Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill

A Welsh Government Bill, introduced by Julie James MS, Minister for Housing and Local Government. The Business Committee has remitted the Bill to the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee.

About the Bill

The Bill includes provisions for:

Reforming electoral arrangements for local government, including:

extending the voting franchise to 16 and 17 year olds and foreign citizens legally resident in Wales,
changes to voter registration, and
enabling a principal council to choose between the ‘first past the post’ or the ‘single transferable vote’ voting systems;

A general power of competence for principal councils and eligible community councils;
Reforming public participation in local democracy;
The leadership of principal councils, including to encourage greater diversity amongst executive members and establishing a statutory position of chief executive;
The development of a framework and powers to facilitate more consistent and coherent regional working mechanisms;
A new system for performance and governance based on self-assessment and peer review, including the consolidation of the Welsh Ministers’ support and intervention powers;
Powers to facilitate voluntary mergers of principal councils and restructuring a principal area;
Local government finance including non-domestic rating and council tax;
Miscellaneous provisions relating to:

information sharing between regulators,
abolition of community polls,
fire and rescue authorities,
the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, and
Public Service Boards.

Further detail about the Bill can be found in its accompanying Explanatory Memorandum (PDF, 4MB).

Current Stage

The Bill is currently at Stage 1. An explanation of the various stages of Assembly Bills is available in the Guide to the Stages of Public Bills and Acts.

Record of Passage in the Senedd

The following table sets out the dates for each stage of the Bill’s passage through the Senedd.

Stage

Documents

Bill introduced: 18 November 2019

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill (PDF, 818KB), as introduced

Explanatory Memorandum (PDF, 4MB)

Presiding Officer’s Statement (PDF, 78KB): 18 November 2019

Written Statement: Statement by the Minister for Housing and Local Government on the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill (PDF, 130KB) – 18 November 2019

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill – Statement of Policy Intent (PDF, 452KB)

Business Committee’s Report on the timetable for consideration of the Bill: 26 November 2019 (PDF, 49KB)

Revised timetable for consideration of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill – 20 May 2020 (PDF, 59KB)

Stage 1: Committee considerations of general principles

Public consultation - The consultation closed on 3 January 2020, the responses have been published. In addition to the consultation, the Committee also launched a survey on Part 3 of the Bill. Analysis of the survey has been published.

Committee dates

The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
21 November 2019	Consideration of Approach to Stage 1 Scrutiny (Private)
27 November 2019	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting
11 December 2019	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting
9 January 2020	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting
15 January 2020	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting
23 January 2020	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting
29 January 2020	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting

The Legislation, Justice Constitution Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
3 February 2020	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting

The Finance Committee considered the Bill on the following dates:

Date and Agenda	Purpose of meeting	Transcript	Senedd.TV
29 January 2020	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting
6 February 2020	Oral evidence session	Transcript	View meeting

Committee Stage 1 Reports

The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee laid its report (PDF, 2MB) on the Bill on Friday 13 March 2020. The Welsh Government responded to the report (PDF, 416KB) on 23 March 2020.

The Finance Committee laid its report (PDF, 1MB) on the financial implications of the Bill on Friday 13 March 2020. The Welsh Government responded to the report (PDF, 277KB) on 23 March 2020.

The Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee laid its report (PDF, 1MB) on the Bill on Friday 13 March 2020. The Welsh Government responded to the report (PDF, 380KB) on 23 March 2020.

Stage 1: Debate in Plenary on general principles

The motion to agree the general principles of the Bill was agreed in Plenary on 8 April 2020.

Financial Resolution

A Financial Resolution in relation to the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill was agreed in Plenary on 8 April 2020.

Further information about financial resolutions is available in section 3 of the Guide to the scrutiny stages for Public Bills.

Stage 2: Committee consideration of amendments

Stage 2 began on 9 April 2020.

The Minister for Housing and Local Government wrote to the Committee on 23 April 2020. Subsequently, the Business Committee decided to temporarily suspend Stage 2 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Further correspondence was sent from the Minister on 12 May 2020.

On 18 May 2020, the Business Committee agreed to (PDF, 59KB) extend the deadline for Stage 2 proceedings to 9 October 2020, due to the current Covid-19 emergency.

Stage 3: Plenary consideration of amendments

This Stage has not yet been reached.

Stage 4: Passing of the Bill in Plenary

This Stage has not yet been reached.

Post-stage 4

This Stage has not yet been reached.

Contact information

Clerk: Catherine Hunt

Phone:0300 200 6565

Postal address:

Welsh Parliament

Cardiff Bay