“Improving Local Democracy In Wales” – Report of The Commission on Local Government Electoral Arrangements in Wales

In June of last year, I established the Commission on Local Government and Electoral Arrangements, with wide terms of reference and asked it to report within a year. Give or take a few days, the Commission succeeded in this task when it published its report on 3rd July.

Many of you will have seen their report and I am sure you will agree with me that it is a very detailed publication, in which it is clear that the Commissioners have made good use of their wide brief and have investigated, and made recommendations on, many aspects of the electoral process.

I would like to pay tribute to Professor Eric Sunderland and his fellow commissioners for their work. It is clear to me that they took their task very seriously and have been painstaking in their approach.

Some of their recommendations would require legislation in the UK Parliament, some would require Assembly legislation, others would simply require the Assembly or local government to produce advice or implement fresh practices. On a number of issues, there would be a role for the Electoral Commission.

It is my intention, however, not to single out any recommendations for attention at this stage. I intend to launch a very wide consultation exercise on all the recommendations over the summer and early autumn, including elected politicians, local government, political parties, the Electoral Commission, equality organisations, youth organisations, other relevant public bodies as well as the inviting the views of the general public.

Following the end of the consultation, I will place a report before the Local Government and Housing Committee in December, providing a summary of the views received for their consideration. We will then be able to consider the way forward early in the New Year.

I do not intend to give my views on any of the Commission’s recommendations today. We will all have plenty of time to do that over the months ahead. What is essential in this process is that we end up with proposals which increase interest in, and participation in, local government, so that it fulfils its proper place of importance in the perception of the voting public.