Shaping the Future Governance of the Welsh Liberal Democrats
Have Your Say
The Welsh Liberal Democrats are launching a member-wide conversation about how our party should be organised and governed in the future.
No decisions have been made, and there is no preferred outcome.
This consultation is an opportunity for members to help shape how the party is structured, how decisions are made, and how volunteers and elected representatives work together to deliver our shared objectives.
We want to hear from as many members as possible about what works well today, what could work better, and what kind of organisation we want to build for the future.
Why Are We Having This Conversation?
The Welsh Liberal Democrats are a volunteer-led organisation.
Members, volunteers, elected representatives and staff all contribute to delivering the party's work, including:
- Campaigning and elections
- Policy development
- Member engagement
- Governance and oversight
- Financial management and compliance
- Communications and public affairs
- Candidate support and development
Like many smaller political parties, we face challenges in sustaining these activities.
Over recent years we have seen:
- Difficulties filling some committee and officer vacancies
- A small number of volunteers carrying significant workloads
- Overlap between some committees and responsibilities
- Questions about whether current structures support effective decision-making
- Ongoing tension between ensuring broad democratic participation and delivering work efficiently
These challenges are not unique to our party. Organisations across the political spectrum continually review how they organise themselves to ensure they remain effective, accountable and sustainable.
This consultation is an opportunity to consider whether our current structures remain the best way of achieving those aims.
What Are We Trying to Achieve?
Any future governance structure should help the party to:
- Remain democratic and accountable to members
- Make effective and timely decisions
- Support and develop volunteers
- Deliver campaigning and organisational priorities successfully
- Provide appropriate oversight and scrutiny
- Use limited volunteer time effectively
- Remain sustainable as the party grows and changes
Different people may place different emphasis on these objectives. Understanding those differences is an important part of this consultation.
What Is Being Considered?
At this stage, everything is open for discussion.
The consultation will explore questions such as:
- Which governance functions are most important to preserve?
- What aspects of the current structure work well?
- Where are the current arrangements creating difficulties?
- How should volunteers contribute to decision-making?
- How large should committees be?
- What should be elected by members and what should be delegated?
- How should accountability and scrutiny operate?
- How should the party balance democratic participation with organisational effectiveness?
The consultation is intended to identify principles and priorities before any detailed constitutional proposals are developed.
How the Consultation Will Work
Stage 1 – Listening and Evidence Gathering
June – July 2026
The first stage will focus on gathering views and experiences from across the party.
This will include:
- A member-wide survey
- Opportunities for written submissions
- Conversations with key stakeholders, including:
- Party staff
- Parliamentary staff
- Current and former Executive Officers
- Parliamentarians
- Other members with relevant experience
The aim is to understand how members view the current arrangements and what priorities should guide any future reforms.
Stage 2 – Discussion and Exploration
August – October 2026
Once the initial evidence has been gathered, we will hold a series of structured discussions.
These will include:
- Online discussion sessions
- A discussion session at Autumn Conference
- Further stakeholder engagement
Rather than focusing on constitutional wording, these sessions will explore practical scenarios and alternative approaches to governance.
The aim is to test different ideas and understand the advantages and disadvantages of different structures.
Stage 3 – Developing Proposals and Seeking Direction
Late 2026 – Spring 2027
The Conference and Constitutional Affairs Committee will review the evidence gathered during the consultation and publish:
- A summary of findings
- Areas of broad agreement
- Areas where views differ
- Possible options for reform
To help guide the next stage of work, the Committee intends to bring an exploratory motion to Spring Conference 2027. This motion will not make constitutional changes but will invite Conference to debate and indicate its preferred direction on key governance questions emerging from the consultation.
The outcome of that debate will help inform the development of any detailed constitutional proposals.
Following Spring Conference, the Committee may publish a preferred model and invite further feedback before drafting any formal constitutional amendments.
Stage 4 – Constitutional Amendment and Decision
Autumn Conference 2027
Following the consultation process, publication of findings, and debate at Spring Conference 2027, any proposed constitutional changes would be brought before Conference for consideration through the party's existing democratic processes.
As with any constitutional amendment, the final decision would rest with Conference.
What Happens to Your Feedback?
All responses will be considered by the Conference and Constitutional Affairs Committee.
The Committee will publish summaries of the evidence received and explain how feedback has informed any future proposals.
The purpose of this consultation is not to justify a predetermined outcome. It is to help members collectively determine what kind of governance arrangements will best support the Welsh Liberal Democrats in the years ahead.
Get Involved
The future shape of our party should be determined by the people who make it what it is.
Whether you have served on committees for many years or joined recently, your views are important.
We encourage every member to take part in the consultation and help shape the future governance of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.