Agenda item

To consider a verbal update of the Town Clerk in conjunction with the recently agreed Member Development Strategy 2014-2017 (attached) and the Minutes of the most recent meeting of the Steering Group on 13 September 2013 (attached).

The Sub Committee received an update on the work of the Steering Group and considered the recently finalised Member Development Strategy. The Strategy outlined the City Corporation’s commitment to member development, with a rolling quarterly programme of presentations, visits and training sessions. These would be from a variety of sources and would be designed to increase Member awareness of both the City Corporation as well as to enhance Members’ practical skills.

Members were impressed with the work that had been undertaken to date in respect of developing and delivering Member Development provision for all elected Members and wished in particular to express their gratitude to, and commend the work of, the Committee and Member Services Manager who had led the programme and had moved the work forward. The Sub Committee commented favourably on the quarterly programme which would begin in February 2014.

On the question of attendance at learning and development events, it was explained that as the sessions had not yet started, it was hard to determine likely attendance. However, attendance levels at those events which took place in 2013 varied with some poorly attended and others well attended. It was hoped that the extra work that had been channelled into profiling and promoting the new programme would increase attendance.

The new quarterly programme had been informed by an all-Member survey and would, it was hoped, provide a range of activities at different times in order to maximise Member attendance. However, some Members still felt that the timings of sessions should be more varied, with more taking place in the early morning or in the early evening.

The Chairman of the Policy and Resources Committee requested that the Member discussion sessions that he had been hosting on a regular basis should be referenced in the programme as his sessions complemented the Strategy and were a form of Member development.

RESOLVED –

That the views of the Sub Committee and Mr Boleat be reviewed as part of ongoing Member Development activities.