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Senior members of Caerphilly County Borough Council will undergo training on how to “engage” with colleagues in a “respectful and trusted manner”.
The number of cabinet meetings at the local authority will also be halved starting this month.
Caerphilly Council’s chief executive Christina Harrhy announced the moves to councillors in an email, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The council has arranged for “tailored training and development to take place for senior members” at the end of September, according to the email.
Details regarding who would be involved in the training course were not shared.
What is Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet?
A council’s cabinet is made up of councillors in charge of different policy areas – such as education, environment, local economy, etc – and a leader.
It is separate to the council’s corporate management structure, which is headed up by its chief executive and various directors. Cabinet is made up of councillors, who are elected and have the ultimate say.
Typically, cabinet members are councillors from the party with the most elected council members.
Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet is made up of:
- Cllr Sean Morgan (Nelson) – Leader
- Cllr Jamie Pritchard (Morgan Jones) – Deputy Leader; Prosperity, Regeneration and Climate Change
- Cllr Nigel George (Risca East) – Corporate Services and Property
- Cllr Eluned Stenner (New Tredegar) – Finance and Performance
- Cllr Carol Andrews (Gilfach) – Education and Communities
- Cllr Shayne Cook (Morgan Jones) – Housing
- Cllr Elaine Forehead (Van) – Social Care
- Cllr Philippa Leonard (Risca East) – Planning and Public Protection
- Cllr Chris Morgan (Machen and Rudry) – Waste, Leisure and Green Spaces
Corporate management is made up of unelected employees of the council and has responsibility for day-to-day management of services, such as making sure the bins are collected. Corporate directors work with cabinet members to come up with policy which is then agreed upon by the cabinet.
Last updated October 13, 2023
“The Member Training and Development Programme will also continue in earnest as we head into the autumn,” Ms Harrhy added. “Specifically we will familiarise ourselves again with procedural and constitutional matters to ensure our meetings operate effectively and efficiently.
“Additionally we will also focus upon our behaviours, ensuring we engage with each other in a respectful and trusted manner in accordance with the [council’s] Code of Conduct.”
Ms Harrhy reminded councillors that “individually we each have a responsibility to promote the council in a positive way and collectively”.
“Our behaviours define the council we are,” the email read. “As such, I hope you will make every effort to attend the scheduled training sessions over the next few months.”
Separately, the chief executive announced fortnightly cabinet meetings would end and be replaced by once-monthly meetings.
“The same number of items will be dealt with but more efficiently in one, slightly longer meeting,” Ms Harrhy explained. “This will provide additional opportunities for informal policy discussions to take place with [the] cabinet and will also reduce the burden on colleagues involved in supporting meetings.”
These meetings will take place on Wednesdays in the middle of each month, and the council will hold special meetings “if an urgent matter or matters arise that falls outside of this schedule”.
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