The Democratic Services Committee met on Monday, 12 January 2026, to discuss the council's annual report, proposals for member workshops, and the forward work programme. Key decisions included deferring a workshop on the 21st Century Councillor for further clarification and agreeing to proceed with proposals for workshops addressing the Performance Panel Assessment (PPA) scrutiny recommendations.

Democratic Services Committee Annual Report 2025

The committee reviewed the draft Democratic Services Committee Annual Report for 2025. Members noted that formatting errors would be corrected before the report was presented to Full Council. A plan to create a more accessible, public-facing version of the report, intended to assist those considering standing for election in 2027, was also discussed and will be brought back to the committee in April. Concerns were raised regarding low attendance at councillor training sessions, with members suggesting potential reasons such as time pressures, existing professional experience, or a lack of perceived need for certain topics. Officers explained that training topics are determined by the Member Learning and Development Strategy, responding to individual member requests, Cabinet briefings, and scrutiny committee recommendations. The committee also discussed ICT training and mandatory compliance training, with officers clarifying that while mandatory for staff, it is not for councillors, despite weekly reminders being sent. Members expressed a desire for greater clarity on budget plans for ICT equipment and carer's allowance claims, with officers explaining that allocations are based on previous years' spending and that carer's allowance is managed centrally if it cannot be absorbed within existing budgets. It was agreed that the concise public version of the report would include links to Task and Finish group reports, a practice already in place for Scrutiny Annual Reports.

Decision: The committee agreed to the content of the Draft Democratic Services Committee Annual Report 2025, subject to formatting amendments, and delegated authority to the Head of Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chair, to finalise the report for submission to Council. They also agreed to receive a publicly accessible concise version at their next meeting.

Member Workshop Proposals - 21st Century Councillor

The committee received a summary of proposals for a member workshop based on the 21st Century Councillor research, aimed at informing the Member Induction Programme for the 2027 Local Government Elections. A provisional date of 2 February 2026 was identified for two sessions: one for all elected members and a second for those in senior salary roles. However, concerns were raised about the cost and the number of members who had confirmed attendance. Members suggested that the funds might be better utilised if more councillors committed to the training and that involving Group Whips could increase engagement. Questions were also raised about whether the university's involvement was for research or training, and whether they fully understood the Welsh context.

Decision: The committee agreed to defer this matter until their meeting on 27 April 2026, requesting further clarification on the event details from the Head of Democratic Services. The provisional session on 2 February 2026 was cancelled to allow for reassessment and consideration of developing the programme internally.

Member Workshop Proposals - Addressing Performance Panel Assessment (PPA) Scrutiny Recommendations

The committee reviewed proposals for member workshops designed to address scrutiny recommendations arising from the Performance Panel Assessment (PPA). These workshops, provisionally scheduled for 5 and 10 February 2026, aim to examine the balance of pre-decision scrutiny versus thematic policy development and to explore how to embed diversity within scrutiny review work. An independent review is being developed by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS), with £5,000 allocated from the Scrutiny reserve for facilitation. Members sought clarification on what additional aspects of the PPA could be covered, and officers explained the need for independent feedback to validate proposed changes by May 2026.

Decision: The committee agreed that the proposal from CfGS would be shared with members for consultation and feedback. They also delegated authority to the Head of Democratic Services, in consultation with the Chair, to finalise the arrangements for the workshops scheduled for 5 and 10 February 2026.

Forward Work Programme

The committee received a summary of the proposed Forward Work Programme for 2025-2026, outlining key items for future meetings, including updates on the 21st Century Councillor and PPA workshops, the public version of the Annual Report, the Members ICT Protocol, and the Member Development Programme.

Decision: The committee noted the proposed Work Programme appended to the report and approved it. They also indicated no additional topics were required for consideration at future meetings and did not wish to invite any additional persons to attend.

The meeting concluded at 5.55 pm. The next meeting is scheduled for 27 April 2026.