The General Purposes Committee of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council is scheduled to meet on 8 October 2025 to discuss a member development strategy and proposed changes to the council's establishment. The meeting will be held in two parts, with the second part being held in private due to the discussion of exempt information.

Member Development Strategy

The committee is scheduled to discuss the initial themes identified for the council's Member Development Strategy. The strategy is being developed to ensure councillors are well-informed and equipped with the skills and knowledge to contribute to the effective governance and delivery of council services.

The report pack outlines that initial discussions between Councillor Mark Rhodes, Chair of General Purposes Committee, Councillor Alex McDermott, Vice-Chair of General Purposes Committee, Adrian Stanfield, Director of Central Services and Deputy Chief Executive, and Mathew Brooks, Head of HR & Development, have highlighted the need for a strategy that is:

• Member-led and responsive to both individual and collective development needs
• Flexible in delivery to accommodate time constraints and existing pressures on Members
• Focused on both foundational knowledge and emerging priorities.

The following areas have been identified as potential priorities for member training and development:

• Committee-specific training: Tailored refresher sessions and flexible bitesize learning opportunities to deepen understanding of committee purpose, decision-making processes, and individual roles.
• Legislative training: Ensuring all members have a thorough understanding of the statutory frameworks and essential governance principles underpinning their duties. This includes ongoing mandatory training for key regulatory committees and preparation for anticipated legislative changes which may introduce new or heightened training standards.
• High-profile and high-risk service areas: Equipping members with specialist knowledge in complex, high-impact functions such as housing services, waste services, property function, and contracts and procurement.
• Finance and Governance: Providing all members with a strong grasp of finance and governance to enable sound financial management, transparency, and legal compliance.
• Continuation of compliance training: Ongoing training in areas such as Equality & Diversity, Safeguarding, PREVENT¹, Data Protection, and Cyber Security.
• Access to external resources: Engaging with external resources and training opportunities, such as those offered by the Local Government Association (LGA).

To ensure the strategy reflects member priorities, the following actions are proposed:

• Circulation of a short survey to all members to identify training needs and preferences.
• Inclusion of a question on whether members would value a Personal Development Plan.
• Development of a draft Member Development Strategy for consideration by the General Purposes Committee in January 2026.

Establishment Report

The committee is also scheduled to discuss an establishment report in private. According to the agenda, the report sets out for Members' approval a number of establishment changes recommended by the Council's Management Team. The agenda notes that all savings/costs referred to in the report reflect the salary at the top of the scale/grade plus associated on costs. The report is exempt from publication because it contains information relating to an individual under Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972².