Mae hwn yn fersiwn HTML o atodiad i'r cais Rhyddid Gwybodaeth 'Training matrix and completed training by all current Aberdeen City councillors'.

Elected Members’ Development Framework 2018 – 2019 
 
Topic  
Description/ Update 
Contact for Training 
IT 
Expected to attend: Self‐selection  
 
Basic users will be offered 1‐2‐1s to improve their confidence in using Outlook, Word and Excel. 
Intermediate users can book on to the corporately offered IT training courses on Word, Excel and Projects.  
Dates and a full description of these courses can be found on the Council’s Eventbrite website which will be 
shared with all Elected Members.   
 
Bond Training 
Expected to attend:  Mandatory for all Councillors 
 
 
Bond training is mandatory due to the: 
 
• 
Bond is new ‐ issue by ACC is first by Scottish Council 
• 
Implications of bond and credit rating on how Council operates 
• 
Highlights that breach of market abuse regulations can result in fines/imprisonment 
• 
All Councillors will be on Permanent Insider List and will have to sign a letter indicating that they 
understand the implications of being on insider list – training will provide this understanding 
Capital Training 
Expected to attend: Strongly Recommended for Group leaders and recommended for all Councillors 
Delivered by Senior 
Programme Manager 
As part of an initiative to enhance the quality of how capital projects are managed and delivered at ACC, the 
political group leaders have agreed that all elected members are offered capital project training to support their 
understanding of the capital programme and its governance.  The objectives of this workshop are to provide: 
  An overview of the governance mechanisms and processes of the Capital Programme 
  Understanding of the member and key officer roles  
  An overview of project and programme methodologies in use at ACC 
  Guidance on the most appropriate and beneficial channels of communication 

 

 
Chairing Skills 
Expected to attend: Strongly recommended for Convenors and Vice‐convenors 
Committee Clerk 
This session has been designed to explore how to effectively chair meetings.  The learning outcomes of the 
session are: 
  To reflect on the components of an efficiently chaired meeting. 
  To refresh knowledge on the role, function and purpose of the Convener in council and committee 
meetings and specific knowledge required. 
  To clarify the role boundaries for Councillors’ differing tasks and supports available. 
  Application of standing orders 
  To highlight further input needed to ensure that participants feel confident to carry out the role. 
Corporate 
Expected to attend: Recommended for all Councillors to attend 
Operations 
Parenting 
The aim of the training is to increase awareness of Corporate Parenting; what our legal responsibilities are and 
 
how we can deliver on these. The training will be provided by  Who Cares? Scotland an organisation that 
champions for care experienced young people.  They have been given funding from the Scottish Government to 
deliver Corporate Parenting training.  Please note the training will also be opened up to other corporate parents 
chief officers/senior managers.  
 The purpose of Corporate Parenting training is to provide an overview on our Corporate Parenting 
responsibilities under Part 9 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.  Corporate Parenting refers to 
the collective responsibility of the Council, its community partners and other public bodies to provide good 
parenting for our care experienced young people.  
The Statutory Guidance on Corporate Parenting defines it as: “An organisation’s performance of actions 
necessary to uphold the rights and safeguard the wellbeing of a looked after child or care leaver, and through 
which physical, emotional, spiritual, social and educational development is promoted.”  By ensuring that the 
needs of our care experienced young people are being met they are more likely to achieve positive outcomes 
irrespective of their care experience. 

 

Committee 
Councillors who sit on specific Committees will require training, the Clerk and Executive Lead are responsible for 
Committee Services and 
Training 
the Committees will at times require copies of Councillor training records to ensure they are appropriately 
Executive Lead 
trained, if not they will advise the training coordinator what training needs to be arranged and when.  It will be 
the responsibility of the Executive Lead and Clerks to provide the training coordinator with a blurb for the 
training and a key contact should individual 1‐2‐1’s need to be arranged. 
 
Licensing Board 
Expected to attend: Councillors appointed to Licensing Board  
Legal Services 
Training 
This session is for all Councillors who have been appointed as members of the Licensing Board.  The training will 
be led by the Gambling Commission.  This will give members the knowledge necessary to deal with gambling and  
CPD Launch 
Expected to attend: Although not mandatory all Councillors are recommended to attend / participate in CPD 
Improvement Service   
All Councillors are encouraged to complete a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Profile this year.  
Information on the CPD profile will be made available via an A4 brief and at a  face‐to‐face session which will 
cover: 
  The background of the CPD Profile 
  What behaviours are assessed as part of the profile 
  How it is administered, and 
  What development materials Elected Members can access once they sign up to the profile 
PDP Development 
All Elected Members will be offered a 1‐2‐1 to create a PDP following completion of their CPD Profile.  This will 
Members Support 
identify other topics to be delivered. 
Media Training 
Expected to attend: Strongly recommended for Convenors and Vice‐convenors 
Communications 
In this practical, hands‐on workshop Councillors will learn how to stay in control of media interviews – even 
under hostile questioning – by using the 3Ps: the planning that must be done beforehand; the process of 
managing an interview to avoid being driven by the questions; and the promotion of key messages. 
In a sentence: you will learn how to say what you want to say in response to journalists’ questions without 
sounding slippery. 

 

 
ALEO 
Expected to attend: Strongly recommended for Councillors appointed to an outside body, recommended for all 
Governance Team 
Councillors 
 
This training is strongly recommended for all Councillors to ensure they have a clear understanding of the 
Council’s relationship with ALEOs and the scrutiny arrangements in place in relation to ALEOs. This session will 
also advice of the duties and responsibilities placed on those appointed to an outside body. 
 
Code of Conduct 
Expected to attend: Strongly recommended for Councillors   
Committee/Legal 
 
Services 
Councillors function within a statutory framework that describes the standards required and the parameters for 
action and interaction with Officers.  Presentations with Q&A on all aspects of the Code of Conduct, including: 
 
  the Code of Conduct document 
  the parameters that govern their role 
  the parameters for interaction with Officers (including Member Officer Protocol) 
  Nolan Principles of Public Life 
  general conduct (including potential litigious comment) 
  registration of interests 
  declaration of interests 
  lobbying 
  taking decisions on individual applications 
  Standing Orders of the Council 
  the Bribery Act 2010 
 
By the end of the session Councillors will understand their statutory responsibilities with particular reference to 
the Code of Conduct. 
School Placings and  Expected to attend: Strongly recommended for Councillors appointed to the Committee 
Committee Services 
Exclusions Appeal 
 
Committee 
Councillors need to possess the knowledge necessary to participate fully in sittings of the School Placings and 
Training 
Exclusions Appeal Committee. The session will deal with: 
 
•             appeals against school placing process 

 

•             exclusion appeal process 
•             pertinent legislation and policy 
•             requirement of ethical standards and objectivity in decision making 
 
By the end of the session Councillors will have the awareness of the process and underpinning legislation, policy 
and ethical standards needed to determine outcomes of appeals against school placing and exclusions 
 

 

Elected Members’ Development Framework 
1. Introduction  
As an Elected Member, you operate in a highly complex and political environment with many 
different demands being made of you. You are expected to:  
 
  Represent the interests of your constituents,  
  Develop, make and scrutinise council decisions and policy,  
  Support Aberdeen City Council to improve, 
  Provide leadership and direction, 
  Ensure best value is delivered within the council, and 
  Hold Aberdeen City Council to account.  
 
This report sets out a proposed Elected Members Development Framework designed to ensure 
you have the vital skills and knowledge necessary for you to carry out these complex roles.   
2.  Development Framework Principles  
The Aberdeen City Council Development Framework will be based on the following principles: 
1.  The programme will be tailored to the needs of each Member depending on their level of 
skill and experience, 
2.  The programme will be delivered in partnership between Members and officers – while 
officers will commit to the organisation and delivery of the programme there will be an equal 
expectation that Members will engage with the opportunities offered, 
3.  To cater for the different learning styles of Members, and to ensure development is 
provided in a time and cost efficient manner, the programme will be delivered using a range 
of different approaches. 
 
 
Principle 1 – A tailored programme 
Whether you are a new Elected Member, you have been in the role for a while or you are a 
longstanding Councillor, the framework aims to meet your needs.  Your length of service will 
indicate the level of induction you will receive and the number of recommended training sessions 
you should attend.  See table below: 
 
 

 

New to the role
• 
Full induction - allowing you to easily navigate the Council 
• 
Mix of mandatory and highly recommended development opportunities 
Been in the role 2+ years
• 
Induction materials available for reference 
• 
Mandatory committee specific sessions 
• 
Kept up to date on local and national developments e.g. upcoming bills 
• 
ACC Hot topic sessions for organisation specific developments
Longstanding members
• Refresher 
skills 
sessions 
• Committee 
specific 
training 
• 
Kept up to date on local and national developments e.g. upcoming bills 
• 
ACC Hot topic sessions for organisation specific developments 
 
Principle 2 – Partnership working  
The role of the Improvement Service  
In consultation with Councils and other key stakeholders, the Improvement Service (IS) developed 
a National Elected Member Development Strategy specifically for Scottish Local Government.  
Through the ‘Supporting Elected Member’ programme IS currently provide: 
  Induction materials for all newly elected and returning Elected Members, 
  Induction materials for all newly elected and returning Elected Members on the planning 
system in Scotland. 
  Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Framework for Elected Members in Scottish 
local government, 
  Elected Member Briefing Series, 
The CPD Framework is a particularly valuable tool which provides Members with professional and 
personal development opportunities and generates comprehensive, constructive feedback on how 
you perform against fourteen key political skills, which are as follows:  
Political Cluster 
Political Skill
Promoting change and 
1. Promoting and leading change
improvement 
2. Providing and improving services
3. Political awareness
Political understanding 
4. Representation
5. Personal integrity and values
6. Working with stakeholders
Working collaboratively 
7. Effective partnership working
Effective communicator 
8. Effective communication
9. Negotiation and diplomacy
Effective decision maker 
10. Decision making
11. Analysis and innovative problem solving
12. Corporate focus and direction
Effective leader 
13. Providing leadership and direction
14. Personal effectiveness 
Personal effectiveness 
 

 

The CPD Framework offers the unique option of a confidential, 360 degree feedback tool which 
allows you to gain an understanding of how your behaviours are perceived by others. It also 
provides access to a range of learning and development materials, including online learning. 
The CPD Framework enables Elected Members to: 
  Access enhanced, more focused and more structured support as you lead local 
government through a period of considerable change, 
  Develop in your existing role, preparing you for greater responsibilities, helping you become 
more creative in tackling new challenges and providing you with transferable skills, 
  Fulfil governance roles more effectively, thereby improving local governance and 
accountability of public services to local communities, and 
  Access the online Development Programme 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with the 
learning resources being available for ‘just in case, just in time’ occasions. 
It is proposed that the Aberdeen City Council Development Framework utilises the comprehensive 
and well established support framework created by IS.  Specifically the ACC programme 
recommends that all Elected Members:  
  Undertake the CPD profile (either via self-assessment or 360 degree review),  
  Create a Personal Development Plan (PDP) based on the outcomes of your profile either 
individually or in conjunction with Members Support,  
  Become familiar with the wealth of online resources available through IS designed 
specifically for Scottish Councillors such as case studies, eLearning, briefing notes and 
reading materials - these are only available to those who sign up to the CPD Profile, and  
  Engage with the various development opportunities offered, which will be mapped to the 
fourteen political skills mentioned above.    
 
 

 

Officer and Member commitment 
Officers will commit to arrange and, where appropriate, deliver elements of the programme.  In 
terms of arranging events we will ensure that information is given in a timely manner and would 
ask that Members commit to responding in an equally timely manner.  We will ensure that dates 
do not clash with Council, committee or sub-committee meetings.  Officers will also endeavour to 
vary the start time of sessions.      
In terms of delivery, we will liaise with Services to ensure that clear outcomes and benefits of any 
officer led sessions are agreed and communicated to Members upfront so that you can more 
easily assess the relevance and value of any sessions.   
Officers will email Group Leaders each Monday to advice of the training for the following week to 
highlight in Group meetings to remind of attendance.  
 
 

 



Principle 3 – Framework approach 
The following provides a logical structure for the proposed Development Framework.  It is 
assumed that from here on, when we deliver development opportunities, they will be categorised 
under one of the following quadrants.   
 
 
Skills Practice  
Information Giving  
 
 
 
Objective: To provide opportunities to 
Objective: To provide you with 
apply skills gained and means by which 
information on a timely and informal 
 
progress can be reviewed 
basis that will be of value and interest to 
 
your role.  Could be achieved by a variety 
 
 
of means such as face-to-face sessions, 
 
short podcasts or written briefs 
 
 
 
Examples: 
Examples: 
 1-2-1’s to review PDPs 
 Committee 
diary 
(Maps to IS Skill:  
 
 Self-evaluation/ 360 degree review 
Providing and improving services ) 
 Feedback from committees 
 Key 
contacts 
(Maps to IS Skill:  
 
 
Providing and improving services ) 
(All map to IS Skill:  Providing and 
  Brief on Members Enquiry vs. 
improving services. Specifically: 
Complaints (Maps to IS Skill:  
 
Encourages and supports honest self-
Providing and improving services ) 
assessment and learning) 
 
 
 
Skills Acquisition 
Knowledge Transfer 
 
 
 
Objective: To develop and enhance the 
Objective: To provide a more formal 
skills you need to be effective through, 
means to ensure your knowledge is kept 
 
for example, workshops and coaching  
up to date on latest legislation, policies 
 
and initiatives that impact on your role 
 
 
 
Examples: 
Examples: 
 Committee specific workshops (Maps to   Upcoming 
bills 
 (Maps to IS Skill:  
IS Skill:  Decision making) 
Political awareness) 
 
 Skills sessions such as Chairing Skills 
  Hot topics in the Council (Maps to IS 
and Media Training (Maps to IS Skill:  
Skill:  Providing and improving 
 
Providing and improving services) 
services ) 
  Initiatives such as City Deal (Maps to 
IS Skill:  Representation) 
 
 Caseload 
management 
(Maps to IS 
Skill:  Representation) 
 
The four quadrants ensure that there is a clear structure to your development and that we provide 
a balance in all four areas allowing for varying needs and learning styles.  In the past the 
development programme may have placed too heavy an emphasis on information giving sessions.  
However, we recognise that the acquisition and practice of skills is equally important and therefore 
key to delivering a more interactive and engaging programme.   
 
 
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Principle 4 – Members’ engagement  
Members will be asked to engage with officers around their own development and the 
development of the programme.  The purpose of this will be to: 
  Evaluate the training opportunities delivered,  
  Ensure the proposed content for the next quarter is relevant, 
  Report attendance figures back to group meetings, and  
  Champion the Development Programme. 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
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