Agenda item

A report by the Human Resources Development Manager on Member development and training.

Submitted - a report by the HRTM on training sessions offered to members since May 2022.

The HRTM reported that since May 2022, 47 training days were delivered to members on a range of subjects eg Planning, Licensing, Audit, ICT Skills, Chairing for Scrutiny Chairs and Vice-Chairs.  Further training on Health, Safety & Wellbeing has been scheduled for the New Year.  It was noted that attendances at training sessions have been varied.

The Standards Committee was unanimously of the view that, as chairing meetings has become more complex owing to the introduction of hybrid meetings, it was agreed to request that Group Leaders make chairing skills training mandatory for Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Committees. 

It was noted by the HRTM that training delivery is continually being reviewed in terms of timing of meetings; daytime/late afternoon/early evening, to take into account the work/caring commitments of members.

Concerns were expressed that information relating to members’ attendance at training sessions cannot be accessed via the Council website.  It was noted that attendances at training sessions are recorded by members in Members’ Annual Reports and these are published on the Council’s website. 

The HRTM reported that HR staff are available to offer support to members to complete and publish their annual reports.  She stated that Standards Committee’s attendance at training and briefing sessions are not published online, but they are noted and logged by Human Resources.

Concerns were raised by the Committee regarding three of the four aspects of mandatory training outlined in the report. All 35 have completed the cyber security module but only 24 out of 35 have completed equality and diversity and 12 of the 35 have completed data protection. It was also noted that 6 of the 35 elected members have not undertaken training on the Code of Conduct; although it is mandatory under the Code of Conduct adopted by the County Council. 

RESOLVED:-

•  To note the content of the report.

•  That the Chair, and Vice-Chair raise the following issues at a future Group Leaders meeting:-

•  To propose that Chairing Skills training be made mandatory for Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Committees on appointment (or reappointment), and that training be undertaken every 2 years. This requirement for mandatory training on chairing is to be extended to include non-elected independent and co-opted Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Committees too, and

•  To recommend to Group Leaders that they encourage members to update the information available online in relation to their attendance at training and briefing sessions.

•  That the Chair and Vice-Chair forward a copy of the Newsletter that will be drafted, following this meeting, to Group Leaders. 

•  Having received data from officers, on the members of each group who have failed to complete the mandatory training that the Chair and Vice Chair of the Standards Committee to request that Group Leaders

report back with how they intend to resolve this issue.

•  That the issue of Chairing Skills for Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Standards Committees to be raised in the next meeting of the National Standards Committee Forum.

Action: See Resolution above