30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Okay. Malcolm, thank you very much for giving evidence—[Interruption.] Sorry, Joel. Joel.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Okay?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Okay, Sam. Carolyn Thomas.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Yes.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Okay, thank you very much, Malcolm. We'll move on, then, to another committee member, Sam Rowlands. Sam.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Okay. Just one quick supplementary: could you explain how the resource and budget allocation works for the management board in Scotland?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Yes, I see. Finally from me, before we move on to other committee members, Malcolm, I wonder if you could set out your views on the importance of the independence of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, and the steps you take to ensure that that…
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
I see. Okay. Could you just tell us, as well, if a returning officer was to disagree with a direction from the board, what action could the board take? Is there a particular procedure for dealing with that potential eventuality?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
So, does that have any particular implications, then, for the operation of the electoral management board and the way that things work, in the way that you've described them?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Is that quite a recent development, Malcolm, that that turnover is higher than it's been in the past?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
[Inaudible.]—community where, obviously, people know each other, and I guess some people have been in position for a number of years and relationships are well established.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Okay. Thank you very much for that, Malcolm. You've also said that the board in Scotland would only make directions following consultation, and you've mentioned the exceptional circumstances, really, of COVID. Would there be any other examples that you could…
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 7
Okay, welcome back, everyone, to committee this morning. We've reached item 3 in our evidence taking sessions with regards to the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill. At this point, I'd just like to add the apologies of Jane Bryant to the apology from…
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Okay, Sam. Okay. Thanks very much. If there are no other questions from committee members, it just falls on me to let you know, as I'm sure you already do, that you will be sent a transcript of this session, to check for factual accuracy. So, thank you, both…
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Yes, absolutely.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Okay. Thank you very much.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Okay, Carolyn. Could I ask you, as well, on the electoral management board and the voter information platform, would you see the electoral management board hosting that platform?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Yes. Carolyn.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
—democratic legitimacy compared to other areas. Would that be your take on—?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
So, it could potentially then affect the geography of reviews and re-allocation of geographical areas, then. So, an area that has a higher number, a higher percentage, of population of voting age who are not registered could see change that would, well, I…
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Yes. Okay. And finally from me, at least, the electoral management board and automatic voter registration—would you have any views or concerns on the potential impact of automatic voter registration on the electoral management board?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Okay, Joel? Just one or two other questions from me. Firstly, sections 65 and 66 make changes to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru's governance and audit committee arrangements. What view do you have on those provisions?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Thank you, Sam. Joel.
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Right. Did you want to deal with the abolition of the independent remuneration panel, Sam?
30 Tachwedd 2023 , Local Government and Housing Committee
Y Bil Etholiadau a Chyrff Etholedig (Cymru): Sesiwn dystiolaeth 6
Can I bring Sam in at this point? Sam.
