Agenda and minutes

There were no disclosable pecuniary interests.

a)  To agree the Minutes of the previous meeting held on 9 January, 2025

b)  Any matters arising

The Minutes of the meeting held on 9 Janaury, 2025 were agreed and signed as a true record.

There were no matters arising.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance which provided information relating to the Members Training and Development Programme for 2024-25.

The Members Training and Development Strategy was agreed by Council on 22^nd March 2022 and was in its third year of the implementation. The delivery of the Strategy and action plan is overseen by a cross-party Members Training and Development Strategy Cabinet Member Advisory Panel, which advises and makes recommendations to the Cabinet Member for Policing and Equalities who has responsibility for Members training.

As it was the third year of the Strategy, comparisons with previous years was available. On average Members undertook 4.7 training sessions in 2024-25. This was fewer than in the first two years of the Strategy when the average number of sessions attended per member was 6.5 during 2023-24 and 5.7 during 2022-23.

An Appendix to the report covered:-

• Core Training May 2024-February 2025
• Overall Training Attendance
• Training Delivery
• Training Information
• All-Members Seminars
• Members Feedback – Key Highlights
• Training 2024/25 - Training Matrix
• Action Plan 2025-26

Following the Local Government Association (LGA) Peer Challenge, a recommendation was made to consider ways in which to increase Member’s participation in training and development and to address barriers experienced in accessing the programme. A questionnaire was circulated to all Members and a total of 42 responses were received. The key message from the survey was that the main barriers were time availability to attend training, and that training is offered at the wrong time of day. However, the largest response to the question What currently prevents you from accessing training was “Nothing – I can access the training I want to”, with 19 responses.

The report indicated that Members were also asked about addressing barriers, and the highest two responses were “More on-line training” (21) and “More evening training” (12). The Committee noted that there have already been several sessions offered in the early evening and training has continued to be offered both on-line and in person.

The Committee discussed the importance of Member training, specifically in relation to safeguarding and the role of all Councillors as Corporate Parents and noted work undertaken and proposed to ensure all Members receive appropriate training.    

RESOLVED that the Committee:-

1)  Notes and endorses the attached report covering the Members Training and Development Programme for 2024-25, including plans for 2025-26 (Appendix 1)

2)  Notes work undertaken increase Members’ participation in training and development and to address barriers experienced in accessing the programme.

3)  Supports the continued delivery of the Members Training and Development Strategy, including actions for 2025-26

4)  Requests that a letter be sent to appropriate Members outlining the Committee’s view of the importance of Members undertaking appropriate training, especially in relation to safeguarding and Member’s role as Corporate Parents.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance which indicated that Committee had been monitoring the work of the Local Government Association (LGA) programme around Civility in Public Life and Digital Citizenship.  This work is in response to the increasing concern about intimidation and toxicity of debate and the impact this has been having on democratic processes.  Reports were previously considered by the Committee on 30 March 2023 and 28 September 2023. 

In May 2024, the LGA designed a self-assessment tool kit designed to aid local Councils in tackling and mitigating the impact and risks of abuse and intimidation that Councillors may encounter as part of their role, supporting them to be safe. The initial self-assessment was considered by Ethics Committee at their meeting on 26th September 2024 and an Action Plan detailing progress was appended to the report.

The report indicated that the next step will be to establish a risk-assessment process for Members for home visits and surgeries. Work already delivered which contributes to this work includes information provided on the Members intranet webpages in a section called “Well-being and your safety”, which sign-posts Members to where advice and support can be found. These webpages provide links to all of the LGA materials from the Debate Not Hate campaign, as well as support offered through the Council’s Occupational Health Service.

These webpages also provide a link to the “Personal Safety Guidance for Elected Members” document, as well as how to deal with online abuse and how to report harassment and intimidation.

Other actions already in progress are linking with the Police on Operation Ford to identify a single point of contact, and a programme of personal safety workshops which have been delivered by the police for Councillors, as well as baseline work for Members risk-assessments when undertaking surgeries or home visits. In addition to this, a number of personal safety and awareness raising training sessions have been arranged for Members this municipal year, including one specifically on safety whilst election campaigning, and sessions delivered by the LGA on online abuse and harassment. 31 Members have accessed these safety training sessions.

The Committee noted that work was progressing in relation to identifying a Mental Health Champion and providing training to support staff.

The Committee also noted that personal safety and awareness training was available for Members on line and was easily accessible for those Members who  had been unable to attend the training sessions.

RESOLVED that the Committee:-

1)  Notes the work undertaken by the Local Government Association (LGA) on their Debate Not Hate campaign, including the self-assessment tool.

2)  Notes the progress on the Action Plan as appended to the report.

3)  Supports the continued work to improve the support offered to Members to mitigate the impact and risk of abuse and intimidation.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance which provided a six-month review of the Members’ Declarations of Gifts and Hospitality Register for the period 1 July to 31 December, 2024. 

RESOLVED that the Committee notes the Members’ Gifts and Hospitality Register entries from 1 July to 31 December, 2024 and requests that consideration be given to providing a standardised Register for both Members and Officers, with clear guidance in relation to identifying benefits for the City of attending events. (Minute 28 below also refers). 

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance which provided a six-month review of Officers Declarations of Gifts and Hospitality Register for the period 1 July to 31 December,  2024, together with entries omitted from the report considered by the Committee on 26 September, 2024 which covered the period 1 January to 30 June, 2024. 

RESOLVED that the Committee notes the entries of gifts and hospitality received by Officers from 1 January to 30 June 2024, together with those entries covering 1 January to 30 June, 2024 and requests that consideration be given to providing a standardised Register for both Officers and Members, with clear guidance in relation to identifying benefits for the City of attending events. (Minute 27 above also refers). 

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Ethics Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance which provided an update on national issues in relation to the ethical behaviour of Elected Members and the local position in Coventry regarding Code of Conduct issues.

The Committee also noted the position in relation to the local parish Councils and their Code of Conduct.

RESOLVED that the Ethics Committee:-

1)  Notes the position with regard to matters concerning local authorities nationally.

2)  Notes the local position in relation to the operation of the Council’s Code of Conduct and delegates any actions arising from these to the Director of Law and Governance in consultation with the Chair of the Ethics Committee.

Report of the Director of Law and Governance

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Law and Governance which outlined the proposed Work Programme for the Ethics Committee for the Municipal Year 2025/26. The Work Programme was appended to the report.

It was noted that the Ethics Committee would be invited to attend a meeting of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee during the Municpal Year 2025/26 for consideration of an item relating to complaints received by the Local Government Ombudsman.

RESOLVED that approval be given to the Work Programme for 2025/26, as appended to the report. 

There were no other items of urgent public business.