Stage 1

Authorities wanting to participate are required to sign up to the Charter to demonstrate their commitment to improving performance through the development of their Councillors using the Commitment Declaration Form which should be signed by Political Leaders and the Chief Executive of the council. At the point of signing up, you should specify a target date by which you aim to achieve the Charter.

The authority will need to undertake a self-assessment against the Charter standards indicating the standards they already meet and how this can be evidenced. The self-assessment activity is likely to identify some standards that are not yet being met in full and you are asked to identify what action you intend to take in order to meet them. The self-assessment document and action plan should be sent to South West Councils, together with a copy of the Charter Commitment Declaration form.

Stage 2

The self-assessment document is critically evaluated by a team of Charter Assessors. They may contact you for clarification during this process but you are not expected to collate any evidence, or additional documentation, at this stage. The Assessors will comprise of a senior local government officer, an L&D expert and a Councillor (usually an LGA Peer Mentor from an authority that has previously gained Charter status, with a particular involvement in Councillor Development).

Stage 3

A half-day meeting will be arranged to discuss the self-assessment findings. If documentary evidence is required, you will be advised of this prior to the meeting but it is expected that the primary discussion topics will be:

  • What arrangements you have in place to enable you to meet the requirements of unmet standards
  • What specific areas of good practice you can demonstrate to share with other authorities
  • A discussion with a group of Councillors to explore the levels of engagement in development activities – selected to represent a range of experience and political groups
  • Representatives of political and managerial leadership – this is likely to be the Leader and Chief Executive
  • The individuals leading the Charter process – these are likely to be the Democratic Services Officer and the Chair of the Councillor Development Group

At the end of the visit the assessment team will give the authority brief feedback on how the visit went, but may not necessarily advise whether it has achieved Charter status.

The team will discuss the evidence and make a judgement as to whether or not the council is following the good practice guidelines, and has met the minimum standards. It will also make a judgement as to whether the commitment to the guidelines is sustainable. The team will also identify areas for further improvement.

Should the team believe that the council is not yet ready to be awarded Charter status, they will identify the critical gaps and recommend reasonable timescales by when these might be achieved. South West Councils will also offer ongoing support and advice during the preparation for re-assessment.

A report will be provided within a month of the assessment date, summarising the assessment findings and outcome.

Re-assessment

Once awarded, the Charter has a life span of three years after which a local authority will need to be reassessed. At this stage, a council can decide whether to be reassessed against Charter or Charter Plus standards.

South West Charter for Member Development / Assessment Process