Agenda item

To update the Committee on the progress of the Work Programme

DECISION:

To accept the report

The Head of Legal Services (Monitoring Officer) presented an update on the plan for the implementation of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. Members were reminded that there were a number of actions deriving from the provisions of the Act that came into force in 2022 following Royal Assent. It was noted that the Act had been included within the Council's Corporate Risk Register, with the Governance and Audit Committee keeping an overview and assurance in relation to the required actions to implement the provisions.

It was highlighted that the main elements of the Act had been adopted and were now operational, and that the Participation Strategy and Petitions Scheme had been adopted and had been placed on the Council's website. It was reiterated that the work on preparing guidance on the draft Constitution was being completed, and that a consultation period would be held prior to publishing a final version.

Reference was made to the fact that the Act provided an option to adopt a single transferable vote system for the elections of the Principal Councils, and a briefing paper had been provided to Group Leaders on this issue.  It was noted that there was an intention to hold a workshop for all members in June 2023 to discuss a number of matters that were developing across the field of elections and voting, that would include this element. Following this, a report would be submitted on the voting arrangements to the Full Council during the Autumn to discuss the options and seek guidance on whether there was a desire to initiate a process to consider adopting alternative arrangements.

The final element of the work would be to complete the work of updating and amending the Constitution (although some necessary updates had already been adopted and published). It was explained that some technical matters needed to be completed (such as matters in relation to the Corporate Joint Committee) and an opportunity to review and update the contents of the Constitution in general.  The work was intended to be completed finally by the Autumn with reports being submitted to the Committee for guidance on specific elements.

The officer was thanked for the report.

In response to a question regarding the appointment of a 'panel' (of residents and stakeholders) for assessing the Council's performance that would meet once a term to review the Council's work, it was noted that the provision was operational. It was reiterated that the Governance and Audit Committee held the central role to receive performance reports, and the panel's feedback was expected to contribute to the Council's performance system for the Committee's consideration prior to submission to the Cabinet.

In response to an observation regarding the preparation of guidance to the Constitution, if it was to be an 'explanatory document', the Monitoring Officer noted that the Constitution was an operational document of approximately 300 pages, and that the document would be a summary containing the main aspects of the Constitution written in a way that was less technical in nature, which explained the Council's arrangements and some governance and executive elements.

In response to an observation regarding encouraging participation, and to what extent this would run in parallel with Democracy arrangements, the Monitoring Officer noted that the Welsh Government's objective was to link the relevance of local government to the community - so that interested parties were able to contribute. He reiterated that the process needed to be strengthened, but there was a well-established procedure to evaluate the input.

In response to a question regarding who would make the decision to adopt the STV system and whether there was scope for two systems, it was noted that the Act only offered one option, and that there was no duty to review the existing system. However, it was emphasised that it would be important to hold the discussion about the option, whether or not it was a matter for Gwynedd.

RESOLVED

To accept the report and the progress of the work programme