WALTHAM FOREST: Taxpayers foot the bill for 'unnecessary' councillor training

4:48pm Friday 7th March 2008

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THE council will spend £71,000 of taxpayers' money this year on training elected representatives how to do their job properly.

All members will take lessons given by hired consultants as part of the borough's bid to be awarded the London Member Development Charter.

"The charter is not based on competency, so what is the point? It is box-ticking and it is no real use to anybody."

Matt Davis

The charter, which has been awarded to seven London boroughs so far, has been developed by the Improvement and Development Agency.

Courses with titles such as Managing Time, Public Speaking Skills and Dealing With The Media have formed part of similar schemes by other councils.

The charter is supposedly awarded for "best practice in member training and development initiatives", but it it is not given on the basis of the competencies of the councillors.

Conservative group leader Matt Davis said the training is a waste of time because his group will not agree to sign the charter anyway, and it is a requirement that all parties are committed to it.

Cllr Davis said: "We are not supporting this strategy and we have voted against it.

"Members need training for some roles, such as planning and licensing where they act in a quasi-judicial fashion, but this is an unnecessary expansion.

"The charter is not based on competency, so what is the point? It is box-ticking and it is no real use to anybody."

Cllr Davis also said that the scheme was an attempt to depoliticise members and make them act more like council officers.

Community campaigner Kevin Lord pointed out that £71,000 would have kept St James Street library open for a year.

He said: "If the councillors are incompetent, why were they put forward by their respective parties for election?"

The strategy was agreed at a Governance committee meeting.

It's policy statement said: "Our aim is to ensure that our 60 councillors, from all political parties, have the skills and knowledge to be effective in their roles as councillors and community leaders, and to undertake positions of special responsibility within the council.

"More than that, however, in addition to their democratic and community leadership roles, councillors are fundamental to driving forward and ensuring that the council achieves its priorites and objectives for the residents of the borough."

The Council also says that the training is necessary as the role of councillors has become more onerous and challenging because of recent Government legislation.