This training consists of a live ½ day virtual session preceded by some work in advance which will be introduced by a short, recorded session for you to view in your own time.
We will explore how to operate confidently at the political interface of your council. This is a particularly important skill for officers in a legal role. Your work requires you to be confident about the political context for the operation of the council and, depending on your practice area, may well bring you into direct contact with elected members in a range of roles.
As well as equipping local government lawyers to undertake their current roles effectively, this workshop will also set good foundations for the development of your career. As you are promoted to more senior roles, the need to navigate the politics of a council confidently will become more important.
The purpose of the workshop is to:
Understand the political structure of a local authority
Explore the role and operation of the political groups
Consider the respective roles of members/officers and the interface between them
Look at the wider context including national and regional politics
We will cover:
How a local authority works
The role and operation of the political parties
The standards regime for elected members
The roles of members and officers
Political change and elections
National and regional politics
The live session will be interactive, practical and fast-moving! You will engage with colleagues in similar roles from authorities across the country and will learn from their experiences. We will build on the reading you have done in advance and use mini scenarios to bring it all to life.
The aim of the workshop is to ensure that you feel immediately more confident about operating effectively in the political environment of a local authority.
Bethan Evans Governance Training and Consultancy, GOV TC
Beth is a recognised expert in local authority governance and decision-making, having worked in this field for over 40 years. She was an in-house lawyer for nearly 20 years, at four different councils in England (including Bristol City Council, Avon County Council and South Gloucestershire Council). She moved from a practitioner specialising in education, housing, commercial and social care law into management posts, culminating in roles as a County Solicitor and a Director of Corporate Services in a unitary authority.
Beth led the Welsh Local Government Agency responsible for improvement and development in the 22 unitary councils in Wales (and the regional employer) for three years from 1998.
In 2001 Beth moved to a role as a partner with Bevan Brittan LLP, a leading national law firm, where she led the local government team for 17 years, for 4 years of which she was Senior Partner of the firm. The firm has, for many years, been ranked Band One legal advisors for local authorities.
Legal 500 rankings 2017 – UK Local Government Law
Bethan Evans is the “undisputed leader in the field”
In 2016, Beth left her legal role and set up her business as an independent governance trainer and advisor. She is an experienced and highly regarded practitioner in this field. She specialises in member and officer development for local authorities. She has a wealth of practical experience which enables her to bring these insights to her training.
In this capacity, Beth has provided sessions for over 120 councils over the last few years, including county councils, unitaries, London boroughs, combined authorities, districts, and parishes.
Beth works extensively with LLG on their programme of governance related sessions and on training for Monitoring Officers.
Other roles
In addition to her professional business, Beth has held trustee/non-executive roles including:
Chair of the charity Ablaze which seeks to address inequality of opportunity and achievement in young people by bringing businesses and schools together in reading, maths, and mentoring programmes
Non-executive Director of Bristol Energy Limited for 2 years
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09:15 - 13:30
Online
