Lewisham Local Assemblies Chair Module 1 1 1

Local Assemblies Support PackagePart of the Member Development Programme 2008/09

Lewisham Local Assemblies

Chair training and supportModule One


Agenda

6.30pm Welcome and objectives 6.45pm Information on assemblies 7.00pm Wiki collaborative space 7.20pm Clarify the role of the chair 7.40pm Exercise identifying personal styles 8.00pm Chairing with confidence 8.20pm Dealing with conflict 8.50pm Practical techniques to deal with

conflict 9.10pm Action planning 9.20pm Summary and conclusion


Elements of the Assembly Support Package

Role of the Assembly Chair May

Equalities June/July

Community Cohesion Sept/Oct

Innovative engagement Nov/Dec


Assemblies – the context

• Lewisham changing how it involves citizens in decision making

• Assemblies emerged from Mayor’s Empowering Communities and Neighbourhoods Commission

• Assemblies replace area forums


Purpose

• Universal Lewisham approach

• Building on existing structures

• Encourage active citizenship, articulation of local issues, and improved service delivery and accountability

• Strong focal point for engaging with Council


Contributes to the Lewisham Way

• Customer Focus

• Improving Performance

• One Council


Programme part of skills role map

Delivering• Regulating and monitoring• Managing self• Managing performance• Political understanding

Connecting• Communication skills• Community leadership• Partnership working • Influence• Excellence in leadership

Creating• Scrutiny and challenge• Providing vision


Depth Interview feedback

• Views on Assemblies• Views on Chairing • Views on Conflict Resolution


Views on Assemblies

• Will bring groups together • Involve new people• Much better than the old forums• Need to deliver to keep momentum• Communicate via, websites, lewisham life,

street letters, local newspapers• Issues will be parking, speeding, planning,

crime.


Views on Chairing

• Assemblies will be manageable • Planning will be important • A disciplined approach• Facilitation skills will be needed due to size• A mixture of fairness, authority, calmness

and ability to listen required


Views on Conflict

• Most of you thought there would be little or average conflict

• Best to isolate conflict and deal with at a later stage

• Be well prepared • Ensure people have the correct level of

expectation • Be positive and inclusive.


Assembly structure – four elements

1. Lead structure

2. Coordinating Group

3. Meetings

4. Charter


1 Lead Structure

• Assemblies led by councillors

• Supported by six coordinators day to day organisation

• Co-ordinators report to Local Assemblies Programme Manager.


2 Co-ordinating Group

• Helps plan and structure meetings

• Should include one councillor, one resident, and one representative from the third sector

• Not an executive function but facilitating and co-ordinating one


3 Meetings

• Open to anyone living or working in ward

• Establish agreed local priorities description

• Develop proposals in response to priorities

• Determine use of locality fund (£10k)

• Additionally develop proposals for funding from Council or other bodies


First Meeting

Agreed and common format7.30-7.35 Welcome, introduction & format for

evening (Chair)7.35-7.40 Assemblies a new way of working (Local

Assemblies Programme Manager, Paul Jackson, Assembly Coordinator

7.40-8.40 Workshop (Micah Gold)8.40-9.00 Break9.00-9.20 Feedback from tables (Micah Gold) &

Next steps (Chair)9.20-9.30 Interim Coordinating Group & Closing

address(Chair)


Workshops at first meeting

1. What’s it like living, working and playing in (your Ward)?

2. How can we make things better?

3. Who can make this happen?


4 Assembly Charter

• Voluntary agreement between assemblies and Council

• Place to record priorities and actions

• Reminder of expected standards

• Assemblies to adopt as a starting point

• Charter can be adapted to include proposals identified by assembly


Implementation

1. Overview of Implementation

2. Ongoing work programme

3. Influencing decision making in the longer term


1 Overview of Implementation

• Local priorities fed into Council’s business planning and budget setting

• Initial priorities to focus on local issues• Top five priorities by the end of the second

meeting • Identify response to each issue• Responses detail focus of each Assembly

and structure for work programme


2 Ongoing Work Programme

• Develop and support locally-based proposals that can deliver positive outcomes

• Each assembly able to adapt their Charter to reflect agreements with Council and other bodies


3 Influencing decision-making in the longer term

• Informal mechanisms such as liaising with council officers

• Formal ones such as putting forward evidence to Council committees

• Able to put items on the Council agenda


Timetable

• Assemblies been rolling out since Jan ’08

• Sydenham, Grove Park and Whitefoot

• Every Assembly will have met at least once by the end of July


Timetable

Time Frame Meeting Meeting to cover

March – July 08

1 •First round Assembly meetings•Assemblies begin to explore, likes, dislikes and possible solutions for their area•Identify any quick wins for their area•Identify coordination group•Introduction to Locality Fund for 2008/09•Consultation activity to inform prioritisation

Sep – Dec 08 2 •Round 2 Assembly meetings•Identify priorities for the ward •Start to develop actions around these•Agree basis for ongoing work programme/timing + approach to future meetings•Begin charter development


Wiki collaborative space

• Demonstration

• Q &A

• Discussion of possible application and use


Role of chair at first meeting

• Lead first meeting with professional facilitator

• Achieve election of interim co-ordinating group

• Agree next steps


Identifying personal styles

Feedback from questionnaire


Chairing with confidence

• Share experience – worst and best chaired meetings

• Feedback from Assemblies that have taken place

• Identification of specific chairing issues relating to on-going chairing of assemblies


Dealing with conflict

• Share experience

• Anticipate pressure points:• Newness – lack of shared objectives

• Scepticism about process

• Tensions within community

• Individual agendas

• Lack of confidence


Guiding principles

• Preserve dignity and respect

• Listen with empathy – be fully present

• Find common ground without forcing change

• Honour diversity, including your own perspective


Four Phase Process

1. Anticipate Disagreement

2. Plan an appropriate strategy

3. Prepare to set your strategy in motion

4. Take action monitoring the results


Action planning

• Identify three things you would like support and training on to assist in role as Chair

• Identify SMART approach to these things

Lewisham Local Assemblies Chair Module 1 1 1

Economy & Finance

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