## The Member Development Charter Self-Assessment Template

Produced in conjunction with the following organisations

## Member Development Charter

Whichever style of action plan is used it should identify:

•	 future planned action
Those responsible for drawing up the action plan should look at each point on the guidelines and 'What this means in practice' section and ask:

•	 when action is expected to be completed
•	 who is responsible for the action
1.	 What evidence do we have that suggests 
we are following good practice?
This template aims to help councils that sign up to aspire to the principles of the Charter for Member Development. It provides a guide for self-assessment and for drawing up an action plan to achieve the required award. Councils wanting to use their own action planning format should do so.  

•	 who is responsible for monitoring 
implementation of the action plan.
2.	 What action do we need to take, if any, 
to follow good practice or continuously improve? (Taking account of any resource implications and constraints) 
3.	 When will this action be taken by?
Councils may find it useful to have a team of people responsible for pulling the action plan together, such as the all party member development group with officer support. 

4.	 Who will be responsible for the action?
A named person should be identified as being responsible for monitoring the action plan.

## Member Development Charter Self-Assessment Template

Criterion 1. There is a clear commitment to councillor development and support
Elements
Requirements for Charter 
Evidence
Action
By when
By whom
•	 Clear commitment from the 
political and managerial leadership
1.
Political and managerial leadership is committed to the development of councillors 
•	 Established cross party 
councillor development task group (CDTG) that meets regularly
•	 There is a clear councillor 
development strategy which is embedded into practice and regularly reviewed
•	 Named councillor(s) and 
officer(s) responsible for 
councillor development 

## Criterion 1. There Is A Clear Commitment To Councillor Development And Support

| Elements                     | Requirements for Charter    |
|------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| •	 The council holds a range                              |                             |
| of activities and events     |                             |
| to encourage people to       |                             |
| become councillors           |                             |
| 1.2                          |                             |
| The council actively         |                             |
| encourages citizenship       |                             |
| and publicises the           |                             |
| role of councillors as       |                             |
| community leaders            |                             |
| as part of promoting         |                             |
| local democracy so as        |                             |
| to encourage under-          |                             |
| represented groups to        |                             |
| become councillors           |                             |
| •	 Statistical analysis of                              |                             |
| cultural and personal        |                             |
| circumstances                |                             |
| 1.3                          | The council is committed    |
| to ensuring equal            |                             |
| access to learning and       |                             |
| development for all          |                             |
| councillors                  |                             |
| •	 Timing of councillor                              |                             |
| development takes account    |                             |
| of cultural and personal     |                             |
| circumstances                |                             |
| •	 All councillors have equal                              |                             |
| access to councillor         |                             |
| development                  |                             |
| •	 The development                              |                             |
| programme includes           |                             |
| a range of delivery          |                             |
| methods to meet the          |                             |
| different learning styles of |                             |
| councillors                  |                             |
| •	 Councillors are regularly                              |                             |
| updated on councillor        |                             |
| development activities       |                             |

## Criterion 1. There Is A Clear Commitment To Councillor Development And Support

| Elements                    | Requirements for Charter    |
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
| •	 Budget is explicit and                             |                             |
| clearly identified and      |                             |
| monitored                   |                             |
| 1.4                         | The council has a           |
| designated budget for       |                             |
| councillor development      |                             |
| which is adequate to meet   |                             |
| priority development        |                             |
| needs                       |                             |
| •	 Appropriate and adequate                             |                             |
| officer resources are in    |                             |
| place to support councillor |                             |
| development                 |                             |
| 1.5                         |                             |
| Designated officer/s        |                             |
| of the council have         |                             |
| responsibility for          |                             |
| coordinating councillor     |                             |
| development                 |                             |

## Criterion 2.  The Council Has A Strategic Approach To Councillor Development

| Elements                     | Requirements for Charter    |
|------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 2.1                          | The council has a           |
| councillor development       |                             |
| strategy in place            |                             |
| •	 The strategy is developed                              |                             |
| and monitored by the cross   |                             |
| party member development     |                             |
| task group                   |                             |
| •	 Strategy identifies priority                              |                             |
| development needs and        |                             |
| makes stated and clear links |                             |
| with council's corporate/    |                             |
| strategic objectives         |                             |
| •	 The strategy is regularly                              |                             |
| reviewed (at least once      |                             |
| every three years) by        |                             |
| the cross party member       |                             |
| development task group       |                             |
| •	 The strategy includes an                              |                             |
| induction process  that      |                             |
| is evaluated after each      |                             |
| election                     |                             |
| •	 A process exists to identify                              |                             |
| individual development       |                             |
| needs in the form of a       |                             |
| Training Needs Analysis      |                             |
| (TNA) or Personal            |                             |
| Development Plans (PDPs)     |                             |
| and is working effectively   |                             |
| 2.2                          | The council has a           |
| structured process for       |                             |
| regularly assessing          |                             |
| councillors' individual      |                             |
| learning and development     |                             |
| needs based on focused       |                             |
| objectives                   |                             |

## Criterion 2.  The Council Has A Strategic Approach To Councillor Development

| Elements                     | Requirements for Charter    |
|------------------------------|-----------------------------|
|                              |                             |
| •	 Councillors demonstrate an                              |                             |
| understanding of the skills  |                             |
| and knowledge required in    |                             |
| their ward and council wide  |                             |
| roles                        |                             |
| 2.3                          | The various councillor      |
| roles are clearly            |                             |
| defined and outline          |                             |
| how they contribute          |                             |
| to the achievement of        |                             |
| community, political and     |                             |
| council objectives           |                             |
| •	 Councillor role descriptions                              |                             |
| exist and are maintained for |                             |
| all key roles including the  |                             |
| ward councillor              |                             |
| •	 Councillors are clear about                              |                             |
| what the council is trying   |                             |
| to achieve and the key       |                             |
| role they play in this as    |                             |
| councillors                  |                             |
| •	 Structured process to                              |                             |
| assess current and future    |                             |
| leadership development       |                             |
| needs                        |                             |
| 2.4.                         | The council has a           |
| structured process           |                             |
| for assessing current        |                             |
| and future leadership        |                             |
| and executive team           |                             |
| development needs            |                             |
| •	 A development plan is in                              |                             |
| place that supports the      |                             |
| political and management     |                             |
| teams in learning about      |                             |
| each other and working       |                             |
| effectively together         |                             |
| •	 Leadership development                              |                             |
| is used to support future    |                             |
| succession planning          |                             |

## Criterion 2.  The Council Has A Strategic Approach To Councillor Development

| Elements                    | Requirements for Charter    |
|-----------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 2.5                         | There is a corporate        |
| councillor development      |                             |
| plan in place               |                             |
| •	 Councillor learning and                             |                             |
| development plan links      |                             |
| to council's corporate      |                             |
| objectives and the          |                             |
| development of councillors  |                             |
| •	 The councillor learning and                             |                             |
| development plan includes   |                             |
| individuals, committees and |                             |
| political leadership needs  |                             |

## Criterion 3.  Learning And Development Is Effective In Building Capacity

| Elements                     | Requirements for Charter    |
|------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| 3.1                          |                             |
|                              |                             |
| •	 Evaluation strategy is in                              |                             |
| place to analyse the cost    |                             |
| and benefits of councillor   |                             |
| development                  |                             |
| Investment in learning       |                             |
| and development is           |                             |
| regularly evaluated in       |                             |
| terms of the cost benefit    |                             |
| and impact                   |                             |
| •	 Political and managerial                              |                             |
| leadership display a good    |                             |
| understanding of both        |                             |
| the costs and benefits of    |                             |
| development activities       |                             |
| •	 Councillors can describe                              |                             |
| why they did certain         |                             |
| activities, what they learnt |                             |
| and what difference it has   |                             |
| made to them carrying        |                             |
| out their various roles as   |                             |
| councillors                  |                             |
| •	 Knowledge and learning                              |                             |
| is shared with councillors,  |                             |
| peers, officers and others   |                             |
| 3.2                          | Learning is shared with     |
| other councillors and        |                             |
| where appropriate, with      |                             |
| officers and stakeholders    |                             |
| to encourage capacity        |                             |
| building in the              |                             |
| council and a learning       |                             |
| organisation culture         |                             |

## Criterion 3.  Learning And Development Is Effective In Building Capacity

| Elements                      | Requirements for Charter    |
|-------------------------------|-----------------------------|
| •	 Continuous improvement in                               |                             |
| the approach to developing    |                             |
| councillors is identified and |                             |
| implemented                   |                             |
| 3.3                           | The council demonstrates    |
| a commitment to an            |                             |
| effective councillor          |                             |
| learning and                  |                             |
| development programme         |                             |
| by implementing               |                             |
| improvements to learning      |                             |
| and development               |                             |
| activities as they are        |                             |
| identified                    |                             |

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