We’re proud to be part of a democratic organisation, with councillors at the heart.

That’s why we’re encouraging teams from all parts of Kirklees Council to learn more about what it means to work in a political environment.

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Working in a Political Environment training

In the past 18 months, 578 staff have taken part in activities to learn more. 21 different teams have taken part in our “Working in a Political Environment” training sessions. We’ve also supported new starters on the apprenticeship programme, along with level 2 & 3 apprentices, and have provided one-to-one advice for individuals.

We’re now asking Kirklees Council teams who haven’t already taken part in the training to consider signing up.

What participants said about the training:

“Really interesting and interactive. Advice and tips were provided which I found beneficial due to having no experience.”

“Really good to meet and hear from councillors directly.”

“I would like to know more about the councillors in the wards I will be working in and intend to find out who they are and what they do, and feel more confident in being able to do this.”

Cabinet member Cllr Rob Walker has recently attended a session at Slaithwaite Town Hall with Community Plus staff. He said: “I found it really useful to talk with Locality Co-ordinators about the work of a ward councillor. It was interesting for me to learn more about their experiences in the new roles.”

We want more staff to get involved

We’re delighted that there has been so much interest in the training following on from our staff briefings during Local Democracy Week 2017. Since then we’ve been doing more to share learning about how our officers (at all levels) and our councillors can work together collaboratively by developing mutual understanding and respect for each other’s roles.

We know there’s more to do. If you work for Kirklees Council and you’d like to learn more, you can register your interest in “Working in a Political Environment” training via MiPod Xtra on the staff Intranet.