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The Councillor's Corner

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Welcome to the Councillors' corner!

We offer an open support network for Councillors to Town & Parish Councils via an exclusive closed member group where live discussions take place daily covering a vast range of relevant topics.

28/10/2026

🗺️ Navigating VAT on New Community Assets

Local Government Reorganisation has sparked considerable recent interest in transferring community assets to local councils, and with good reason. But what are the VAT implications when a council acquires a community asset?

Join Richard Strevens, Associate Director & Indirect Taxes Divisional Lead at PSTAX, as he breaks down the complexities of indirect tax during community asset transfers, from initial acquisition through to long-term use.

What you’ll discover:
✅ The VAT Liability of the Asset Transfer and its Subsequent Use
✅ The Risks to the Local Council's VAT recovery
✅ Possible Mitigating Steps and Compliance Requirements

VAT - Acquiring New Community Facilities
Thursday 5th November, 11:30AM - 12:30PM
👉 Register your free spot: https://resources.scribeaccounts.com/vat-acquiring-new-community-facilities

20/10/2026

Connecting with your community and navigating difficult conversations is key to building strong public trust. When kindness and honesty guide your communications, everyday council interactions naturally turn into moments of positive engagement.

Join us for our upcoming webinar with Emma Payne, Town Clerk at Stotfold Town Council, where we will explore how leading with empathy can create lasting trust across your community.

Community Engagement: Kindness Is a Strategy, Not a Nice-to-Have
Tuesday 27th October • 11AM - 12PM

You will discover:
-How to deliver difficult news with honesty while maintaining resident trust and confidence.
-Practical ways to embed kindness into your everyday communication strategy.
-How to track resident sentiment over time to measure your council's positive impact.

👉 Register your free spot: https://resources.scribeaccounts.com/community-engagement-kindness-is-a-strategy-not-a-nice-to-have

13/10/2026

Take the stress out of precept planning and turn your budget into a powerful management tool! 📊✨

Join Hannah Driver, Head Accountant at Scribe, for a free webinar on budgeting, forecasting, and calculating the precept for local councils. Perfect for new Clerks & RFOs or those wanting a refresher, as well as councillors wanting a deeper understanding of the budgeting process.

🗓️ Tuesday 20th October, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
👉 Register your free spot: https://resources.scribeaccounts.com/forecasting-budgeting-setting-the-precept-for-local-councils-oct-26

What You'll Learn:
✅ An Introduction to Budgeting: Its importance and the budgeting timetable.
✅ Different Budgeting Approaches: Incremental budgeting vs zero-based budget and when each would be most suitable.
✅ An Introduction to Forecasting: The process of forecasting and practical tips.
✅ Looking Ahead: Setting the budget for the next financial year and calculating the precept.
✅ Monitoring the Budget: The importance of monitoring the budget throughout the year and practical tips to streamline this process.

12/10/2026

🎯 Your Final Training Line-Up of 2026 Is Here!

Join us for the final season of Scribe Academy webinars for 2026, packed with expert advice, practical insights and fresh ideas to support your council through to the end of the year and beyond!

From budgeting and audit to community engagement and our festive Scribemas special, there’s something for everyone🎁

Explore the line-up and book for free: https://www.scribeaccounts.com/blog/scribe-academy-tm-season-17---free-webinars-for-local-council-clerks-and-councillors

Or sign up to receive webinar reminders closer to the date: https://resources.scribeaccounts.com/local-council-free-webinars

08/10/2026

🎥 Scribefest 2026 Recordings Now Available!

Whether you joined us live for the full day, a couple of sessions, or were unable to make the event, we want to make sure you can catch up on all of the practical advice, sector updates, and useful insights shared throughout the day.

You can now unlock full, on-demand access to all 19 session recordings and slide decks.

Access Scribefest 2026 On-Demand:
https://resources.scribeaccounts.com/scribefest-2026-on-demand?utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9Kz4hQDLLONjTDGp9S3MWqvtJToxx39Z6xyqtWlehWQr9UZpsJKeUYdBMD5AtcdU_OlDuty8CfhNoOyx542A1QwLHqqkr12sz8NkaNEttsL0geKWU&_hsmi=2&utm_content=2&utm_source=hs_email

16/09/2026

Tomorrow is Scribefest 2026! 🎉

If you're a Town, Parish or Community Council Clerk, RFO, councillor or staff member and haven’t registered yet, this is your last chance to join us live for a full day of free training, ideas, advice and inspiration.

Here's a taste of what's in store:
🚀 Keynote from Jane Biscombe, Weymouth Town Clerk, on 'The Things We Count and The Things That Count – Lessons from Tumbledown Community Farm in an age of KPIs, metrics and growth.'
✨️ 20 expert speakers sharing industry insights, best practice and the latest sector developments.
⚡️ A mix of lightning talks and deep-dive presentations, so you'll come away with practical ideas you can put into action.
💬 Live Q&As, prize competitions and opportunities to connect with fellow Clerks, RFOs, councillors and council colleagues from across the sector.

Whether you're new to the sector or have years of experience, Scribefest is designed to help you stay informed, share ideas and connect with others who understand the challenges, and opportunities, of working in local government.

Scribefest 2026 - The Free Online Conference for Town, Parish and Community Councils
Thursday 17th September, 9:30AM - 4:00PM
🎟️ View the full agenda and register here!

Can't make the whole day? Register anyway! We’ll send you the recordings afterwards, so you can catch up on the sessions you miss.
Message Jess

09/09/2026

👀 Scribefest 2026 is just one week away and if you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time...

On Thursday 17th September, we’re bringing together town, parish and community councils virtually for a full day of insights, advice, ideas and inspiration. From VAT and the new Digital AGAR to employment rights, community engagement and audit prep — there’s something for everyone.

🎟️ Free Registration & Agenda: https://scribe-fest.com/

And, because it’s not all about learning, we’ve got a little bit of fun planned too!🎉 Join us live for exciting quizzes, challenges and the chance to win prizes throughout the day.

P.S. 🎁 Every registrant will be entered into our random prize draw with a chance to win a yummy food hamper, afternoon tea for two, garden vouchers, book vouchers and more!

As for our speakers’ secret mission… 🤫 Let’s just say you’ll need to keep your eyes and ears open during the conference!

09/09/2026

Want to master your council’s budget season and set your Precept with absolute confidence?

From forecasting your figures to calculating your Precept with total confidence, a proactive financial strategy transforms budget season from a scramble into a smooth success.

Join Hannah Driver in our upcoming webinar, "Forecasting, Budgeting & Setting the Precept for Local Councils," where she’ll walk you through essential budgeting approaches, forecasting methods, and practical tips to streamline your council's finances.

What you'll learn:
✅ An Introduction to Budgeting: Understand the core budgeting timeline and discover when to use Incremental vs. Zero-Based budgeting.

✅ Forecasting & Calculating the Precept: Learn practical steps to project costs, set next year’s budget, and calculate your Precept accurately.

✅ Simple practices for effective, regular budget monitoring throughout the year

👇 Register your spot today: https://resources.scribeaccounts.com/forecasting-budgeting-setting-the-precept-for-local-councils-sept-26

07/09/2026

We’ve already introduced you to the speakers joining our first Lightning Round, but did you know we’re having not one, but TWO Lightning Rounds at Scribefest 2026?

Four speakers, four very different topics, and just five minutes each to share their ideas, advice and expertise.

Here’s Lightning Round #2! ⚡️

📊 Keeping Your Accounts Audit-Ready
Claire Lingard McKay, Practice Director at Working the Greener Way Online
- Top tips and best practices to keep your accounts on track and audit-ready all year round.

📚️ Woughton Community Council's Library of Things
Steve McNay, Council Manager, Woughton Community Council
- Discover how one council developed a resource-sharing scheme for residents, helping them save money, reuse more and reduce waste.

📝 Agendas & Minutes – Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Julie King, Parish Clerk and Partner at Norfolk Parish Training & Support
- Pick up quick tips for getting your agendas and minutes right and avoiding common mistakes.

🔮 Planning for the Parish Council of 2030
Tom Clay, Executive Officer, East Riding & Northern Lincolnshire Local Councils Association
- Explore what the local council of 2030 could look like — and what councils might need to keep, start or stop doing to get there.

Scribefest 2026 - The Free Online Conference for Town, Parish and Community Councils
Thursday 17th September, 9:30AM - 4:00PM
🎟️ Register your free spot: https://scribe-fest.com/

And remember, the Lightning Rounds are just one part of a packed day at Scribefest, with prize giveaways, challenges and competitions happening throughout the event too. 🎁 🏆️

03/09/2026

🚨 With VAT compliance reviews becoming more common for local councils, are you confident that your council is getting its VAT right?

At Scribefest 2026, join Steve Parkinson, AAT Licensed Accountant & Partner at the Parkinson Partnership, as he shares his expertise on VAT, common pitfalls and what councils need to know when facing a compliance review.

You will discover:
✅ What a VAT compliance review involves and what HMRC may ask for
✅ Common VAT mistakes that can catch councils out
✅ Simple steps you can put in place to help avoid these issues

Scribefest 2026 - The Free Online Conference for Town, Parish and Community Councils
Thursday 17th September, 9:30AM - 4:00PM
🎟️ Register & View Agenda: https://scribe-fest.com/

P.S. Don't forget to check out the photo competition details for a chance to win a tasty food hamper!

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