SLCC News & Events

Nick Randle appointed OBE

Published 14th June 2010

Members of the Society throughout England and Wales are delighted that their Chief Executive, Nick Randle has been appointed an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours for services to the local council sector.

Since his appointment as Chief Executive in 2001 Nick has completely restructured a semi-voluntary organisation founded in 1972 to promote the training and professional development of parish, town and community council clerks. He was instrumental in developing the first national distance learning course. Titled Working With Your Council it now forms an integral part of the National Training Strategy for Parish and Town Councils launched by the Countryside Agency and DEFRA in 2002 and revised under DCLG in 2008. "WWYC" has since become an important aid in helping clerks gain their Certificate in Local Council Management (CiLCA), a mandatory qualification for parishes seeking quality status or who wish to exercise the well-being powers extended to local councils in England in April 2009. He was also instrumental in defining the National CPD scheme for town, parish and community council clerks and establishing the Institute of Local Council Management. Without Nick's enthusiasm for national vocational training the Government's Quality Town and Parish Council Scheme would struggle to survive.

He has also fostered a growing engagement with national advisory groups in Local Council sector development, community empowerment and raising standards of corporate governance. As the brief testimonial from DEFRA confirms Nick Randle has participated in a number of research projects including The Potential of Parish and Town Councils to Support Neighbourhood Arrangements (2005), Evaluation of Quality Parishes Investment Fund (2005), Parish and Town Council Clustering (2006) and the Review of the Quality Town and Parish Council Scheme (2006).

His work with Standards for England to deal with workplace bullying has resulting in a significant drop in complaints. At an international level Nick has been the driving force behind SLCC's membership of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and is currently a director of IIMC responsible for the UK and Europe.

Nick Randle's contribution in raising the profile of parish and town council clerks, providing vocational and professional development opportunities and improving pay and working conditions have been considerable and worthy of the honour he has now received.

Nick, said, "I am very pleased to receive this honour, not only for myself but for all the SLCC team who worked with me to build up our profession during the last decade.  A part of this award belongs to each one of them.  Also I feel that the fact that members of the profession are now receiving national honours tells us clearly that our contribution to national life is at last being fully recognised".