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Local government reform has been discussed on and off in Wales for the best part of the decade. Like many things in Wales, when reform does arrive, it does so as a bit of a damp squib.
The Local Government & Elections Bill makes modest changes to the governance arrangements of local authorities and town & community councils. It also brings local government electoral arrangements in line with the Senedd & Elections Act 2020 – meaning 16-and-17-year-olds will be able to vote in the next scheduled local government elections in May 2022.
Despite attempts to introduce single transferable vote to all local authorities at last week’s Stage 3 proceedings, individual local authorities will retain the ability to choose whether to switch to STV or not. – described by Delyth Jewell MS (Plaid, South Wales East) as a missed opportunity.
Given that such a change would require a two-thirds majority vote in favour in each council, it’s unlikely many councils will make that switch.
Shadow Communities Minister, Mark Isherwood MS (Con, North Wales), said the Welsh Government’s power to create regional corporate joint committees would undermine the regional arrangements which were already in place. Given the number of recommendations and amendments which were dismissed, he called for members to reject the Bill.
