In consultation with councils and other key stakeholders, the IS developed a National Elected Member Development Strategy for Scottish Local Government. Our vision for this strategy is:
To establish through collaboration among Scotland’s councils, the Improvement Service and relevant partners, high quality and cost effective development programmes and opportunities that support elected members in developing their skills to better govern Scotland’s local communities.
Our strategic aims are:
- to provide national direction in anticipating, and planning to meet, the development needs of elected members
- to provide expertise, advice and support to elected members and to councils in meeting elected members’ development needs
- to provide a focus for national, regional and local development programmes that support the needs of elected members
- to promote excellent standards in the provision of development programmes for elected members
- to encourage collaboration and the sharing of resources to provide high quality and cost-effective development opportunities for elected members
Support available to elected members
We have a non-partisan role to support all elected members in Scotland. The following support is currently available through our ‘Supporting Elected Member’ programme:
- induction materials for all newly elected and returning elected members
- induction materials for all newly elected and returning elected members on the planning system in Scotland
- Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Framework for Elected Members in Scottish local government
- Elected Member Briefing Series
- quarterly elected member newsletter
- interactive maps of election results
- elected member masterclasses
Further information on each of the above is available on our ‘Support for Councillors’ section. For further information about our activities related to Elected Members Development, please contact Mark McAteer or Sarah Gadsden.

Elected Members

