A Local Authority is a complex ecosystem of citizens, communities, laws, services, employees, assets and much more. Fundamentally, it is about finding a way to connect the needs, wants and desires of all of the people who live and work in a place with the sizeable financial and legal architecture of an organisation that does everything from cooking meals in schools to building them, filling pot holes, caring for those that need it, lighting streets, caring for our environment, supporting people to stay healthy by maintaining footpaths to swimming pools and so much more. The link between our County’s people and the Council lies in our democratically elected Councillors and the organisation’s openness and avenues for involvement. More than a strategy, this is a portal that seeks to set out some of the key interfaces and ways that every citizen affected by what the Council does has the ability to shape and influence their community and County to work together for a fairer, greener, more successful County.
▼ What does the council do?
| A Council has hundreds of laws that either tell it that it has to do something (eg provide an education for children) or gives it a power to do something (eg prohibit the drinking of alcohol in a certain location). You can use our website to see who your representatives are and the range of services that are provided or follow our social media channels to see the latest examples of work being done. (click on the social media buttons at the bottom of the page) You can also see our constitution (or the simpler guide) that sets out how all of those powers and duties are delegated to different bodies or people and the rules that set out how we must act. |
▼ How do I find out what decisions the Council is making?
| Every decision taken by a Councillor or Committee can be seen via our website where minutes and recordings of meetings are available (Meeting Calendar) Before the meeting where that decision is taken the agenda will be despatched a week before with all the relevant documents. For some matters, a scrutiny committee will discuss the matter a few weeks before the meeting that makes the decision. You can also attend those meetings or watch it live via our YouTube Channel. Decisions are made in different places. Big strategic matters like the annual budget and community and corporate plan are dealt with by the full Council of 46 Members. Matters that fall within the policy framework and budget set by the Council may fall to the Executive – the Cabinet chosen by the Leader of the Council who, in turn, is elected at the AGM every year. There are also important committees such as Planning and licensing who can make decisions about individual matters – an extension, a taxi license etc. |
▼ How can I become a Councillor?
| The first question you need to consider is ‘what kind of Councillor?’ You can find out more in our How to become a Cllr document In Wales there are 3 tiers to government and council. Government Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament Welsh Government Town & Community Council Town & Community Council webpages Constituency Parties Monmouthshire Conservative Party Monmouthshire Labour Party Gwent Green Party Plaid Cymru Elections for each tier are held every 5 years – County and Community take place on the same day. |
▼ How do I make my views known to the Council and influence Decisions?
| You may wish to speak to your local representative to express your views or see if they will speak on your behalf, or you can get involved directly. That could include attending a meeting to ask a question or you might want to organise a petition. The first 4 sections of the Constitution, pages 1-21, set out the various ways you can get involved and how the Council operates. |
Scrutiny Guidance
Current E-Petitions
E-Petitions Guidance
▼ What is Scrutiny?
| Scrutiny Committees are a cross-party group of councillors who are not part of the Cabinet, because it is their role to hold the Cabinet to account. Scrutiny Committees have no decision-making powers, but they can shape decisions and council policy and have become a highly effective vehicle through which the public can help shape the direction of the council. There are four committees called People, Place, Public Services and Performance and Overview and they provide a ‘check and balance’ to the Cabinet to ensure the council makes the right decisions and adopts the right policies for the people of Monmouthshire. Scrutiny Committees are always keen to hear the public voice on issues they debate. Via the public open forum part of the agenda, The public can attend any scrutiny committee meeting in person, or send a video or audio recording or send views in writing in advance of meetings. Please see the guidance for attending a Public Open Forum at a Scrutiny Committee. Scrutiny Committees also can table petitions to their meetings. Please see the guidance that explains what happens to a petition that has been received by a Scrutiny Committee. |
▼ What Else?
| We have a legal duty to set out the answers to the questions above. But they are just the tip of the iceberg… …when we did an internal review of how people participate we discovered hundreds of ways of interacting that shouldn’t be ignored. Every service user interacts with our members of staff and can ask questions of them and raise issues or suggestions. We have the website, the app, our social media channels where we can deal with matters that you are raising and through which you can influence the thousands of discrete, day-to-day decisions that the departments across the Council must make. We also host specific events using a variety of means when an issue can benefit from it. Check out the budget engagement (link), the LDP process (link), and events like Usk Show. |
▼ What next?
| Public participation is not static entity. What you have above is a portal to the myriad ways in which you can involve yourself in the decisions that Monmouthshire County Council takes. The next step will bring us to you. We will spend time understanding how it might be possible to bring decision making to the communities that are affected and co-produce a different approach to public participation. |