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RESOLVED That the updates provided be noted.
RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be noted.
RESOLVED That the report on Member Safety at County Hall be noted.
RESOLVED (a) That the Member completion rate of mandatory learning modules be noted. (b) That the change to the platform from Pembrokeshire Online Development (POD) to Thinqi and the guidance notes regarding sign up be noted.
RESOLVED That the change to an hourly rate payment for Co-opted Members be agreed in principle, subject to consultation with Co-opted Members.
RESOLVED That the report on the Petition Scheme Review be noted and that no changes be made to the scheme.
RESOLVED That the report on the Induction Planning Working Group Update be noted.
RESOLVED That the report on the Democratic Services Function be noted, with a view to continue monitoring the service. [Councillor Di Clements left the meeting at 11:35.]
RESOLVED That the report be noted.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Jamie Adams, Jonathan Grimes and Sam Skyrme-Blackhall.
There were no Members wishing to speak on an Agenda Item.
There were no declarations of interest made.
Councillor Michael John Moved the Minutes; Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Minutes of the Meeting held 9 March 2026 be approved as a correct record, subject to the amendment that for Minute no.29 Michael ‘Williams’ be corrected to Michael ‘John’. The Chair and Councillor Di Clements abstained from voting due to not attending the previous meeting.
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RESOLVED That the updates provided be noted.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that it updated the Committee on Actions from the last meeting on 9 March 2026, to confirm progress and provide assurances that the agreed actions were being followed up. She highlighted that two actions outlined in Appendix A had been completed; Council’s adoption of the revised Multi-Location Policy (action one) and Council’s adoption of the Diversity in Democracy Pledge (action three). She further advised that the remaining two actions, the discussion on removing the cap on Co-opted Member Payments (action two) and Member safety in County Hall (action four), were on the meeting’s agenda for discussion. Moved by Councillor Michael John; Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the updates provided be noted.
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RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be noted.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that the Forward Work Programme outlined the proposed items for future meetings. She advised that the Committee was asked to note the programme and invited Members to suggest any additional topics falling within the Committee’s remit. No suggestions for topics were made by Members of the Committee at this stage. Moved by Councillor Di Clements; Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Forward Work Programme be noted.
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RESOLVED That the report on Member Safety at County Hall be noted.
The Head of Transport and Operations presented a joint report on behalf of the Facilities Supervisor and Emergency Planning Officer outlining the measures currently in place to safeguard Members, staff and visitors at County Hall, together with potential options for enhancing security arrangements in light of evolving risks and forthcoming requirements under the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025. She emphasised that a range of legislative requirements, policies, risk assessments and security systems were already in place to manage building safety, access control, emergency response arrangements and incidents involving violence, aggression or protest activity. The Committee was advised that, given the sensitive nature of security arrangements, certain operational details could not be discussed in a public forum. In considering the report, the following key points were made: · Councillor Di Clements recognised the need to balance public accessibility with security and queried the ongoing issues with the car park barrier. She also sought assurance that robust evacuation and lockdown procedures were in place and suggested that Members should be provided with guidance on these arrangements. In response, the Head of Transport and Operations advised that the car park barrier remained out of service following damage to the former entrance turret, which had affected the power supply. She confirmed that work was underway to reinstate the system. She further advised that comprehensive evacuation, silent evacuation and lockdown procedures were in place and undertook to share relevant guidance with Members. · Councillor Di Clements stressed the importance of ensuring that emergency procedures also adequately considered members of the public visiting County Hall. The Head of Transport and Operations confirmed that visitor management procedures, including reception protocols, permits and security communications, were designed to account for all building users. · Councillor Michael John queried whether the relocation of services to the main reception area had created any operational or security issues. The Head of Transport and Operations advised that incidents requiring intervention remained rare and that reception staff were well trained to manage challenging situations. She added that a review of reception services was currently being undertaken to ensure they remained fit for purpose. · Councillor Michael John referred to the potential security measures set out within the report and commented that security improvements should remain proportionate so as not to restrict public access unnecessarily. He did, however, express support for reviewing access arrangements around the Democratic Services office and Member areas. The Head of Transport and Operations advised that the options listed within the report were for future consideration and confirmed that access controls could be introduced where required. She also reassured Members that reviews would be undertaken to ensure compliance with forthcoming legislative requirements and clarified that CCTV was already in operation throughout the building, with consideration being given to future enhancements. · Councillor Pat Davies sought assurance that visitors attending external events held within County Hall, including Coroner’s Court hearings and meetings organised by external organisations, were made aware of evacuation procedures. The Head of Transport and Operations confirmed that all organisations using County Hall were briefed on the relevant emergency procedures and requirements. · Councillor Di Clements suggested that enhanced CCTV coverage may provide an alternative to additional physical barriers. The Head of Transport and Operations confirmed that any future CCTV review would be undertaken in compliance with all legislative and regulatory requirements. · Councillor Michael John reiterated the importance of maintaining openness and public access but expressed concern regarding security arrangements around the Democratic Services office location and suggested that the matter may warrant further consideration outside of the meeting. · The Head of Democratic Services noted that the Head of Transport and Operations had agreed to provide Members with copies of the relevant evacuation, lockdown and emergency procedures for circulation. She further suggested that Member safety, emergency procedures and associated protocols should be incorporated into the induction programme for newly elected Members following the 2027 local elections. · The Chair welcomed the proposal, highlighting the importance of ensuring that new Members were familiar with security and emergency arrangements from the outset of their term of office. Moved by Councillor Di Clements; Seconded by Councillor Michael John. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the report on Member Safety at County Hall be noted.
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RESOLVED (a) That the Member completion rate of mandatory learning modules be noted. (b) That the change to the platform from Pembrokeshire Online Development (POD) to Thinqi and the guidance notes regarding sign up be noted.
The Head of HR presented the joint reports on behalf of herself and the Learning and Development Manager and stated that they provided an update on the completion of mandatory e-learning modules by Elected Members and the migration of the Council’s online learning platform from Pembrokeshire Online Development (POD) to Thinqi. She advised that a significant number of mandatory training modules remained outstanding, particularly in relation to safeguarding and Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV), and sought the Committee’s support in encouraging completion. She highlighted the legislative requirements underpinning a number of the training modules and advised that the matter had also been raised with the Safeguarding Board due to the low completion rates. In considering the report, the following key points were made: · Councillor Di Clements expressed disappointment that low completion rates continued to be reported and queried the risks to the Authority arising from Members failing to complete mandatory training. The Head of HR advised that several modules were linked directly to statutory responsibilities and legislative requirements. She explained that failure to complete training, particularly in areas such as safeguarding, could expose the Authority to risk if concerns were not recognised or dealt with appropriately. She reminded Members that the legislative basis for each mandatory module had been detailed in a report previously considered by the Committee. · Councillor Di Clements suggested that consideration should be given to restricting participation in certain committee activities, including site visits, where Members had not completed relevant mandatory training. · Councillor Michael John agreed that the issue had been discussed repeatedly and observed that, whilst the training was described as mandatory, there were currently no sanctions available for non-completion. He noted that the Induction Planning Working Group had been considering how training requirements could be better structured and prioritised for Members elected in 2027. The Head of HR advised that the forthcoming induction programme presented an opportunity to review the approach to Member training. She suggested that some modules could potentially be delivered in a more interactive format to increase engagement. · The Head of Democratic Services informed the Committee that feedback from the Welsh Local Government Association indicated that e-learning was generally the least preferred method of training. She advised that more face-to-face and interactive training options would be explored as part of preparations for the 2027 induction programme. She also noted that Members serving on the Schools and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee were required to undergo Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks before undertaking certain site visits. · Councillor Pat Davies supported the provision of face-to-face training, commenting that it provided valuable opportunities for discussion, networking and engagement between Members. · Councillor Di Clements acknowledged the benefits of face-to-face training but stressed the importance of retaining flexible learning options to accommodate Members with work and other commitments. She also queried whether technical difficulties accessing learning systems may be discouraging completion. · The Learning and Development Manager advised that the new Thinqi platform utilised a single sign-on process, reducing the need for multiple passwords and making access simpler for users. She further explained that Members would need to ensure that their primary email address details held within the Employee Self Service (ESS) system were up to date to facilitate access. · Several Members of the Committee highlighted difficulties accessing ESS and authentication systems. The Learning and Development Manager confirmed that support was available and advised Members to contact the Learning and Development team, who would coordinate assistance as required. · The Chair highlighted the importance of modules relating to data protection and workstation assessments, noting the potential reputational and operational risks associated with data breaches and poor workstation practices. · Councillor Di Clements suggested that Group Leaders should be reminded of the current completion rates and encouraged to promote completion within their groups. She further proposed that Members be reminded of both the importance of completing the training and the support available through the new Thinqi platform. The Learning and Development Manager advised that she would be willing to arrange a dedicated training session for Members on the use of Thinqi and the changes from the previous POD platform. · The Head of Democratic Services advised that the issues raised regarding training compliance and delivery methods would be further considered by the Induction Planning Working Group. Moved by Councillor Di Clements; Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (a) That the Member completion rate of mandatory learning modules be noted. (b) That the change to the platform from Pembrokeshire Online Development (POD) to Thinqi and the guidance notes regarding sign up be noted.
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RESOLVED That the change to an hourly rate payment for Co-opted Members be agreed in principle, subject to consultation with Co-opted Members.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that it sought the Committee’s views on whether to recommend the introduction of an hourly-rate-only payment system for Co-opted Members. She reminded Members that the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru had provided local flexibility to use full-day, half-day or hourly rates. The current arrangement utilised full-day or half-day rates for formal meetings, with hourly rates applied to training, briefings and other miscellaneous activities. She advised that the increased use of hourly-rate payments had resulted in a reduction in overall expenditure and noted that a review of arrangements across Wales had identified that several authorities had adopted an hourly-rate-only approach. She further explained that such an approach would more accurately reflect time worked, simplify payment arrangements and remove the need for a payment cap. The Committee was therefore asked to consider whether it wished to recommend this approach to Council. In considering the report, the following key points were made: · Councillor Di Clements stated that an hourly-rate system appeared to be a logical and equitable approach, ensuring that payments reflected actual time worked. She proposed that the Committee support the introduction of hourly-rate-only payments. The Head of Democratic Services advised that, whilst guidance from the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru had not prescribed a single approach, feedback received from other authorities indicated that a number had already adopted hourly-rate-only arrangements. · Councillor Pat Davies supported the proposal, commenting that an hourly-rate system would provide a fairer reflection of the work undertaken by Co-opted Members, including preparation and research time. · Councillor Michael John sought clarification on whether the removal of the payment cap would remain linked to the proposal. The Head of Democratic Services confirmed that the Committee had already recommended the removal of the cap and advised that an hourly-rate-only system would further support that approach. · Councillor Michael John queried whether the views of existing Co-opted Members should be sought before a final recommendation was made to Council. He also questioned whether minimum payment arrangements should be considered where attendance at short meetings caused disruption to individuals’ schedules. In response, the Head of Democratic Services advised that Co-opted Members were already entitled to claim travel and preparation time in addition to meeting attendance time. She noted that some Members did not currently claim the full extent of the time available to them. · Councillor Elwyn Morse agreed that, given the importance of the role undertaken by Co-opted Members, it would be appropriate to seek their views before a final decision was made. · Councillor Di Clements suggested that the Committee support the hourly-rate-only approach in principle, subject to consultation with the Authority’s Co-opted Members. Councillor Di Clements Moved that the Committee support the introduction of an hourly-rate-only payment system for Co-opted Members in principle, subject to consultation with the Authority’s Co-opted Members; Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the change to an hourly rate payment for Co-opted Members be agreed in principle, subject to consultation with Co-opted Members.
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RESOLVED That the report on the Petition Scheme Review be noted and that no changes be made to the scheme.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that the Authority was required to maintain and periodically review its Petition Scheme. She advised that the Scheme had been adopted in 2022 and most recently amended in May 2025 following a comprehensive review undertaken jointly by the Democratic Services Committee and the Constitutional Review Committee. She reported that the revised Scheme appeared to be operating effectively and noted that the number of petitions received had increased year on year, suggesting growing public awareness and engagement. The Committee was invited to consider whether there was any merit in establishing a dedicated Petitions Committee, an option raised during previous Council discussions. She explained that there was no statutory requirement to establish such a committee and that most Welsh authorities utilised existing decision-making structures. Whilst no significant issues had arisen with the current arrangements, she noted that petition debates at Council had on occasions exceeded the allotted fifteen-minute question-and-answer period and invited Members to reflect on whether any changes were required. In considering the report, the following key points were made: · The Chair queried the level of officer involvement required in administering the Petition Scheme and whether the process placed a significant demand on Democratic Services resources. · The Head of Democratic Services advised that a considerable amount of administrative work took place behind the scenes, particularly where petition signatures required verification. She explained that petitions were initially reviewed by Democratic Services in consultation with relevant officers and the Head of Law and Governance to ensure compliance with the Scheme before progressing through the process. · Councillor Di Clements expressed the view that establishing a dedicated Petitions Committee could introduce additional bureaucracy and potentially delay consideration of petitions relating to time-sensitive matters. She commented that the current arrangements appeared to be working well and provided residents with an effective means of raising issues directly with the Authority. · The Head of Democratic Services noted that Chairs already had discretion to extend the fifteen-minute debate period where appropriate. · Councillor Elwyn Morse suggested that introducing an additional committee could reduce the direct connection between petitioners and decision-makers. He considered it important that residents were able to bring matters directly before Members through the existing process. · The Head of Democratic Services clarified that a recent matter considered by an Overview and Scrutiny Committee had been a public submission rather than a petition. She reiterated that the suggestion of a Petitions Committee had arisen during previous Council discussions but advised that the revised Scheme adopted in 2025 was generally considered to be operating effectively. · Councillor Michael John stated that he could see no benefit in introducing a Petitions Committee, as the existing validation work would still need to be undertaken and an additional committee would simply increase bureaucracy. He welcomed the role petitions played in encouraging public participation and democratic engagement. Whilst acknowledging that petition debates could be time-consuming, particularly where several petitions were scheduled for one meeting, he considered the current arrangements should be allowed to continue and be monitored. · In response, the Head of Democratic Services reminded Members that the Scheme already limited the number of petitions considered at any one Council meeting to a maximum of three, with an agreed process in place for prioritisation where necessary. · Councillor Pat Davies supported retention of the existing arrangements, stating that petitions provided an important opportunity for residents to present issues directly to Members. She emphasised the importance of Local Members being fully involved throughout the process and considered that the current arrangements were functioning effectively without the need for an additional committee. Moved by Councillor Di Clements; Seconded by the Chair. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the report on the Petition Scheme Review be noted and that no changes be made to the scheme.
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RESOLVED That the report on the Induction Planning Working Group Update be noted.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that the Committee had previously established a Working Group to begin planning for the 2027 Member Induction Programme. She advised that the Group had met most recently on 18 June 2026 and was progressing the agreed action plan. The Working Group had considered the results of the Councillor Support Self-Evaluation Survey which, although receiving a limited response rate, had identified a need for clearer pre-election information, a better understanding of the time commitments and expectations associated with the role of Councillor, and more engaging and interactive training opportunities. She reported that there was general agreement that core training modules, including safeguarding, Violence Against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (VAWDASV), and data protection, should be prioritised early in a structured six?month induction programme. The Working Group supported the development of a staged induction framework aligned to Welsh Local Government Association guidance, covering pre-election information, orientation, governance, the Code of Conduct, casework management and community engagement. The Group had also highlighted the importance of practical IT support from the outset, clear information for prospective candidates, skills development, personal safety awareness and emergency planning. In place of a formal mentoring scheme, the Group had agreed to develop video content featuring Member experiences and was continuing work on supporting materials and updated web content. The next steps would include development of the detailed induction programme, candidate information materials, prioritisation of training modules and consideration of employment-related guidance for prospective candidates. In considering the report, the following key points were made: · The Chair welcomed the progress being made and emphasised the importance of a comprehensive induction programme, noting that Members elected outside of the normal election cycle could miss elements of the standard induction process. He also highlighted the value of face-to-face networking opportunities for newly elected Members. · The Chair further suggested that prospective and newly elected Members should be made aware of the availability of Welsh language learning opportunities provided through the Authority. Moved by Councillor Michael John; Seconded by Councillor Di Clements. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the report on the Induction Planning Working Group Update be noted.
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RESOLVED That the report on the Democratic Services Function be noted, with a view to continue monitoring the service. [Councillor Di Clements left the meeting at 11:35.]
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report that stated that the Committee has a statutory duty to review the adequacy of the staff, accommodation and resources available to support the Democratic Services function. She advised that the service continued to deliver its statutory responsibilities effectively, although capacity remained limited and would require ongoing monitoring over the coming months. In considering the report, the following key points were made: · The Chair expressed concern regarding the impact of ongoing financial pressures and staffing reductions on service delivery and thanked the team for its continued work and commitment. · Councillor Michael John commended the volume and quality of work undertaken by the team and expressed concern regarding its capacity and resilience, particularly considering the forthcoming local government elections, induction programme and planned periods of maternity leave. He noted that previous scrutiny support arrangements had included dedicated officer support and considered that the service was already operating with limited resources. In response, the Head of Democratic Services advised that the concerns regarding capacity and resilience had been raised with the Statutory Officer Group and would continue to be monitored. · Councillor Elwyn Morse echoed concerns regarding workload pressures and queried whether delays in the translation of minutes represented an ongoing issue. The Head of Democratic Services explained that translation delays were generally only experienced where extraordinary meetings took place close to the publication deadline for subsequent agendas. She advised that the production of Decisions Notices enabled the Authority to remain compliant with statutory requirements whilst allowing sufficient time for bilingual minutes to be prepared. · Councillor Elwyn Morse queried whether English-language minutes could be circulated ahead of the Welsh version. The Head of Democratic Services advised that doing so would not comply with Welsh Language Standards, as it would treat English more favourably than Welsh. · Councillor Pat Davies thanked the Democratic Services team for its support to Members and acknowledged the significant pressures faced by the service. She welcomed the improvements arising from the team's relocation and emphasised the importance of continuing to monitor staffing levels as maternity leave arrangements progressed. · Councillor Di Clements also expressed appreciation for the work of the team and queried whether artificial intelligence was being utilised to support service delivery. She further cautioned that consideration should be given to the resource implications of establishing additional working groups and task and finish groups. In response, the Head of Democratic Services confirmed that the service had increasingly utilised artificial intelligence tools over the previous year to assist with workload pressures and provide additional capacity, whilst recognising that outputs continued to require officer review and refinement. · Councillor Michael John added that discussions regarding alternative meeting times, including evening and weekend meetings, should also take account of the staffing implications for Democratic Services. Moved by the Chair; Seconded by Councillor Di Clements. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the report on the Democratic Services Function be noted, with a view to continue monitoring the service. [Councillor Di Clements left the meeting at 11:35.]
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RESOLVED That the report be noted.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that Members had the opportunity to produce an Annual Report outlining their activities during the previous year, which would be published on their individual profile pages on the Council’s website. She advised that eight reports had been received to date, with one further report pending, and noted that Members had been reminded of the deadline during May and June. The Committee was informed that, whilst the number of returns received was lower than in previous years, this was likely reflective of the current stage of the electoral cycle. She reminded Members that the role of the Committee was to ensure that appropriate arrangements were in place to facilitate the production and publication of annual reports rather than to enforce completion. Reports received would now be translated and published. In considering the report, the following key points were made: · Councillor Michael John noted that, as with several other Member responsibilities, completion of Annual Reports was voluntary and there were no sanctions for non-compliance. He queried whether separate reporting requirements applied to Cabinet Members. · In response, the Head of Democratic Services confirmed that the production of Annual Reports remained voluntary for all Members, including Cabinet Members. She added that, whilst earlier legislative proposals had suggested making Annual Reports mandatory, this had not been progressed. · The Head of Democratic Services advised that some Members chose to communicate with residents through alternative means, such as newsletters or blogs, and therefore did not always produce an Annual Report. · The Chair commented that Annual Reports provided an important opportunity for Members to highlight the range of activities they undertook on behalf of their communities and to improve public awareness of their work. Moved by the Chair; Seconded by Councillor Michael John. The vote, undertaken by way of a show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the report be noted.
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