WELSH LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

Evidence to Richard Commission
On the Structure, Powers & Electoral Arrangements of the
National Assembly For Wales

Introduction

1.   The Welsh Local Government Association welcomes the opportunity to give evidence to the Richard Commission on the structure, powers and electoral arrangements of the National Assembly for Wales.

2.   The Association represents the 22 unitary local authorities in Wales, with the three national park authorities, the combined fire authorities, and the four police authorities as associate members. It seeks to provide representation to local authorities within an emerging policy framework that satisfies the key priorities of our members and delivers a broad range of services that add value to Welsh Local Government and the communities we serve. The Association is a member led body made up of leaders of each local authority in Wales. It’s mandate is expressed through monthly Co-ordinating Committee meetings and bi-annual Council meetings. The Association also has lead and deputy spokespeople who broadly cover the remit of Assembly Ministers ensuring there is consistency in relations and dialogue between the two bodies.

3.   The Statement of Purpose for the WLGA is set out below -

"The Association's primary purposes are to promote better local government and its reputation and to support member and associate member authorities in the development of policies and priorities which will improve public services and democracy."

4.   The achievement of this aspiration is strongly but not wholly reliant on the presence of the National Assembly. Local Government and the Assembly have struck a fruitful partnership across a range of policy areas. Nonetheless local government is not an agent of the Assembly and the Association must not be seen as an Assembly "branch office". Fundamental disagreements will occur and our interests cannot always coincide.

Welsh Local Government Characteristics

5.   Local government has its own autonomy and freedom to make services across Wales successful. Welsh Local Government accounts for nearly 40 per cent of the public sector budget in Wales (£3.5 billion) and directly employs some 150,000 people. Local Government is the prime front line community service in Wales, far more so than the health service. It’s services are a constant factor from "cradle to grave" and its commitment to leadership and representative role sees authorities at the heart of wider policy areas such as health and crime and disorder.

6.   The future of public services in Wales is intrinsically linked to the presence of the Assembly. It has been created to add strategic value to governance and address the democratic deficit in Wales and our response to the Richard Commission is set in this context.

7.   Individual local authorities will have presented their views to the Commission and will be reflective of their local circumstances, political views and experience. The Association endeavours to represent the collective, consensual voice of all Welsh local authorities but we are conscious that many of the sentiments expressed in this report will be presenting a majority as opposed to a unanimous view. A number of authorities have waited for full articulation of the Association’s view and debate around this submission before composing individual responses. Others have already sent individual responses into the Commission that may be in accord or vary from the sentiments expressed in this report. This collective diversity is the strength of local government and we ask the Commission to give proper attention to the views of all of our members.