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Councillor Development Training Program 2018

One of the challenges that all councillors face is finding time for learning and development while managing a large workload. The MAV offers a range of professional development opportunities to assist councillors in their roles and provide skills and shared experiences that enhance learning and understanding throughout the journey as a councillor.

MAV Training's councillor development program has been designed to provide the essential knowledge and skills to support councillors to perform their role as prescribed in the Local Government Act 1989.

The councillor professional development training programs offers newly elected and returning councillors training pathways, with a range of training workshops, professional development programs and courses to choose from. These include non-accredited and accredited training, and working with established partners including the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and Swinburne University. There are a variety of ways to maintain and develop your professional capabilities.

Councillor course details are outlined below:

Performing in the Role of a Councillor/Roles and Responsibilities of a Councillor

These units cover the competencies required to undertake the functions of an elected member in local government, and also explore the roles and responsibilities of a councillor.

The workshop focuses on teamwork and working effectively with council team members, the role in the community and expectations of the role of elected members as prescribed in the Local Government Act 1989.

The workshop addresses required protocols, limitations, procedures and strategies that meet council and legislative requirements.

Workshop Outline

  • Identify the role and working environment of elected members
  • Function effectively as a councillor
  • Provide support to council as an elected member
  • Demonstrate awareness of roles and responsibilities in performing council activities to uphold council’s legislative responsibilities.

Target Audience

  • councillors
  • executive/senior management
  • governance officers.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants should have an understanding of:

  • how local government fits into the structure of government in Australia
  • how to distinguish between the strategic role of the council and the day to day role of the administration
  • the funding model and legislative environment of local governments
  • council protocols, policy and procedures, as they pertain to relationship management according to roles and responsibilities
  • meeting procedures, including decision-making processes
  • strategies to avoid conflicts of interest
  • public communication to accommodate language and cultural differences
  • external influences
  • issues for potential conflict of interest
  • procedures to support and action council decisions through delegation to councils administrative and specialist employees.

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Decision-Making/Strategic Planning and Effective Meetings/Meeting Procedures

This unit identifies issues and issues management, explores risk management strategies and ethical decision-making, and the functions of council meeting procedures and legislative requirements.

The unit examines meeting logistics, procedures and protocols.

This workshop also addresses community expectations and the development of methods to ensure strategic planning is fulfilling community expectations and the requirements of the Council Plan.

Workshop Outline

  • identify problems or issues needing response, develop solutions to problems and evaluate solutions
  • implement decisions, procedures to follow up decisions and resolutions
  • planning and conducting council meetings
  • understanding required legislative procedures and processes, such as maintaining confidentiality.

Target Audience

  • councillors
  • executive management & senior management
  • governance officers

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants should have an understanding of:

  • problems requiring decisions to be made by council as categorised and prioritised
  • problems are identified by nature, possible causes and influencing circumstances
  • standard meeting procedures, such as agenda, minutes, and the recording procedures of the meeting
  • meeting procedures, protocols and rules/regulations
  • meeting functions in reference to confidentiality, how to address discussions, debates, and potential conflicts.

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Understanding Council Finances

Understanding council finances is ideal for new councillors wishing to understand their responsibilities in finances, and for those returning councillors wanting to refresh existing knowledge including recent changes to legislative arrangements.

As a councillor in local government, navigating through and understanding the complex financial documents and reports is a challenging task. It is also difficult knowing the right questions to ask of officers when council is faced with critical financial decisions.

The workshop facilitator, Mark Davies, is an experienced local government financial expert, and has spent over 20 years working within government.

Workshop Outline

  • understanding of the planning and reporting framework
  • ability to read and interpret financial reports
  • ability to identify key indicators of financial performance
  • improved financial literacy.

Target Audience

  • councillors
  • executive management and senior management.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants should have an understanding of:

  • the role of council financial management as prescribed in the Local Government Act 1989
  • financial planning and reporting framework
  • the procedures and processes for annual budget development, management and monitoring
  • the rating strategy and rate capping.

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Public Speaking

This program is designed to provide councillors and executives with the fundamental skills and knowledge to more effectively present and speak publicly.

The program and facilitation is provided by Spruikit, a professional development and corporate training company, which has been working in local government for over 15 years and has been a MAV councillor development training provider for over five years.

Workshop Outline

  • presentation skill development
  • public speaking skill development
  • understanding the audience and environment
  • dealing with question and answer time
  • managing self.

Target Audience and Learning Outcomes

The target audience for this training is councillors and executive management.

As a result of completing this program, participants should be able to:

  • research and develop presentations
  • manage self-appearance, body image and nerves
  • handle questions and presenter critique.

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Land Use Planning/Building

This unit is designed to equip councillors and council staff with an understanding of the practice and procedure involved in planning and building matters which are relevant to the exercise of functions by councils. Specifically, this program will assist councillors to understand their role in the planning and building approvals process.

The workshop is delivered by EWL Ebsworth Lawyers, and the facilitator (and program developer) is David Vorchheimer, a practicing lawyer with years of experience in land use planning and building, who has been working within the local government sector for many years.

Workshop Outline

  • overview of the planning system, planning schemes and the Victorian planning provisions, structure and purpose
  • planning Scheme Amendments, the process, the role for the minister and Planning Panels Victoria
  • planning permits, the process, conditions, delegation, complaint management, compliance, infringements and the role of Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).

Target Audience

  • councillors
  • executive management & senior management
  • council/government officers working in planning/infrastructure and work/technical services.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants should have:

  • an understanding of the planning system, procedures and processes of planning schemes and related legislation, planning panels and reporting frameworks
  • overall knowledge of planning permits, the processes, conditions, delegation, complaint management, compliance, infringements and the role of VCAT.

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Negotiation and Influencing Capabilities

This interactive training program is delivered by corporate training provider NegotiationWise and their facilitators who have many years of negotiation and influencing experience.

This program presents three interlocking core components - plan, engage and decide - for successful collaborative negotiation. Participants will engage in interactive workshops to put into practice the learnings provided during the course of the program.

By utilising a collaborative approach to address problems, parties can develop solutions and opportunities to achieve a wise outcome. Participants will develop the skills to look for novel solutions to a problem while allowing the negotiating parties to come to a meaningful agreement.

Workshop Outline

This practical workshop will highlight methods and strategies to help the negotiating parties achieve a meaningful agreement.

Target Audience

The target audience for this workshop is councillors.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants should be able to:

  • improve their understanding of the strategic negotiation and influencing process
  • develop key skills to implement a structured method to negotiate successfully
  • enhance their negotiation and influencing capabilities
  • have the ability to lead a negotiation
  • learn collaboration techniques to achieve meaningful commitments
  • improve their capability to manage stress and emotions, both in relation to themselves and the other party or parties.

As a result of completing this program, the participants will increase their ability to develop and manage relationships, create harmony amongst all stakeholders, develop and sustain long-term collaborative partnerships and secure successful outcomes in their negotiations.

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Managing Communications

This workshop is designed for councillors and council staff who are challenged by presentations, and other forms of communications.

Through completion of this workshop, participants will develop a deeper understanding of the role of communications and presenting your key message, strengthening communication within council and with external stakeholders, and improving presentation style across all platforms of communication.

The workshop will support councillors with strategies, tools and resources to managing communications.

Through participating in group activities, a series of exercises and practicing principles and strategies, you will feel more confident in connecting with yourself, your message and your “messaging” on all communication platforms, situations and environments.

Workshop Outline

Through a series of individual and group interactive activities, group discussions and role play, councillors and council officers will learn the tools and methods to prepare communications for a diverse audience.

Target Audience

  • councillors
  • council officers
  • local government stakeholders/community groups.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants will have:

  • developed an awareness of ‘speech cycles’, and speech preparation
  • learnt how to embody self-talk
  • learnt personal affirmation and presenting your key message
  • learnt how to walk your talk.

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Rapid Reading

This course is designed for councillors and council staff who feel under pressure due to the quantity of written material that they need to read, and would like to improve their reading skills.

It would also benefit those who find it difficult to concentrate, and those who need to improve their ability to remember the material they have read.

Workshop Outline

This workshop will provide participants with tools and resources to address reading at speed, scanning and study skills techniques, memory techniques, and note taking techniques; supporting learners to correct bad habits and to improve overall retention of information.

Target Audience

  • councillors
  • executive management and senior management
  • council officers.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants should be able to:

  • correct bad reading habits stemming from the past
  • increase your reading speed by 100 per cent or more
  • improve your comprehension of the subject matter
  • remember more of what you read
  • increase your levels of concentration
  • vary your style and method according to your purpose for reading
  • save a significant amount of time.

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Building Leadership

This fundamental leadership program uses presentations and activities to address characteristics of a good leader, leadership styles (democratic and situational), and through group discussions, explores the ethical and professional integrity of leadership in the 21st century. The workshop will identify high level communication, time management and planning for positive outcomes.

TAFE Australia (North Coast TAFE) is a major contributor to Australia's vocational training and education sector and is uniquely positioned to offer total training solutions to clients at a local, state or national level.

Workshop Outline

The key objectives of this workshop are to provide councillors and CEOs with knowledge of what is good leadership in local government, and to learn the necessary ingredients for building successful leadership in council, with key stakeholders, other levels of government and community groups/communities.

The workshop covers:

  • leadership skills for leaders of today
  • time management and prioritising your tasks and projects
  • high level communication and conflict resolution
  • planning for positive outcomes.

Target Audience

The target audience is councillors and CEOs.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants will have knowledge of:

  • 21st century leadership in local government
  • essential skills and abilities required to build leadership in your role as a councillor or CEO
  • supports tools and resources to assist in the development of your leadership capabilities
  • current leadership approaches and styles
  • ethical and professional leadership objectives
  • managing time and resources
  • Mmnaging personal and professional commitments and goals.

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Conflict of Interest for Councillors

Managing conflict of interest is key to fair and functional decision-making. It supports transparency and as a councillor or mayor, you will be confronted with varying situations that may require you to address direct and/or indirect conflict of interests.

This training event is specifically developed to address the management of conflict of interest as a councillor.

The workshop will present councillors and mayors with the regulations and compliance as prescribed in sections 77A, 77B, and sections 78A, 78B, 78C, 78D and 78E of the Local Government Act 1989. It will also discuss the procedures and processes from declaring and registering conflict of interest, how to manage conflict of interest situations, and the framework to managing conflict of interest in the local government context.

Workshop Outline

This one-day workshop identifies the key sections of the Local Government Act 1989 in relation to conflict of interest in councils. It will discuss how to manage an ethical and transparent council, ensuring that decision-making is fair and unbiased, and that good governance principles and practices are embraced. This will support councils to function effectively and in accordance with the Councillor Code of Conduct.

Target Audience

The target audience is councillors and executive/senior management.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of completing this program, participants will have knowledge of:

  • What is conflict of interest?
  • Types of direct and indirect conflict of interest
    • Direct interest
    • Indirect interest – close association
    • Indirect interest – financial
    • Indirect interest – conflicting duty
    • Indirect interest – applicable gift
    • Indirect interest – party to the party
    • Indirect interest – residential amenity.
  • Making disclosures
    • Council meetings
    • Special Committee meetings
    • Audit committees
    • Section 233 committees
    • Assemblies of councillors.
  • Exemptions and additional issues
    • General exemptions - Budget and Council Plan exemptions
    • Specific councillor conduct exemptions
    • Ministerial exemption.