Boosting Diversity in Local Government

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government – in the Senedd at 2:19 pm on 27 March 2019.

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Photo of Janet Finch-Saunders Janet Finch-Saunders Conservative 2:19, 27 March 2019

A really good question, and it is essential that accepting and promoting diversity is at the heart of local government in Wales. However, there is a major deterrent to this, and I do believe that our First Minister in his post as local government Cabinet Secretary tried addressing it: the fact that people who work for local authorities cannot stand to become county councillors. So, we have constituents who are teachers, school cooks, swimming instructors—there are many, many roles now within a local authority that preclude them from actually standing for our local authority. And to do so would mean them resigning from their work, you know—. [Interruption.]