Issue - meetings

This report seeks approval to sign up to the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) / Local Government Yorkshire and Humber (LGYH) Member Development Charter, and to implement the necessary changes to achieve charter status and improve Member development at the Council.

RESOLVED: That approval be given to:

a)                 Sign up the IDeA Member Development Charter;

b)                 Implement the outline Member Development Scheme, as set out in paragraphs 21-40 of the report;

c)                  Delegate to the Member Development Working Group responsibility to decide a Member Development Programme, appropriate training and development activities and budget.

REASON:      In order to improve Member Development at the Council.

Members considered a report which sought approval to sign up to the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) / Local Government and Humber (LGYH) Member Development Charter, and to implement the necessary changes to achieve charter status and improve Member development in the Council.

Member development had been highlighted through the Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) as an area that required improvement in York.  It currently formed part of the role of the Senior Member Support Officer, who held a £10k budget for this purpose.  Most other authorities had had a dedicated officer to oversee member development.  The last specific programme of activities had run during 2007, since when activities had been organised on an ad hoc basis.  A further programme was intended for 2009.

It was recommended that a strategic and evaluative Member-led scheme be developed, based upon an annual programme of development appraisals for all Members.  Activities would be decided by an all-party Member Development Working Group and the scheme would continue to be led by Democratic Services.  Feedback to inform planned work would be provided at the end of each event and via development appraisals.  Annex 1 to the report showed how the scheme would operate.  An example of a development appraisal form was provided at Annex 2.

RESOLVED: That approval be given to:

a)                 Sign up the IDeA Member Development Charter;¹

b)                 Implement the outline Member Development Scheme, as set out in paragraphs 21-40 of the report;²

c)                  Delegate to the Member Development Working Group responsibility to decide a Member Development Programme, appropriate training and development activities and budget.³

REASON:      In order to improve Member Development at the Council.