Midlothian Council
Learning and Development Plan
2008-11
Author Performance and Human Resources Unit
Owner Corporate Management Team
Date 14th August 2008
1 Introduction ... 3
1.1 Evaluating this Plan ... 3
1.2 Resources and Help... 3
2 Corporate Training Budget ... 3
3 Developing Priorities for Learning and Development ... 4
3.1 Corporate and Divisional Priorities ... 4
3.2 Human Resource Policies ... 4
Further training needs ... 4
3.3 Midlothian Managers ... 4
3.4 Other Training Requirements ... 5
4 Priorities for Learning and Development 2008-11 ... 5
4.1 Prioritised Programme ... 5
4.2 Type/length of training courses ... 6
4.3 Ad-hoc training ... 6
5 Divisional Training Programmes 2008-11 ... 6
Document Modification
Date Version Author Changes Made
15.2.8 0.1 Jess Collins Document created 22.2.8 0.2 Lynne Given Amended version 10.3.8 0.3 Jess Collins Various amendments. 22.4.8 0.4 Lynne Given Various amendments
23.4.8 0.5 Jess Collins Various amendments throughout. 06.5.8 0.6 Nigel Clark Various amendments throughout 28.7.8 0.7 Nigel Clark
28.7.8 0.8 Jess Collins Slight tidying up.
1
Introduction
This document sets out a corporate approach to employee learning and development at Midlothian Council detailing the priorities for policy-led training which will be provided and facilitated by the Performance and Human Resources Unit. Priorities for training arise from:
Corporate strategy and divisional plans 2008-11 Human Resources policies and procedures
Training to support every manager who requires to attain the manager competencies
Demand identified by divisions
1.1Evaluating this Plan
The Plan will be reviewed annually to ensure that it: Continues to be appropriate for Midlothian Council Is helping to achieve real improvement to council services
Demonstrates best value principles (i.e. it is efficient, economic and effective). The Performance Section of the Performance and Human Resources Unit will take a lead on this process and report to the Corporate Management Team and Cabinet.
1.2Resources and Help
If you have any queries about this Plan or would like to provide comments, please contact Nigel Clark, Employee Development Manager or Jess Collins, Performance Manager.
2
Corporate Training Budget
The corporate training budget comprises £38,000 for policy led training and £20,000 for Manager Development. This includes:
Provision of external trainers, consultants to complement the training in support of Performance and HR policies and procedures. Consultants are used to deliver the following training programmes: Stress Management, Managing Sickness Absence, Investigating Officers, Discipline and Grievance. Typical daily charges are £700.
Requests for ad hoc training identified via Personal Development Planning (PDP), stress audits etcPaying for a variety of materials, systems etc including: Acquiring up to date training materials e.g. DVD’s etc (approximately £4,000 per annum but dependent on the training programme).
Staff Development Management System (SDMS) £2,500 per annum. This is under review in 2008/09.
When the Performance and Human Resources Unit applies for Investors in People accreditation this will incur charges in the region of £6,000 from external assessors.
3
Developing Priorities for Learning and Development
3.1Corporate and Divisional Priorities
The corporate and divisional priorities 2008-11 contain the following actions and projects which should be priorities for training:
Roll out Planning and Performance Management to all levels of the Council (Executive Services, D-02)
Undertake Managing Diversity training plan (Executive Services D-04). 45% of managers have a manager qualification (Executive Services D-05.2) Project management training delivered to all specified managers (Executive Services D-05.3).
Implement Recruitment and Selection Process (Executive Services D-10). Reduce sickness absence (corporate priority C-6a.6).
Implement Modernising Midlothian (corporate priority C-6d.1) and Put in place competency framework (Executive Services, D-09.2).
Implement objectives for year 2 of the Health and Safety Plan (Executive Services, D-03).
3.2Human Resource Policies
A high-level assessment has been undertaken of human resource policies. The results suggest the following priorities for training arising from HR policies:
Annual requirement for Corporate Induction, Health and Safety, Stress
Management, Managing Sickness Absence and Investigating Officers training, Contractual Relationships.
In 2008/09, building manager skills in relation to the changes which will arise following Modernising Midlothian.
In 2009/10, Recruitment and Selection and amended/new policies arising from Modernising Midlothian.
In 2010/11, Recruitment and Selection, Discipline and Grievance, Harassment Briefings and amended/new policies arising from Modernising Midlothian. Further training needs
The following are topics which align to the manager competencies and for which training programmes therefore need to be developed:
Promoting diversity
Planning and performance management Customer focus
3.3Midlothian Managers
It would be best practice to create a training programme using different methods of delivery for new managers which quickly enables them to reach a level of
competency across the full range of manager competencies. It is anticipated that 16 new managers would require this training annually. It is recommended a 1 day introductory course is instigated to bring these managers quickly up to speed, commencing in the current year 2008/2009.
3.4Other Training Requirements
The Employee Development Network has been consulted in the development of the Learning and Development Plan.
4
Priorities for Learning and Development 2008-11
4.1Prioritised Programme
Taking all of the above issues into account, the following is a prioritised programme of policy-led training. This programme has been approved by CMT.
2008/09:
Managing Sickness Absence Corporate Induction
Stress Management Investigating Officers Modernising Midlothian
Planning and Performance Management Managing Diversity
Manager Development Programme (funded by £20k of the Corporate training budget)
Training new managers
Customer First – new training programme required. Project Management
Contractual Relationships Elected Member Training
2009/10:
Managing Sickness Absence Corporate Induction
Stress Management Investigating Officers
Planning and Performance Management
Updated Manager Development Programme (funded by £20k of the Corporate training budget)
Training new managers Customer First
Contractual Relationships Recruitment and Selection
Training arising from Modernising Midlothian. Elected Member Training
2010/11:
Managing Sickness Absence Stress Management
Investigating Officers Corporate Induction
Updated Manager Development Programme (funded by £20k of the Corporate training budget)
Training new managers Contractual Relationships
Training arising from Modernising Midlothian Recruitment and Selection
Discipline and Grievance Harassment Briefings Elected Member Training
4.2Type/length of training courses
Training courses will be customised to ensure that training is delivered efficiently and effectively to meet participant needs. For example Recruitment and Selection can be segmented and delivered on a short modular basis. Likewise other alternative methods of meeting training needs such as more use of DVDs and use of the intranet are also deployed.
4.3Ad-hoc training
In 2007/08 the Employee Development team provided approximately 25 days of ad-hoc training requested by divisions e.g. identified via PDP, stress audits, and training needs analysis requests from services e.g. on teambuilding and personal safety. Within the new Plan, the focus of the team’s work is on delivering strategic priorities and the reducing the amount of ad-hoc training. However, stress management is a corporate priority and much of the time spent on ad-hoc training is in response to stress audits so this work would continue.
5
Divisional Training Programmes 2008-11
The aim of Employee Development is to work in partnership with services delivering their professional training linked to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. CMT agreed in May 2008 that each division should ensure the
development of a divisional learning and development plan and that a review of spend across both the corporate and divisional training budgets should be undertaken. This will be completed by March 2009.
