Diolch. As elected representatives, we're in a privileged position. We're trusted to do our very best for the people that we serve. And whilst I'm talking about local government today, the issues apply to all parts of our democracy.

The decisions that our councillors make have real-life impacts on our communities across Wales. Our communities are made up of people who are different—different backgrounds, different cultures and different aspirations. And different generations are shaped by changes in the environment, by technological advances, and by their daily experiences. And that's why diversity in democracy is so important. Individuals must be confident that the decisions that are taken and that impact on their daily lives and their futures are shaped by taking into account all views and perspectives within their communities.

The latest census results show that between 2011 and 2021, the proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Wales increased from 4.4 per cent to 6.3 per cent. However, the 2017 local government candidates survey showed that only 1.8 per cent of elected principal councillors, and 1.2 per cent of elected town and community councillors, were from a minority ethnic group, and I'll be interested to see the results from the 2022 local government survey, which will be available shortly.

We've already taken action to support diversity in democracy in Wales. We have reduced the age for voting in Senedd and local government elections to 16. We have introduced more flexibility for council meetings to be held through a variety of different methods, including fully remote and hybrid. We were the first country in the UK to introduce family absence for principal councillors. And we recognise the additional costs that disabled candidates may incur and we've introduced a pilot access to elected office fund, and six of the individuals supported through the fund are now community councillors. We have introduced job-share arrangements for executive roles, and four councils currently have these arrangements in place.

However, we believe that there is more to do, and that's why we have commissioned a number of pieces of research, including an evidence review of how councillor remuneration in Wales compares with other countries; a survey of public attitudes; and an online survey of councillors in Wales. More than 1,600 responses were received from principal and town and community councillors to the online survey, and a wealth of information has been collected on topics such as the perceived influence of councillors, workload, remuneration, and behaviours and attitudes towards councillors. The findings of this survey, and the other pieces of research, were published last year. In addition, two workshops were held to further explore the research findings with stakeholders, and a further online workshop is planned for 17 January.

I've made arrangements for officials working in this policy area to be available to Members of the Senedd at a drop-in session, and Members will be notified of the date for the session as soon as it's finalised. This will enable MSs to discuss the research and to share any views and experiences that they feel will be helpful in shaping our future approach.

One of the key issues that has emerged from the research work is the expectation that the public has about councillors' workload and availability. This leads to questions about whether these expectations are fair and how councillors respond to this. Results from the public survey indicated that almost two thirds of respondents felt that councillors

'should be available to the community at any time'.

In terms of councillors, 63 per cent indicated that they were available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This demonstrates the high level of commitment to public service amongst our local elected members, but it also raises a concern, as these time pressures present difficulties to many people who may have caring, family, employment or business commitments, and therefore it might present a potential barrier to increasing diversity.

The research also explored the existing support for councillors and what further support might be helpful, as well as whether there should be core mandatory training for councillors, whether the remuneration model for councillors remains valid, and how we can be clear about the role councillors play in society. While there was not a clear outcome on the issue of mandatory training, a number of town and community councillors felt that there is a need for more training, particularly on issues relating to equality and diversity.

There was a broad range of views about the current remuneration arrangements, which we will want to explore further. Respondents to the Wales omnibus survey in March 2021 appeared to have a good understanding of the role of local government councillors in Wales and they offered a range of views on their day-to-day work. Looking forward, we have a programme for government commitment to reform local government elections to reduce the democratic deficit and to extend the access to elected office fund.

The diversity of our local elected representatives is critical to our democratic health as a nation. Supporting and encouraging candidates from diverse backgrounds is an integral part of encouraging people to engage with our democracy. We will therefore be using the evidence from this research, and the other work that we have commissioned from the Wales Centre for Public Policy, to develop the next steps in delivering these commitments.

I will shortly be publishing the results from the May 2022 candidate survey. But, even without the results, we know that there was an increase in the number of vacant and uncontested seats in our town and community councils. Just over 60 per cent of town and community council seats were uncontested, and just over 20 per cent were vacant. Twenty-nine councils were initially inquorate.

There are two key issues for us to work on. Firstly, ensuring communities feel connected with and want to engage with their community council. Secondly, making sure that people feel engaged enough to want to put themselves forward for election to community councils. To address these issues, I am establishing a ministerial working group, a democratic health task and finish group. I am really keen that this is a pacey, pragmatic review of the barriers and opportunities that will introduce fresh thinking into how we increase participation.

Finally, while there is some evidence from the national survey that suggests that more people are feeling involved in local decision making and feel that they have a relationship with councillors, there is also more negativity towards councillors. The councillors survey highlighted particular concerns about the increasing levels of polarisation in public debate. Many felt this negativity had intensified in recent years, driven by the debates around and the impact of Brexit, the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, and general declining levels of trust in politicians. Findings showed that around half of respondents had experienced or witnessed inappropriate behaviour from members of the public towards councillors. Clearly, this is unacceptable.

I have also been disappointed that some of the abuse experienced by councillors has been at the hands of other councillors. Two out of every five respondents had witnessed or experienced inappropriate behaviour by other councillors. There is a risk that abuse becomes normalised and seen as part of the job, but it absolutely is not. We must work together to set zero tolerance and identify steps that we can take to address abuse and harassment in the future. I support the WLGA's work in this area, and ask Members to also call out abuse at every opportunity.

I thank Members for their ongoing interest in this agenda, and encourage colleagues to attend the drop-in session. Members will be notified of the date as soon as it is finalised.