Louth Town Council
TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Last reviewed 14th April 2026
Purpose and Scope
This purpose of this policy is to set out the Council’s position on the provision of training and development opportunities for staff and councillors.
It is the Council’s policy to ensure that all employees and councillors will be trained to a high standard, to ensure that the Council’s aims and objectives can be delivered as efficiently as possible.
Members of staff and councillors are expected to embrace the ethos of training and the merits of a well-run and pro-active council structure.
Identifying, Meeting and Evaluating Training and Development Needs
Training and development needs will be identified from a variety of sources such as induction and probationary periods, one-to-ones, appraisal, workforce planning, team meetings, annual plan and changes in processes. In addition, the Council will encourage its staff to identify their own learning styles and will seek to provide a wide variety of learning and training methods, including attendance at conferences, seminars and short courses, online training, internal coaching, shared in-house learning resources (books, journals, DVDs etc), in-house training, work shadowing and time for self-directed research and learning.
Consideration
A number of factors will be taken into account when assessing a request from an individual. This policy provides one element of the decision-making process. Other factors will include availability of finance and/or the individual’s employment record.
In order to ensure that the council is able to consistently evaluate requests, training and development opportunities have been organised into three categories according to the degree of importance each intervention has for different roles.
The three categories are as follows:
1. Mandatory
Mandatory training is legally required for the post-holder, or a qualification deemed to be so fundamental to the role, that the council makes it a mandatory requirement. Any mandatory training or qualifications are to be stated on the job description. They should also be stated in the contract for new starters, along with whom is responsible for the costs of the training/qualifications. For mandatory qualifications, it is unlikely that an applicant would be recruited without having previously attained the qualification. Where a qualification becomes mandatory for the role, the council will provide reasonable assistance for the employee to attain the qualification (see the section on Guidance for Support below).
Some mandatory training may be specific to a particular job role whilst other training may be a generic requirement. Examples of mandatory training include:
Generic training
• Health and Safety (Personal Safety, Manual handling, Display Screen equipment)
• Food hygiene
• Data Protection
2. Desirable
Desirable training is not legally required for the post, but it is directly relevant to the individual’s job. Any desirable training or qualifications are to be stated on the job description.
For desirable qualifications or training, an individual may be recruited without having previously attained the qualification or undergone the training but may be expected to attain the qualification within a defined period of time. The need for training may also be identified through one-to-one meetings or annual appraisals. A desirable qualification is likely to enhance the skills and reputation of the council. Examples may include:
Job specific
• Certificate in Local Council Administration (CiLCA)
• Cemetery Legal Compliance
• Microsoft Excel
3. Optional
An optional qualification or optional training may not be directly linked to the individual’s current job. Optional training or development is generally more beneficial to the individual’s career than it is for the council.
Personal development aimed at developing the skills or knowledge of an individual in order to provide a successor for an existing job is deemed to be optional. However, depending on the circumstances, training for succession may be ‘desirable’.
Job specific
• Community Governance
• Town Planning Technical Support – Level 3 Diploma
Support
Support for qualifications, training and personal development can include financial assistance towards the cost of tuition, examinations and resource materials in addition to half / day release and time off for study leave and taking the examination. Any financial and non-financial support to training and development is entirely at the discretion of the council. Any financial support in excess of £500, including the offer of a loan, will always be conditional upon the employee’s agreement to either a full or partial repayment of the financial support provided. The council reserves the right to reclaim financial support where the employee;
• Leaves the council during the duration of the course, or up-to 1 year following completion of the course.
• Fails to complete the training
• Fails to attend training without good reason
Study leave
Where individuals require study leave to undertake mandatory training, they will be able to take all the leave within normal working hours.
Where individuals require study leave to undertake study which is not mandatory but part of the individual’s formal continuous professional development, the council will contribute up to 50% of study leave time, to a maximum of 3 days per annum.
Where individuals require study leave to undertake training which is not mandatory but part of the individual’s desire for career development, the council will contribute up to 3 days study leave per annum for courses which are directly related to the individual’s role.
No study leave will be granted where individuals undertake study which is not required for their role, or not directly related to their role. However, the Clerk (or Chairman of the Council) will consider requests for flexible working to allow the study to take place, as long as the needs of the council can be met.
This is a non-contractual procedure which will be reviewed from time to time.
Staff Training
• The Council’s employees are seen as fundamental to all areas of development and service delivery. It is essential that they are trained to carry out their duties as effectively as possible.
• Each member of staff will receive a formal appraisal (once a year) and ongoing conversations and ‘check-ins’ at other times. These will be opportunities to discuss any training needs.
• In addition, members of staff are encouraged to raise at any time the perceived need for further training in any of the areas of work they are required to carry out, if need is identified. Any requests should be submitted to the Town Clerk and those which carry a cost for the course of over £200 should be discussed and agreed with the Chair of the Personnel Committee.
• The Council may request that staff undertake further training at its discretion, where this is deemed necessary, and in view of any specialist activities that the employee is required to undertake on its behalf.
• Full support will be given to all employees undertaking training of any kind in furtherance of the Council’s activities.
• It is an aim that the Clerk should be CiLCA qualified or be working towards this qualification and the Council will endeavour to support the Clerk in pursuance of this. It will meet all costs involved and ensure that time, within normal working hours, is made available for its completion.
• The Council will support the Clerk in their work by encouraging and meeting the cost of their membership of the Society of Local Council Clerks.
• The Clerk will maintain a record of all training undertaken.
Councillor Training
• The Council will encourage all members to attend training in relation to the corporate activities of the Council, and its administrative procedures.
• Councillors will also be expected to undertake specialist courses as need arises, and dependent on any specific responsibilities that are allocated.
• The Council is a member of the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils and has full access to its training programme.
• If additional, specialist training is required on any matter, the Clerk will source an appropriate course and, if possible, arrange for a qualified person to deliver that training in-house to members.
• A record of all training attended by members will be kept.
General
• The Council will set aside an adequate training budget each year to meet training needs for staff and councillors.
• Anyone attending training is required to report back to the Clerk on the value of the training, and if appropriate prepare a written report for Council.
• Any useful training material should be shared between staff and members, either in hard copy or via e-mail, to ensure everyone is made fully aware of important updates relating to law and administration.
• The Council will take note of any matters which should be pursued as a result of training attended, and where best practice procedures should be implemented or updated as a result.
This policy should be used in conjunction with each employee’s contract. It will be reviewed annually and subsequently linked into the following year’s budget-setting to allow for all contingencies, with regard to training needs.