Documents

This Advice Note explains the behaviours that can be described as bullying or harassment, what a local council as an employer can do to prevent these behaviours and how councillors should be expected to behave towards council staff. It is best practice for local councils to adopt a bullying and harassment policy to protect its employees.

• YLCA Advice Note 28 : Bullying and Harassment of Council Employees revised November 2019 (PDF, 153 Kb)

This Advice Note explains the process to follow when a casual vacancy occurs (a vacancy which occurs part way through a councillors four year term of office) on a local council. It includes guidance on by-elections and the co-option process and notifying the elections office of the principal authority.

• YLCA Advice Note 27 : Co-option Following a Casual Vacancy revised January 2019 (PDF, 100 Kb)

This Advice Note explains the requirements of the transparency code for smaller councils ( all local councils with a turnover not exceeding £25,000). It gives links to the legislation and includes a list of the information which is required to be published on a publicly accessible website.

• YLCA Advice Note 26 Transparency Code for Smaller Councils revised June 2019 (PDF, 135 Kb)

This Advice Note gives guidance to local councils on the elections process including a councillors term of office, insufficiency of candidates, the return of election expenses, declaration of acceptance of office, date of annual meeting, election of chairman/vice-chairman, the co-option process and what to include in an induction pack for new councillors.

• YLCA Advice Note 25 : Elections 2020 revised February 2020 (PDF, 152 Kb)

This Annex relates to YLCA Advice Note 22 and is a template recording policy.

• YLCA Advice Note 22 Annex : Template Recording Policy (MS Word, 34 Kb)

This Advice Note explains that under The Openness of Local Government Bodies Regulations 2014, anyone can record a council meeting. It also covers the requirement for the recording of decisions made by officers using delegated powers. There is a separate Annex to this advice note which is a template recording policy document for local councils.

• YLCA Advice Note 22 : The Recording of Meetings and Officer Decisions revised June 2019 (PDF, 150 Kb)

This Advice note sets out the legal and policy position in relation to Travellers and some of the key powers available, including to local councils, to address illegal and unauthorised encampments.

• YLCA Advice Note 21 : Travellers Briefing Note revised September 2014 (PDF, 149 Kb)

This Advice Note explains the freedom granted by the general power of competence, the criteria to be met before a local council can use it and some restrictions on using the power.

• YLCA Advice Note 19 : General Power of Competence revised April 2019 (PDF, 250 Kb)