Criticism over city council's £200,000 leadership training scheme
NOTTINGHAM City Council plans to spend almost £200,000 on a "leadership programme" for ten councillors and 90 senior managers.
The council says the training is "critical" to ensure members and officers have the capability to lead the authority through a "difficult economic period".
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Spending: Council chief executive Jane Todd said the investment in staff and councillors will provide value-for-money.
But the decision has been criticised by opposition parties and the public sector union, Unison, who question whether taxpayers are obtaining value for money at a time when the Government is cutting council funding.
In the past four years, reports have highlighted weaknesses in the leadership of the council. The latest expenditure is aimed at increasing leadership skills, creating a greater understanding of expectations, better use of resources and better morale in the workforce.
A further £216,000 will be spent on a leadership programme for middle managers. Ravi Subramanian, head of campaigns at Unison in the East Midlands, said: "Given the cuts council services are facing, we have to question whether this is a good use of taxpayers' money. It could be better spent protecting frontline services."
Council chief executive Jane Todd said: "These programmes for senior and middle managers and executive councillors work out at £500 per person. "That's a value-for-money investment in the people who are involved in making tough decisions about how we continue to provide services to the citizens of Nottingham in the coming years."
READ MORE: Council leadership plans under fire
TIMELINE: How city council leadership has come under scrutiny
76 Comments
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by j, leic
Sunday, September 05 2010, 1:10AM
“"What they are saying is that they have 10 councillors that need training for a role which they were elected into and may have never been in their present roles before being elected."
Errr, elected representatives are elected to be, errr, elected representatives, not managers. What part of that don't you understand? It is the entire reason that we have the civil service and local government senior staff.”
by Shirley, nottingham
Saturday, September 04 2010, 9:10PM
“i thought the council was making cut back like cutting job. £200,000.00 could save all these jobs”
by James, Nottingham
Saturday, September 04 2010, 8:50AM
“Those who make the connection with Common Purpose please can you provide more evidence on this. Is this a training course organised by this organisation? I see that on their web site Common Purpose make great play of having met with David Cameron. I do not understand the phrases that keep getting repeated in connection with this organsiation - such as Leading Beyond Authority and Post Democratic Society. These phrases could be meaningless but they have undertones that I am uncomfortable with. Please can those who know more say more.”
by John----far, far away--, New Zealand
Saturday, September 04 2010, 7:14AM
“90 senior managers!
similar amount on more managers!
Weigh......too heavy!!!”
by Ian, Hyson Green
Friday, September 03 2010, 11:57PM
“£200K for a training programm!!! Allow me to express my frustration when council officilas are renting homes to drug dealers and people dealing in prostitution, these officilas are well aware of the illegal activities and despite many complaints of honnest residents in Hyson Green these activities are permitted with the knowledge of everyone including the Police wakes us wonder whats going on?????????”