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WGW Trained

Practical training for confident council leadership.

Role-specific courses for Chairs, councillors, Clerks and RFOs—turning statutory responsibilities into clearer decisions, stronger meetings and better-controlled finances.

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Illustrative view of council professionals learning together

The current course programme

Choose the capability your council needs next.

Six role-specific online courses covering council leadership, meetings, finance, audit readiness and data protection.

Half-day online · 3 teaching hours

For current and incoming Chairs

Training for the Chair

Move from simply presiding over meetings to leading the council’s business with confidence, fairness and a clear grasp of governance.

What participants will gain
  • Understand the Chair’s role and its relationship with the Clerk and RFO
  • Work confidently with agendas, summons, standing orders and financial regulations
  • Chair debate, resolutions, voting and the use of a casting vote
  • Review minutes and deal appropriately with difficult or unlawful meeting practice
  • Connect meetings with the municipal year, budgets, elections and audit
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Half-day online · 3 teaching hours

For Chairs and committee chairs

Chairing effective meetings

Run respectful, efficient meetings that allow open debate without losing focus, control or a reliable decision trail.

What participants will gain
  • Plan a purposeful meeting and construct the agenda with the Proper Officer
  • Maintain focus, professionalism and fair participation
  • Manage dominant personalities, disruption and meetings within meetings
  • Facilitate debate while remaining objective
  • Support accurate minutes, clear decisions and practical follow-through
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Half-day online · 3 teaching hours

For new and established councillors

Training for council members

Help members understand the office they hold, contribute constructively and make decisions that stand up to scrutiny.

What participants will gain
  • Understand acceptance of office, interests, conduct and the principles of public life
  • Represent the community while acting within the council’s legal framework
  • Participate effectively in meetings, committees, working groups and voting
  • Contribute to policy, services, planning and procurement
  • Understand members’ responsibilities for budgets, precept and the annual audit cycle
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Full-day online · 6 teaching hours

For RFOs and finance officers

Training for the Responsible Finance Officer

Build a dependable finance function—from routine controls and member reporting to budgets, precept and year-end audit.

What participants will gain
  • Understand the RFO’s statutory obligations and working relationship with the Clerk
  • Apply financial regulations, internal controls and proportionate risk management
  • Manage routine accounting, reconciliations, income, expenditure, payroll and VAT
  • Plan budgets, reserves, procurement, tenders and the precept process
  • Prepare year-end records and respond confidently to internal and external audit
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Full-day online · 6 teaching hours

For Clerks, RFOs and council leads

Audit preparation for councils

Turn annual audit from a last-minute evidence chase into a planned, well-documented process that supports stronger assurance.

What participants will gain
  • Plan for internal and external audit and understand the distinct roles involved
  • Collate accounting records, samples, reconciliations and governance evidence
  • Prepare budgets, reserves, payroll, assets, risk and VAT information
  • Meet publication and public-rights requirements for the English AGAR or Welsh Annual Return
  • Approve, submit and follow through audit reports, statements and recommendations
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Full-day online · 6 teaching hours

For DPOs and staff handling personal data

Training for the Data Protection Officer

Translate data-protection duties into practical records, sound risk decisions and a confident response when something goes wrong.

What participants will gain
  • Understand the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018 and the DPO’s position
  • Recognise controller, processor and data-subject responsibilities
  • Apply lawful bases, individual rights and special-category data requirements
  • Use DPIAs, risk management, security and internal controls in practice
  • Develop documentation and prepare for requests, breaches and regulatory contact
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Training that transfers into practice

What changes after the course matters most.

Each course is designed to help people perform their role with greater confidence, understand where responsibility sits and apply good governance in everyday council work.

The emphasis is practical: better-prepared meetings, clearer decisions, stronger financial controls and fewer avoidable problems.

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Practical online delivery

Designed to work around council responsibilities.

Every booking includes a digital course workbook and a pre-course preparation list, helping participants arrive ready and retain a useful reference afterwards.

Half-day course
3 teaching hoursPlus a 15-minute break
Full-day course
6 teaching hoursPlus breaks and a 30-minute lunch
Course materials
Digital workbookProvided with the preparation list on booking

Before you book

Choosing the right course.

Are the courses delivered online?

Yes. The current WGW training programme is delivered online, with half-day and full-day course formats.

What is included?

Participants receive a digital course workbook and a pre-course preparation list when the course is booked.

Which course is right for our council?

Tell us who the training is for and what you want to improve. We will recommend the most relevant course before confirming dates, availability and fees.

Build capability across the council

Make the next meeting, decision or audit feel more manageable.

Tell us which roles you want to support and what you would like the training to achieve.

Discuss your training needs