Training

A structured approach to risk management allows an organisation to foresee and manage potential issues, reducing the risk of these impacting on service delivery and / or successful achievement of strategic and operational goals.

After attending the training session participants should:

• Have an understanding of the importance and benefits of regular and effective risk management.
• Have an understanding of what your key risks are, how to rate & mitigate these, and to develop them into aRisk Register.
• Have a framework and process in place to ensure regular review & challenge of all identified risks.

Complaint management is an essential part of school governance, transparency and service improvement. Many public sector organisations also have a legal requirement to publish a complaint policy.

After attending the training session participants should:

• Understand the importance of complaints with governance, transparency and continuing improvement.
• Understand the key stages to complaint resolution.
• Have a robust complaint process in place and to be confident investigating and responding to complaintsreceived.
• Have an understanding of what an unreasonable / persistent complaint is and how to manage this.

An interactive session that looks at some of the key elements that enhance team cohesion and performance. Your team will be able to explore areas of strength and opportunities for improvements in a structured and collaborative environment.

Topic covered include:

• What a cohesive & productive team looks like
• What key elements enhance cohesion & performance
• Assess where are you now
• Identify opportunities to improve

This course can be adapted to the specific needs of your team, contact us to talk through your individual needs.

The over-riding procurement policy requirement is that all public procurement must be based on value for money, defined as “the best mix of quality and effectiveness for the least outlay over the period of use of the goods or services bought”. Public sector managers often confuse best value with the process of obtaining quotes.

In this course, delegates will learn:

• What is really meant by ‘best value’.
• How procurement and contract management processes & regulations connect with the achievement of ‘best value’.
• Hints, tips and case studies.

In this course, delegates will learn about different budgeting, planning and forecasting techniques which can be used in your environment. They will also learn how to conduct financial-performance analysis. Having completed this course, delegates will be able to better optimise the allocation of their organisation’s financial resources.

Key learning includes:

• Different budgeting techniques and how they might apply to you.
• What is meant by optimisation.
• Key attributes of good budgeting in the public sector.
• Case studies, hints & tips.

The rules around employment status can be confusing. Local authorities have received fines for the incorrect assessment of workers.

In this course, delegates will cover:

• Improve their understanding of the current tax rules and regulations regarding recruitment and paying individuals as self-employed people.
• Understand what IR35 is, when it applies, and what processes public sector employers need to adopt to be compliant.
• Understand how employment status tests work.
• Understand why it is important and what happens if you get it wrong.
• Have a very good understanding of systems and processes needed to remain compliant.

Accounting and bookkeeping is one of the most important aspects of running any organisation.

In this course:

You’ll gain a solid understanding of basic accounting.

• Learn how to carry out key accounting processes, including double-entry bookkeeping.
• Learn principles and reasons why financial records are kept in a particular way.
• Learn hints and tips for compliant, efficient, financial record keeping

Safeguarding assets is a top priority for all organisations. In a busy environment, it can be hard to give sufficient thinking to all the activities needed for a strong control environment. How do you avoid duplicate payments? How do you protect cash if you still hold and receive cash? How do you stay on top of all the equipment you have purchased? How do you prevent and detect fraud?

In this course, delegates will learn:

• What makes a strong internal control environment.
• Processes, policies and procedures.
• The links with internal audit.
• Practical examples and case studies.

Managing contracts is no easy task for many public sector organisations. It can be difficult to put the necessary thought into effective contract management.

In this course, delegates will:

• Improve their understanding of the importance and benefits of effective contract management.
• Improve their understanding of how to put arrangements in place for effective contract management.
• Hints, tips and case studies.