the Parish Council Domains Helper Service Project Team at the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO). This initiative aims to help councils in migrating to .gov.uk domains and provides benefits such as enhanced credibility and security. Sandra and Khidr outline common challeng...

In this episode we are joined by Simon Dunn, Head of the Circuit Operations and Sam Kennard, Programme Manager, Health Partnerships and Community Resuscitation at the British Heart Foundation. The British Heart Foundation has been leading the way in promoting the use of defibrillators in communities across the UK. Their Circuit program helps individuals and organisations register and locate defibr...

Councillor Mike Joyce shares insights into the history and significance of Newton Abbot, a market town located on the outskirts of Dartmoor, between Exeter, Torquay, and Plymouth. The town, founded by the abbots of Tor Abbey, has a rich historical background, and is often referred to as the heart of Teignbridge. Councillor Joyce reflects on his experience as a councillor and the importance of work...

Parish, town, and community councils play a vital role in local governance, and the role of a clerk is central to the success of the council. This podcast episode features Shaun Fishenden PSLCC, Clerk to Meopham Parish Council, and his Deputy Clerk, George Duffort StSLCC, as they discuss their journey into the world of parish councils from a young age. They share their experiences from both the cl...

In this episode we talk to Donna Smith FSLCC, Clerk to Taunton Town Council and Marcus Prouse, Deputy Clerk who provide insights into how the newly created council in Somerset started out through a Community Governance Review, and evolved into what is now a local council successfully working with, and for its community. The journey involved close collaboration with the principal authority and exte...

In this episode we speak to Shivani H. Menon. Shivani is a Senior Researcher on Onward’s Levelling Up and Social Fabric programmes. She is co-author of the report ‘Levelling Up Locally’, and has worked on topics like philanthropic giving, devolution, vocational education, and economic strategy. Shivani gives a detailed insight into the ‘Levelling Up Locally’ report an...

In this episode, we’re joined by Mark Galbraith, SLCC’s Former Wales Policy Liaison Officer, and Emma Smith, SLCC’s Welsh Advisor who will be taking over the Wales Policy Liaison Officer role. Mark discusses the wide variety of projects and work he has completed following on from the Williams Commission Report on Public Sector Reform in 2012 that started his formal relationship w...

At our National Conference last October, we had a chance to chat to the Chairman of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), Councillor Keith Stevens. NALC is a really important partner for SLCC, and here we can listen in on how the organisation works and how its hugely experienced Chairman uses his role to promote the work of England’s town and parish councils and campaign on thei...

Reducing serious violence and particularly murder are among top priorities for the government. Following a 30-year career in policing, retired Chief Constable, James Vaughan, has been appointed by the Home Secretary to chair a new national oversight committee, leading Offensive Weapon Homicide Reviews across England and wales, in an structured pilot to understand how we can prevent murder in adult...

In this episode we're joined by Tilly Lockey. Tilly is a multi-talented, hardworking rising star who has proven herself time and time again. Making a name for herself since she was 2 years old, overcoming her own battle with meningitis, and losing her hands but coming through with an admirable mindset, her past doesn’t define her at all. Tilly speaks on her journey, the challenges she has fa...

In this episode we're joined by Henry Massey, Chair to Broadclyst Parish Council in Devon. Henry shares his local council journey with us and highlights the wide range of work his and other parish councils are involved with, including local projects, raising the precept and being at the heart of planning and development. In particular, he champions the importance of having a well-trained clerk to...

In this episode, we’re joined by Helen Ball FSLCC, Clerk to Shrewsbury Town Council. Helen discusses her fascinating 25-year career where she started as a part-time clerk to a small parish council to now clerking for one of the largest councils in England. We discuss youth engagement, youth centre provision and working with external agencies, the challenges county lines brings, Martyn's Law,...

Meet Jane Olds, parish clerk and experienced internal auditor who is affectionately known as one of SLCC’s three Charlie’s Angels helping guide us through the world of local council audit. Jane helps to demystify the Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR), explains the differences between internal and external audit, introduces a new qualification and shows how examining th...

SLCC President, Linda Carter, Andrew Towlerton, National Planning Advisor, and Shelley Parker, External Affairs & Policy Development Manager talk to Sam Stafford, Planning Director at the British Home Builders Federation which represents 80% of the developers of all new homes built in England and Wales. This episode features an in-depth discussion about issues facing local councils and develop...

Various Level 4, 5 and 6 graduates from the 2023 Community Governance (CG) graduation ceremony highlight why they completed their qualification and how it has helped them to work within the local council sector.