The Democratic Services Committee of Carmarthenshire Council met on Friday, 29 November 2024, to review annual reports and discuss proposed changes to councillor remuneration. Key decisions included the approval of the Democratic Services Committee's annual report and the submission of feedback on the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales' draft annual report.

Carmarthenshire County Council's Scrutiny Function - Annual Report 2023-24

The committee received and considered the annual report on the council's scrutiny function for the 2023-24 municipal year. The report highlighted that scrutiny is delivered through five committees: Communities, Homes & Regeneration; Corporate Performance & Resources; Education, Young People & the Welsh Language; Health & Social Services; and Place, Sustainability & Climate Change. It detailed the number of meetings held, task and finish reviews undertaken, and public engagement statistics. The report also noted that while webcasting figures were positive, overall public participation remained disappointing. An outcome of this discussion was the addition of a family support strategy to the Health and Social Services Forward Plan and a review of the communication strategy by the Chairs and Vice-Chairs Forum.

Democratic Services Committee Annual Report 2023-2024

The committee reviewed its own annual report for the period of 24 May 2023 to 21 May 2024. The report outlined the committee's remit, which includes exercising the Local Authority's function regarding the designation of the Head of Democratic Services, reviewing the adequacy of resources for democratic services, and making recommendations to the Authority. Additional responsibilities include securing training and development opportunities for councillors, appointing the Member Development Champion, and being consulted on member allowance reports. The report detailed the committee's membership, attendance at meetings, and key issues discussed, including a review of the member enquiry process, updates on the Member Induction Programme, and the approval of a template for Councillors' Annual Reports. Concerns were also raised regarding staffing resources for the Democratic Services Function, which were conveyed to Welsh Government. The committee unanimously resolved to recommend the amended Multi-location Meeting Policy to Council for approval.

Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales Draft Annual Report 2025/26

The committee considered the draft annual report from the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) for the 2025/26 municipal year. The report detailed proposed changes to the remuneration and allowances for elected and co-opted members of Welsh Local Authorities. A key proposal was the alignment of the basic salary for elected members of principal councils with three-fifths of the Average Hourly Earnings in Wales (ASHE) 2022, leading to a proposed increase in the annual basic salary from £18,666 to £19,771. This uplift would also apply to the role element of certain bands. The report noted that there would be no change in rates for co-opted member payments, and the hourly rate for meetings would remain. The committee was asked to provide comments on the draft report as part of the consultation process, and the Chair of the committee was authorised to submit a response on behalf of the committee. The report also highlighted that the IRPW's functions will transfer to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru on 1 April 2025. The financial implications of the proposed salary increases were estimated to create a budget pressure of approximately £100,000 for Carmarthenshire County Council, which would need to be incorporated into the 2025/26 budget.

Democratic Services Committee Forward Work Programme

The committee discussed its forward work programme for 2025. The suggested programme included items such as updates on the Member Development Programme, annual reports from the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, and a report on the Democratic Services Function itself. The committee was asked to consider and comment on the proposed programme to ensure that all appropriate committees have published up-to-date programmes.

Update on Member Development Plan 2024/25

An update was provided on the implementation of the Member Development Plan for 2024/25. The committee was informed that the new Learning Management System, in place since March 2024, allows members to access learning sessions at any time. While enrolment rates were high, overall completion rates for modules were noted as low. The committee was asked to consider proposals for providing regular reports on learning completions, sharing individual data with group leaders, and offering additional support sessions to help members access and complete learning modules. A reminder to complete essential modules and the member induction programme was also proposed.