A council member has instructed fellow representatives to voice their concerns through official channels rather than simply complaining, specifically regarding the assistance they receive from the council.

A yearly contentment questionnaire is currently being prepared to assess how elected members view the work of the democratic services department responsible for assisting them in their official duties.

When the proposed questionnaire was outlined to Torfaen Borough Council’s democratic services committee, worries were expressed about the proposed layout, technological assistance for councillors, and insufficient confidentiality in the members’ lounge.

Recently appointed head of democratic services Tom Roberts and scrutiny officer Rebecca Fahey-Jones both encouraged councillors to respond to the questionnaire once distributed and to flag any problems they were experiencing.

Independent representative for Cwmbran Two Locks Ron Burnett supported this stance, stating that without completing the form, how would the council identify existing problems. He expressed that those who fail to provide input should not grumble about outcomes, drawing a parallel to electoral participation.

Committee chair Steve Evans reported difficulties with technological equipment and backing from the SRS, describing an unresolved computer problem spanning several months.

The Upper Cwmbran Labour representative also noted the challenge of conducting confidential discussions in the members’ area at the Civic Centre in Pontypool, mentioning that individuals frequently enter and register, and one must be cautious about sensitive conversations potentially being overheard.

Roberts noted that a confidential area exists for private discussions and that the SRS organizes informal sessions for representatives before council gatherings.

However, he pressed Evans to submit the questionnaire and motivate fellow members to do the same, particularly after Evans questioned whether sufficient numbers among the 40 councillors would participate and whether results would accurately represent member views.

Roberts acknowledged that participation levels had been a persistent issue and expressed hope that the chair could assist in generating greater response rates.

Labour representative Stuart Ashley, who was compelled to join proceedings remotely using personal equipment after encountering difficulties with his council-provided laptop, indicated a preference for more preset answer options rather than open response sections where members would need to formulate their own comments.

The Pontnewydd member acknowledged being somewhat infamous for avoiding such questionnaires but suggested that structured multiple choice options might improve engagement. He clarified he was not offering criticism.

Fahey-Jones explained that text fields were intentionally included to allow representatives to articulate their specific concerns, noting that exclusive use of predefined options would restrict the scope of feedback and potentially reflect staff assumptions rather than member priorities.

The committee approved sending the questionnaire to all councillors.