Agenda and minutes

To agree the previously circulated minutes of the meeting held on Friday 10^th March 2023 as a correct record.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on Friday 10th March 2023 were agreed to as a correct record of the meeting. 

Items which in the opinion of the Chair should be considered at the meeting as matters of urgency.

There were no items requiring urgent attention. 

Verbal update from the Director of Legal and Democratic Services.

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services appraised Members of the Council’s recently agreed Governance Review.

Members on the Governance Working Group had been agreed at the Council meeting on 25^th May 2023 and includes Councillors Saywell, Biederman, Letch, Maskell, Samuel, Scott and Whitton. Councillor Saywell will be chairing the Working Group and the initial meetings will be set up as soon as possible for the working group to begin its work.

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services highlighted that she is in conversation with the Local Government Association (LGA) on the review and that the Member Development Steering Group will feed into the Member Development work stream.

To appraise Members of the learning and development activity that has taken place since the last Steering Group meeting and of learning and development opportunities available going forward.

The Scrutiny Officer and Deputy Head of Democratic Services appraised Members of the training and development opportunities since the last meeting and the future training and development opportunities.

The report highlighted the previous masterclasses and member briefings that had taken place since the last steering group meeting and the upcoming opportunities.

Officers highlighted the Council’s personal development plan (PDP) offer and that Members will be invited to sessions in the coming weeks. The PDP offers 121 sessions between HR officers and Members to offer skills development and coaching. Members welcomed this opportunity and that another round of PDPs were going to be opened. Officers undertook to look at how to advertise these so that Members understand them and the benefits of taking part.

Officers reported that 47 out of 60 Members attended at least one of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Moral and Legal Duties sessions. Members referred to the Council’s requirement for all Members to attend these sessions and agreed for the attendance list to be sent to Group Leaders. Members and Officers discussed the need to ensure the remaining 13 Members have an opportunity to undertake the training and this could involve bespoke 121 sessions.

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services highlighted that additional IT training would be offered to Members, along with additional guidance around IT issues. In addition, Officers would undertake 2 sessions (one AM and one PM) for sessions where possible, such as the Code of Conduct training, to ensure that as many Members as possible are able to attend.

Members raised that those watching the recordings online of training sessions are necessarily counted in the attendance list, as it captures the live attendance, and how Members could be counted if they re-watch recordings.

To provide a response to Members on the comments and asks from the previous Steering Group meeting relating to the Member Wellbeing Survey.

The Scrutiny Officer and Deputy Head of Democratic Services presented to Members the Feedback from the last Member Wellbeing Survey. This was an information sharing document detailing some of the asks that Members had put forward in the survey.

For the points raised by Members, Members were individually contacted to share their concerns and find resolutions by the Deputy Head of Democratic Services.

As requested by the Steering Group, analysis of the responses from Members elected in 2021 against returning Members is shown in the Appendix.

Members discussed the analysis and raised their concerns about the difference between Members elected in 2021 against returning Members and how their election in 2021 coupled with an online induction meant some still felt isolated from other Members. In addition, new Senior Leaders meant Members hadn’t yet built relationships with key officers. Members provided positive feedback on the All-Member Day on 11^th May and the Director of Legal and Democratic Services stated there is plans to hold more of these days.

Members welcomed the new locality budget process with the Communities team handling requests. Officers highlighted a new training session will be arranged because of the new system now in place.

As shown in the calendar of meetings at http://democracy.devon.gov.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1

The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 4^th October 2023 at 10:30am.

Members raised a particular request to hold training on meeting etiquette after one case was raised. The Director of Legal and Democratic Services highlighted that some matters may need drawing to her attention as the Council’s Monitoring Officer and the Standards Committee, but the Council can look a wider training session on conduct and etiquette at meetings, roles and responsibility and the rules of debate.

Members agreed the next meeting date would not be the 4^th October but Officers would canvass Members on a new meeting date.