Support For Members - Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find information about Member Development?
How are Member Development Activities arranged?
What member development activities are arranged for councillors who are not available during the day?
What is open learning?
What is e-learning?
How can I find out what e-learning is available?
How can I access e-learning?
What IT Training is available?
What are the budget arrangements for Member Development?
Where can I find information about Member Development?
There are various ways you can find out about member development, including:
Member Development Folders
All existing and new members are given a folder with full details about member development. This includes a programme of core and advanced development requirements, that are key for the various member roles, such as community leadership, scrutiny and challenge, regulatory and monitoring and partnership working. However, this is clearly not exhaustive, and additional activities are arranged in response to needs identified.
David Miley, Democratic Services Manager, is overall responsible for Member development arrangements. However, this is in liaison with the Group Leaders, Committee Services Team, the HR Development Team and YOU.
Committee Services
The Democratic Service Manager also manages the Committee and Member Services Team.
David Miley, Democratic Services Manager david.miley@north-herts.gov.uk 
Ian Gourlay, Senior Committee and Member Services Officer ian.gourlay@north-herts.gov.uk
Nigel Schofield, Committee & Member Services Officer nigel.schofield@north-herts.gov.uk
Hilary Dineen, Committee & Member Services Officer hilary.dineen@north-herts.gov.uk
Susanne Gow, Committee & Member Services Officer susanne.gow@north-herts.gov.uk
Learning and Development Team
You can also discuss your development support requirements with a member of the HR Development Team:
Pauline Shaw, Learning and Development Officer pauline.shaw @north-herts.gov.uk
Kathy Newman, Learning and Development Coordinator kathy.newman@north-herts.gov.uk
Liz Goddard, HR Development Manager liz.goddard@north-herts.gov.uk
How are Member Development Activities arranged?
You will have been given a copy of the process either when you first joined the council or when the process was first documented in 2006. It is also available on the Support for Members pages on the Internet and in the Members' pages on the Intranet. However, if you have an activity in mind, your group leader is the first person to speak to.
What member development activities are arranged for councillors who are not available during the day?
Most councillors have very busy lives and many work during the day. If you let us know what is convenient for you, we will do our best to accommodate you. Most activities specifically for members are arranged in the evening and can also sometimes be arranged at the weekend.
The council’s vision for learning and development is to provide a range of flexible solutions to meet people’s needs e.g. open learning sessions, e-learning, mentoring, coaching.
What is open learning?
In order to support member development as flexibly as possible, we have supported open access development sessions on Tuesday mornings, in Committee Room 3 in the district council offices. There are also sessions specifically for Members from 5pm-7.30pm, on the evenings when there is a full council meeting. During these sessions you can:
- Borrow books from the open learning library. For example:
- A Councillor's Guide to Scrutiny
- A Glossary of Performance Terms
- A Passion for Excellence
- Cultural Connections, Cultural Services & Better Public Delivery
- A Councillor's Guide
- Equality and Diversity in Local Government in England
- Complete online learning - i.e. on the computer e.g. Prince 2, Microsoft Office 2003 applications, time management, effective meetings.
- Arrange access to e-learning e.g. The Modern Councillor Series, Data Protection (you can then access these remotely from your home pc).
- Get advice on learning and development and 1:1 training
What is e-learning?
E-learning is learning that is facilitated and supported through the use of information and communication technology e.g. the internet or CD-ROM.
NHDC have a comprehensive catalogue of e-learning available, much of which is specifically designed for councillors e.g. the Modern Councillor Programme.
How can I find out what e-learning is available?
Details of e-learning currently available are on the learning menu in the Learning Management System (LMS). However, we can also arrange access to many further titles. Contact the HR Development Manager for more details.
How can I access e-learning?
You can access e-learning via the council’s Learning Management System, which is a computer-based system that is used to arrange and manage:
- Workshops
- E-learning
- The Open learning library i.e. books, DVDs, CDROMs etc
- Training records
You can access the LMS via the home page of the council’s Intranet.
What IT training is available?
As for any learning and development activities, we arrange IT training workshops in response to needs that are raised. However, there are already various other ways that you can develop your IT skills:
- One to one training
- E-learning (available via the LMS)
- CD-ROMs
What are the budget arrangements for Member Development?
There is a budget for Member Development. Although David Miley (Democratic Services Manager) is the overall budget holder, a proportion of the budget has been allocated to each group leader. You should therefore contact your group leaders with any queries regarding the budget available.
Before you arrange any development activities (including conferences) you should complete a member development request form and discuss it with your group leader.
