Self-Assessment

The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 establishes a new legislative framework for local government elections, democracy, governance, and performance. The Act requires each council in Wales to keep under review, through self-assessment, the extent to which it is meeting the ‘performance requirements’, that is the extent to which:

• It is exercising its functions effectively
• It is using its resources economically, efficiently, and effectively
• Its governance is effective for securing the above 

The Act also places a duty to publish a report setting out the conclusions of their self-assessments once in respect of every financial year.

• WLGA Discussion Paper: Self-assessment: Perspectives and Principles (January 2022)
• WLGA Advisory Note: Developing and Embedding Self-Assessment Approaches (January 2022)
• Performance and governance of local authorities: statutory guidance | GOV.WALES

Panel Performance Assessments (PPA)

The Act places a duty on councils to arrange for a panel to undertake and respond to a corporate, organisational level assessment, of the extent to which the council is meeting its performance requirements.

Councils can commission the WLGA to coordinate and facilitate the PPA on their behalf.  The draft methodology is open for consultation until the end of May 2023, feedback and responses can be submitted to the WLGA Improvement Team:  WLGA.Improvement@wlga.gov.uk.

Revised Model Constitution

As part of the Improvement Programme, the model constitution was updated to be adapted locally.   

• Model Constitution

Public Engagement and Participation

Changes within the Act have reinforced the importance of the public voice in local democracy, to support robust and representative decision-making.  To support councils with their approach to consultation and engagement, the following resources have been updated and refreshed:

• The Law of Consultation
• The National Principles for Public Engagement
• Manual for Public Engagement
• Engagement and the Equality Duty: a Guide for Listed Public Authorities in Wales 

In addition, the Improvement Team are working with councils to develop innovative thinking and good practice around public engagement.

Risk Management

An Officer Risk Management Network was established during 2022-23, to provide a forum for risk practitioners to share intelligence, best practice, and learning.  The Improvement Team are working with the network to collate an overview of the risk landscape across local government in Wales.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

The WLGA supports an Equality Officer Network, to provide a forum for practitioners to share intelligence regarding emerging issues, good practice, and to receive updates on Welsh Government priorities and plans within this area. 

This forum supports Councils with their Public Sector Equality Duty, and implementation of a number of Welsh Government plans including:

• Anti-racist Wales Action Plan 

• LGBTQ+ Action Plan for Wales | GOV.WALES

Data and Intelligence

Data Cymru were commissioned via the Improvement Programme to work with councils to develop the Self-Assessment Performance data (SAPD) tool:

To access the SAPD data tool, follow the link below:

https://www.data.cymru/data/self-assessment-performance-data

And a series of Data Dashboards which can be accessed via the Data Cymru website: Home - Data Cymru

For further information about any of the support, please contact the WLGA Improvement Team:

WLGA.Improvement@wlga.gov.uk