Consultation display

The Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee is undertaking an inquiry into the general principles of the Local Government (Wales) Bill.

The Minister for Public Services gave an introductory statement on the Bill in Plenary on 27 January. The record of proceedings can be accessed at:

http://www.assembly.wales/en/bus-home/pages/rop.aspx?meetingid=3103&assembly=4&c=Record of Proceedings#195827 

Terms of reference

The terms of reference for the Committee’s inquiry are:

To consider—

• the general principles of the Local Government (Wales) Bill and the need for legislation to:
• enable preparations to be made for a programme of local government mergers and reform;
• allow Principal Local Authorities to merge voluntarily by April 2018;
• amend provision in the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 relating to the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and the survey of councillors and unsuccessful candidates for election as councillors;
• amend provision in the Local Government (Democracy)(Wales) Act 2013 relating to electoral reviews.
• any potential barriers to the implementation of the Bill’s provisions and whether the Bill takes account of them,
• whether there are any unintended consequences arising from the Bill,
• the financial implications of the Bill (as set out in Part 2 of the Explanatory Memorandum,
• the appropriateness of the powers in the Bill for Welsh Ministers to make subordinate legislation (as set out in Chapter 5 of Part 1of the Explanatory Memorandum).

Invitation to contribute to the inquiry

The Committee would like to invite you to submit written evidence to assist in its consideration of the Bill. It would be helpful if you could use the above terms of reference to frame your response. If you are responding on behalf of an organisation, please provide a brief description of the role of your organisation.

The Committee welcomes contributions in English or Welsh and we ask organisations with Welsh Language policies/schemes to provide bilingual submissions, in line with their public information policies. The Committee will consider responses to the inquiry and hold oral evidence sessions during the spring term.

Disclosure of Information

You can find details about how we will use your information at www.assemblywales.org/help/privacy/help-inquiry-privacy.htm. Please ensure that you have considered these details carefully before submitting information to the Committee.