National Assembly Committee seeks views on legislation to reform service improvement by local authorities and community planning
The first meeting of the Assembly’s Proposed Local Government Measure Committee was held on Tuesday 14 October, when Janice Gregory AM was elected Chair of the Committee. The other Members are Dai Lloyd AM, Nick Ramsay AM, Jenny Randerson AM and Joyce Watson AM].
The Committee has been established to consider and report on the general principles of the Welsh Assembly Government’s proposed Local Government (Wales) Measure. If passed, the Measure will reform the statutory basis for service improvement by local authorities (including county and county borough councils; national park authorities and fire and rescue service authorities) as well as change the community planning regime.
To help inform its work, the Committee will carry out a public consultation and take evidence from external stakeholders as well as the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government.
The Committee will be focusing its scrutiny of the legislation on the following:
i) the need for a proposed Measure to deliver its purposes of:
reforming the statutory basis for service improvement by local authorities; and
reforming community planning and strategies;
ii) whether the proposed Measure achieves its purposes;
(iii) the key provisions set out in the proposed Measure and whether they
are appropriate to deliver its purposes;
(iv) potential barriers to the implementation of the key provisions; and
(v) the views of stakeholders who will have to work with the new arrangements.
Janice Gregory AM, Committee Chair, said: “I am pleased to be chairing the new Proposed Local Government Measure Committee. The Assembly has, over the years, sought to improve the quality of life of people in Wales, and their experiences in their local communities.
“We want to be sure that local authorities are performing well, and working in the best interest of local people for today, tomorrow and the future. The legislation which the Committee is tasked with scrutinising aims to contribute to that process.
“It is the Committee’s job to ensure that the legislation is appropriate, fit for purpose, and will achieve its aims. In order to do this, we would like to encourage anyone with an interest in the proposed Measure to submit evidence to inform our work.”
Full details of the committee’s consultation can be found on the Assembly’s website at: http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-legislation/bus-leg-measures/business-legislation-measures-lg.htm.
Interested parties are invited to submit evidence to the Clerk of the Committee to arrive no later than Friday 28 November 2008. If possible, please supply an electronic version in MS Word or Rich Text format, by e-mail to Legislationoffice@wales.gsi.gov.uk. Alternatively, please send a hard copy to:
Gareth Williams
Committee Clerk
Legislation Office
4th Floor
National Assembly for Wales
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff
CF99 1NA
The National Assembly normally makes responses to public consultation available for public scrutiny and they may also be seen and discussed at Committee meetings.
If you do not want your response or name published it is important that you specify this at the end of your submission.
Additional Notes:
It is normal practice for the National Assembly to publish evidence provided to a committee. Consequently your response may appear in a report or in supplementary evidence to a report. The National Assembly will not publish information which it considers to be personal data.
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If you are providing any information, other than personal data, which you feel is not suitable for public disclosure, it is up to you to stipulate which parts should not be published, and to provide a reasoned argument to support this. The National Assembly will take this into account when publishing information or responding to requests for information.