Agenda item

(a)       That Corporate Training complete a review of all programmes to ensure content is relevant and current in line with the new Behavioural Competency Framework and the new qualification standards;

(b)       That Corporate Training explore other qualifications at Level 5 that would attract funding and would therefore remove the reliance on Deeside College to provide this programme at their own cost;

(c)        That the Management Development programmes are promoted across the organisation to ensure all employees have the opportunity to take up the learning and development available to ensure that they have the skills and expertise to undertake their roles competently;

(d)       That Corporate Training explore further the option of offering the ‘Aspiring Leaders’ programme at Level 7 for those managers wishing to progress from Level 5 at a cost of £658 per delegate; and

(e)       That the Member Engagement Manager write to Councillor R.B. Jones to express the Committee’s appreciation for his work as the former Chairman.

The Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development introduced a report which provided an overview of the Council’s current Management Development framework delivered in partnership with Deeside College.  She explained that Heather Johnson, who had been involved in the development of the project, was unable to attend the meeting.

The Chief Executive detailed the background and said that although Flintshire had previously invested well in training, there had been no coherent programme.  This development programme in partnership with Deeside College was thought to be a unique arrangement in Wales and provided generic training to support employees in career progression.  Discussions were taking place with Wrexham County Borough Council on how the programme could be further enhanced and the Chief Executive gave examples of a number of Flintshire employees who had successfully completed the Management Development programme.

The Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development said that the framework had been developed around expectations of managers and supervisors fused with requirements from the National Management qualification framework.  She advised that Welsh Government (WG) funding could be accessed via Deeside College enabling the programme to be cost neutral and also commented that Flintshire was one of three finalists competing for the Vocational Qualification Employer of the Year Award.  Benefits of the programme were that training was tailored to meet the Council’s requirements and included input on the modules by leadership teams.  An ‘Aspiring Leaders’ programme was also being developed with Deeside College for employees who had completed Level 5 of the Management Development programme.  Although this did not attract WG funding, the partnership would enable Deeside College to assist in delivering and resourcing the training, with the remaining costs relating to the residential element being met by the Council.

Councillor P.G. Heesom spoke of the importance of understanding the roles and responsibilities of elected Members and relationships with officers.  The Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance said that the modules in the programme should recognise the unique role of Members in the organisation.  He spoke of practice in previous years where Modern Trainees had spent time with Executive Members during inductions to gain an understanding of their roles.

The Chief Executive said that although there was not a specific module which dealt with this, expectations of working with Members were built in to a number of modules and this could be reflected on at a later stage.  The Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development added that some modules included a level of awareness of the Council along with the roles of senior management and relationships with Members.

In welcoming the report, the Cabinet Member for Corporate Management commented on the Council’s positive relationship with Deeside College and said that the programme was tailored to Flintshire’s needs and could assist with the appraisal process.

Following a query by Councillor I. Smith, the Chief Executive said that the Management Development training would take place over half-day modules spread over a year and managed around work commitments.  The Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development said that delegates were expected to undertake a large amount of work in their own time to complete the course and achieve the qualification.

Councillor A. Woolley was supportive of the programme but raised concerns about any possible threats to future funding.

Councillor W.P. Shotton agreed that strong management development was essential to the organisation and asked about potential numbers on the Aspiring Leaders programme and whether alternative funding should be sought for this.  The Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development explained that the Aspiring Leaders programme was currently under development and that potential delegates would need to undergo a competitive process based on their personal ambition and need, together with sponsorship and support from their Heads of Service.  She anticipated a maximum of one programme per year and said that alternative options of funding were being explored.

Councillor P.J. Curtis spoke in support of the benefits to the Council but expressed concerns about the potential for trained employees to move on to other Local Authorities.  He asked if Team Leaders who had undergone training and had authority of supervision had impacted on managerial structures in the organisation.  The Chief Executive said that following service reviews and Single Status work, a maximum of seven tiers would apply in any part of the organisation.

In response to a query from Councillor T.R. Lloyd, it was confirmed that the Aspiring Leaders Level 7 qualification was recognised as equivalent to a Masters degree.  Councillor Lloyd proposed a vote of thanks to Councillors R.B. Jones and C.S. Carver for their hard work as the former Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee.  This was duly seconded and agreed by the Committee.  The Member Engagement Manager said that he would write to Councillor Jones on behalf of the Committee.

Councillor M. Lowe asked whether delegates of the Aspiring Leaders programme would be expected to contribute to training costs as they would benefit from the qualification.  The Head of Human Resources & Organisational Development said that this would be a consideration.  The Chief Executive pointed out that this training would only be commissioned for a small number of employees.

RESOLVED:

(a)       That Corporate Training complete a review of all programmes to ensure content is relevant and current in line with the new Behavioural Competency Framework and the new qualification standards;

(b)       That Corporate Training explore other qualifications at Level 5 that would attract funding and would therefore remove the reliance on Deeside College to provide this programme at their own cost;

(c)        That the Management Development programmes are promoted across the organisation to ensure all employees have the opportunity to take up the learning and development available to ensure that they have the skills and expertise to undertake their roles competently;

(d)       That Corporate Training explore further the option of offering the ‘Aspiring Leaders’ programme at Level 7 for those managers wishing to progress from Level 5 at a cost of £658 per delegate; and

(e)       That the Member Engagement Manager write to Councillor R.B. Jones to express the Committee’s appreciation for his work as the former Chairman.