Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors R A Clay, D J Lewis and G Owens.

In accordance with the Code of Conduct adopted by the City & County of Swansea, no interests were declared.

To approve and sign as a correct record the Minutes of the Democratic Services Committee held on 16 June 2015.

RESOLVED that the minutes of the Democratic Services Committee held on 16 June 2015 be approved and signed as a correct record.

The Chair of the Democratic Services Committee welcomed the members of the Scrutiny Programme Committee to the meeting.

The Chair outlined the work of the Democratic Services Committee for the period 8 May 2014 to 18 May 2015 and emphasised a number of elements within the report.  On behalf of the Committee he expressed his concern in relation to the number of attendees at Councillor training events and outlined that the next Councillor Training Programme would recommend steps to remedy this.

The Chair stated that to date, there was a decrease in the number of Annual Reports received.  He stated that the Head of Democratic Services would be responding to the Public Services Minister on 14 October 2015 outlining the actual number of Annual Reports submitted for the period 2014-2015.  Councillors were reminded to submit them to the Head of Democratic Services by 12 October 2015 at the latest.

The Chair also indicated that a question had been raised at a recent Corporate Parenting Forum regarding where Councillors Training records could be accessed.  The Head of Democratic Services informed the Committee that all Councillor attendance at training sessions could be found on the Council website www.swansea.gov.uk/councillors.

The Head of Democratic Services indicated that he would forward the link to all Councillors in order to assist them.

The Chair stated that he and the Head of Democratic Services were scheduled to meet with the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales (IRPW) on 19 October 2015 as part of the consultation on the recently published IRPW Draft Annual Report 2016.  The Head of Democratic Services stated that he would be compiling a report to Council shortly for it to consider the implication of the IRPW Draft Annual Report 2016.

RESOLVED that the Democratic Services Annual Report 2014-2015 be approved and forwarded to Council for information.

The Chair of the Scrutiny Programme Committee and Scrutiny Manager outlined the Scrutiny Annual Report 2014-2015.  They stated that the report had previously been reported to Council.

RESOLVED that the Scrutiny Annual Report 2014-2015 be noted.

RESOLVED that the Workplan for 2015-2016 be noted.

The next meeting of the Democratic Services Committee is scheduled for 5.00 pm on 15 December 2015.