The LGIU’s introductory online training on local government finance explains the basics and is designed to provide you, as stewards, with a thorough grounding in the key elements of local government finance and funding.

No previous experience is required and all jargon is explained.

By the end of the training, you will:

• Understand the importance of good financial governance and the key role and responsibilities played by elected councillors.
• Understand the overall national legal and policy framework affecting council finance and budgets.
• Understand key concepts and terminology, such as capital and revenue, general fund and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), reserves and balances.
• Understand how local councils receive their funding.

Register below for each nation – please click on the dates.

England
Thursday, 25 June 2026: 9:30-12:30 (3 hours)
Thursday, 24 September 2026: 9.30-12.30 (3 hours)

Scotland
Thursday, 22 October 2026: 9.30-11.00 (1.5 hours)

Cymru/Wales
Wednesday, 25 November 2026 9.30-12.00 (2.5 hours)

If you have attended the LGIU’s introductory training on local government finance or watched our bite-sized learning sessions and want to know more about the subject, then REGISTER to attend our drop-in training sessions where you can ask our expert trainers more questions about local government finance and how you, as UNISON stewards or reps, can influence your Council’s budget setting process.  This session also aims to coincide with the annual financial settlement on how much funding local government receives from the Government, which is announced at the end of the year.

This session will discuss the ‘big 3’ finance reports and the budget-setting process that includes:

• The Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and Annual Budget
• The latest budget monitoring report
• The Statement of Accounts.

We will also discuss the tough political choices made when setting your Council’s annual budget, where we will:

• Appraise and evaluate how stewards can most effectively influence budget and spending decisions
• The continued impacts of austerity, the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and local government reorganisation on Council budgets.
• Look at the financial planning and control processes at a typical local council.
• Look at the policy-making and budget-setting cycle.

We will also have a short presentation on:

• The LGIU’s annual local government finance survey for England and Scotland
• Compare how the UK controls and funds local government with other Western democracies
• Discuss other possible solutions to the funding crisis.

UNISON Stewards and reps from England, Scotland and Wales can attend any of the following drop-in sessions:

Register here to attend Drop-in clinic: Ask the trainers:

Thursday, 17 December 2026: 9:30-11:00