The Constitution Committee of Cardiff Council met on Monday 28 September 2026 to discuss proposed changes to council meeting procedure rules, the co-option of members to scrutiny committees, and the council's forward work plan. The meeting also considered proposals for a Councillor Call for Action mechanism.

Proposed Changes to Council Meeting Procedure Rules

The committee was scheduled to review proposed amendments to the rules governing meetings of the full Council and Cabinet. These proposed changes, detailed in Appendix A of the report, aimed to reflect decisions and comments made at previous meetings. The report indicated that any changes to the Constitution would require full Council approval.

Scrutiny Co-Option

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing proposals for the co-option of members to Scrutiny Committees. The report highlighted the existing arrangements for statutory co-optees, youth representatives, and other invitees. It also outlined the statutory guidance from the Welsh Government regarding co-option, which aims to build a more diverse membership and support public participation in local democracy. The report suggested the development of a Scrutiny Co-option Protocol to be included in the Council's Constitution, detailing when to co-opt, the number of co-opted members, identification of potential candidates, duration of appointments, voting rights, and access to information. The report also touched upon the remuneration of co-optees and proposed a pilot scheme for travelling expenses for non-statutory co-opted members.

Councillor Call for Action

The committee was scheduled to consider proposals for the process and criteria for a Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) to be included in the Council's Constitution. This mechanism, enabled by Section 21A of the Local Government Act 2000, allows any Member of the Council to refer local government matters to a scrutiny committee. The report emphasised that CCfA should be considered a last resort after other avenues for resolution have been explored. The guidance document, detailed in Appendix A, covered the initiation, criteria, process, potential outcomes, and timescales for CCfAs. The report noted that crime and disorder matters would be directed to the Community and Adult Services Scrutiny Committee.

Forward Work Plan 2026-27

The committee was presented with the draft Forward Work Plan for 2026-27 for consideration and approval. The plan outlined topics such as Constitution Update, Review of Council Meeting Procedure Rules, and Review of Planning Rules and Delegations. It also included items related to the Council Petition Scheme, the Protocol on the Role of Elected Members in Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults, Scrutiny Co-option, Councillor Call for Action, and Deputations. The report recommended approving the scheduling of an additional committee meeting on 07 December 2026 to accommodate the work programme items.

Review of Council Meeting Procedure Rules

The committee was also scheduled to review proposed changes to the rules for meetings of the full Council and Cabinet. These proposed changes, detailed in Appendix A of the report, were drafted to reflect decisions and comments made at the committee's previous meeting. The report indicated that any changes to the Constitution would require full Council approval.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as apologies for absence, declarations of interest, and the approval of minutes from the previous meeting.