Events Calendar

Preparing for Assertion 10 (Parts 1 & 2 Abridged) for Clerks

Course Description

This focused morning session is designed specifically for Clerks who need a clear, practical understanding of Assertion 10, without committing to a full-day course.

Bringing together the core content of Assertion 10 Parts 1 and 2, the session concentrates on what must exist, what must be evidenced, and where the risk sits from a Clerk’s perspective. It is particularly suited to part-time Clerks, Clerks with other professional roles, and those seeking reassurance that their council’s arrangements are proportionate, defensible, and audit-ready.

The emphasis is on operational compliance, information governance, and professional boundaries, with clear signposting on when matters should be escalated or supported by councillor-focused training delivered separately.

This is not about adding workload — it is about clarity, confidence, and protection.

WEBINAR: Assertion 10 for Councillors

This focused 75-minute webinar provides councillors with a clear understanding of their responsibilities under Assertion 10 and how good governance, transparency and data-handling practices underpin compliant council operations. Building on key principles from Part 1, the session offers a concise but practical overview of the risks councils face, the controls required to address them, and the specific role councillors play in ensuring that systems, policies and behaviours meet modern standards.

The course explores what Assertion 10 actually requires, how councils evidence compliance, and how councillors can confidently scrutinise arrangements such as IT systems, data storage, passwords, councillor email addresses, device use, retention practices and third-party risks. It also clarifies how governance failures emerge and what proactive steps councillors can take to prevent them—particularly in smaller councils with limited infrastructure.

Course focus includes:

• The purpose of Assertion 10 and why councillors have oversight responsibilities

• Key risks: data breaches, insecure systems, unregulated devices, and non-compliant email practices

• What “appropriate controls” look like for councils of all sizes

• Understanding the Data Asset Register, retention schedules and evidence requirements

• Councillor duties: secure communication, confidentiality, device hygiene and information handling

• Identifying gaps and asking the right questions to support your Clerk and strengthen compliance

Designed for councillors seeking a practical and accessible introduction to their role in digital governance, this session supports improved risk management, clearer accountability and stronger Assertion 10 outcomes.

ALCA New Clerks

This course offers new Clerks a clear and practical introduction to the role, focusing on the core duties, legal responsibilities and everyday processes needed to support an effective local council. It explains the Clerk’s statutory position as Proper Officer (and often RFO), the governance framework councils must operate within, and the good practice expected from the outset.

Participants are guided through key legislation, meeting administration, financial basics and the professional boundaries required when advising councillors. The session also introduces essential compliance areas such as transparency, data protection and internal controls, giving new Clerks the confidence to manage the role’s varied demands.