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Section in amended Charter

Amendment

Reason/Comment

1.1

Recurring item on Leader’s Forum agenda to consider learning and development needs

To place more responsibility on group leaders to identify L&D needs.

1.1

Remove reference of a cross party councillor development task group and replacement with Democracy Committee

Democracy Committee is responsible for this, as set out in the Constitution.

1.1

Addition of attendance at training by Councillors will be displayed online, technology permitting

It is important that members are able to be held to account by their residents for attending/not attending training sessions

1.2

Addition of bullet points specifying:

·         Appropriate notice given to councillors of l&d events

·         That learning events will take place at a range of times, including daytime and evenings

 

Removal of reference to all members having equal access to learning and development, and replacing with an emphasis on an opportunity to attend.

The group felt that it would be impossible to cater for the needs of all councillors equally, as all 55 councillors have different personal circumstances. However it was important to recognise that appropriate notice needed to be given and a range of times/days/dates (including daytime and evening sessions) should be planned for different l&d activities to maximise attendance

1.2

Addition of technological solutions to encourage participation will be considered

The group felt that if we utilised technology, by either broadcasting or recording sessions, this would provide a greater opportunity for attendance. Work is already underway on this through the project considering future options for webcasting.

NA

Deletion of the section stating: ‘The council actively encourages citizenship and publicises the role of councillors as community leaders as part of promoting local democracy so as to encourage underrepresented groups to become a councillor’

The group felt that officers should not have a role in encouraging residents to become councillors, this is the role of political parties.

1.3

Additional information provided around criteria for sending Councillors on conferences or specialist training sessions, along with what to do if a councillor wants to self fund a place

The group identified that a consistent approach needed to be outlined when councillors requested attendance at conferences and specialist training sessions.

2.1

Addition of a requirement to give new committee members a committee induction

The group highlighted that new members of a committee would require some detailed information about the committee’s responsibilities at an early stage to allow them to participate fully from the beginning.

2.2

Removal of reference to the Council providing a role description for ward councillors

The group felt that it was impossible to define the role of a Ward Councillor, and it was not for the Council to draw this up.

2.2

Rewording of the requirement for members to demonstrate their skills and knowledge on their ward and wider council roles to amend it to focus on the Council providing them with the information to carry out their roles

It was felt that the Council should not be asking councillors to demonstrate knowledge, but the Council should provide them with the information they need to carry out their roles.

NA

Deletion of ‘The Council has a structured process for regularly assessing councillors’ individual learning and development needs based on focused objectives

Councillors are not employees of the Council and the responsibility for identifying needs and setting objectives is for Group Leaders.

2.4

Expansion of the paragraph on identifying future leadership development team needs to make sure that the roles of political parties and the Council are clearly defined

Both political groups and the council have roles in succession planning, but the roles needed to be defined.

3.1

Addition of a requirement for Democracy Committee to review feedback every year

This is an important role of the Democracy Committee

3.1

Amendment of requirement for councillors to describe how l&d have benefited them and what difference it has made to their roles; to councillors being encouraged to fill out feedback forms

Feedback forms should fulfil this purpose, and a technological solution should be considered as well as paper forms.