Written - The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 – Consultation on statutory guidance on Part 1 and Part 2 of the Measure

Members will be aware that the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009 was passed by the National Assembly for Wales at stage 4 on 28 April and received Royal Assent on 10 June 2009. This major piece of legislation, that I introduced in September last year, radically overhauls the law on local government service improvement and strategic planning, and has been widely welcomed in the Welsh local government community. I intend that the Measure should come into force over the next 18 months, to coincide with local authorities’ business planning and reporting cycles.

Section 48 of the Measure contains provisions for the Welsh Ministers to issue statutory guidance on certain sections of the Measure. This section also allows Welsh Ministers to issue different guidance to different bodies included in the Measure thus allowing flexibility. I will, today, be issuing a twelve week consultation on guidance in two sections.

The first section is on statutory guidance on part 1 of the Measure. This part fundamentally amends the improvement regime that Welsh local authorities and National Park authorities (all of whom are now designated a Welsh improvement authorities) will be subject from 1 April 2010.

The second section is on statutory guidance on part 2 of the Measure. This part covers the community planning process and community strategy that statutory community planning partners will be subject to from January 2010. The statutory community planning partners are Welsh local authorities, National Park authorities, town and community councils, fire and rescue authorities, local health boards, policy authorities and the chief constable of police forces.

The consultation will be available on the consultations section of the Welsh Assembly Government’s website, and will be sent out in hard-copy to all town and community councils in Wales.