Day 1: Monday 25 November, 1.45pm to 2.45pm
Workshop 1:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – what’s it like to be on the receiving end of me?
Promoting equality and inclusive practice is everyone’s responsibility. As governance staff we often build strong working relationships across a broad range of people, including members, partners, senior managers, colleagues, parents and the public. This places us in a strong position to encourage and promote an inclusive culture. But do we?
This session will focus on what we can do in Democratic Services to ensure that inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do and that we enable people to participate and feel valued in the democratic process.
Using live actors (but no role play for attendees), this session will help delegates identify and embed inclusivity and equality within their governance processes and to share examples of good practice.
Facilitator: Mary Austin, Mary Austin Associates and AFTA Thought Training Consultants
Workshop 2:
LLG, CIPFA and Solace Code of Practice on Good Governance for Local Authority Statutory Officers
Public interest reports and best value reviews on failing councils over recent years has highlighted the importance of good governance. It has also highlighted the gap in policy and guidance for those charged with ensuring an authority’s good governance, save for defining the powers of the Head of Paid Service, Chief Finance Officer and Monitoring Officer.
Produced with the input of ADSO, the Code seeks to provide advice and set professional expectations for the statutory officers in the ‘Golden Triangle’ and those that support them.
The session offers an overview of the Code, aiming to paint a picture of governance done well with clear and practical guidance on structure, policy and process around well evidenced and ethical decision making.
Facilitator: Philip McCourt, Legal Director, Bevan Brittan LLP
Workshop 3:
Out of Control?
A fun and practical workshop covering the key features of how to thrive in a no overall control environment. Charlotte and Helen will then facilitate two separate scenarios for workshop participants to consolidate their learning. No experience of a no overall control authority is necessary to benefit from this session.
Facilitators: Charlotte Cameron, Senior Democratic Services Officer, Peterborough City Council and Helen Mitchell, Senior Governance Consultant for the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny
Workshop 4:
Professional Development Planning for Senior DSOs
How often do you get the chance to reflect on and plan your professional development? Join this workshop session for Senior DSOs to participate in a facilitated reflection session designed to help you to start your own development plan and identify possible next steps in your professional development.
This workshop forms part of ADSO’s Senior DSO Development Programme and is open to anyone who has already gained some experience in the sector and would now like to think about their next development steps.
Facilitators: Susan Biddle, ADSO Director of Training with assistance from several ADSO senior DSOs acting as facilitator/coaches
Day 2: Tuesday 26 November, 1.15pm to 2.15pm
Workshop 5:
Working in a Modern Democracy – Findings and Next Steps
Our first ‘Working in a Modern Democracy’ Report will be formally launched at the ADSO Conference. This is the outcome of our exciting engagement work with you all. In this workshop you will have the opportunity to find out how other ADSO members feel that local democracy is changing. We’ll talk about what it means for you, and for our wider democracy family. You will find out how ADSO are responding to this feedback, and you can help us shape our offer so that we can support you moving forward. You’ll also be the first to hear what we plan to do next, as part of our Modern Democracy programme of activities. Please join us as we look to the future together.
Facilitators: Carl Whistlecraft, ADSO Non-Executive Director and Diane Sims, ADSO Director of Communications
Supported by members of our Project Team
Workshop 6:
Public Abuse and Intimidation of Members and Officers: A Strategy for DSOs
Public abuse and intimidation of members and officers, is a growing phenomenon. A Council of Europe showed such abuse has an international dimension from which lessons can be learned.
The workshop will explore – with real life examples:
- The nature of abuse and intimidation of members and officers
- The weapons of choice – online abuse and intimidation and fake news; and, the up close and personal – insults, abuse and physical harm
- The causes and effects on members and officers of abuse and intimidation
- Strategies for DSOs in avoiding abuse and intimidation of members and officers
- Strategies to protect and ensure the safety and well-being of members and officers
The workshop will be interactive with short presentations on each of the above and with ample opportunity for participants to share experiences and consider the effectiveness of the strategies presented in ensuring member and officer well-being.
Facilitator: Colin Copus, Emeritus Professor of local politics at the Department of Politics and Public Policy, De Montfort University, Visiting Professor at the University of Ghent and ADSO Non-Executive Director
Workshop 7:
Fit for the future? Rethinking scrutiny and scrutiny support
In this interactive workshop, drawing on the recently refreshed 21st Century Public Servant research, Dave will outline some of the challenges, new and old, currently facing scrutiny. Participants will then be invited to notice and share some of the things they are already seeing and doing that help scrutiny to meet these challenges.
Through conversations with others, participants will have the chance to reflect on their own council’s scrutiny work and identify new things to try to help ensure that their arrangements are fit for the future. A list of the most helpful ideas will be captured and shared.
Facilitator: Dave Mckenna, Scrutiny Practitioner and Associate with the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny
Workshop 8:
Present Tense: Renewing and Modernising Local Governance
The workshop will be an opportunity to discuss the key findings from Grant Thornton’s research project with Localis (the report is due to be published in early 2025) Renewing and Modernising Local Governance. The project seeks to understand:
- does the ‘golden triangle’ model of statutory officers remain valid given the changes to local government corporate structure?
- how in the current economic and political context of local public finances might councils need to change to better guarantee that strong corporate governance and effective scrutiny supports a culture of transparency and openness that will help deliver financial sustainability over the medium-term?
Facilitators: Paul Dossett, Partner and Head of Local Government and Guy Clifton, Director, Grant Thornton UK LLP