First Plenary of the new National Assembly for Wales
10 May 2011
All 60 Members will meet for the first Plenary of the new National Assembly for Wales, which will take place tomorrow (11 May) at 15.00 in the Senedd.
On the agenda will be the election of a new Presiding Officer and Deputy Presiding Officer for the Assembly.
The former Presiding Officer chairs proceedings for the election of a successor, or the Clerk, should the former Presiding Officer wish to stand.
The procedure for electing the Presiding Officer and Deputy is identical. If there is more than one nomination for any post, a secret ballot will take place.
The Assembly will then decide to nominate a new First Minister of the Welsh Government.
If a Member is nominated as First Minister, the newly elected Presiding Officer will immediately recommend to Her Majesty the Queen that the Member nominated be appointed as First Minister.
The newly-elected Presiding Officer will decide the dates of future Plenary meetings until such time as a Business Committee can be established. This is a requirement of the National Assembly’s Standing Orders, the rules by which Assembly Business is conducted.
The first item of business though for the new Assembly will be tributes to former member Brynle Williams who died last month at the age of 62.
Brynle had represented the North Wales region at the Assembly since 2003.