Attachment 1

Training Policy for Community Boards and Community Committees

TRAINING POLICY FOR COMMUNITY BOARDS AND COMMUNITY COMMITTEES

Purpose

The purpose of ensuring that Community Boards and Community Committees have access to training is to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of Boards and Committees in representing the interests of their specific community and supporting Council in its governance role by facilitating local input into Council’s decision-making processes.

Principles

The following principles underpin Hutt City Council’s approach to the training and development of Community Board and Community Committee members.

·    Training begins with the induction of Community Board/Committee members.  Newly elected or appointed members will come from a variety of backgrounds and have differing degrees of training needs when they take up their role.

·    Community Board/Committee members will have ongoing training and professional development needs which should be met to ensure they are able to fulfil their roles.

·    Because having inadequately trained Community Board/Committee members is potentially more costly than providing training, HCC will invest in training.

·    Any training undertaken must relate to the roles and responsibilities of each individual Community Board/Committee member.

·    Funding will be available for training which meet the criteria contained in this policy.  Funding will not be available for any training outside of those criteria.

Policy

Community Board and Community Committee members are eligible for financial support for training and development.  Such training and development may include formal training courses, attendance at seminars or attendance at relevant conferences in addition to training or information provided during induction.

It may also include attendances at an event which is relevant for obtaining an understanding of policies and initiatives taken by other local authorities relevant to this Council’s activities.

Criteria and basis for approval

The criteria and basis for any approval for financial support to be given for training and development under this policy are as follows:

·    The training course is either specified in Schedule A of this policy OR relates directly to the specific Community Board/Committee member’s duties and responsibilities that are not covered in Schedule A; and

·    Related to knowledge and successes including acceptance of recognition and prizes where this is relevant to the Community Board and/or Community Committee activity.

Community Boards’ Conference

The number of Community Board and Community Committee members being funded through the training budget to attend the biennial Community Boards’ conference is limited to one per Board/Committee.

Financial support

Maximum contribution

A maximum cap of $3000 per Community Board/Community Committee will be applied.

The maximum amount Council will pay towards the training needs and work programme of any one Hutt City Council Community Board/Committee member is $1500 per financial year.

There will be an overall training budget of $15,000 available to meet the training needs and work programme requirements of Hutt City Council Community Board and Community Committee members each financial year.  Financial support may include the cost of attending the training courses, seminars, forums or conferences and other events and the related costs of travel and accommodation, if the training is not held in Wellington.

Approval

Any request for funding must first be made to the relevant Board or Committee for consideration and approval.  When making the decision to either approve or decline the request for professional development Boards and Committees must have regard to:

·    The purpose and principles of the Training Policy

·    the skills make up of Board/Committee members

·    the skills required; and

·    the amount of assistance requested with reference to the amount of training budget available.

The Board or Committee may approve any request for funding up to $750. They must advise the Manager Secretariat Services directly of any requests and approvals. They must also make a formal decision as part of their Community Board/Committee meeting. The request must be placed on the relevant Board/Committee agenda for discussion.

Requests to attend formal training courses, seminars, forums or conferences and other events with a value over $750 are to be made by the Chair or Deputy Chair of the Board or Committee in writing to the General Counsel, for a decision with a recommendation regarding whether or not the request should be approved.

Any member attending a training course, conference, seminar or similar event will be required to provide a written report and evaluation to:

·    The relevant Board/Committee in a form agreed in advance and

·    The Divisional Manager Secretariat Services.

Long-term training

All requests for financial support to attend longer-term training courses are to be made in writing to the General Counsel for a decision.  Additional guiding principles when making a decision in this situation are:

·    what is the overall duration of the course; and

·    the point of time in the triennium when the training is requested.

Financial support, if approved, is capped at 50% of total costs (and within the maximum stated above). 

APPROVED TRAINING

Approval may be given by the relevant Board or Committee for attendance at any of the following courses:

Induction

·    This includes Hutt City Council’s normal induction process for Elected Members.

·    Chair and Deputy Chair training

LGNZ Courses – Local Government Know How

A series of two day workshops to bring new members up to speed and refresh longer serving members are held shortly after local government elections.  Designed for all members, whether from district, city and regional Councils or Community Boards/Committees, the programme draws on a broad range of sector expertise and up-to-date information.  Topics covered include:

·    understanding the local government system

·    role of members

·    introduction to the Local Government Act

·    decision-making

·    long-term planning

·    consultation

·    regulation and the Resource Management Act

·    funding

·    putting democracy into practice - ethics, conflicts of interest and freedom of information.

This training provides knowledge about legislation and council processes to ‘get started'. 

Members may also attend other LGNZ Professional Development Courses that:

·    are relevant to the role they are playing as a Board or Committee member e.g. Chair, Deputy Chair, events, community development

·    add to their level of experience and expertise as a Community Boards or Community Committees member and

·    grow the engagement/consultation skills of members

·    grow the technical/financial skill sets of members relevant to the role they play on the Board/Committee

http://www.lgnz.co.nz/home/equip/professional-development-offerings/a-z-workshop-list/