National Assembly Committee agrees general principles of the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Bill
22 March 2013
The National Assembly’s Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee has agreed the general principles of the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Bill.
The Bill has been proposed by the Welsh Government and intends to improve local democracy through the following provisions:
To reform the organisation and functions of the Local Government Boundary
Commission for Wales;
To amend the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 in relation to the responsibilities of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and the structure of local authority audit Committees;
It concerns public access to information concerning town and community councils;
It amends Part III of the Local Government Act 2000 to facilitate the creation by local authorities of joint standards committees;
It concerns the role of the Chairman or Mayor of principal councils; and,
Recasts and consolidates existing local government provisions in relation to the Boundary Commission and therefore progresses the development of a Welsh Statute Book.
In considering the Bill the Committee found that the majority of witnesses supported the need for the legislation.
The Committee has made a number of recommendations; this includes ensuring one of the Commissioners of the Local Government Boundary Commission is a Welsh speaker and recommending the Minister reconsider the terminology changes implemented by the Bill.
The Committee also recommends changes to the rules allowing a review of local authorities’ democratic services, and recommends that the publishing obligations for town and community councils is also applied to principal councils.
“This Bill proposes changes which are intended to make local authorities more representative of the people they serve,” said Ann Jones AM, Chair of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee.
“The majority of those who contributed to our examination of the Bill agreed that legislation in this area is necessary and the Committee has concurred with this view.
“We have recognised the concerns raised by some witnesses and hope the Committee’s recommendations are taken on board.”
The Bill will now be debated by the full Assembly and if the agreement of the general principles is given the Bill will proceed to Stage Two of the legislative process where it will be considered in further detail and Assembly Members will be able to submit proposed amendments for consideration.