COST OF MENTORING FOR COUNCILLORS TO BE RAISED AT COUNCIL MEETING

2.06.10pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 24th Oct 2007

The cost of providing 'mentoring' for Councillors is to be raised at the Full Council meeting on Tuesday 30th October.

Councillor Carter is to ask the Deputy Mayor, Conservative Councillor Kevin Carroll the following question:

"How much has been spent, since May 2007, on mentoring for the following:

Conservative Elected Mayor;

Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator;

Conservative Council Group;

Liberal Democrat Council Group.

Can the Deputy Mayor also give the name of the organisation or individual providing the mentoring to the Conservative Council Group, the Conservative Elected Mayor and the Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinator?"

Councillor Carter said:

"Like most local authorities nationally, Torbay Councillors receive a number of days mentoring a year. The Liberal Democrat Group receives their mentoring from the Improvement and Development Agency for Local Government (IDeA) who provide support to local authorities across the Country.

"The aim of my question is to find out, in the interests of openness and transparency, if all Councillors are receiving the same kind of mentoring, or whether some Councillors are receiving more help than others, or if other providers other than the IDeA (such as private contractors) are being used."