Officer Development Framework
DAPTC provides training in a mixture of online scheduled courses, accessible at any time e-learning modules and in-person courses and events. Below are all training courses for clerks, officers and employees - they are listed once by subject matter and selecting a course will show all available dates for you to choose from. Each course also shows which part of the Councillor/Officer Development Framework it belongs to.
Prices listed include the 50% discount available to DAPTC member councils. Non DAPTC member councils are welcome to book a place for double the price shown against each course.
Get in touch if your council is interested in bulk purchasing e-learning modules or whole council training on a specified topic. Call 01305 224460 or email
This e-learning course includes a range of learning activities to help you develop your understanding of video conferencing and the cyber security measures that should be in place.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £15.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course is for everyone as anyone who processes personal data must comply with data protection rules and follow good practice in data management.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Essentials, Councillor Development, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course includes a range of learning activities to help identify simple opportunities to make a positive impact on our environment.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course addresses threats to equality such as discrimination, harassment and victimisation, explores how to promote fairness, diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Essentials |
This e-learning course outlines the parameters of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), how it functions and how requests under the FOIA should be made and dealt with.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | ODF Optional, CDF Optional |
This e-learning course will develop your understanding of how and why we get things wrong and help to prevent potentially serious incidents in the workplace and beyond.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, Council Employee Development, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course helps develop an understanding of information security through highly interactive activities and provides best practice tips to ensure information is kept secure.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course explores what behavioural agility is and provides practical advice to help you think on your feet and adapt quickly and positively.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £10.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course explores habitual behaviour and provides practical advice to help address habits and behaviours.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £10.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course will assist newly elected and co-opted councillors to understand what local councils are, what they do and how they operate.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £16.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Essentials, ODF Essentials |
This e-learning course explores how menopause affects women and why people and organisations need to learn about it.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Expert |
This e-learning course will increase awareness of mental health and provide techniques to support you and those around you.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Expert |
This e-learning course aims to raise awareness of common risks to personal safety and offers strategies to help minimise the chances of becoming a victim of crime.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Expert |
This e-learning course will help employees recognise, manage and reduce stress through a range of learning activities.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | ODF Optional, CDF Optional |
This e-learning course aims to increase awareness of unconscious bias and give practical tips on reducing the effect it has on decisions, attitudes and behaviour.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course will explore health and safety legislation and its importance for individuals, employers and society.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Essentials |
This e-learning course will develop understanding of the importance of customer service and the power it has to make a break a person's day and ultimately a council's reputation.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | ODF Optional |
This e-learning course will help develop an understanding of the hazards and circumstances that lead to fire and how to manage them appropriately.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Optional, Clerk Development, ODF Essentials |
This e-learning course provides a greater understanding of resilience and offers practical advice to help you become more resilient.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £10.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course will help develop an understanding of infection and measures that can be put in place to protect everyone in and outside of a workplace.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Essentials |
This e-learning course aims to provide a deep understanding of leadership, core skills and practical advice.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Leader, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course will explain what money laundering is, how to spot this financial crime and prevent 'dirty' money entering an organisation's system.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course provides local councils and councillors with an introduction to strategies to get the most from positive communication and engagement on social media.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £16.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course is designed to provide clerks, employees and councillors with an introduction to the skills needed to be effective leaders in different roles and different situations.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £16.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Leader, Councillor Development, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course is designed to provide clerks, employees and councillors with an introduction to emotional intelligence and personal resilience and how to strengthen them.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £16.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course explains the terms neurodiverse and neurotypical and changes that can be made to support neurodiverse team members at work.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This e-learning course addresses some basic first aid responses to common accident and medical emergency situations that may be faced in a low-risk workplace.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Essentials |
This e-learning course will give you confidence in how to approach working with volunteers, providing training to them and ensuring they return.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Intermediate, ODF Intermediate |
This e-learning course explores the shadow cast by terrorism and extremism, how to spot warning signs and where to seek support for those in danger of becoming radicalised.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £10.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Expert |
This e-learning course explains what constitutes sexual harassment, how to recognise it and how to address and report it.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This course explores the foundations, theory and core principles of data protection, UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other relevant legislation. Part 1 of 3.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Intermediate, Clerk Development, Council Employee Development, ODF Essentials |
This course covers how councils demonstrate accountability with data protection and UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation. Part 2 of 3.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Optional, Clerk Development, ODF Essentials |
This course explores best practice for creating an effective communications strategy that fits with the needs and aspirations of your council. Part 1 of 2.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Essentials, ODF Essentials |
This introductory course to finance is for inexperienced clerks, deputy clerks and RFOs in their first few months in role and will provide an overview of a council's financial year and a basic understanding of the RFO's role.
If you have 9 month's experience or more, this session is unlikely to cover anything you don't already know. Please leave this course for new clerks and book yourself onto more detailed finance courses as bookings made by experienced clerks or anyone that is not eligible, may be removed without notice.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | ODF Essentials |
| Event Date | |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | ODF Essentials, CDF Optional |
This e-learning course increases awareness of the impact and type of bullying behaviours that can occur in the workplace and provides guidance on what to do if you're being treated unfairly at work.
| Event Date | |
| Available Place | 99 |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | ODF Optional, CDF Optional |
This e-learning course will help you hone your skills in customer service excellence and combines psychological insight with practical advice.
| Event Date | |
| Available Place | 98 |
| Price | £14.00 |
| Location | E-Learning Course |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Essentials |
There are currently no dates available for this course. Please check back again soon.
This course looks at what requirements and obligations local councils have under the Freedom of Information Act.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Essentials |
This course shows how to get more out of Canva and create complex designs and branding for your council. It is ideal for those who have experience of using Canva. Part 2 of 2.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
There are currently no dates available for this course. Please check back again soon.
Ideal for new councillors and new to role clerks and employees. The course is also suitable for everyone requiring a refresher on planning.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Essentials, ODF Essentials |
There are currently no dates available for this course. Please check back again soon.
A perfect follow up to A Basic Introduction to Planning covering some of the more specialised aspects of the planning system as well as looking at some aspects in more detail.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Intermediate, ODF Intermediate |
There are currently no dates available for this course. Please check back again soon.
This course is aimed at clerks and RFOs of parish and town councils, who are involved in preparing and monitoring their council's budgets. It is also suitable for councillors on Finance Committees.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £35 for members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | ODF Essentials, Clerk Development, CDF Intermediate |
Essential for new councillors in order to understand their responsibilities and for existing councillors wanting a refresher on the subject.
| Price | £30 for members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Essentials, ODF Optional |
This course provides councillors, officers and employees an understanding for the need of internal controls and how they work, with practical examples and case studies.
| Price | £35.00 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Essentials, ODF Essentials |
This course puts your communication plan into action for effective community engagement and a sustainable approach to reaching the public. Part 2 of 2.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Intermediate, ODF Intermediate |
There are currently no dates available for this course. Please check back again soon.
This course is designed to give councillors and clerks an understanding of what is involved in the development of a Neighbourhood Plan and associated documents such as Design Codes, with a view to enabling them to get started or review an existing plan.
| Event Date | |
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This session is for offficers that are involved in procuring goods and services, preparing tenders, or entering into contracts on behalf of local councils.
This session introduces the new rules of the Procurement Act 2023, which came into force on 24 February 2025 and replace the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The session covers the basics of procurement for local councils – inviting quotes, producing specifications and tender documentation, achieving competition and value for money.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | ODF Essentials, CDF Optional |
This course explains why a strong and recognisable brand identity is key to ensuring your council is seen, heard and valued by the community.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Optional |
This course explores the basics of Canva, showing how to get the most out of the free version, and is ideal for those who have never used Canva before. Part 1 of 2.
| Price | £35 members |
| Location | Online |
| Categories | CDF Optional, ODF Expert |

Contact
Telephone: 01305 224460
Member Advice: advice@dorset-aptc.gov.uk
Member Training: training@dorset-aptc.gov.uk
General Enquiries: info@dorset-aptc.gov.uk
