Group 12: Restructuring local authorities (Amendments 138, 139, 140, 39, 141, 71, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 73, 78)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 8:15 pm on 10 November 2020.

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Photo of Mark Isherwood Mark Isherwood Conservative 8:15, 10 November 2020

Diolch. Well this, once again, is seeking to drive forward the localism and community agenda, putting people first, so amendments 138, 139, 140 and 141 remove provisions from the Bill that allow Welsh Ministers to make regulations to restructure principal areas without receiving a request to do so. The purpose of this amendment is to prevent the mandation of council mergers against the wishes of those councils. I can't imagine what sort of political leadership would wish to do otherwise. Any restructuring of councils must be carried out with the full support and involvement of the councils in question in a fully transparent and democratic manner, otherwise it simply won't deliver. I therefore will be moving forward to recommend Members to support these amendments.