Training and Development Policy
It is the Council’s policy to ensure that all employees and councillors will be trained to a high standard, to ensure that the Council’s aims and objectives can be delivered as efficiently as possible.
Members of staff and councillors are expected to embrace the ethos of training and the merits of a well-run and pro-active council structure.
Staff Training
• The Council’s employees are seen as fundamental to all areas of development and service delivery. It is essential that they are trained to carry out their duties as effectively as possible.
• Each member of staff will receive a staff appraisal (once a year) and this will be an opportunity to discuss any training needs.
• In addition, members of staff are encouraged to raise at any time the perceived need for further training in any of the areas of work they are required to carry out, if need is identified. Any requests should be submitted to the Chair of the Personnel Sub-Committee for evaluation.
• The Parish Council may request that staff undertake further training at its discretion, where this is deemed necessary, and in view of any specialist activities that the employee is required to undertake on its behalf.
• Full support will be given to all employees undertaking training of any kind in furtherance of the Council’s activities.
• It is an aim that the Clerk should be either CiLCA or University of Gloucester Level 4 qualified, or be working towards one of these qualifications.
• The Council will support the Clerk in their work by encouraging their membership of the Society of Local Council Clerks.
• The Parish Clerk will maintain a record of training undertaken and present this record to the Personnel Sub-Committee annually.
Councillor Training
• The Council will encourage all members to attend training in relation to the corporate activities of the Council, and its administrative procedures.
• Councillors will also be expected to undertake specialist courses as need arises, and dependent on any specific responsibilities that are allocated.
• All council policies will reflect the requirement for member training and updating on key elements of council procedure and policy.
• The Council is a member of the Lincolnshire Association of Local Councils and has full access to its training programme.
• If additional, specialist training is required on any matter, the Clerk will source the appropriate qualified person to delivery that training in-house to members.
• A record of all training attended by members will be kept and publicised via the Council’s Publication Scheme, and the Council’s website.
General
• The Council will set aside an adequate training budget each year to meet training needs for staff and councillors.
• Anyone attending training is required to report back to the Council – either verbally or in writing – informing others of the value of the training, and how appropriate it was to the particular issues concerned.
• Any useful training material should be shared between staff and members, either in hard copy or via e-mail, to ensure everyone is made fully aware of important updates relating to law and administration.
• The Council will take note of any matters which should be pursued as a result of training attended, and where best practice procedures should be implemented or updated as a result.
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Personnel Sub-Committee and subsequently linked into the following January’s budget-setting to allow for all contingencies with regard to training needs.
Adopted by the Finance Policy and Personnel Committee at its meeting on 15 August 2023
Minute no. 24.23