Agenda and minutes

To note the appointment of Councillor Jean Lammiman at the Standards Committee meeting on 11 September 2007 as Chairman of the Member Development Panel for the Municipal Year 2007/2008.

RESOLVED:  To note the appointment, at the Standards Committee meeting held on 7 September 2007, of Councillor Jean Lammiman as Chairman of the Panel for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2007/2008.

To note the attendance at this meeting of any duly appointed Reserve Members.

Reserve Members may attend meetings:-

(i)                 to take the place of an ordinary Member for whom they are a reserve;

(ii)               where the ordinary Member will be absent for the whole of the meeting; and

(iii)             the meeting notes at the start of the meeting at the item ‘Reserves’ that the Reserve Member is or will be attending as a reserve;

(iv)              if a Reserve Member whose intention to attend has been noted arrives after the commencement of the meeting, then that Reserve Member can only act as a Member from the start of the next item of business on the agenda after his/her arrival.

RESOLVED:  To note that there were no Reserve Members in attendance at this meeting.

To receive declarations of personal or prejudicial interests, arising from business to be transacted at this meeting, from:

(a)               all Members of the Committee, Sub Committee, Panel or Forum;

(b)               all other Members present in any part of the room or chamber.

RESOLVED:  To note that following interest:

To consider whether any of the items listed on the agenda should be considered with the press and public excluded on the grounds that it is thought likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that there would be disclosure of confidential information in breach of an obligation of confidence or of exempt information as defined in Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972.

RESOLVED:  That all items be considered with the press and public present.

To appoint a Vice-Chairman of the Member Development Panel for the Municipal Year 2007/2008.

RESOLVED:  To note the appointment of Councillor B E Gate as the Vice?Chairman of the Panel for the remainder of the Municipal Year 2007/2008

That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2007 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

RESOLVED:  That the minutes of the meeting held on 17 April 2007 be taken as read and signed as a correct record.

To receive questions (if any) from local residents or organisations under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no public questions were put at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 19.

To receive petitions (if any) submitted by members of the public/Councillors under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no petitions were received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 16.

To receive deputations (if any) under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 17 (Part 4B of the Constitution).

RESOLVED:  To note that no deputations were received at the meeting under the provisions of Committee Procedure Rule 17.

To note the Panel’s Terms of Reference.

RESOLVED:  That the terms of reference be noted.

Report of the Interim Divisional Director Human Resources and Development.

The Panel received a report of the Interim Divisional Director Human Resources and Development, which outlined the progress of the 2007 Member Development Programme and set out proposals for the 2008 programme.  Attendance at the quarterly briefing sessions had been low, although those who had attended found them worthwhile.  The officer reported that Members’ individual needs would be addressed by “one-to-one” sessions.  Feedback on the action learning sessions had been positive.

A Member expressed concern that training for Cabinet Members including mandatory training on finance for all members had still not taken place.  Members advocated a cohesive approach to training, with leadership development as an integral part of the Member Development Programme, to be presented to the Panel and reported as a standing item.  An officer reported that all the strands would be pulled together and set out strategically.  Officers agreed to aim to provide mandatory financial training for Members in time for the next budget making process.

Members requested that officers aimed to book an inspirational or provocative guest-speaker for an action learning session to be held before the end of the municipal year.

The officer reported that the issue of “one-to-one” training sessions for members was being taken forward with Roffey Park Institute and that a pilot session had already been organised for 15 Councillors.  The Chief Executive and Leader of the Council had been involved in this process, and it was planned to use the National Political Skills framework as a basis.  Members would be briefed on this process at the briefing being held on 4 December, and it was hoped that a report would be prepared in time for the next Standards Committee meeting.

RESOLVED:  That the report and the comments above be noted.