, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 9
Right. Thank you, Jessica.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 9
Thank you. Jessica, there's a note here: even if care-related support was added to the list in section 28(5), there is still no duty on Welsh Ministers to provide for a financial assistance scheme. What are your views on this? You have communicated them quite…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 9
Okay, thank you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 9
Okay, thank you, Jessica. And section 28(5) provides a list of services that may be provided, including information, advice and work experience. Do you think this list is sufficient, and if not, what further services would you like to see added?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 9
Okay.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 9
Thank you, Jessica. You've also argued that as well as a duty to provide financial assistance for people with disabilities—that's under section 29—the Bill should also include a duty to provide care-related financial assistance for candidates. So, could you…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 9
Morning, Jessica. I'm going to ask you some questions on accessibility and diversity. Section 28 of the Bill states that 'The Welsh Ministers must make arrangements for the provision of services to promote diversity in the protected characteristics and…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
Okay, thank you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
There has been concern from previous evidence sessions with the Welsh Local Government Association and EMB about them managing it, being it charged, and maybe monitoring it as well. I think there are real concerns about the monitoring of information and the…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
That's what I was going to ask on next—how can we ensure the trustworthiness of the information, and who might contribute to such a regime of ensuring that trustworthiness?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
Okay. So, what sort of information do you think the platform should include? What are your views on including candidate statements?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
So, you think it's a good idea to have?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 8
Good morning. Just some questions on the online voter information platform, your views on that. So, it's not currently clear in the Bill who will be responsible for managing and maintaining the voter information platform. So, what do you think, or who do you…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
Yes, thank you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
You said earlier that resources can sometimes be an issue. You're seconded into the role, aren't you, so your still a chief exec?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
What challenges have you faced over the last year, and what lessons could a newly formed electoral management board in Wales take on board from you?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
Thank you. How does the EMBS—what role does it have in the co-ordination of UK parliamentary elections, and how does it differ from the role in devolved elections in Scotland?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 7
Thanks, Chair. You got through the questions quicker than I expected there. So, how does the EMBS interact with the Electoral Commission?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Cultural, heritage, as well, rather than just per capita, per person. Okay.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
And those historical links as well—that all made a difference.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Just a point on this: the balance of representing a rural area and a more urban area can be quite stark. So, that balance of per-person representation—. Living in a rural area, you still have to get around a big rural area, and there are issues, not just…
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Okay. Thank you.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Okay. All right. And you also recommend that any reviews taking place when the Bill comes into force should be conducted under the unamended previous rules under the 2013 Act, but still count as reviews carried out within the 12-year period.
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
Yes, okay. In your written evidence, you recommend that the 12-year review periods for principal councils and the commission should commence on the same date. So, could you just explain the recommendation a bit further?
, Local Government and Housing Committee
Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill: Evidence session 6
As a previous community councillor on to a county councillor—and Joel's a community councillor—we know how boundary reviews can be quite difficult. You usually go on watercourses, don't you, as well, rather than—
