Agenda item

Minutes:

 

Members gave consideration to the Member Development Annual Report 2021/22 which reviewed Member Development activity for the past 12 months and set out relevant actions for the remainder of the year and into the Civic Year 2023/24, with the primary focus being the all Member Induction. 

 

Key points highlighted to the Committee included, the continued trend of increased attendance at development sessions, with attendance being consistently over 30%, with some sessions as high as 55% attendance, attributed to the prevalence of virtual sessions, with Members content to travel to in-person sessions when necessary.  Members also noted the wide variety of sessions offered over the 12 month period, with a combination of external training providers and Officer-led sessions.

 

The use of external providers would be a focus for the arrangements for the Full Induction Programme following the success of those sessions both at the 2019 Induction and in the intervening years.

 

The Learning Pool roll-out continued to be an ongoing action, with Officers having recognised areas of improvement for how to manage this following the 2023 elections.   It was still intended to launch the system during the current election cycle with communications anticipated in coming weeks and offers of individual support, if required.

 

Finally, Members were advised preparation for the Member Induction Programme, following all-out elections in May 2023 had begun. The programme in 2019 was a success, with positive feedback from Councillors and Officers alike. Where there had been suggested improvements, or requests over intervening years for additional sessions, these had been incorporated into the proposals for 2023. A table detailing the suggested improvements was detailed at section 3.2 of the report.

 

In the ensuing debate numerous suggestions were made regarding the need to balance virtual learning, with face to face learning, to accommodate different learning styles and to consider alternative venues, whilst also acknowledging the need to reduce emissions and travelling.

 

In responding, assurance was offered that the organisation had recognised that relationship building and setting the right environment for learning was really important, over the course of the next   four years  there would be virtual sessions, but those first induction sessions, those first times Members met Officers that would primarily be held in person due to the importance of relationship building at the outset.   Different formats were considered for each session, and a one size fits all approach was not being adopted, if appropriate alternative venues could be considered, but this did have additional cost and available equipment implications.

 

The Committee felt it important that seasoned Councillors attended the induction sessions noting the invaluable information they held.  The notion of buddying was championed and had been in place for the 2019 in-take and Members suggested it should be again. 

 

A process by which to assess the quality of on-line training, going forward was suggested as a future topic for the Member Development Group.

 

In response to comments regarding attendance levels and Councillors’ commitment to training, Members were reminded that there was no statutory power to mandate Councillors to training, training records were not currently published and the rationale for this was outlined, attendance was a matter for Group Leaders and it relied upon those Groups dealing with the attendance of their Members, or not, as they saw fit.

 

Officers also confirmed that the outline timetable was available from February and included in candidates’ packs, in order that expectations and commitments were raised early on.   The information was also sent to Political Agents.

 

In responding to further comments, Officers indicated that they could not force a Councillor to attend, they would make the programme as open as possible, as inviting as possible, repeating sessions at different times of the day, responding to feedback from previous years, all of which was being built into this year’s plan, but ultimately there was a reliance on Group Leaders to set the tone and for Members to challenge one another in a professional manner on their commitment.  Members needed to meet Officers half way, they needed to feedback whether a session was helpful or not but ultimately, they needed to take personal responsibility to commit to a Training Plan that had been developed to cater for a variety of needs based on comments made by Members throughout the previous four years.

 

It was stressed however that attendance levels were comparable, and whilst there was always room for improvement, it would never be feasible for all Councillors to engage in all training, for a variety of reasons and it also needed to be recognised that people sought public office for a variety of reasons.  Officers were confident they were doing all they could to ensure Councillors appropriate opportunity.

 

Having heard the response, Members felt from a governance perspective appropriately trained Members was of vital importance to decision making and it was suggested that the Chairman of the Committee write to current Group Leaders to try and establish an upfront commitment for their Members to attend induction sessions.

 

Some Members commented on the supporting Induction Pack created in 2019 and its usefulness and sought and received indication that a similar but improved pack would be provided.  Responding to comments regarding over-training and a suggestion that everyone was expected to have the same view, it was stressed that was not the purpose and the Council was legally required to provide training in some areas particularly on statutory matters such as data protection and safeguarding for example.

 

Following lengthy debate and an acknowledgement that every effort was made to accommodate Members’ desires and differences, it was: -

 

RESOLVED that: -

 

(a)        the report be accepted as an accurate reflection of Member Development activity for the period October 2021 to September 2022;

 

(b)        the outline proposals for the 2023 Full Member Induction Programme be supported; and

 

(c)        a further report be submitted to the Committee, in January 2023, to consider, and approve, the 2023 Full Member Induction Programme

 

 

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