Agenda item

Members' Performance Monitoring 2007/2008

Minutes:

In accordance with the instructions of the Council at its meeting on 25th April, 2006 a record of elected Members’ attendance at Council, Committee, Sub-Committee, Panel and Outside Bodies meetings and Member training sessions during the municipal year 2007/2008 were submitted for consideration.  As requested by the Standards Committee at its meeting on 14th June, 2008 a separate report on elected and co-opted Members’ attendance at meetings of the Standards Committee during the same period was also submitted. 

 

The Committee’s attention was drawn to the fact that attendance at meetings formed only part of the duties of an elected Member and that the indicators reported were only partially representative of a Members’ overall performance. 

 

At the request of the Chair a schedule showing Members’ actual attendance as a percentage of the number of meetings they were called to attend was circulated at the meeting.  These figures did not take into account meetings which were part attended by Members and it was pointed out that the data presented in this manner did not reflect well on those Members who through no fault of their own were unable to arrive at the very start of the meetings.  After some discussion it was agreed that, if it was administratively practicable, where Members attended at least 50% of any meeting these attendances should be credited to the Member.

 

The Member Services Manager recalled that when the Standards Committee had been consulted on the issue of Member training attendance it had insisted that Members should undergo compulsory training every year.  However, having regard to the busy calendar of meetings and the heavy demand council duties had on Members’ time it was proposed that, at the discretion of the Borough Secretary and Solicitor/Monitoring Officer, Members should only be required to attend compulsory training sessions if new material /matters were being introduced but that in any event they should attend a refresher training session every 2 years. The Member Services Manager indicated that the Officers would be reviewing the way compulsory Member training was delivered so that it was tailored more to individual Members’ needs. 

 

Resolved –

 

(a)  That the Member Performance Monitoring data for 2007/2008 now submitted be noted.

 

(b)  That the proposals for compulsory Member training now outlined be approved.

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