The quality of elected political leadership is core to the effective governance of communities. With the introduction of Single Transferable Vote (STV) and multi member wards at the 2007 local elections, Scottish Councils are undergoing a period of significant change. In addition, the introduction of a salary and pension system for members will bring change and different expectations of elected members by the public. The Improvement Service is committed to working with councillors, COSLA and other stakeholders to support councillors through this period of change and into the future.

IS commissioned research to examine the current level of support to elected members within Scottish local government. The overall aim of the project was to assist the IS to devise programmes of support and assistance for Councils, to meet the needs of elected members. The research established the following:

• There is good practice in terms of member support within Scottish local government BUT gaps in support remain.
• Scotland is lagging behind England and Wales in offering a structured and coordinated approach to member support and development.
• Standards and practices in member support and development vary across Scottish Councils.
• There is little co-ordination and collaboration between Councils on member support and development.
• There is not enough strategic planning for elected member development including leadership support and development; induction for new councillors; and future development needs of members are not being fully planned for.

The Improvement Service has, in conjunction with relevant stakeholders, developed local leadership and member development programmes. These consist of both materials that may be delivered individually by Councils themselves and materials that bring together councillors from across the country on a cohort basis to share practice, experience and learning. Exploring issues such as scrutiny, corporate governance, decision making and public engagement, and how these developments impact on the roles of elected members, is at the heart of our programmes. In particular the IS has been undertaking programmes aimed at:

• Investing in strategic leadership by initiating a development centre and supporting programmes for elected members;
• Developing a ‘Top Team’ development programme to support the management/ politician interface within individual councils;
• Investing in induction materials and programmes for newly-elected councillors;
• Developing a Personal Development Planning (PDP) framework for councils to employ with elected members;
• Strengthening local governance through supporting elected members in areas such as performance management.

We have published a range of materials to help councillors in their roles. These can be accessed in our Support for Councillors section.

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