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One of the key themes from last year's Councillors Commission was the need to help and encourage councillors, but who will support the helpers and encouragers? For some councils the answer lies in having political assistants, who can provide anything from administrative support to help on policy research, however the majority of the local authorities don't have any such roles. A new initiative from the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) aims to help those currently employed as political assistants or researchers and raise the profile of this vital, but under-used post. The IDeA ran a course, as part of its successful leadership programme, in April for political assistants, which was led by programme manager Pascoe Sawyers. The course, which sold out almost immediately, proved so popular the IDeA will hold another one on 21 and 22 October. ‘It was one of those things which had come to the fore in the Councillor's Commission recommendations,' says Mr Sawyers. ‘Only a quarter of councils have these roles. The idea was if you have these roles, why not think about how you can support that role,' he adds. ‘I run a leadership programme to encourage councillors to do a better job, so it seemed a logical step to do one for political assistants.' In putting the course together and while hosting the first event, Mr Sawyers says it soon became clear there was a tremendous variation in what the term political assistant actually meant. ‘Once I started, one of the things which came out was there is a huge difference in the role,' he says. ‘Being a political assistant for "X" council is not the same of being a political assistant for "Y" council. Some of them are seen as glorified PAs, but others run the party group.' Mr Sawyers says the assistants who came from councils all over the country and from different political backgrounds all benefitted from a chance to talk to each other and share experiences. ‘The whole point of the leadership academy is to get people from different backgrounds, different parties and different areas and cross fertilise ideas,' he says. ‘One important issue for them was to the look at the legal issues around the role. ‘There are a lot of grey areas in terms of the nature of the role,' adds Mr Sawyers. ‘There is also a big difference being a political assistant in power than being a political assistant in opposition. We did some work with them about working with the media in the first course, but the feedback was we had assumed all the political assistants were in power.' One of the political assistants who took part in the first course was Richard Coates, a political researcher for the Conservative group on Gloucestershire CC. ‘The job has changed a lot because we were in opposition for three years and we have been in administration since 2005. It's like I have had two different jobs,' he says. He describes his role as supporting members, research briefings for members and working on long-term policy formation, but he admits ‘political restrictions' are a ‘bug bear' for political assistants and can hamper career progression. ‘Because you work so closely with members, the defining issue your members and what they want you to do,' he says. ‘Because you have to appoint three [one for each of the main political parties], it tends to be an expense which is easier to have in the bigger councils, but that's not to say there are not district councils who have political assistants.' Another political assistant who took part was Ben Odams, a political assisntant for the Liberal Democrat group on Leicestershire CC. ‘It's a valid course,' says Mr Odams. ‘I found it very helpful It's a complex role, which I love. It's also a fantastic springboard for what I want to in the future.' Buckinghamshire CC is now offering political skills training for its officers in a bid to enhance skills and improve relationships with councillors. The courses started in September 2007 and so far 100 people, including frontline staff and senior managers have taken part. The workshops cover politics, council structures and who is who at Buckinghamshire CC. Officers are also encouraged to think about how much information is provided to councillors. The officers are encouraged to think about how to give members the appropriate amount of information without swamping them in paperwork. It also includes a chance to grill deputy council leader Bill Chapple about politics at a question and answer session. ‘In Buckinghamshire we have a Pathfinder programme with the four district councils and a strong strategic partnership with organisations from across the public, business and voluntary and community sectors,' says Cllr Chapple. ‘This means that the support that we rely on from our officers is an ever-increasing and vital element. ‘In addition, improving efficiency and effectiveness within an ever-tightening financial envelope will only be met through all of us working together within a strong performance management framework,' he adds. ‘The political skills sessions allow me to discuss these challenges and explain what it is that councillors need from officers.' The political skills training courses are proving so popular at Buckinghamshire CC will be extended to public and voluntary sector partners next year. ‘Having the chance to talk with staff about the political environment is time well spent as far as I'm concerned,' says Cllr Chapple. ‘We are a member-led authority under leader David Shakespeare, and as such it is important that we understand each other's roles so that we can continue to work together to provide excellent services for the people of Buckinghamshire. ‘The county council has a very good name nationally, part of which is a result of the excellent relationship councillors have with officers,' he adds. ‘The trust and loyalty at the council which allows it to be the envy of many other authorities and providing opportunities like the political skills training further enhances this.'

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Giving assistance to the assistants

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