Empowering elected members & senior management teams with expert governance training across all authority types
Our Exceptional Experience
We have successfully partnered with well over 100 councils; counties, districts, boroughs, metropolitan boroughs, unitaries, as well as town, parish and community councils. We have also worked with Combined Authorities, Police and Crime Commissioners, Fire and Rescue Authorities and National Park Authorities. Many of our clients return to extend our work to other member and senior officer development.
“Really good session dealt with pace. Presenter had a lot of knowledge that they were able to share in plain English rather than 'legal speak'. Was really engaging session involving everyone present.”
Tailored Approach
At GOVTC we believe that effective training should be customized to address the specific needs and challenges faced by each council. We take time to understand your challenges, opportunities and requirements which ensures that our training adds value. The feedback we get reinforces the benefits of this personalised approach.
“Very engaging session, relevant to the circumstances in the organisation. Thank you”.
Our primary services cover a wide range of governance subjects. From standards training for members to social media, roles on outside bodies, scrutiny, and member/officer relationships. Whether you need help navigating codes and protocols or improving communication skills, our experts have the expertise and knowledge to guide you towards success.
Investigations
In addition to providing governance training, we also offer comprehensive investigation services for councils. Specifically, we carry out investigations into code of conduct complaints against councillors. We provide clear costs and timescales from the initial discussion through to, if needed, attendance at a hearing.
GOVTC Origins
GOVTC was set up in 2018.
The business was founded by Bethan Evans, a nationally recognised legal professional with more than four decades of experience in advising and representing local authorities. Prior to establishing GOVTC, Beth served as senior partner and head of the local government practice at Bevan Brittan, one of the leading law firms advising the public sector in the UK.
Beth's passion for public sector work led her to create a new venture, focused solely on serving the unique needs of local authorities. Today, she leads a dedicated team of highly skilled professional associates who share her commitment to excellence and innovation. Together, they strive to deliver exceptional results and make a meaningful impact in the councils they serve. Learn more about our talented team of associates.
The GOVTC team is very impressive, knowledgeable and engaging
Governance Training
For Elected Members
The role of an elected councillor in local government is increasingly complex.
The Local Government Association in its “Member Development Charter” for English local authorities recognises that the environment in which members work is ever changing. Roles are being redefined and, to keep pace with this, Lord Porter the LGA Chairman says that
“We need to make sure we have the skills and expertise to continue delivering for our communities”.
The LGA strongly encourages authorities to adopt the Member Development Charter and Charter Plus as a guide and benchmark as part of their improvement journey.
“Every profession has continuing professional development at the heart of their improvement and so should we”.
In Wales, there are now legislative requirements for member support and development in local authorities. The WLGA’s Member Support and Development Charter enhances and enables this.
The report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life on Local Government Ethical Standards (January 2019), stressed the importance of development for members, particularly induction training. They said
“Induction for councillors at the earliest stage is crucial to ensuring high standards of conduct. Councils who perceived they had an effective ethical culture attributed this to early and effective induction of councillors with clear messages from senior leadership about attendance”
Political Awareness Training
For Officers
GOVTC runs two types of courses for officers in local authorities.
One specifically for local government lawyers (offered on a regional basis) and one for all officers of appropriate seniority in a particular council.
For local authority officers moving up into senior roles, or for colleagues joining local government from other sectors, there will be much to take in and adapt to – greater budget accountability, wider staffing responsibilities and more significant performance expectations amongst other pressures. Whilst all these challenges would be faced in any senior role in a large organisation, there are features of local government which are unique, and which you need to be fully on top of to be successful in your role.
With GOVTC's experience working closely with elected members in a dozens of different local authorities, we believe there are three key aspects of surviving and thriving at senior level in a local authority:-
- The political dynamics of local government – why is the relationship between officers and members so crucial?
- The governance framework of local government – why does it matter that this organisation is a public body?
- The personal skills needed for success.
