Member development

Waveney District Council recognises that not all Councillors come ready-made with all of the necessary skills they will need to fulfil their role. The Democratic Services Team therefore provides support to Members and facilitate a Member Development Programme to ensure Councillors have access to the relevant training and development opportunities they need in order to carry out their duties and serve the electors in their Ward to the best of their ability.

We have developed a training strategy for all of our Councillors with the aim of ensuring that all elected and co-opted Members have the necessary skills to perform effectively in their current or potential future roles for the Council.

To help achieve this vision the key values that underpin the training strategy are:

• Development will be available to all elected and co-opted Members irrespective of political allegiance
• The development will be based upon the identified and agreed needs of the individual elected or co-opted Member and they will contribute fully to that identification
• Development will be delivered through methods, locations and at times that ensure equality of access for elected or co-opted Members diverse personal circumstances, backgrounds and learning styles;
• The Council has a learning culture that views continuous development for elected and co-opted Members as vital to its success
• The Council acknowledges that elected and co-opted Members may have transferable skills from their work place and/or life experiences that can be used to help them perform their Council role

The Council has demonstrated a clear commitment towards Member Development and was awarded 'Charter Mark status for Member Development' in February 2009 and was subsequently awarded 'Charter Plus' status for Member Development in November 2009.  Waveney was the first Council in the East Anglian, London and South-East region to be awarded 'Charter Plus' and only the third in the whole country. The Council was also successful in its 18 month Re-Assessment of Charter Plus which took place in July 2010.

Member Development Opportunities are co-ordinated through a Joint Member Development and Diary Dates Programme for both Waveney and Suffolk Coastal District Council, Member Development can be undertaken in a variety of formats including formal training sessions, Member briefings, one-to-one session (where appropriate) or attendance at external organisational or community events.  The Council maintains a corporate training record for each Waveney District Councillor (recognising that it is not possible to record every event attended by every Councillor).