Presiding Officer accepts resignation of Ieuan Wyn Jones
20 June 2013
The National Assembly for Wales’s Presiding Officer, Rosemary Butler AM, has paid tribute to former Plaid Cymru Leader Ieuan Wyn Jones, following his resignation.
The Presiding Officer accepted Mr Jones’s resignation, with immediate effect, earlier today (20 June).
“Ieuan Wyn Jones will be a greatloss to the National Assembly for Wales, having made so many thoughtful and passionate contributions in the Chamber over the past fourteen years,” the Presiding Officer said.
“He led his party with great dignity and authority, as well as diligently representing his constituents from Ynys Môn.
“He will be sorely missed,but on behalf of all Assembly Members I would like to thank him for his contribution and wish him well in his new career.”
Mr Jones’s resignation means there is now a vacant Assembly constituency seat in Ynys Môn.
The Government of Wales Act 2006 dictates that once a constituency seat becomes vacant the Presiding Officer must fix the date for the election and that the date must fall within the period of three months of the seat becoming vacant.
The exception to this is if the latest date the by- election could be held is within three months of an ordinary Assembly election, in which case the seat is kept vacant.
Once a date is chosen, the Presiding Officer must write to the Returning Officer informing them of her decision.
Once the Returning Officer has been notified of the date, the following timetable should be followed:
Publication of notice of election not later than noon on the twenty-fifth day before polling day;
Delivery of nomination papers before the nineteenth day prior to polling day;
Delivery of notices of withdrawal of candidature not later than noon on the seventeenth day before polling day;
Publication of statement of persons nominated, not later than noon on the sixteenth day before polling day;
Polling takes place between the hours of 7 in the morning and 10 at night on the day of election.
In computing any period of time for the purposes of the timetable certain days such as weekends and bank holidays are disregarded.
By-elections may be held during recess.
For further details see attached briefing note.