Agenda item

To submit the report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support.

That the Council instigates a process which could lead to the adoption of a Single Transferable Vote System for Cyngor Gwynedd elections.

Submitted - the report of the Cabinet Member for Corporate Support asking the Council to consider whether a process which could lead to the adoption of a Single Transferable Vote System for Cyngor Gwynedd elections should be commenced.

The Chief Executive and the Monitoring Officer provided a detailed explanation of some aspects of the act and the process.

The Cabinet Member proposed that a process should not be commenced which could lead to the adoption of a STV system for Cyngor Gwynedd elections. 

Members were given an opportunity to make observations and ask questions. 

Although a few members expressed some concerns about the size of wards under the STV system, several other members objected to the proposal on the basis:-

·         That the process needed to proceed for the Council to be able to make a meaningful decision on the way forward.

·         That a STV system exceeded the current electoral system as it was a more contributory, fair and logical system that gave more consideration to people's votes, meaning fewer wasted votes and easier for the voter to use.

·         Unlike most other contributory systems, that a STV system kept a close connection between elected members and their wards and gave more of the power to choose elected representatives in the hands of electors, and less so in the hands of political parties.

·         That one of the main weaknesses of the current system was that it was possible for members to be chosen as councillors unopposed, and the STV system abolished that.

·         That undertaking a consultation would not lead the Council down an irreversible path, but rather offer an opportunity to examine the whole matter and obtain the opinion of electors on it.

·         That the system needed to be revolutionised if our electors were to be empowered, to increase people's interest in democracy, better engage with our electors and have a fairer system, and this is exactly what STV offered.

The Leader presented closing remarks on behalf of the Cabinet Member who had had to leave the meeting early.  Although he supported the principle of having a new voting system for every election, he noted that the Welsh Labour Government's decision not to enforce the system on every council in Wales, as this would weaken the Labour Party's position, was unfair. On this basis, he was not supportive of moving forward with the matter at present.

Members voted on the proposal not to commence a process which could lead to the adoption of a STV system for Cyngor Gwynedd elections.  The proposal fell.

It was proposed and seconded ⁠that the Council commenced a process which could lead to the adoption of a STV system for Cyngor Gwynedd elections.  ⁠The proposer noted further:-

·         That adopting this proposal would be a positive and historic step towards being more democratic.

·         That a STV system removed the idea that there was no point in voting for a specific party and that every vote counted.

·         That the system increased the number of people who got the opportunity to earnestly voice an opinion and, in doing so, strengthen democracy.

·         That the Welsh Government did not have the backbone to say that this would be the system in Wales and that it feared that the people of Wales would wake up and choose an alternative system.

Another member noted that the first past the post system had led to two arrogant main parties in the UK and that there was an opportunity here to change this. This should be further examined as the current political system was broken and people did not bother to turn out to vote.

A vote was taken on the proposal and it carried.

As the proposal was carried, the Monitoring Officer explained therefore that the intention would be to submit a report to the Council meeting in March outlining the consultation process to proceed the matter to consideration or decision by the Council by means of an Extraordinary Council in due course.

RESOLVED that the Council commenced a process which could lead to the adoption of a Single Transferable Vote System for Cyngor Gwynedd elections.