WHAT'S AVAILABLE?

The work of a councillor is complex and challenging and the political, legislative and local landscape in which they work is changing constantly. Communities have high expectations of their elected representatives from the day of their election throughout their period of office. Both new and experienced councillors need appropriate support, information and professional development to undertake their complex and evolving roles.

"Working with authorities to provide members with support and professional development"

The WLGA works with local authorities across Wales to provide this important support to councillors, working in partnership with the councillors themselves and the officers who support them.

Please note that the face to face support and training outlined below can now be delivered remotely via Microsoft Teams.

CORE SERVICES

• Guidance for authorities, councillors and officers on all aspects of councillor support and development as and when it’s needed
• Advising on the development of councillor training strategies and programmes including identifying and briefing specialist consultants and trainers.
• Facilitating national councillor and officer networks to develop a strategic Wales wide approach to member support
• Developing national guidance materials for members such as competency frameworks, model role descriptions and the Councillors Guide
• Creating Induction and training materials  and e-learning for councillors
• Representing local government interests and views to ensure that the needs of councillors are promoted and that the requirements of authorities are reflected in Welsh Government policies, programmes and legislation
• Promoting leading practice and raising standards of councillor development and support through The Wales Councillor Support Self-Evaluation Framework
• Supporting councils’ arrangements for personal development review for councillors, including workshops for those involved and undertaking or sourcing peers to undertake reviews for councillors who chose to seek this outside of their local arrangements
• Commissioning and designing the Welsh Leadership programme for councillors

TRAINING

Coaching, training and workshops provided by WLGA officers.

• Generic Chairing skills: An interactive workshop covering the key skills required to chair meetings effectively. This provides councillors with some examples of good practice and encourages them to consider their own performance as chairs or vice chairs.
• Scrutiny Chairing: An interactive workshop covering the key skills required to chair meetings effectively. This workshop caters for the specialist needs of the chairs of overview and scrutiny committees.
• Scrutiny Questioning skills: This workshop highlights to councillors that effective questioning in scrutiny is not just about questioning techniques – its also about preparation, processes and teamwork. Simple questions can at times be the most effective, and councillors do not need to be an expert in a subject to ask good questions, or get the information the public cares about.
• Joint scrutiny (this is to support regional working, e.g. CJC’s): Across Wales collaborative working is become increasingly prominent, and decisions will be taken at a regional or partnership level that have important implications for local citizens. Effective scrutiny is vital in ensuring that public service collaborations are held to account. This workshop is aimed at regional joint scrutiny committees and builds on the content of the Joint Scrutiny Handbook.
• Mentoring skills: Recognising that informal mentoring plays an important role within political group dynamics this interactive workshop provides tips, advice and gives councillors the opportunity to develop practical skills in mentoring new or inexperienced councillors.
• Similar bespoke workshops on request where expertise is available in the WLGA. For example induction workshops

Workshops are typically 2hrs. Maximum numbers 15 councillors per workshop. Workshops can be delivered to councillors from one or a group of authorities. Workshops can be provided through the medium of Welsh or English through simultaneous translation.

For more information contact: Emily Griffiths 

emily.griffiths@wlga.gov.uk