Item 10 on the agenda is the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2021. I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to move the motion, Julie James.

Motion NDM7615 Rebecca Evans

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5:

1. Approves that the draft The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2021 are made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 9 February 2021.

Motion moved.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the motion. Following the consideration and passing of Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 by the Senedd last year, I am now seeking to make the necessary provisions so as to implement some of the reforms provided by the Act. The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 has strengthening and empowering local government at its core. The new performance and governance regime set out in Part 6 of the Act is a fundamental component of this, firmly defining principal councils as self-improving organisations through a system based on self-assessment and panel performance assessment. This new performance and governance regime is intended to build on and support a culture in which councils continuously challenge the status quo, ask questions about how they are operating and consider best practice in Wales and from elsewhere. It's my intention that the new regime applies in part from 1 April this year, with the remaining provisions coming into force at the 2022 local government elections. The consequential amendments regulations before you today will ensure that existing primary and secondary legislation accurately reflects the legislative changes resulting from the new regime, and I ask Members to approve these regulations today. Diolch.

Thank you. I call on the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee, Mick Antoniw.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Like the previous regulations debated this afternoon, we also considered these regulations on 1 March and our report contains two merits points.

The regulations amend the Local Government Act 1999 to, amongst other things, permit grants to be made by the Welsh Ministers to the Wales Audit Office in respect of expenditure incurred or to be incurred by the Auditor General for Wales under chapter 3 of Part 6 of the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. Our first merits point highlighted that chapter 3 of Part 6 of the 2021 Act is not yet in force. As such, our report asked the Welsh Government to confirm when and how the provisions in this chapter of the 2021 Act would be brought into force.

Moving on to our second merits point, the explanatory memorandum to the regulations refers to the 2021 Order, which is to bring into force chapter 1 of Part 6 of the 2021 Act and section 169 of the 2021 Act. Our second reporting point noted that, at the time of writing the report, the 2021 Order had not yet been made, and we invited the Welsh Government to confirm when this is expected to occur.

At our meeting yesterday we considered a Government response, together with a letter from the Minister, which provides an overview of the steps the Welsh Government intends to take to support the implementation of the 2021 Act. In response to our two reporting points, the Welsh Government states that chapter 3 of Part 6 of the 2021 Act is intended to be commenced at the same time as chapter 1, on 1 April 2021. It has also confirmed that the commencement Order bringing these provisions into force is intended to be made in March at the same time as these regulations before us today, subject to the Senedd approving the regulations. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. 

Thank you. I call on the Minister for Housing and Local Government to reply. 

No response is necessary. The Chair of the committee has already set out the answer to his own questions, and I'm very happy with that, so I call on Members to approve the regulations today. Diolch.

Thank you. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? I don't see any objections, therefore the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.