Agenda and draft minutes

Agreed:- (1) That the minutes of the previous meeting held on 17^th March, 2014, be approved as a correct record for signature by the Chairman.

(2) That, with reference to Minute No. 2 (Member Development Activity), the provision of various training for Elected Members be kept under review in the light of the Council’s budget limitations.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Senior Adviser (Scrutiny and Member Development) concerning the terms of reference for the Members’ Training and Development Panel.

It was agreed that a working group comprising Councillors Gosling (chair), Atkin, Buckley and Sims, together with one minority party member shall discuss this issue in detail and report to the next meeting of the Members’ Training and Development Panel.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Senior Adviser (Scrutiny and Member Development) containing an update on progress in respect of Member Development activity.  The report summarised the training activity which had taken place during the early months of 2014, as well as the induction training for newly-elected Councillors, which had taken place during the Summer 2014/15. The programme of activity has been developed using issues arising from Member’s personal development plans, national and local policy developments and also issues arising from the Corporate Plan.

Members discussed the programme of forthcoming training events for Councillors, to be held during 2014/15 and asked that all Members of the Council be reminded of the importance of attending these events.

Specific discussion took place on the personal safety guide for Councillors, recently re-issued to all Members of the Council. The Panel agreed that this guidance will be reviewed.

The usefulness of the regular bulletins on national legislative and policy developments, available to all Elected Members via the Council’s membership of the Local Government Information Unit, was acknowledged.

The Leadership Academy programme, including the expressions of interest made by some current Members, was appended to the report. The Panel discussed this programme in terms of the budget available for Members’ training.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That individual Members’ involvement in the Leadership Academy programme, as detailed in the report now submitted, be approved.

Consideration was given to a report presented by the Senior Adviser (Scrutiny and Member Development) describing Member Development activity which had taken place during the 2013/2014 Municipal Year.

Included within the report were details of:-

: the refreshed Member Development Strategy 2013 - 2016

: Personal Development Plans for individual Councillors

: development programme for Elected Members

: evaluation of training;

: ICT training

: Planning and Licensing – specific training

: Leadership and the Local Government Association Leadership Academy

: Regional and sub-Regional working

: seminars for all Members of the Council

: Members’ learning and development intranet pages

: Induction training for newly-elected Councillors

: the budget for Members’ Training and Development

Members suggested that joint working and shared training with neighbouring local authorities should be considered and investigated.

It was noted that appropriate training should be available for Members who represent the Council on various outside bodies, including the joint authorities of South Yorkshire. The funding for such training, where provided, was often the responsibility of the relevant outside body.

The Panel agreed that the programme of Council seminars should also include, whenever appropriate, items of refresher training for Members on specific subject areas relating to the functions of the Council and its partner agencies.

Reference was made to the Member Development Charter and it was agreed that the review of the Charter be deferred until the working group (referred to at Minute No. 7 above) has reported on its tasks.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That consideration of the following issues be deferred, pending receipt of the report of the working party referred to at Minutes Nos. 7 (above) and 10 (below):-

(a) undertaking a self-assessment of the Member Development function; and

(b) using the findings of the self-assessment to inform the future delivery of Members skills/knowledge requirements.

Consideration was given to a report, presented by the ICT Governance and Change Manager, providing an update for the Panel on the ways in which Elected Members may use ICT equipment and software to assist them in their duties and thereby help Members to support Rotherham’s citizens.

Agreed:- (1) That the report be received and its contents noted.

(2) That a working group, comprising Councillors Atkin, Buckley, Sims, Smith and Whelbourn be established to review the issues listed below and report back to a future meeting of the Members’ Training and Development Panel:-

(a) suggest any changes/improvements to ICT provision for Members, including training, that the Panel may wish to have implemented;

(b) review and suggest improvements to the e-casework system;

(c) investigate the use of hybrid computing devices by Members;

(d) review the ICT and budget implications of Members accessing meetings’ agendas and reports by computer/mobile device, instead of the supply of printed papers;

(e) review the ICT and budget implications of the Council Minutes ‘Orange Books’ no longer being printed;

(f) investigate new and emerging options for mobile technology use for Members;

(g) examine the provision of ICT and training support for Members;

(h) examine the implications of replacing the ‘blackberry’ mobile devices with smartphones;  and

(i) examine whether the Council’s printed year book and diary should continue to be provided and whether an ‘electronic’ diary of meetings (via Microsoft Outlook or other ICT source) is viable.

Agreed:- That the next meeting of the Members’ Training and Development Panel be held on Thursday, 18^th December, 2014 commencing at 2.00 p.m.