Five Things I Check Within the First Week of Joining a Council

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Whether I'm joining a council as a locum Clerk, carrying out an internal audit, or supporting a council through governance improvements, there are a handful of things I always look at first.

Not because I expect to find problems, but because these areas provide a good indication of how the council is operating and where support may be needed.

1. Financial Controls

Before anything else, I want to understand how money moves through the council.

Are payments being authorised correctly? Are Financial Regulations up to date? Is there a clear audit trail? Do the budget, bank reconciliation and reserves tell the same story?

Strong financial controls aren't just about compliance – they protect the council, its members and the Clerk.

2. Insurance and Risk

Insurance should never be something that sits in a drawer until renewal time.

Does the council have the right cover for the assets and services it provides? Are activities reflected in the policy? Does the Risk Register identify genuine risks, and is it actually being used as a management tool rather than simply reviewed once a year?

Good risk management helps councils make confident decisions rather than reactive ones.

3. Contracts and Service Delivery

From grounds maintenance to play areas, tree inspections and cleaning contracts, I like to understand what has been agreed and how performance is being monitored.

A contract may look excellent on paper, but does it reflect what's happening on the ground? Are standards being met? Is someone checking?

Good contract management protects public money and helps ensure residents receive the standard of service they expect.

4. Governance and Compliance

Policies, publication requirements, website compliance, registers, committee terms of reference, delegated authority... these are often the areas that quietly drift over time.

Most councils don't deliberately fall behind; priorities change, workloads increase and governance tasks slip down the list.

A quick review early on can identify straightforward improvements before they become larger issues.

5. Business Continuity

Finally, I always ask myself a simple question:

If the Clerk couldn't come into work tomorrow, could someone else keep the council running?

Could they locate key passwords? Access insurance documents? Find contracts? Understand ongoing projects? Know when statutory deadlines fall?

Business continuity isn't about expecting the worst. It's about making sure the council remains resilient if the unexpected happens.

Every council is different.

Some have excellent systems that simply need refreshing. Others have inherited historic issues that require a little more attention. Most sit somewhere in between.

The important thing is not achieving perfection overnight. It's understanding where you are now, prioritising what matters most, and building governance that supports the council for the long term.

At Domino Council Services, we believe good governance should make life easier—not more complicated. Sometimes, asking the right questions at the start can prevent much bigger problems later on.

What would be the first thing you check when joining a new council? I'd love to hear your thoughts.