Concise Minutes - Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting Venue:

Committee Room 1 - Senedd

Meeting date: Wednesday, 11 December 2019

Meeting time: 09.00 - 12.26
This meeting can be viewed
on Senedd TV at:
http://senedd.tv/en/5757

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Attendance

Category	Names
Assembly Members:	John Griffiths AM (Chair) Dawn Bowden AM Huw Irranca-Davies AM Mark Isherwood AM Caroline Jones AM Leanne Wood AM
Witnesses:	Jessica Blair, Electoral Reform Society Cymru Huw Rees, Performance Audit Manager, Wales Audit Office Martin Peters, Wales Audit Office John Bader, Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales Greg Owens, Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner Heledd Morgan, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales
Committee Staff:	Catherine Hunt (Second Clerk) Yan Thomas (Deputy Clerk) Osian Bowyer (Researcher) Jennifer Cottle (Legal Adviser) Stephen Davies (Legal Adviser)

<AI1>

1 Introductions, apologies, substitutions and declarations of interest

1.1 The Chair welcomed Members and members of the public to the meeting.

</AI1>

<AI2>

2 Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: evidence session 2

2.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· John Bader, Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales

· Greg Owens, Vice Chair of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales

</AI2>

<AI3>

3 Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: evidence session 3

3.1 The Committee received evidence from:

Jess Blair, Director of Electoral Reform Society Cymru

</AI3>

<AI4>

4 Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: evidence session 4

4.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Huw Rees, Performance Audit Director, Wales Audit Office

· Martin Peters, Head of Law & Ethics, Wales Audit Office

4.2 Officials agreed to write to the Committee with their proposals for an alternative mechanism to the condition of using special inspection reports in the Section 128 restructuring regulations.

</AI4>

<AI5>

5 Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: evidence session 5

5.1 The Committee received evidence from:

· Sophie Howe, Future Generations Commissioner for Wales

· Heledd Morgan, Change Maker in the Office of the Future Generations Commissioner

</AI5>

<AI6>

6 Papers to note

</AI6>

<AI7>

6.1 Correspondence from the Llywydd regarding the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill timetable - 4 December 2019

6.1a the Committee noted the correspondence from the Llywydd regarding the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill timetable.

</AI7>

<AI8>

6.2 Correspondence to the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the recent scrutiny session on the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill - 5 December 2019

6.2a The Committee noted the correspondence to the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the recent scrutiny session on the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill.

</AI8>

<AI9>

6.3 Correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the consultation on changes to executive governance arrangements in principal councils - 5 December 2019

6.3a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the consultation on changes to executive governance arrangements in principal councils.

</AI9>

<AI10>

6.4 Correspondence from the Celestia Action Group regarding fire safety issues in the Celestia development - 5 December 2019

6.4a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Celestia Action Group regarding fire safety issues in the Celestia development.

</AI10>

<AI11>

6.5 Correspondence from the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the response to the Committee's report on benefits in Wales - 5 December

6.5a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government regarding the response to the Committee's report on benefits in Wales.

</AI11>

<AI12>

6.6 Correspondence from the Future Generations Commissioner regarding additional information following the meeting on 7 November - 6 December 2017

6.6a The Committee noted the correspondence from the Future Generations Commissioner regarding additional information following the meeting on 7 November.

</AI12>

<AI13>

7 Motion under Standing Order 17.42 (vi) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of the meeting

7.1 The Committee agreed the motion.

</AI13>

<AI14>

8 Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill: consideration of evidence

8.1 The Committee discussed the evidence received under items 2,3,4,and 5.

</AI14>

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