Member in charge: Carl Sargeant AM - Minister for Social Justice and Local Government
Date of introduction: 12 July 2010
Date of Royal Approval: 10 May 2011
This Measure aims to strengthen the structures and working of local government in Wales to ensure that local councils reach out to engage with all sectors of the communities they serve.
The Welsh Government’s main objectives in implementing the Measure is to:
- Broaden and increase participation in local government by permitting steps which will help remove barriers and disincentives to standing for election to local councils;
- Enable the review and improvement of the governance structures introduced through the Local Government Act 2000 so that they better suit the circumstances of local government in Wales;
- Enhance the role of non-executive (“backbench”) local authority councillors in the scrutiny of local services;
- Develop and strengthen the role of community councils in Wales, including enabling them to deliver a wider range of services and actions locally as well as to increase the effectiveness of their representational role and their ability to work in partnership with other bodies;
- Reform the system for setting allowances for councillors; and
- Allow the Welsh Ministers to issue statutory guidance on collaboration between local authorities, and between them and other bodies.
- The Measure also gives powers to the Welsh Ministers to establish new local authorities by amalgamating two or three existing authorities. This power can only be used however if Welsh Ministers are satisfied that effective local government is not likely to be achieved in one of the local authorities concerned, by the use of its powers to secure continuous improvement and, in some cases, collaboration, between local authorities.
Measure as Introduced - 12 July 2010
Explanatory Memorandum at Introduction
On 6 July 2010, the Business Committee agreed, in accordance with standing orders, to refer the proposed Measure to Legislation Committee No. 3, to consider and report on the general principles.
Stage 1 consideration by the Legislation Committee No. 3
Stage 1 report on the proposed Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 - 16 December 2010
Stage 2 Consideration by the Legislation Committee No. 3
Stage 3 & Stage 4 Consideration was in Plenary on 15 March 2011
Measure as enacted (legislation.gov.uk)
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