Agenda and minutes

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare:

·        any personal interests not included on the Register of Interests

·        any prejudicial interests or

·        any disclosable pecuniary interests

which they may have in respect of business on this agenda.

At this point in the meeting, Members are asked to declare any personal, disclosable pecuniary or prejudicial interests they may have in the business on the agenda. None were declared.

To approve and sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 13 September 2012.

RESOLVED:                That the minutes of the last meeting held on 13 September 2012 be approved and signed by the Chair as a correct record.

At this pointing the meeting, members of the public who have registered their wish to speak regarding an item on the agenda or an issue within the Committee’s remit can do so. The deadline for registering is 5:00pm on Wednesday 28^th November 2012.

It was reported that there had been no registrations to speak under the Council’s Public Participation Scheme.

This report details the current level of spend against the Member Training & Development Budget for 2012/13.

Members considered a report which informed them on the current level of spend against the Member Training and Development Budget for 2012/13.

Officers outlined the report, in particular the following  key issues:

·        Members were asked to consider if the practice of allocating ‘pots’ of money to the Groups should continue in the Municipal Year 13/14.

·        How the Core Programme should be run in future and asked Members to note that further information will follow early in the New Year about a possible collaboration between the Council and the University of York.

·        That spend is under budget, mainly due to there being no Personal Development Reviews (PDR) during this municipal year due to a review of the PDR process.

Members advised that the system of allocating pots of money had raised awareness of training and the associated costs within the groups and it was something they would like to see continue.

RESOLVED:  (i)           That Members noted that the budgetary position is on target to be well within budget at the end of the financial year.

(ii)            That group pots should be provided in the next municipal year 13/14 from within the overall budget  for Member Training and Development, how the pots are to be divided to be decided at a later date.

REASON:                     To enable the budget to be appropriately monitored during the year.

This report sets out the outcomes from the recently undertaken Member Training & Development focus groups. Members are asked to comment on the outcomes, which are summarised in Annex A to this report.

Members considered a report which set out the outcomes from the recently undertaken Member Training and Development focus groups.

Officers advised that this year the training and development survey had been carried out in the form of focus groups. Members attending the focus groups had been asked to comment on any training and development sessions they had personally attended between 1^st February 2012 and 31^st August 2012. 10 Members attended the focus groups or provided feedback via email, details of which was outlined in the report.

Officers also advised that further information would be provided to the steering group in the near future regarding the possibility of an accredited training course in collaboration with the Centre for Lifelong Learning for members to undertake on an optional basis. This could be in place of the extensive training and development programme offered by Democratic Services.

The Steering Group acknowledged the difficulties faced by Members in attending the current required level of training courses and advised that they were happy to consult their respective groups to establish why some members had not attended training. Officers agreed to produce a form to be issued to establish the reasons for non-attendance.

Members commented that training sessions on the use of ipads and tablets would be beneficial to some members. Officers confirmed that Democratic Services would need to liaise with IT and that this was something that could be included in any future training programmes produced.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That Members noted the focus groups findings and the responses (Annex A refers).

(ii)      That a form to establish reason for non-attendance at training sessions be developed.¹

REASON:                     In order to ensure that Members views are considered when developing new training and development programmes.

At their last meeting in September 2012Steering Group Members asked officers to research what was on offer at the Leadership Academy. This report provides Members with further information.

Members considered a report which provided them with information on the Leadership Academy.

Officers outlined the report, and drew Members attention to the Leadership Academy dates remaining for this financial year. A set of suggested criteria was tabled at the meeting to help Steering Group Members assess any applications for Leadership Academy places.

Following further discussion, it was delegated to the Chair, Vice Chair and Councillor Wiseman to meet to consider any applications received.

Officers confirmed that an email would be sent out to all Members inviting them to apply for an academy place via their group representative.

A deadline of 14^th December would be set for completed application forms, and Steering Group Members would meet after that to discuss any applications received.

RESOLVED:       (i)      That the criteria at Annex A be agreed.

(ii)      That applications for the Leadership Academy  this municipal year be invited.²

(iii)     That it be delegated to the Chair (Cllr. Douglas) Vice Chair (Councillor Runciman) and Councillor Wiseman to agree the nominee.

REASON:                     To inform the Steering Group about the Leadership Academy and to set some criteria against which they can asses

Officers will provide the Steering Group with a verbal update on the recent trial of 360   

Officers provided a verbal update on the recently completed trial on 360 reviews.

It was reported that a company had been identified which supplied online personal development reviews and that 3 Members had undertaken a trial of the package on offer.

The Members that had participated had mixed views about the trial and suggested that it would be useful to undertake a comparison trial with another provider. It was suggested that a provider that is based more regionally would be useful so that any suggested training courses resulting from the reviews are based closer to York.

RESOLVED:                That another trial be undertaken with a  different provider based more regionally.³

REASON:                     To compare the service offered by 360 providers.

Members are asked to consider the Work Plan for the Member Support Steering Group.

Members considered the work plan for the Committee to March 2013.

Following discussion, it was agreed to slip the Second Monitor of Take-Up and Evaluation and the report on ‘The New Zone 47/Membersphere’ to the March meeting due to the heavy agenda for the January meeting. Instead, verbal updates on the leadership academy and the 360° trial would be added to the January meeting.

RESOLVED:                That the work plan and amendments detailed above be noted.

REASON:                     In order to provide the Steering Group with a work programme for future meetings.