Charter recognises commitment to councillor training

For the fourth time, Rother District Council has been awarded the South East Employers Charter for Elected Member Development.

The Charter, which was first awarded to the council in 2008, recognises the authority’s efforts in enhancing and honing the skills and knowledge of councillors.

Cllr Lord Ampthill, member training and development champion at Rother, said: “I’m delighted that the efforts of this council to support members in making sound decisions have been recognised.

“Our elected members make tremendous efforts within their roles, and training is vital in ensuring they can work efficiently and effectively for the good of their local communities, more so as they are faced with increasingly difficult choices.”

The Charter was awarded after a visit by an assessment team from South East Employers, a not-for-profit regional employers’ organisation which represents local authorities in the region.

The assessors examined detailed evidence and spoke to key officers, a cross-section of councillors and members of the all-party Member Development Task Group.

Malcolm Johnston, executive director, added: “Having the Charter gives our councillors the assurance that a high level of support is in place to help them understand complex issues and make decisions confidently.”

The Charter is awarded for three years. Having first achieved recognition in 2008, Rother District Council received the Charter again in 2011 and 2014.