Written - Local Government (Wales) Measure

The proposed Local Government (Wales) Measure has been laid today.

The proposed Measure will make changes intended to strengthen the structures and working of local government in Wales at all levels and to ensure that local councils reach out to and engage with all sectors of the communities they serve.

The proposed Measure makes provision to:

1. broaden and increase participation in local government by introducing  steps which will help remove barriers and disincentives to standing for election to local councils (Parts 1 -2 of the proposed Measure);
2. reform some of the governance arrangements available to principal councils so that they better suit the circumstances of local government in Wales (Parts 3 -4);
3. make the role of local authority overview and scrutiny committees more effective (Parts 5 - 6);
4. develop and strengthen the role of community councils in Wales, including enabling them to deliver a wider range of services and actions locally as well as to increase the effectiveness of their representational role and their ability to work in partnership with other bodies (Part 7);
5. reform the system for setting allowances for councillors (Part 8);
6. allow the Welsh Ministers to issue statutory guidance on collaboration between local authorities, and between them and other bodies (Part 9).

I shall be making a legislative statement in plenary tomorrow to introduce the proposed Measure.