To provide a verbal update on the mandatory training position including the procedure for monitoring.
Minutes:
Sam Anthony, Head of Human Resources, provided a verbal update on mandatory training.
Members made comments, asked questions and received responses as follows:
· Councillor Mrs French stated that this appears to be a large amount of work which needs to be undertaken by officers, and she questioned whether there are enough staff to complete the training as well as carry out their day-to-day work. Sam Anthony explained that the courses are all E-learning courses and are scheduled so that they can be completed within the officers working week which is why staff have been allocated a time frame of a year in order to complete them all so that it does not impact on their day job and they can still undertake their role and deliver the services that they need to.
· Councillor Booth stated that there appears to be a number of courses for completion and he questioned as to whether consideration has been given to scheduling different modules over different months and providing a deadline in order to manage the training going forwards? Sam Anthony stated that the current completion rate is 50% which is encouraging but if the compliance rate were to drop then that could be something that could be considered. She added that with regards to health and safety courses there is a quarterly focus on certain topics which is promoted to all staff.
· Councillor Christy asked what arrangements are in place for those members of staff who are not office based to undertake the training? Sam Anthony explained that all members of staff have access to the app so that they can access it on their mobile phones, however, in her view, it is reasonable for the training to be provided in house and in particular for refuse and recycling teams there are micro training sessions being carried out face to face in order that those staff who only require an awareness of a particular subject receive that training in their team meetings.
· Councillor Mrs French asked how many staff are still working from home? Sam Anthony explained that there is approximately 50% occupancy in most of the Councils’ buildings on a day-to-day basis and there is still a significant amount of the workforce who are working from home or in an agile way.
· Councillor Booth asked whether the training modules are tailored to different levels as he feels that the Armed Forces Covenant would be more tailored to the senior management so that they can ensure it is being delivered as opposed to the refuse collection operatives where that subject would have very little impact on their day to day role because they are unlikely to be undertaking any recruitment or setting policies. Sam Anthony stated that the courses are mandatory for the type of role that people undertake.
· Councillor Tierney expressed the view that it does seem an extreme amount of mandatory training courses for officers to complete but if different areas of the Council have different elements of training which they need to undertake that is far better. He expressed the view that there does appear to be a high level of extra work for staff to undertake and he asked whether there is any way of ascertaining whether the staff feel as though they are gaining any value by completing all the training or whether they feel as though they are being forced to undertake pointless training? Sam Anthony stated that an evaluation process will be undertaken which will be completed after the first year to ascertain what the value is. She added that some of the mandatory courses are on subject matters which have not been covered robustly in the past. Sam Anthony made the point for subject matters, such as the Bribery Act and the responsibility of individuals with regards to that act, it does mean that officers are given the opportunity elevate their knowledge. She added that with Local Government Reform coming forwards within the near future, the training is going someway to upskilling the workforce in readiness for that.
· Councillor Kim French asked whether any of the training is being rolled out to the elected members? Sam Anthony stated that the training is available to members and if the committee choose to make a recommendation it is something that can be considered.
· Peter Catchpole expressed the view that he welcomes the discussion which has taken place and added that as it has only been rolled out this year it has already stimulated some debate. He added that when a written report is provided it may entail some further detail. Peter Catchpole referred to the point made by Councillor Tierney with regards to it appearing that there is a significant amount of training for officers to undertake, however, a lot of the courses are only seven or eight-minute bite size modules however dependent on the member of staff’s role there could be more in-depth training needed. He added that some of the courses are just to provide an overview to gain an awareness and because they are small bite size modules, it does not mean that officers have to put aside a large amount of their working day to complete the training which, in his view, is important.
Members noted the verbal update for information.