Course focus

Committees - Stage 2

Date:
15 March 2012
Venue:
Beachcroft LLP, London
CPD:
5.0

Training programmes

Income Generation - Charging Into Trading

The financial crisis forces local authorities to address the issue of income generation as part of the wider topic of service re-structuring. What services can they charge for and can they recover their costs or actually make a profit?  Do they need to set up a trading company, and how would this work? Can they trade through existing companies and form partnerships with commercial entities?
 
Now the Localism Bill offers much wider opportunities for local authority trading in support services and for the provision of support services to Academy Schools, GP Commissioning Consortia and a wide range of semi-public bodies.

This seminar is designed to provide local authority lawyers and policy officers with the essential information to enable them to address these issues in their own authorities.

Key topics:

  • What is so special about charging by a local authority?
  • What is the difference between charging and trading
  • What existing powers do local authorities enjoy to charge and trade?
  • How far can you go in charging?
  • When can the authority make a profit?
  • Why a trading company?
  • What difference does this make?
  • Can I provide “trade goods” to the trading company?
  • How would I set up a trading company?
  • What management structure and accountability is required?
  • Who can I provide goods and services to?
  • What goods, services and works can I trade in?
  • What are the practical issues around the provision of legal services to external clients?

Who should attend:

The seminar is aimed at in-house lawyers and policy officers who will have to address the issue of charging, trading and income generation over the next year. It is designed to provide the essential understanding and practical advice to enable you to address these issues lawfully within your own authority.

 

Please note this course is only available to Local Government Staff

Book this course

Programme directory