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Introducing CALC

What does CALC do?

CALC exists to support town/parish councils and parish meetings (all are “Local Councils”) in the ceremonial county of Cumbria by providing good governance and helping them operate efficiently and effectively with up-to-date skills and knowledge.

This is provided by a range of services to CALC member councils as below:

Day to Day support

  • Legal, procedural and financial advice by phone or email.
  • Direct on-line access to “membership only” section of CALC Website. (This section contains a large number of useful advisory documents and templates).
  • Employment management advice.

Training and assistance

  • Supplying a range of councillor and officer training, on-line or in-person. Development of bespoke courses at a discounted rate.
  • Access to up-to-date Local Council sector knowledge.
  • Assistance to achieve the Local Council Award Scheme.
  • Assistance with Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) lending facility

Information

  • Timely mailing of bulletins on changes to relevant legislation, topical issues, and Local Government consultations as they occur.
  • Regular mailing of “CALC News” which carries up to date information on activities of CALC and contributions from member councils. Also features such as officer vacancies, helpful tips and parish project case studies.

Strategic Representation and awareness

  • Maintaining strategic relationships with key stakeholders, such as the two Unitary authorities, including:
    • Representing issues of common cross-parish concern to unitary authorities.
    • Ensuring there is a parish/town voice in unitary authorities’ strategic policies.
    • Engage in policy-making with Unitary local panels/boards using the body of local knowledge.
  • Ensuring the objects and functions of Local Councils are understood by stakeholders and the public.
  • Interfacing with the National Association of Local Councils (NALC) to contribute to national debate and gathering information on national matters of concern.

Collaboration and outreach

  • Collaborating with special interest groups on topical issues such as zero carbon, transport, communications, well-being, etc.
  • Organising relevant events and conferences.

Did you know?

  • CALC has 116 member councils in Cumberland and 129 in Westmorland and Furness?
  • There are over about 10,000 parish and town councils in England with a total expenditure of over £600 million?
  • Parish councils may be known as a town council, village council, community council, neighbourhood council, or if the parish has city status, it may call itself a city council. However, all their powers and duties are the same whatever name they carry