West Midlands Member Development Officer NetworkMeeting

15th July 2010

Present:

Officers in attendance: Evonne Powell (Birmingham CC) Helen Abraham (Coventry CC), Kelly Collett (Dudley MBC), Sarah Treneer (Dudley MBC), Sian Clark (Herefordshire Council), Lisa Perks (Malvern Hills DC), Geoff Durham (Newcastle under Lyme BC), Trish Buckley (Redditch) Julie Fildes (Shropshire Council), Julie Roberts (Staffordshire Council), Jean Cartwright (Staffordshire Moorlands DC), Darren Whitney (Stratford on Avon), Celia Gardner (Worcester City Council), Sheena Jones (Wychavon DC), Diana Glendenning (Wyre Forest DC), and Nano Hill (WM Councils).

Opening remarks

After welcoming representatives to the meeting , delegates were advised that with effect from 13th July 2010, West Midlands Leaders Board had become West Midlands Councils, and that, the new structure for the organisation would be significantly smaller.

1. Apologies for Absence

Helen Bacon (East Staffs BC), Judith Wain & Lindsey Rogers (Sandwell MBC), David Coghill (South Staffs DC), Deborah Merry Solihull (MBC), Janet Purcell (Warwickshire CC), Stephnie Hancock (West Midlands F&R), and John Jordan (Worcestershire CC).

2. Notes of the last meeting were agreed as a true record.

3.Performance Management

3.1Charter Progress

The meeting was advised that Stratford on Avon Council had been assessed on 6th July and had been successful in achieving the Full Charter standards. Congratulations were due to Darren Whitney and the Member Development Teamat Stratford. A further 5 local authorities were due to be assessed in 2010.

3.2Charter Assessors

Assessors were reminded about the need to:

  • update the list of Assessors shown on the website, and
  • to supply a short pen picture which would be sent to authorities for information, before assessments were undertaken.

They were advised that another assessor training day was to be held on Friday 1st October, and that it had been agreed for some of the assessors to shadow assessments subject to the agreement of the authorities concerned.

3.3Leadership Academy Subsidy

The extension to the Leadership Academy subsidy until 31st August 2010 was reported. This was to capture any development needs identified following the recent elections. Any authority which hadn’t used its allocation of 4 subsidised places should contact Grace Collins. No further applications after that date would be subsidised.

The meeting was also advised that ILM accreditation would be effective for the ‘Main’ Leadership Academy programme starting with Programme 105.

4. Sharing Learning and Best Practice

4.1.1West Midlands Procurement Hub

The Steering Group received a presentation and demonstration from Carly Haswell (IEWM Project Manager)about the West Midlands Procurement Hub, which highlighted the contracts which had been negotiated and the tangible benefits authorities could realise when contracting for services:

4.2On-line resources

4.2.1Introduction to the IEWM - Efficiency Guide

The Guide sets out the top 10 tips to achieving saving and could be accessed using the link

4.2.2 Shared Training Calendar and Provider index

Colleagues were reminded that to ensure ongoing effectiveness of the shared regional training calendar/provider index to send invitations to the ‘emevents’ email address so details are included in the monthly update of the shared calendar.

No new events had been received from authorities in May or Jun, although delegates reported that they still found the calendar useful and that activities would increase in the autumn.

Action: Group members to continue to promote and share events, sending email invitations to:

4.2.3Supporting Members in the West Midlands CoP

Colleagues were reminded about theWest Midlands – Supporting Councillors Network CoP which was created in March. This useful forum allows both officers and members to share learning and best practice and network with colleagues.

Action: Network representatives to register on the CoP by following the link:

5. Developments and Forthcoming Opportunities

5.1WM Coaching Pool& Skills Gyms

The group was advised about the date of this year’s Coaching Conference on 2nd November, Skills Gyms in September and the links for information about coaching

‘Get a Coach DVD’

5.2Expansion of WM 360 to include Members

The group worked in pairs to consider the first draft of a proposed 360 questionnaire which utilised the IDeA political skills framework as the competencies for Members.

Action: Nano to identify possible pilot authorities to trial 360 for Members.

5.3Engaging Members

The group discussed briefly potential mechanisms for developing discussion

Action: Nano to canvass authoritiesfor preferences

6.Date and time of next meetings

Group Members noted the schedule of meeting dates for the next 12 months:

16thSeptember2010

10 –12.30pm

Member Steering Group

Room 2, Floor 2, Regional PartnershipCentre, Birmingham

28thOctober2010

10 –12:30pm

Joint Member & Officer Meeting

Rooms 1 & 2, Floor 2, Regional Partnership, Birmingham

3rdFebruary2011

10 –12.30pm

Officer Network

Room 1, Floor 2, Regional PartnershipCentre,

17th March2011

10 –12.30pm

Member Steering Group

Room 1, Floor 2, Regional PartnershipCentre,

19th May2011

10 –12.30pm

Joint Member & Officer Meeting

Room 1 & 2, Floor 2, Regional Partnership Centre

Meeting closed at 12:15.

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