Welsh Assembly approves Bill with local government reforms

The National Assembly for Wales has approved a Bill containing a range of reforms to local government, including facilitating the creation of joint standards committees by local authorities.

The Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Bill, which will be enacted after it has received Royal Assent and been sealed, is also intended to:

• reform the structure and functions of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales;
• amend the responsibilities of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and the structure of local authority audit committees within the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011;
• improve the public’s access to information about town and community councils; and
• enable councils to separate the ceremonial and civic functions from the role of presiding over meetings of the council if they so wish.

Local Government Minister Lesley Griffiths said: “I am very pleased we have reached the final stage of the Local Government Democracy Bill, which has been subject to robust scrutiny by the Assembly.

“The Bill now provides a platform for the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales, soon to be renamed the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, to carry out its important work in ensuring democratic balance in local government and introduces reforms which I believe will assist and strengthen democratic processes in relation to local government.”

Griffiths added: “These reforms form an essential part of ensuring our councils are democratically elected, representative of their communities and organised in the most effective way.”