The Democratic Services Committee of Bridgend Council met on Thursday, 13 June 2024, to discuss updates on the Councillor Portal Working Group, the Member Development Programme, and the Committee's Forward Work Programme. Key decisions were made regarding the improvement of the Councillor Portal and the inclusion of new training topics in the Member Development Programme.

Councillor Portal Working Group Update

The Group Manager for Legal and Democratic Services presented an update on the Councillor Portal Working Group. Councillor Jane Gebbie and Councillor Amanda Williams were invited to provide their insights. The Chairperson of the working group, Councillor G Walter, noted that the report was comprehensive and highlighted the challenges faced due to resource constraints. He emphasised the need to maximise the use of the existing Portal system despite its imperfections.

A member raised concerns about the Portal system, specifically mentioning Granicus, the software provider. He questioned the council's control over the system and the costs associated with potential improvements. The Group Manager confirmed that Granicus provided an off-the-shelf product and that any changes would incur additional costs. She agreed to provide the committee with the contract details and associated costs.

The Deputy Leader, Councillor Jane Gebbie, expressed significant concerns about the Portal's functionality, particularly its inability to handle complex referrals and potential GDPR breaches. She compared it unfavourably to the previously used OTRS system, which allowed for more comprehensive management of referrals. Councillor Amanda Williams echoed these concerns, noting that referrals were often closed without explanation, leaving members without the necessary information to respond to the public.

The committee resolved to note the update, provide comments on the proposed response times, and suggest further areas for the working group to explore.

Member Development Programme Update

The Group Manager for Legal and Democratic Services provided an update on the Member Development Programme, highlighting the need for targeted training based on member and officer requests. She corrected an attendance record for Councillor M Williams and discussed the possibility of exemptions for certain training modules.

Members raised concerns about the duplication of training sessions and suggested periodic reminders for mandatory training. They also proposed categorising training as discretionary or mandatory to better manage attendance. The Group Manager agreed to explore these suggestions and the possibility of recording sessions for later viewing.

The committee agreed to note the report and its appendices, identify additional training topics, and prioritise them accordingly.

Democratic Services Committee Forward Work Programme

The Group Manager for Legal and Democratic Services presented the proposed Forward Work Programme (FWP) for the committee. A member inquired about the possibility of reviewing the Constitution, but the Group Manager clarified that this was not within the committee's remit. She suggested that any proposed amendments be directed to the Monitoring Officer, who could then consider establishing a working group for a full review.

The committee resolved to consider the proposed draft Forward Work Programme and recommended that the Monitoring Officer consider establishing a working group to review the Constitution.

For further details, you can refer to the Minutes of the meeting.