Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to provide members of the Standards Committee with a review of the rolling Member Development Programme and provides information regarding the updated Members’ Expenses Scheme.  This report outlines the member learning and development sessions delivered for members since May 2014, and also the upcoming winter quarter of the member learning and development programme (January-April 2014).

Rhiannon Leary (Mayor’s Office and Member Development Manager) presented the report that outlined the member and learning development sessions delivered to members since May 2014 and the upcoming sessions for the quarter January to April 2015.   The committee heard that overall the sessions had received positive feedback and the last session on school place planning on 3 December 2014 had been well attended, with 17 members present.  Members noted that feedback from the Member Development Charter Award assessors had indicated that there was an excellent chance of achieving Charter Plus, regarded as the gold standard for good practice in the field of member development.  The committee noted the attendance records for the respective training sessions.  Rhiannon Leary advised that there had been changes to members’ expenses and this was set out in the report.  Members also noted the Member Learning and Development Steering Group terms of reference included in appendix two of the report.

During members’ discussions, it was remarked that the sessions to date offered high quality training, although not every member signed the attendance sheet for the sessions that they had attended.  A member enquired whether there had been moves to introduce new members to the council’s partners, such as going on a tour of the Brent Housing Partnership (BHP) estates and of the borough in general.  He suggested that the council liaise with the relevant housing providers for new members to visit the estates in areas such as Chalkhill and Stonebridge.  A member asked whether all members who needed to undertake mandatory training, such as those on the Planning Committee and the Alcohol and Entertainment Licensing Committee, had done so. A member queried to what extent the Member Learning and Development Steering Group informed what sessions would be provided to members and was the intention to achieve Charter Plus being promoted.  Another member commented that members from other boroughs had been impressed upon hearing about the council’s Member Development Programme.

In reply to the issues raised, Rhiannon Leary advised that members’ attendance at sessions was usually spotted and recorded even if the member had not signed the attendance sheet.  She advised that the regeneration coach tour of the borough in July 2014 had given the opportunity for new members in particular to find out more about the borough, whilst showing members around the various estates managed by the council’s partners would also be looked at as part of the Member Development Programme in the next quarter. 

Thomas Cattermole (Head of Executive and Member Services) confirmed that all members who required mandatory training had undertaken this.  He confirmed that the council had successfully been re-accredited with the Member Development Charter Award in January 2014 and this was attributable to the efforts of members, the Mayor’s Office and Member Development Manager and the Chief Finance Officer, along with the key role played by the Member Learning and Development Steering Group.  Thomas Cattermole stated that serious consideration should be given to achieving Charter Plus in order to build on the high standards in the area of member development.  He added that the council was not complacent with regard to member development and the large proportion of new members meant that training needed to be ongoing.

RESOLVED:

that the report on the review of the Member Development Programme and members’ expenses be noted.