Lambeth Council is set to place a greater emphasis on skills-based training for its councillors, aiming to equip them with the tools needed to effectively serve their constituents. This move aims to balance essential knowledge with practical abilities such as chairing meetings and effectively handling member inquiries. The decision came following discussions at a recent Standards Committee meeting, where members highlighted the importance of practical skills alongside knowledge-based learning.
At the Wednesday 9 July 2025 meeting of the Standards Committee, councillors discussed the Member Learning Development Programme and the induction programme for 2026. The committee agreed to note the progress of the Member Learning Development Programme and provide suggestions for future focus areas. They also discussed induction arrangements and the role of the Member Learning and Development Working Group. The agenda and reports pack are available online.
Councillor Jackie Meldrum emphasised the need for skills training, drawing from her extensive experience with new councillors. I think what people really want, some skills training as well as the knowledge stuff,
she said. Because the knowledge is quite, don't speak in and out, but skills is something you practice.
One key area of focus will be assisting councillors with member inquiries from day one. New councillors often struggle with these inquiries, sometimes lacking the knowledge to deal with basic cases effectively. Councillor Meldrum raised concerns about new councillors needing immediate support in this area, suggesting a pack of how to do your base
to deal with common inquiries like homelessness cases, which can otherwise cause extra work and unsatisfactory responses for constituents. She also highlighted the importance of simplifying the inquiry process to reduce the workload on officers and ensure constituents receive satisfactory responses. Councillor Ben Curtis echoed this, noting that it took him eight months to discover Lambeth's housing repairs email, highlighting the need for clearer guidance for new councillors.
To address these challenges, the pack of how to do your base
will provide guidance on handling common inquiries like homelessness cases, aiming to equip new councillors with the knowledge to deal with basic inquiries effectively from the start.
Councillor Ben Curtis suggested a session on navigating Lambeth,
with corporate directors explaining their remits and a guide on what the council can and cannot do. He noted that it took him eight months to discover Lambeth's housing repairs email, highlighting the need for clearer guidance for new councillors.
To improve the training programme, the committee suggested:
- Prioritising skills training.
- Providing new councillors with early support for member inquiries.
- Involving officers in the Member Learning Development Group.
- Evaluating training sessions to gather feedback.
- Including a session on navigating Lambeth in the induction programme.
- Providing case work journeys to understand the geography of case work.
- Developing more online modules to reduce the workload on officers. Councillor James Bryan suggested that online modules could include a test to ensure councillors have engaged with the material.
- Utilising Local Government Association (LGA) resources more effectively.
- Ensuring officers who deliver training have completed a
train the trainers
course. - Providing induction dates in advance.
- Disseminating the code of conduct and the Nolan principles to candidates ahead of time.
- Using consistent terminology for training sessions to avoid confusion.
Sue Gower MBE, the independent person, supported the evaluation aspect and suggested a core session on what being a councillor means, including how council meetings run and the role of overview and scrutiny committees. She also proposed a two-part session on member inquiries, with one part on induction and another later on to address the realities of dealing with inquiries.
The effectiveness of the new skills-based training program will be measured through evaluations conducted after each training session to gather feedback. Councillor Meldrum stated, I really think we should be doing that on every session because we'll just pick up people's fresh news of it.
Councillor James Bryan highlighted the heavy workload on officers and suggested more online modules for training, echoing the sentiment of reducing the burden on council staff.
The draft timeline in the Public reports pack Member Induction Programme 2026 indicates that the Member Learning and Development Working Group will meet every six months and bi-monthly from September 2025 to July 2026.
The council will now work to implement these suggestions and refine its training programme to better support its councillors in serving the community.
