More and more clerks are now taking on roles across multiple parish councils, a sign of both their growing expertise and the increasing demand for skilled local governance support. But with that flexibility comes new challenges - from time management to ensuring clear separation between councils.

If you're a clerk working for more than one parish, here’s some essential advice to help you stay organised, compliant, and stress-free.

One Council, One Laptop?

It might seem convenient to manage multiple councils from one device - but it’s not best practice. Instead think about:

• Using a dedicated laptop or digital workspace for each council.

• This protects sensitive information, simplifies audits, and ensures GDPR compliance.

• At a minimum, create separate user profiles, email accounts, and file storage systems for each parish.

Keeping everything clearly separated helps avoid those awkward “wrong council” email moments - and protects the integrity of your work.

Time Management: Be Clear, Be Fair

Serving more than one council requires clear boundaries around your time. Good practice includes:

• Agreeing hours with each council.

• Using separate calendars and task lists to avoid scheduling conflicts.

• Tracking your time - especially if you're paid hourly.

Try not to multitask between councils in the same working session. Instead, block out focused time for each one. It’s better for productivity and professionalism.

Using the SALC Portal? Choose the Right Council!

When submitting an enquiry through the SALC member portal, always make sure you’re logged in under the correct council account.

Each parish is a separate member - so choosing the wrong one could delay responses or cause confusion. Tip: log out and back in if you switch councils and double-check the council’s name before you hit send.

Communicate Boundaries

Make sure councillors know when you're available - and for which council. Use:

• Different email addresses for each council

• Clear signatures to include detailed working hours/days in every email

• Ideally, different phone numbers 

This avoids confusion and helps everyone respect your schedule.

Your Multi-Council Cheat Sheet: Final Thoughts      

• Use colour coding or icons in your calendar to distinguish between councils

• Maintain separate cloud storage (e.g., OneDrive, Dropbox) for each

• Stay aware of key deadlines like AGAR, elections, and precept setting - for each council

• Never assume the same solution fits every parish - needs and processes may differ

Working across multiple councils is a fantastic opportunity - and with the right structure in place, it can be both manageable and rewarding.

If you’re a clerk managing responsibilities across more than one parish, your experience is valuable - feel free to share your tips or seek support from fellow clerks or through SALC your local council association.