Home > News > March 2004 > 16-Mar-2004

Training programme unveiled for local councillors

A new scheme has been launched to provide local councillors in Birmingham with training in devolved public sector management.

The programme comes in the wake of the national census of local authority councillors which revealed that only one-fifth of councillors in England and Wales have a professional qualification.

The project, which is the result of a partnership between Bournville College and the Chartered Management Institute, will give councillors the opportunity to undertake a learning programme linked to the national occupational standards for management. It has been designed to cater for councillors' needs after research by the Employers Organisation for Local Government revealed that 42 per cent of local authorities fail to consult properly throughout the training process.

Courses will be offered on a flexible basis and will provide councillors with a solid foundation in the essential management techniques. The programme will be open to both new and long-established councillors and aims to help participants learn how to plan, prioritise and manage their projects and resources. Individuals will also be encouraged to develop strategies to improve their effectiveness. Topics covered during the course include community development, cultural awareness and devolution in practice.

"Management at local government level is about getting the best out of the resources available and communicating effectively with the community. By offering its councillors a chance to obtain a professional qualification in management, Birmingham City Council is demonstrating its attachment to these values and paving the way forward for even closer community relations," says Christine Hayhurst, director of professional affairs at the Chartered Management Institute.

Those who participate in the course will be granted Student Membership within the Chartered Management Institute - a benefit that will give councillors access to research facilities and project management tools. They will also be awarded a nationally recognised Level 3 certificate in devolved public sector management on successful completion of the course.

Steve Harris, programme director at Bournville College, comments: "Birmingham City Council is a fantastic example of a local authority committed to developing the long-term capabilities of its elected representatives. The award of a nationally recognised qualification will, however, do more than benefit individual councillors. It is a clear statement from the council that the needs of the local community must be dealt with on a professional level."

The scheme will be launched in Birmingham after the June elections. Plans for a national roll-out are being developed for later in the year.

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