11 MEMBER DEVELOPMENT SIX MONTHLY UPDATE PDF 138 KB
To receive a report from the Member Services Manager regarding Member Development.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
The Committee had before it a report* from the Member Services Manager regarding Member Development.
The officer outlined the contents of the report, highlighting the fact that the South West Charter for Member Development had been secured for a further three years following a lengthy evidence gathering exercise which also included Members and senior officers attending interviews with the examining board. Reassessment to secure the Charter took place in 2014 and again in April of this year by the Chief Executive and Head of Learning at South West Councils, alongside a Councillor from Bristol City Council.
Feedback regarding the Charter included positive comments for the parish liaison work being undertaken, additional work that could be undertaken if Charter Plus should be sought in three years’ time, suggestions that there was a need for Members to continue learning and strategic links to corporate priorities.
The report also included information regarding training delivered, the need to revisit personal development plans and future development opportunities.
The officer further informed Members that the Member Development Group had asked officers to try and establish what barriers there were to training and to survey preferred timings for Member briefings.
Mid-term training was planned for Scrutiny and Policy Development Groups (PDG’s). The Peer Review had identified the need for the PDG’s to become more strategic.
The Chief Executive highlighted the importance of Member attendance at briefings and stressed the need for Members to have full information when challenging officers. He informed the Committee that he was writing a discussion paper for the PDG’s and their Chairmen, which would be reviewed by the Programming Panel. This paper would scope how the Groups should go about their business and how they could become more involved in policy development. The Chief Executive went on to suggest that in order to remove conflict from an officer leading a team and reporting to the Committee a research officer could undertake work on behalf of Members and report back independently.
Discussion took place regarding:
· Attendance at briefings;
· The cultural change needed;
· Crediton Leisure centre and remote attendance at briefings;
· Personal Development Plans could be used to discuss attendance.
Members requested that their thanks to the Member Services Manager and her team be NOTED.
Note: - Report * previously circulated and attached to Minutes.