Okay. Diolch, Llywydd. For the first time ever, the legislation to be debated consolidates the rules for local elections bilingually, and is specifically tailored to Welsh elections and our own franchise. I want to thank the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee for their consideration of these two large pieces of legislation, for highlighting the clarity of the supporting documentation, and welcoming the consolidation of the law in this area.

The existing rules that govern the administration of our elections generally worked well, and ensured our electoral processes are transparent and fair. But, they were drawn up on an England and Wales basis and were written in English only. The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Wales) Rules 2021 and the Local Elections (Communities) (Wales) Rules 2021 consolidate the law in this area where necessary, modernise the language and make it more accessible. Most importantly, these statutory instruments make the practical changes to the rules for council elections in Wales, made necessary by the new franchise included in the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. 

This will be the first time that 16 and 17-year-olds and qualifying foreign citizens will be able to vote in local government elections in Wales. The rules that we're debating are the culmination of an in-depth period of consultation that began with the devolution of electoral law to Wales, and the 'Electoral reform in local government in Wales' consultation document in 2017. Whilst the majority of the practices that ensure the smooth running of our elections remain unchanged, some important new rules will be introduced, many of which will help to make standing as a candidate more accessible.

Candidates at local elections will have the option not to publish their home address, if they wish. Returning officers must make arrangements for candidates to submit their nomination papers electronically. Candidates at principal council elections will be able to self-nominate and will no longer need to obtain the names of 10 local elector subscribers. Candidates at community council elections will also be able to self-nominate, and will not need to obtain the names of two local elector subscribers.

Candidates will need to include on nomination forms details of political party membership in the preceding 12 months. This will provide important additional information to the electorate. The new rules have retained the current formulas associated with the number of polling and counting agents who may be present at the count. These have been retained in light of responses to the consultation and learning from the running of the Senedd election counts last year. I look forward to hearing the views of Members.