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The Bill follows the findings of the Mathias Review of the Commission’s electoral review process, published in June 2011, and will reform the structure and functions of the Commission.  

Other provisions within the Bill include:

• amending the responsibilities of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales and the structure of local authority audit committees within the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011
• improving the public’s access to information about town and community Councils
• facilitating the creation of joint standards committees by local authorities
• enabling councils to separate the ceremonial and civic functions from the role of presiding over meetings of the council if they so wish.

Carl Sargeant said:

“This Bill represents a further step in the Welsh Government’s drive to ensure that our local democracy operates as efficiently as possible.”

“Much of the Bill has been derived from the recommendations of the Mathias Report on the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales, which was published in June of last year.  

“We need to ensure that councils in Wales are democratically elected and representative of their communities. Local authorities need to be organised in the most effective way, and have the necessary skills and knowledge to cope with changes in the way that services are being delivered to the public. I hope that the proposals in the Bill will achieve this.”

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