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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
RESOLVED (a) That the Local Member be informed of petitions within their ward, and be involved in the consultation process to determine whether a petition is acceptable and accurate. The Head of Democratic Services suggested that a formal review of the Petition Scheme be brought to the Committee, as amendments made would need to determined by Council. • Councillor Clements then referred to some of the positive outcomes as a result of the Participation Strategy, such as more engagement with members of the public through questions to Council and petitions, which was said to be beneficial. • The Chair agreed and stated that it was important to have that engagement with the public, and referred to the balance required in regards to social media. • Councillor Davies referred to engagement with young people and the debates held in the Chamber over the last few years for them to experience. She highlighted that the next meeting would be held on 5 December 2024, with the topic chosen via a forum with young people, which was said to be on emotional, mental health issues and wellbeing. She added that the Children’s Commissioner would also be in attendance, and that the previous sessions had been really successful. • Councillor Prior added that engagement with Town and Community Councils had improved through the Working Better Together series, and stated that the most successful thing that had been implemented was a network for Clerks, where they could share their expertise and knowledge with one another. He also agreed with the comments made regarding engagement, and hoped that his experience would assist with the process. • The Head of Democratic Services referred to the objectives on page 54 of the Agenda and asked the Committee to consider them in order to potentially include on the Forward Work Programme. • Councillor Clements questioned whether a survey had been conducted recently to capture newly elected Members’ views. In response, the Head of Democratic Services explained that a general survey was undertaken after the election on the Induction Programme, mainly focused on the mandatory training. She highlighted that in recent years a Working Group had been set up to plan for the next election, and suggested that the same be done again in preparation for the 2027 election. • Councillor Clements suggested that a survey be undertaken with newly elected Members in regards to their level of engagement with their communities, and referred to surgeries, newsletters and individual meetings. • The Chair agreed and stated that it would be a good time to undertake a survey, as Members newly elected in 2022 were now halfway through their term. • Councillor Clements then stated that there needed to be an evidence base to inform the Working Group. She then sought clarification as to how the questions for the survey would be decided. • The Chair then referred to the safety of Members when meeting residents, and suggested that there were various aspects to consider in regards to engagement with constituents. • The Head of Democratic Services stated that she would be happy to do a survey to determine what questions should be asked, and that she would bring that back to the Committee for approval. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (b) That a survey be considered at the next meeting in March 2025, to include the objectives of the Action Plan, as outlined in the report. • Councillor Maureen Bowen then highlighted the benefits of Hybrid meetings, but appreciated that it was beneficial to have face-to-face meetings as well. • Councillor Davies agreed that a survey would be helpful. She believed that surgeries should not necessarily be promoted, due to safety reasons, and highlighted alternative ways for Members to keep in contact with their constituents. The Chair agreed. • Councillor Bateman also agreed and suggested that the survey questions should relate to how Members engage with their local communities, and went on to describe various other ways to communicate with residents. • Councillor Clements stated that she referred to surgeries as an example, as the survey should provide information as to whether some Members may hold surgeries, why they do that or why they do not. She stated that this would be the same for other ways of communication, in order to provide insight into how all Members work, as well as provide an evidence base for the role of future Councillors. Councillor Di Clements Moved that the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan be noted and reconsidered in 12 months’ time; Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (c) That the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan be noted and reconsidered in 12 months’ time.
RESOLVED (a) That the report be noted. (b) That all Members be recommended to complete a Personal Development Review and essential POD and Meta Compliance e-learning.
RESOLVED That the updates provided be noted.
RESOLVED That the report be noted.
RESOLVED That a Working Group be established consisting of all Members of the Committee, to consider the following and report back to the Committee as required: (a) An audit of the framework by working through the suggested themes and questions to identify which areas are complete and those that require further work and report back to the Committee for further consideration. (b) A Survey of all Members be undertaken on their thoughts of the support received using the Framework questions as a basis. (c) Using the Framework as a tool for developing the induction programme for 2027.
RESOLVED That the contents of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ Draft Annual Report for 2025-26 be noted, and that a representation be made to the Panel to inform them of the financial implications on the Council Budget.
RESOLVED That the contents of the report be noted.
RESOLVED That the Democratic Services Committee Forward Work Programme be approved, including the following additions: · That the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan review be added to the November 2025 meeting. · That a draft survey of Participation Strategy be brought to the March 2025 meeting for approval, and the outcome be brought to the June 2025 meeting. · That a survey be undertaken in 2025 in relation to the Councillor Self-Assessment Framework. · That a review of the Petition Scheme be added to the March 2025 meeting.
There were no requests from Members.
There were no declarations of interest.
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 Minutes of the Meeting held on 20 February 2024 be approved as a correct record.
The Chair announced that the Participation Strategy item would be taken first, followed by the Member Support and Development and Personal Development Reviews item. The rest of the Agenda would then be taken in the remaining order.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED (a) That the Local Member be informed of petitions within their ward, and be involved in the consultation process to determine whether a petition is acceptable and accurate. The Head of Democratic Services suggested that a formal review of the Petition Scheme be brought to the Committee, as amendments made would need to determined by Council. • Councillor Clements then referred to some of the positive outcomes as a result of the Participation Strategy, such as more engagement with members of the public through questions to Council and petitions, which was said to be beneficial. • The Chair agreed and stated that it was important to have that engagement with the public, and referred to the balance required in regards to social media. • Councillor Davies referred to engagement with young people and the debates held in the Chamber over the last few years for them to experience. She highlighted that the next meeting would be held on 5 December 2024, with the topic chosen via a forum with young people, which was said to be on emotional, mental health issues and wellbeing. She added that the Children’s Commissioner would also be in attendance, and that the previous sessions had been really successful. • Councillor Prior added that engagement with Town and Community Councils had improved through the Working Better Together series, and stated that the most successful thing that had been implemented was a network for Clerks, where they could share their expertise and knowledge with one another. He also agreed with the comments made regarding engagement, and hoped that his experience would assist with the process. • The Head of Democratic Services referred to the objectives on page 54 of the Agenda and asked the Committee to consider them in order to potentially include on the Forward Work Programme. • Councillor Clements questioned whether a survey had been conducted recently to capture newly elected Members’ views. In response, the Head of Democratic Services explained that a general survey was undertaken after the election on the Induction Programme, mainly focused on the mandatory training. She highlighted that in recent years a Working Group had been set up to plan for the next election, and suggested that the same be done again in preparation for the 2027 election. • Councillor Clements suggested that a survey be undertaken with newly elected Members in regards to their level of engagement with their communities, and referred to surgeries, newsletters and individual meetings. • The Chair agreed and stated that it would be a good time to undertake a survey, as Members newly elected in 2022 were now halfway through their term. • Councillor Clements then stated that there needed to be an evidence base to inform the Working Group. She then sought clarification as to how the questions for the survey would be decided. • The Chair then referred to the safety of Members when meeting residents, and suggested that there were various aspects to consider in regards to engagement with constituents. • The Head of Democratic Services stated that she would be happy to do a survey to determine what questions should be asked, and that she would bring that back to the Committee for approval. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (b) That a survey be considered at the next meeting in March 2025, to include the objectives of the Action Plan, as outlined in the report. • Councillor Maureen Bowen then highlighted the benefits of Hybrid meetings, but appreciated that it was beneficial to have face-to-face meetings as well. • Councillor Davies agreed that a survey would be helpful. She believed that surgeries should not necessarily be promoted, due to safety reasons, and highlighted alternative ways for Members to keep in contact with their constituents. The Chair agreed. • Councillor Bateman also agreed and suggested that the survey questions should relate to how Members engage with their local communities, and went on to describe various other ways to communicate with residents. • Councillor Clements stated that she referred to surgeries as an example, as the survey should provide information as to whether some Members may hold surgeries, why they do that or why they do not. She stated that this would be the same for other ways of communication, in order to provide insight into how all Members work, as well as provide an evidence base for the role of future Councillors. Councillor Di Clements Moved that the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan be noted and reconsidered in 12 months’ time; Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (c) That the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan be noted and reconsidered in 12 months’ time.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that the Authority was required to prepare and produce a Participation Strategy in accordance with the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. She explained that the purpose of the Strategy was to set out how the Authority would encourage local people to participate in its decision making. She added that the Strategy and associated Action Plan were structured around six strategic objectives, as outlined in the report, which closely reflected aspects of the Authority’s legislative duties in section 40 of the Act. The Head of Democratic Services then referred to the objectives outlined in the report for the Committee to consider. Councillor Neil Prior, Cabinet Member for Communities, Corporate Improvement and the Well-being of Future Generations and Chair of the Participation Strategy Working Group, referred to the Authority’s Petition Scheme and outlined his own recent experiences of the Scheme. He also referred to social media and false information, and the challenges faced by the Authority when a petition was submitted and work relating to the petition was already underway. He believed that there were some lessons to be learned in regards to the process of the petition scheme. In considering the report, the following key points were made: • Councillor Michelle Bateman stated that there was a potential danger with petitions in that short-term decisions could be forced, based on local feedback, which could then result in overall oversight and long-term planning to be lost. She then referred to the budget setting challenges and that decisions were made with the involvement of a much wider context, to inform such decisions, and suggested that petitions focus on specific areas in isolation, which could affect certain decisions. She believed that community input was more beneficial through consultations. • Councillor Di Clements stated that petitions needed to be validated to ensure the correct information was being provided, and questioned how this could be implemented. She suggested that a process needed to be formed to determine appropriate petitions. • The Head of Democratic Services explained the current process and highlighted that the Committee had previously lowered the thresholds for petitions, which had resulted in more petitions going to Committee meetings, rather than to the relevant Officers. She explained that she verified the petitions, and liaises with Officers and Legal to ensure it meets the criteria. However, it was said that the criteria was wide-ranging, which in turn affects the core items on a Committee agenda, as petitions need to be dealt with at the next available meeting. She assured Members that if any points needed to be clarified, comments would be sent back to the petition organiser. She also added that it was within the gift of the Committee to review the scheme, if Members were minded to do so. • Councillor Pat Davies sympathised with Councillor Prior and stated that she had similar issues with petitions in her ward, and referred to the difficulties around social media. She suggested that the scheme be reviewed. • Councillor Clements added that she did not wish for people to stop submitting petitions and believed it was right that the thresholds were reduced, but clarified that the information provided through a petition needed to be factually correct before moving forward. She then sought further information regarding the initial verification process. • The Head of Democratic Services explained that herself, relevant Officers and the Head of Law and Governance reviewed the petition in the first instance, but highlighted that there was no discussion with Local Member, but the relevant Cabinet Member would be made aware. She believed that the involvement of the Local Member should take place moving forward, but that there was a need to ensure that the Local Member would not undermine the will of the community. • Councillor Clements stated that the decision did not need to be made by the Local Member, but suggested that it would be useful to have their advice and guidance in regards to their community. She wished for that element to be included in the verification process. • The Chair agreed with Councillor Clements and stated that Local Members had the knowledge of their area, as well as receiving feedback from residents. • Councillor Prior also agreed with Councillor Clements and believed that it was essential that Local Members were included in the process. • Councillor Davies also agreed. Councillor Clements then Moved the following: That the Local Member be informed of petitions within their ward, and be involved in the consultation process to determine whether a petition is acceptable and accurate. Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of roll-call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, Michelle Bateman, Di Clements, Pat Davies and Maureen Bowen [5] There were no votes against or abstentions. RESOLVED (a) That the Local Member be informed of petitions within their ward, and be involved in the consultation process to determine whether a petition is acceptable and accurate. The Head of Democratic Services suggested that a formal review of the Petition Scheme be brought to the Committee, as amendments made would need to determined by Council. • Councillor Clements then referred to some of the positive outcomes as a result of the Participation Strategy, such as more engagement with members of the public through questions to Council and petitions, which was said to be beneficial. • The Chair agreed and stated that it was important to have that engagement with the public, and referred to the balance required in regards to social media. • Councillor Davies referred to engagement with young people and the debates held in the Chamber over the last few years for them to experience. She highlighted that the next meeting would be held on 5 December 2024, with the topic chosen via a forum with young people, which was said to be on emotional, mental health issues and wellbeing. She added that the Children’s Commissioner would also be in attendance, and that the previous sessions had been really successful. • Councillor Prior added that engagement with Town and Community Councils had improved through the Working Better Together series, and stated that the most successful thing that had been implemented was a network for Clerks, where they could share their expertise and knowledge with one another. He also agreed with the comments made regarding engagement, and hoped that his experience would assist with the process. • The Head of Democratic Services referred to the objectives on page 54 of the Agenda and asked the Committee to consider them in order to potentially include on the Forward Work Programme. • Councillor Clements questioned whether a survey had been conducted recently to capture newly elected Members’ views. In response, the Head of Democratic Services explained that a general survey was undertaken after the election on the Induction Programme, mainly focused on the mandatory training. She highlighted that in recent years a Working Group had been set up to plan for the next election, and suggested that the same be done again in preparation for the 2027 election. • Councillor Clements suggested that a survey be undertaken with newly elected Members in regards to their level of engagement with their communities, and referred to surgeries, newsletters and individual meetings. • The Chair agreed and stated that it would be a good time to undertake a survey, as Members newly elected in 2022 were now halfway through their term. • Councillor Clements then stated that there needed to be an evidence base to inform the Working Group. She then sought clarification as to how the questions for the survey would be decided. • The Chair then referred to the safety of Members when meeting residents, and suggested that there were various aspects to consider in regards to engagement with constituents. • The Head of Democratic Services stated that she would be happy to do a survey to determine what questions should be asked, and that she would bring that back to the Committee for approval. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (b) That a survey be considered at the next meeting in March 2025, to include the objectives of the Action Plan, as outlined in the report. • Councillor Maureen Bowen then highlighted the benefits of Hybrid meetings, but appreciated that it was beneficial to have face-to-face meetings as well. • Councillor Davies agreed that a survey would be helpful. She believed that surgeries should not necessarily be promoted, due to safety reasons, and highlighted alternative ways for Members to keep in contact with their constituents. The Chair agreed. • Councillor Bateman also agreed and suggested that the survey questions should relate to how Members engage with their local communities, and went on to describe various other ways to communicate with residents. • Councillor Clements stated that she referred to surgeries as an example, as the survey should provide information as to whether some Members may hold surgeries, why they do that or why they do not. She stated that this would be the same for other ways of communication, in order to provide insight into how all Members work, as well as provide an evidence base for the role of future Councillors. Councillor Di Clements Moved that the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan be noted and reconsidered in 12 months’ time; Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (c) That the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan be noted and reconsidered in 12 months’ time.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED (a) That the report be noted. (b) That all Members be recommended to complete a Personal Development Review and essential POD and Meta Compliance e-learning.
The Learning and Development Managerpresented the report and encouraged Members to renew their Pembrokeshire Online Development (POD) courses, as well as engage with the Personal Development Review (PDR) process, as current engagement was at 28% of Members. In considering the report, the following key points were made: • Councillor Di Clements referred to the number of completions in regards to POD courses and referenced that Group Leaders could encourage their Members to complete, but stated that it would be useful for the Chair of the Committee to also outline the position to all Members. • The Chair agreed and stated that conversations had taken place with the Learning and Development Manager to discuss the best way forward, and stated that they would discuss further. • Councillor Clements referred to similar courses at other organisations, and suggested that the potential duplication needed to be taken into account. • Councillor Pat Davies stated that despite Members being encouraged, it was up to the individual to complete, and was unsure what else could be done to encourage Members. • The Learning and Development Manager added that the uptake in PDR’s had increased since the publication of the report, and highlighted that the PDR’s informed the Team of different ways to support Members in regards to completing POD courses. Councillor Di Clements Moved the Recommendation; Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED (a) That the report be noted. (b) That all Members be recommended to complete a Personal Development Review and essential POD and Meta Compliance e-learning.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the updates provided be noted.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and referenced the action, and asked whether there was an update from Councillor Di Clements or Councillor Pat Davies. They confirmed that there were no updates. Councillor Di Clements Moved the Recommendation; Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the updates provided be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the report be noted.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that the Authority must ensure that all Members were able to make an Annual Report on their Council activities during the previous year. She explained that the guidance stated that the Annual Report was a means of promoting awareness of the Council's functions and the role of Elected Members, which she highlighted was a key part of the Authority’s Participation Strategy. She then corrected a typo in the report and stated that there were nine reports completed for 2023-2024, therefore consistent with the previous year, but still quite low. In considering the report, the following key point was made: • Councillor Di Clements wished to highlight that the Democratic Services Team provided the support and guidance in order to write an Annual Report, and stated that it was up to Members to complete. Councillor Di Clements Moved the Recommendation; Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the report be noted.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That a Working Group be established consisting of all Members of the Committee, to consider the following and report back to the Committee as required: (a) An audit of the framework by working through the suggested themes and questions to identify which areas are complete and those that require further work and report back to the Committee for further consideration. (b) A Survey of all Members be undertaken on their thoughts of the support received using the Framework questions as a basis. (c) Using the Framework as a tool for developing the induction programme for 2027.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that it was the final version of the Framework, and that it would provide assurance to Authorities that they had all possible support in place for their Councillors. She highlighted that it had been developed by the Welsh Local Government Association, Democratic Services Officers and Councillors, and recognises legislative requirements, statutory and other guidance, and the express needs of Councillors. She then referred to three broad areas that the framework was divided into, as outlined in the report. The Head of Democratic Services added that it was an ambitious piece of work and could be time consuming to map out what was currently done and what more would be needed, but stated that she was happy to undertake that work with colleagues and potentially the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Committee, and any other interested Members. She believed the Framework would be an important tool in developing the Authority’s Induction Programme for 2027, and suggested a Working Group be established in order to discuss the Framework in conjunction with the Induction Programme. In considering the report, the following key points were made: • The Chair believed it was a good idea to set up a Working Group, as it would be important moving forward. • Councillor Di Clements agreed with the idea of a Working Group and referred to the conclusions outlined in the report, and Moved all three; Seconded by Councillor Maureen Bowen. • The Head of Democratic Services asked whether any Members wished to be part of the Working Group, or whether all Committee Members would be involved. • Councillor Pat Davies suggested that all Committee Members be part of the Working Group. Members agreed. • Councillor Bowen questioned whether she would be able to join as a Reserve Member of the Committee. The Head of Democratic Services confirmed that Reserve Members could join the Working Group if needed. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That a Working Group be established consisting of all Members of the Committee, to consider the following and report back to the Committee as required: (a) An audit of the framework by working through the suggested themes and questions to identify which areas are complete and those that require further work and report back to the Committee for further consideration. (b) A Survey of all Members be undertaken on their thoughts of the support received using the Framework questions as a basis. (c) Using the Framework as a tool for developing the induction programme for 2027.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the contents of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ Draft Annual Report for 2025-26 be noted, and that a representation be made to the Panel to inform them of the financial implications on the Council Budget.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and stated that the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales had issued its draft report for 2025-2026 on 4 October 2024, which was circulated to all Members and Co-opted Members for their attention. She highlighted that the consultation would close on 29 November 2024, and that the Panel welcomed comments on the determinations and any other relevant areas it was thought the Panel should consider. She then outlined the determinations as listed in the report. The Head of Democratic Services then drew attention to payments for Co-opted Members and the hourly rate that had been introduced, and stated that guidance was previously promised but had not been received. She stated that the Panel had said they would look into the matter, in order to provide consistency across Wales. In considering the report, the following key points were made: • Councillor Di Clements suggested that a representation be made in regards to the outlined increase, and that it would cause issues in regards to the Council’s overall budget. She stated that all Authorities were in a difficult financial position currently, and the increase would only make matters worse, and believed that the Panel should be made aware of that factor. • Councillor Pat Davies sought clarification as to whether any Co-opted Members, who were also involved with other Authorities, had made any comments about the remuneration. In response, the Head of Democratic Services explained that the rates of payment were the same for all Authorities, but stated that the issue was how it was applied, due to the new hourly rate. She added that the Panel had afforded flexibility in regards to the hourly rate, for the relevant Officer to interpret, which was an issue as Authorities could interpret this aspect differently. She explained that currently she would apply the half day or full day rate for meetings, then the hourly rate for training and other non-public meetings. The Head of Democratic Services then reminded Members that she had given a commitment to bring a further report in 2025 to provide evidence in regards to the impact of those rates. She added that she had not had any feedback from Co-opted Members in regards to the application of the rates, other than the one referenced in the report. Councillor Di Clements Moved the Recommendation to include the following: That a representation be made to the Panel to inform them of the financial implications on the Council Budget. Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the contents of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales’ Draft Annual Report for 2025-26 be noted, and that a representation be made to the Panel to inform them of the financial implications on the Council Budget.
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the contents of the report be noted.
The Assistant Chief Executive presented the report and referred to research undertaken prior to Voter ID being a requirement, physical and digital leaflets that were sent out to provide all the necessary information, information on the Council website, the social media campaign, large posters on bin lorries to advertise, as well as a poster campaign with Town and Community Councils. He added that work was also undertaken with the supported employment team at Norman Industries for advice on dealing with people with various forms of learning difficulties. The Assistant Chief Executive also stated that training for staff had increased prior to the Election, and that some useful data had been recorded in regards to the Election day, which compared favorably with the rest of the UK, and stated that overall, Pembrokeshire did well as a whole. He referred to the impact of the implementation of presenting ID to vote, and stated that it was difficult to evidence whether that was the reason as to why there was a low number of voters. In considering the report, the following key points were made: • Councillor Pat Davies questioned whether there was any data in regards to the demographic of voters who were unable to vote. In response, the Assistant Chief Executive stated that the Authority did not have that information, but suggested that he would look into the analysis of the 2024 General Election to see if there was any information in regards to demographics. • Councillor Michelle Bateman wished to congratulate the Elections Team for their hard work and stated that the entire process was very professional. • Councillor Di Clements believed that, in time, the majority of people would bring their ID to every election to vote. She also suggested that due to the low number of voters being comparable across the UK, it was not necessarily due to the introduction of the ID requirement. • Councillor Maureen Bowen highlighted that some people in her ward did not engage with the Election and believed that if the process was made more complicated, it would deter those people further. • The Chair stated that the new requirement would take some time to embed, but agreed with Councillor Clements that people would start to take their ID to every Election regardless. Moved by Councillor Di Clements; Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the contents of the report be noted.
The Head of HR presented the report and stated that the DBS process had been reviewed following a Member request. She then outlined the current process and stated that the various renewal dates could be aligned. She highlighted that following the review, there was not going to be a significant financial saving, but there would be added efficiency in regards to administration. She then outlined the proposed changes as follows: · A Member not on a School Governing Body would be required to undertake a basic DBS check. · Members with representation on Social Care or Education Committees move from three year to five year renewal / check on re-appointment and align with term of office (five years). · Members who were School Governors - the renewal period to remain as four years in line with the Governing Body term of office. In considering the report, the following key points were made: • Councillor Di Clements sought clarification in regards to School Governors and whether they would move from a three year to five year renewal. The Head of HR confirmed that it would align with the Governing Body term of office. Councillor Clements asked whether the schools were content with that change. The Head of HR stated that the decision relating to DBS renewals sat with Council. Councillor Clements appreciated that the changes would not result in a huge financial saving, but stated that the improved efficiency was important in terms of streamlining the process. • The Chair wished to clarify that the changes would result in less DBS checks and renewals at various times. The Head of HR confirmed that to be the case and explained that it would result in a bulk approach. She highlighted that new Committee Members would need to be monitored, as those checks would not be in line with the majority, but overall it would be a more manageable approach. Moved by Councillor Di Clements; Seconded by Councillor Michelle Bateman. The vote, undertaken by way of roll-call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, Michelle Bateman, Di Clements, Pat Davies and Maureen Bowen [5] There were no votes against or abstentions. DECISION That Council be recommended to approve that Members with representation on Social Care or Education Committees move from a three year to a five year renewal (to align with term of office).
Decision as recorded
RESOLVED That the Democratic Services Committee Forward Work Programme be approved, including the following additions: · That the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan review be added to the November 2025 meeting. · That a draft survey of Participation Strategy be brought to the March 2025 meeting for approval, and the outcome be brought to the June 2025 meeting. · That a survey be undertaken in 2025 in relation to the Councillor Self-Assessment Framework. · That a review of the Petition Scheme be added to the March 2025 meeting.
The Head of Democratic Services presented the report and outlined the current items on the Forward Work Programme for the next two meetings. In considering the report, the following key points were made: • Councillor Di Clements referred to the survey of the Participation Strategy and suggested that it be discussed at the meeting in March, with the outcome of the survey being brought to the June meeting. • Councillor Pat Davies questioned whether the Participation Strategy was required to go to Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The Head of Democratic Services confirmed that it was going to the Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 12 November 2024. She added that it would go back to that Committee, and to the Democratic Services Committee, in November 2025. Moved by Councillor Michelle Bateman; Seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. The vote, undertaken by way of show of hands, was carried. RESOLVED That the Democratic Services Committee Forward Work Programme be approved, including the following additions: · That the revised Participation Strategy Action Plan review be added to the November 2025 meeting. · That a draft survey of Participation Strategy be brought to the March 2025 meeting for approval, and the outcome be brought to the June 2025 meeting. · That a survey be undertaken in 2025 in relation to the Councillor Self-Assessment Framework. · That a review of the Petition Scheme be added to the March 2025 meeting.
Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.
Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.
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