, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 8: Welsh elections information platform (Amendments 108, 109, 49, 50, 51, 118, 119, 120)
I should just say I think I come at this from the opposite perspective to Peter. I think the creation of this platform is a really fantastic opportunity to raise levels of democratic engagement and public awareness of how democracy works. I referenced the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 8: Welsh elections information platform (Amendments 108, 109, 49, 50, 51, 118, 119, 120)
Thank you, Chair. Amendment 50 builds on the information that can be included on the platform in order to place the information in its broader context, such as the history of devolution—something that's been at the forefront of our minds, of course, in the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 7: Diversity in persons seeking elected office (Amendments 107, 24, 52, 53, 110, 32, 43)
As we heard, amendment 52 adds 'security' to the list of services that it is permissible to provide in order to improve diversity of candidates. Amendment 53 adds care-related expenses to the list of expenses that financial assistance can be provided in…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 6: Assistance for voters with disabilities (Amendments 9, 111)
Thank you, Counsel General, for the explanation as to the position of the Government. I have to say that I don't think that it meets I think reasonable expectations from stakeholders. On that basis, I will still be pressing our amendment to a vote and will be…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 6: Assistance for voters with disabilities (Amendments 9, 111)
Thank you. At Stage 1, this committee noted: 'Although the EM provides significant detail on the Welsh Government’s intention to make similar changes for Welsh elections, the majority of these changes are not made in this Bill. Instead the EM says these will…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
Dwi'n gwrthwynebu.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
Not moved.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
Not moved.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
I've found the discussion very useful and the discussion, I'm sure, will continue as we all consider this as a potential development in terms of our democracy here. So, I won't be moving these amendments in relation to universal civic duty voting to a vote at…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
I was just wondering if you could say a little bit more about the legal point that you are making. If I summarise, you are saying that, as the Bill is currently constituted, you couldn't do an election pilot, if policy was in favour, on universal civic duty…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
Just to slightly strike a more positive note, I've always been a person in a hurry and I would like tomorrow to arrive much quicker, but it's not true completely that there is no appetite for democratic innovation at a local government level. Certainly I'm…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
Thank you, Chair, and thank you to everybody who has contributed.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
May I turn now to the other amendments? We support amendment 101 to pilot an electoral cycle of four years—or that's at least how I interpret the amendment—and amendment 104 providing a duty to pilot in rural and urban areas, where appropriate, in order to…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
I should just say that the Counsel General may in his remarks say, 'Well, actually, the Bill already allows that facility because it allows Ministers to add further to the electoral matters that can be piloted under the provisions of the Bill', which would be…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 4: Welsh elections piloting powers and regulations (Amendments 7, 101, 17, 18, 117, 8, 102, 103, 104, 19, 20)
So, amendment 7 simply specifies an enabling power to bring forward a pilot in relation to universal civic duty voting, which is defined through a consequential amendment. It's the term that I prefer to use, many of us prefer to use, that's supported with a…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 3: Electoral registration (Amendments 99, 2, 3, 16, 100, 127, 44, 45)
Yes, moved.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 3: Electoral registration (Amendments 99, 2, 3, 16, 100, 127, 44, 45)
Moved.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 3: Electoral registration (Amendments 99, 2, 3, 16, 100, 127, 44, 45)
May I turn, therefore, to amendment 127, which is also part of this group, and is an old discussion point in Welsh politics, and also in other areas where second homes are a widespread phenomenon? There have been a number of attempts in the past at…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 3: Electoral registration (Amendments 99, 2, 3, 16, 100, 127, 44, 45)
Thank you very much, Chair. The lead amendment of this group, 99, seeks to extend the notification period from 45 to 60 days, as we heard, and, after that, the person will be registered to vote without application. We are in favour of removing or reducing the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 2: Electoral Management Board (Amendments 98, 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Sorry, no, it's withdrawn.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 2: Electoral Management Board (Amendments 98, 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Not moved.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 2: Electoral Management Board (Amendments 98, 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
Just very briefly, amendment 1 seeks to ensure that the chair of the electoral management board has been a returning officer within the past three years. Of course, there is disagreement between me and the Conservative spokesman on this, but we think it is…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 1: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru - functions (Amendments 115, 116, 121)
Yes.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 1: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru - functions (Amendments 115, 116, 121)
Well, maybe a few of us, those of us who may be interested in this area, possibly could meet with you, Counsel General, to see, in between this stage and the next stage, how we could achieve this objective in different formats. I think that would be very…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Group 1: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru - functions (Amendments 115, 116, 121)
But I will still be pressing it to a vote, if I may.
