The Democratic Services Committee of Cardiff Council met on Tuesday 1 September 2026 to discuss plans for the future induction of elected members, the refresh of councillors' IT equipment, and an update on the progress of the Peer Performance Assessment Action Plan. The committee also reviewed the activities and service support provided by Democratic Services and considered the Forward Work Programme.

Updated Draft Outline Member Induction Programme 2027

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the Updated Draft Outline Member Induction Programme 2027 [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=7]. This programme is designed to support newly elected and returning councillors following the Local Government Elections in 2027. The report outlined proposed changes and additions to the programme, including a Marketplace event [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=14], sessions on Corporate Parenting [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=23], and mandatory modules on safeguarding, including Safeguarding Prevent Awareness and Safeguarding Prevent Referral [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=31]. The programme also included recommended sessions on topics such as The Member Enquiries Service and Casework [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=35] and The Constitution and Committee Procedures [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=38]. The committee was asked to provide feedback on the draft programme and consider proposed changes to e-learning modules. A workshop was also proposed for October 2026 to further refine the programme before its finalisation and publication.

Member ICT Review

The committee was scheduled to review the provision of ICT equipment and support for elected members, particularly in anticipation of the 2027 Local Government Elections. The report [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=81] detailed the issues encountered with existing ICT equipment, including tablet devices, smaller and larger laptops, and smartphones. It proposed a refresh of ICT equipment for all elected members, including laptops, wireless headsets, and smartphones or e-sims. The report also outlined plans for new PCs and hubs for key users and common work areas, along with optional equipment for home offices. The committee was asked to consider the provision of ICT facilities for independent and co-opted members and to consider the proposal that Apple devices would not be included in the standard ICT package. The report also highlighted the importance of ICT training, with several modules forming part of the induction programme, such as Information Governance and Data Protection [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=86].

Peer Performance Assessment (PPA) Action Plan Update

An update was provided on the progress of the Scrutiny Peer Performance Assessment (PPA) Action Plan [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=97]. The report indicated that progress had been made on a significant majority of the action plan items, although some target dates had been revised to ensure effective collaboration and consultation. Key areas of progress included the confirmation of definitions for types of scrutiny, provisional scheduling of briefings on the core purpose of scrutiny, and active engagement from Cabinet Members and the Senior Management Team in developing Scrutiny Committee work programmes. The report also noted that items of public interest were being identified via public surveys and that the Corporate Joint Committee (CJC) Cabinet and CJC Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been considered. The committee was invited to note the progress and provide their views.

Democratic Services Activities & Service Support

The committee received an update on the performance of the Council's Democratic Services since the previous meeting [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=111]. The report detailed the completion of enhanced integration between the VP-AV conferencing system and the Public-i webcasting system, which would improve the ability to identify speakers and link to member profiles. Webcasting statistics for the period of 01 June to 25 August 2026 were presented, showing the number of meetings, total viewing time, and the breakdown of views between live and archive. The report also provided statistics on mandatory training completion for elected members, with high percentages reported for topics such as Information Governance and Data Protection and Safeguarding . Details of member development activities undertaken, scheduled member briefings, and planned member development sessions were also included. The committee was asked to note the information and consider the promotion and completion of proposed e-learning modules.

Forward Work Programme

The committee was presented with proposed topics for inclusion on the Democratic Services Committee Forward Work Programme [Public reports pack 01st-Sep-2026 16.00 Democratic Services Committee.pdf#page=121]. The proposed programme outlined items for future meetings, including further updates on the Member Induction Programme, Member ICT Review, and the Peer Performance Assessment Action Plan. The committee was asked to consider the draft work programme, identify any additional topics for future consideration, and consider the programme for approval.