Issue - meetings

Report of the Service Manager – Corporate Services

The Service Manager Corporate Services referred to the induction process for newly elected Councillors, and specifically the Councillor’s Handbook which set out all of the basic information that a Councillor needed to know immediately upon election. She confirmed that the Council was proposing to keep the handbook and asked if Members of the Group would support that decision and if they had any feedback about content.

Members of the Group agreed that the handbook was useful and that the Council should continue to provide it. Members of the Group asked whether it would be available online, and also how a candidate could get it if they did not attend the count to receive it at that point. The Service Manager Corporate Services confirmed that a physical copy would be handed out to Councillors at the count and whilst it was unusual for a candidate to not attend, a copy could be emailed or posted to them if required. The content of the handbook would also be replicated on the Members extranet. The Group suggested that it would be helpful to have a pdf version of the handbook also.

The Service Manager Corporate Services reflected that the 2019 training schedule had included twelve face-to-face training sessions over a seven week period and had been hard for officers and Councillors and had ultimately resulted in a drop off in attendance. Members of the Group echoed those sentiments and thought that it had involved a lot of time and travel commitment and questioned whether the new programme could include online and hybrid training and also whether information could be uploaded onto the Members Intranet.

The Service Manager Corporate Services referred to proposals for the 2023 induction programme as set out in the report, which included three sessions. The first session proposed was an evening drop-in session where Councillors could meet officers and other Councillors and complete essential paperwork and find out key information; Session One – Admin and Logistics.  Session Two would be an all-day Saturday session covering fundamental information about the work of a council and what it was to be a Councillor; Session Two – The Fundamentals. Session Three would an exhibition style evening session providing information about the wider work of the Council, including partner organisations and big scheme projects; Session Three – The bigger Picture.

Councillor Jeffreys said that it was essential that returning Councillors attend these sessions to engage with and support the new Councillors. Members of the Group also suggested that new Councillors be reminded to speak to their employer about having flexibility to attend to Council business and asked whether training sessions could be recording so that Councillors who both were and weren’t able to attend could use them as a learning resource.

Members of the Group supported the three session schedule and the breakdown of information into three discreet events, including having a drop-in session where Councillors could meet with colleagues.

Members of the Group thought that informing candidates of the dates ahead of the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 28