Training for Councillors

Some comments from Councillors and their officers

Councillors

For new members to the Planning Committee it highlighted the “do’s” and the “don’ts” to realise and avoid. It expressed many aspects that you would only learn on the job. Cllr Knight, Newport City Council.

I have been to many planning seminars and training courses and this ranks among the best. Excellent presentation, good humoured and held new member’s attention. Philip Read, Cambridgeshire County Council & East Cambridgeshire District Council
 
Crisp and well run. All done on time. Allen Chamberlain St Albans District Council
 
A good case study that raised interesting debate and illustrated the process. Material presented in an interesting way. A comprehensive coverage. Mike Ellis, St Albans District Council
 
The workshop exceeded my expectations and made an immensely complex sea of legislation refreshingly accessible. The course addressed all the issues well and in a useful and manageable level of detail. Cllr Gary Barton, Cheshire East Council
 
The presenters were the best I have seen in all the training workshops I have attended. Well done. Don Stockton, Cheshire East Council.
 
It was an interesting presentation which I enjoyed. The instructor delivery was first class. Having been a County Councillor for 9 years, I learnt more today from this single session, than I envisaged. Really good stuff. Cllr Jim Gordon JP, Durham County Council
 
Comprehensive, logical progression, excellent clarity. Cllr J R Watson, Teesdale District Council
 
An excellent very detailed introduction, the follow through on the case study was good. Cllr Linda Dawson, Oldham Borough Council.

This was one of the best planning training I have had in 6 years of being on the planning board. Keeps you interested and involved. David Bowley, Derbyshire County Council
 
A great day with good solid content that was extremely useful to a new member. Barry Lewis, Derbyshire County Council
 
The two presenters were excellent and kept one’s interest through the whole session, making a complex issue very clear. Cllr H Bainbridge, Mid Devon District Council
 
It improved my knowledge and reinforced my confidence. Ralph Harrison, Chester Le Street District Council
 
A very useful session from my point of view and I liked the case study combination with input from slides. Ann Limb, Milton Keynes Council
 
It was informative and interesting and answered my questions and doubts in an uncomplicated way. Sharon Wilkinson, Burnley Borough Council
 
Exceeded expectations. Clear, concise and informative. Councillor Kellaway, Newport City Council
 
Very good presentation that informed and was clearly given by very experienced individuals, thoroughly enjoyable. Cllr Simon Lane, Newport City Council
 
Superb lecturers that made everything more interesting. Cllr Francis Torrens, Powys County Council

Officers

Thank you for the excellent two days of member training you gave us at the end of July. From the feedback at the time, and since, it is clear that our members derived great benefit from the thorough and entertaining presentations and the subsequent stimulation discussion. The material was cogent, apposite to local circumstances, and up-to-date. Colin Phillips, DC and Enforcement Manager, Barrow Borough Council

Excellent style, very human and warm approach, delivered with a sense of humour, experience of the presenter gives considerable gravitas to the training and good use of real life examples. Mark Bishop, Development Control Team Leader, Worcestershire County Council

Excellent, very accessible and pitched at the right level, case study was very good, good explanation of material considerations. Gary Collins, Area Planning Services Manager, Bristol City Council

Good combination of presentation styles – authoritative yet entertaining. Brian Taylor, Principal Planning Officer, North Wiltshire District Council

A great day – extremely relevant and well presented. Chris Findley, Head of Planning, Salford City Council

Presentation style was interactive and kept councillors engaged. Chris Board, Principal Planning Officer, Colchester Borough Council

Parish Councillors

Exceeded expectations and the presenters made an excellent job of explaining clearly a complex subject, a most helpful discussion. Councillor J R Storer, Welbourn Parish Council

A most stimulating afternoon well planned and presented, bearing in mind our background knowledge is often limited. Certainly gives a deeper understanding of the complex nature of planning . Councillor John S Taylor, Tetford Parish Council

Covered the subject very clearly, a brilliant afternoon. Anything of a similar nature I would be interested in attending. Councillor G Rymer, Spilsby Town Council.

I found that the workshop content was very informative and the test planning application was very good in respect that it forced a great deal of comment. The groups came up with some varying views and interpretation of the local plan. Councillor Mark Spencer, Bracebridge Heath Parish Council

This was most informative and worth while time spent. I will recommend this to the rest of our council and look forward to the next session. Councillor Juneta Wilson, Chair of Billinghay Parish Council

Much more interesting and informative than I expected. Helpful in my understanding of the complications of planning, enjoyed the case study – very thought provoking. Councillor C Willinghorn, Billinghay Parish Council

Didn’t think that training on planning could be so enjoyable, Thank you. Councillor W Hart, Withern with Stain Parish Council

The use of a case study was excellent, involved every one present . Councillor A Hollamby, Mareham Le Fen Parish Council

Trevor Roberts Associates - Councillor Training

An extensive client list

TRA has trained Councillors in more than 200 local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales

Feedback from Councillors

"Met my expectations completely, as a planning novice I have learnt a huge amount. After 5 years as a Councillor I have always shied away from planning but after today I shall put my name forward to sub for the committee."

"You made a dull subject FUN."

"I was most impressed by the content of the presentation and by the standard of the presentation by both of the presenters. They are obviously very au fait with their area of expertise and both very confident and polished in their presentation."

CLG endorses TRA's position on the role of Councillors

The CLG Committee looking into Labour Shortage and Skills Gaps in Planning published its final report in July 2008. TRA made a number of responses to the questions asked by the Committee about officer training and the skills of Councillors and the Committee was particularly interested in what we had to say on the role of Councillors and the wider principle of democratic accountability. Indeed, the Committee noted that TRA had “best grasped the essential importance of the principle of democratic accountability” when we stated that:

"The role of the planning officer is to provide an objective analysis of the issues in a clear and succinct way, so that the decision maker can make an informed decision…the Councillor needs to be able to have an appreciation of what is proposed but also be able to ask difficult questions in order to test the robustness of the recommendation…The system rests on the basis that the technical specialist can be challenged by a non-specialist, so that there are checks and balances and that the decisions being made reflect the needs and desires of the wider community."