Training records should be public, says senior councillor

That is the view of one former cabinet member of Swindon Borough Council.

Conservative member for Wroughton, Councillor Brian Ford, who was cabinet member for adults and health until May, was commenting on a report to the council's standards committe by the authority's chief legal officer, Lisa Hall.

An annexe to the report lists the variety of training sessions and briefings available to members, including members of parish councils in the borough – and a note of members' attendance is kept and will be circulated.

Cllr Brian Ford Cllr Ford said: “None of us is an angel, and there’s plenty of training sessions I’ve missed, but I think the records should be public.

“You might say that councillors are lay people who are elected to give the benefit of their experience and knowledge, but I think the electorate has the right to know whether councillors are taking up the opportunity.”

Labour’s Councillor Jason Mills, who was elected in May said: “I agree in principle, and I've done a lot of the training sessions, but some are at the same time, so I could still be seen as having not attended, when it would have been impossible.”

Ms Hall pointed out some training was mandatory: “Data protection and health and safety and the like. And there are some special cases – you can’t sit on the planning committee without planning training. But most of the training is voluntary.”