With Pembrokeshire County Council undergoing ‘transformation’ councillors - including those with long-standing seats - are being urged to take up training offered.

Ongoing training and development is organised for councillors and there is also a proposal to carry out ‘personal development review’ in future to identify individual needs.

It aims to “improve member performance” the democratic service committee was told on July 3 but a similar review in 2015 saw only six members take part.

Learning and development champion Clr. Michelle Bateman said she saw the plan as a “positive way forward.”

“The culture is changing, it’s a transformation stream, and that has to include us as well. We have to be willing to grow and develop to ensure we are as effective as we can be,” she added.

Clr. Bateman also echoed comments made by Clr. Di Clements that without “asking the right questions” the scrutiny process does not work.

“Even for experienced councillors things are changing, we’ve got the Swansea Bay City Deal, more regional working, local government itself is changing, it’s a really good time to look at our development in these areas.

“For us newer councillors its basic things we need to learn but for more experienced councillors there’s also new elements,” added Clr. Bateman.

Clr. Clements said she had been “disappointed” by the low turnout of experienced councillors at a recent seminar on cultural change which she said they would “most certainly benefited from.”

It was agreed that seminars and workshops be promoted more, as well as access to online resources if unable to attend, in future.

“We are going through quite a lot of change, I think they do need a gentle reminder or perhaps a bit more of a stick, dare I say it, to encourage them,” added Clr. Clements.