HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

OVBERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

THURSDAY 7 JULY 2005 AT 10.00 AM

LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT

Report of the Head of Scrutiny

Author: David MosesTel: 01992 555300

  1. Purpose of report

To obtain the Committee’s views and agreement to a learning and development proposal to help develop the scrutiny culture within HCC andto agree the arrangements for the proposed Members’ Seminar on 21 September 2005.

  1. Learning & Development Objectives

Overview and Scrutiny is central to each member's role and is a major function for members. Whilst the requirement to fulfil the function is statutory, the processes and culture required to carry it out need to be developed and supported.

It is suggested that the two main areas to be addressed by the Learning and Development Programme in 2005/6 are:

  1. identification and exploration of the scrutiny issues that will make a difference;
  1. awareness of the behaviours and culture which need to change and practise of the skills required that enable effective scrutiny.

The learning and development aims are to support the changing scrutiny culture and help members in their respective roles to:

  • gain an understanding of the structure and processes and be aware of how scrutiny can make a real difference;
  • raise awareness of the scrutiny process and explore different approaches to effective scrutiny;
  • establish good practice, which will help the process to be more effective by:

-prioritising issues and making best use of all the information available

- providing the 'critical friend challenge' to the executive as well as

external authorities and agencies

-taking the lead and owning the scrutiny process on behalf of the public and reflecting the voice and concerns of the public and communities

-making an impact and adding value on the delivery of public services through effective monitoring and evaluating the outputs and outcomes

Priority Groups: / Chairs, Vice-chairs + Spokespersons
Executive
Rest of Council
Topic Group Leaders + Key Officers*
(Scrutiny Co-ordination Panel)
When: / Autumn 2004 through first year of next administration
Key Learning Areas /
  • setting the scope for the issue/problem being addressed
- what, how, when & how it adds value?
  • working out the most appropriate approach to gathering the information, engagement, innovation and reaching conclusions/resolution etc
  • focussed chairing & facilitation
  • ensuring active engagement of scrutineers in the whole process and developing techniques to identify and progress issues
  • objective, clear questioning and listening styles that promote sympathetic challenge and collaboration
  • learning from others, focussing on success rather than criticising problems (e.g. appreciative enquiry approaches)
  • developing the member/Officer relationship.
-establishing joint understanding/processes
-transparent & genuine joint activities
-developing new ways of working- respective roles and contributions
-understanding difference
Mix of Learning Methods /
  • Outlining of the formal process/roles and responsibilities
  • Simulation – working step by step through some or parts of the process using a ‘real’ topic
  • Contributing ideas from other real-life case studies
  • Big event seminar to raise awareness next administration
  • Soft skills training
  • Networking and sharing learning
  • Post Scrutiny Process Reviews
  • Supporting manuals and toolkits etc

Delivery /
  • Internal officers/trainers
  • Specialist external facilitators/tutors

Item 4 - Learning and Development 1

WHEN / TITLE / OUTLINE / WHAT
Autumn 2004 / Childrens Services - Scrutinising their Future / Overview of key CSF issues & achieving more effective scrutiny / Half-day seminar external to raise awareness. External facilitator/ officers.
For key members
Evaluating Health / Review current practices
Achieving more effective scrutiny & evaluation / One-day conference with
key note speakers & facilitated group work
Initial Induction Period 2005
1 June 05 / 1.Scrutiny in Herts / Raising awareness:
  • processes
  • expectations
/ short briefing by Head of Scrutiny for all members in first 2 weeks
2. 'Working Together’ / how chairs/vice/(scp) Can enable and support scrutiny / half-day facilitated workshop for new chairs/vice
scp
3.Developing the Scrutiny Culture /
  • overview of key issues
  • identify issues to achieve more effective scrutiny
/ One-Day Event
(10.00 - 3.00pm)
  • open space group working
  • identifying themes/big issues/public concerns
  • key note speakers
for all members and key officers
21 Sept 05 / 'Getting Curious about Scrutiny' / -building on the work started in June.
Conference for all members / Presentations & activities to develop awareness, different culture & behaviours
Oct/Nov 05 / Leading & Chairing /
  • Refreshing and developing the inter and intrapersonal skills for chairs/vice chairs
-Provide leadership and direction
-Coaching/mentoring
-Engaging all members
-Developing constructive critical friend relationship with executive/key players / Chairs/vice chairs:
  • Facilitated 'Masterclass' type workshops on 'live issues'
  • Soft skills: Chairing & Leading meetings training
Offered also as Joint trg with districts and partners
Within first nine months & ongoing,
offered as part of the
member devt programme to improve soft skills
(corporate + district
funding) /
  • Constructive Challenge & Inquiry
  • Getting your point across
  • Facilitation Skills
  • Interpreting/understanding
Creative problem solving / Scrutineers:
Presentation & Personal Impact training
Facilitated Workshops
Offered also as Joint trg with districts and partners
Following 2nd cycle and ongoing / Learning from Scrutiny / -holding executive to account
-policy devt and review
-performance mgt and improvements
-working with officers
-community leadership etc / Facilitated post- scrutiny process reviews
Continuous improvement and innovation workshops
Ongoing / Learning About Scrutiny / -raising awareness
-identifying future issues / Half-day seminars led by depts (similar to recent CSF event)
Joint Member-Officer Training / - establishing joint
understanding/processes
- transparent & genuine joint activities
- developing new ways of working-respective roles and contributions
- understanding difference / Learning from Scrutiny
Learning about Scrutiny
Joint workshops & reviews
Officer Training / Report Writing for Scrutiny / -awareness raising
-understanding the new reports
-skills practice / Skills training with external facilitator + committee services rep

Members are asked to endorse this learning & development strategy for scrutiny.

Item 4 - Learning and Development 1

3.Member Seminar 21 September 2005

This one day event is aimed at all members to help them gain:

  • A shared understanding and clarity of the overall scrutiny structure and processes;
  • An awareness of the different skills and behaviours needed to enable effective scrutiny and identifying where they can make a difference

Draft Outline Programme:

AM: Scrutiny - What We Are Doing - Understanding The New Approach

The choice of topic

Preparing the evidence and analysis etc

Enhancing the role of the non-executive member

The decision making

Monitoring and follow-up

Method:

-short presentations and dialogue with key players

-small group activities to gain commitment and ownership of processes

-preparing for the afternoon

PM: Scrutiny - How We Are Doing It - Getting Curious And Sharpening Our Skills

changing our scrutiny culture

modifying our behaviours

improving our skills and making an impact

adding value

Method:

-guest speaker - 'how they do scrutiny and what they’ve learnt'- sharing learning

-facilitated interactive group work - bringing it all together - identifying skills/using skills

-review activities and planning for the future

Possible scrutiny methods include:

  • questioning officers / executive members
  • requesting a further report
  • referring the matter to a Panel or Topic Group
    4.Joint County/District Council

4.1At the meeting of the Hertfordshire Officer Scrutiny network met on the 27thJune there was a great deal of support for running some of the soft skills training on a co-operative basis. The preferred option for this would be for HCC to organise a series of events which would be opened up to elected members from district councils on a charging basis. This would necessitate running some of the events on an evening or weekend.

4.2The costs of the soft skills training would be met from the Corporate Learning & Development budget.

4.3The training to be offered in this way would comprise:

EVENT / CONTENT GUIDE / INDICATIVE COST
INFILL / INDICATIVE COST PER COURSE
Leading & chairing Scrutiny / -Preparing and structuring the session
-Encouraging involvement and participation
-Dealing with conflict / £100 / External Consultant £750
Plus venue
Facilitation Skills / -Using skills and techniques to facilitate group engagement and participation / £130 / External Consultant
£1100
Plus venue
Influencing and Negotiating Skills / -Expressing your views, ideas and requests in a clear and persuasive manner
-Strategies and skills for effective negotiation. / £110 / External Consultant
£900
Plus Venue
Constructive Challenge and Inquiry / -Using powerful questioning techniques to gather meaningful information / £130 / External consultant
£1100
Plus venue
Creative Problem Solving / -Using skills and innovative techniques to analyse and interpret complex information and find solutions / £130 / External consultant
£1100
Plus venue

5.Conclusion

Members are invited to consider:

  • Endorsing or amending the strategy outlined in 2 above
  • Agreeing to the proposed seminar on the 21st September
  • Whether they would like to organise soft skills training in conjunction with district councils

Item 4 - Learning and Development 1