The WLGA has welcomed Social Justice and Local Government Minister Carl Sargeant AM’s decision to postpone the implementation of the electoral review process in Wales.
There has been growing concern in local government about the consistency of the initial reviews’ conclusions, the size and artificial nature of some of the proposed new communities and the resultant impact on the relationship between councillors and local communities.
Cllr John Davies, WLGA Leader (Pembrokeshire) said:
“The WLGA welcomes the Minister’s decision to postpone any implementation of the electoral reviews until after the 2012 elections. Given ongoing concerns and delays, it was increasingly unlikely that the reviews could be completed satisfactorily in all 22 authorities in time for the 2012 elections.
There has been mounting concern across Welsh local government and within many communities about some of the proposals emerging from the Boundary Commission’s electoral reviews. The first tranche of reports have seen a number of new artificial communities proposed, merging or replacing existing communities which have geographical or historical identities developed over generations.
Some of the proposed new communities were so large it would have undermined the fundamental relationship between locally elected councillors and their communities. The closeness of local councillors to their communities is a key characteristic of local democracy and has perhaps even more salience given current proposals to review Parliamentary boundaries and reduce the numbers of MPs in Wales.
We therefore welcome the Minister’s announcement which will allow us to take stock, and ensure that all authorities and communities can move forward together, at the same time.”
