Legislation – Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024

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Introduction

PART 1
ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION AND REGISTRATION

CHAPTER 1 CO-ORDINATION OF ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION

1 Electoral Management Board of Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru

2 Minor and consequential amendments

CHAPTER 2 ELECTORAL REGISTRATION WITHOUT APPLICATIONS

3 Duty to register local government electors

4 Provision connected to the duty to register eligible local government electors

CHAPTER 3 WELSH ELECTIONS PILOTING AND REFORM

Welsh election pilots

5 Pilot regulations: powers

6 Pilot regulations: requirements

7 Pilot regulations: procedure

Proposals for pilots

8 Proposals for pilots made by the Welsh Ministers

9 Proposals for pilots made by principal councils

10 Proposals for pilots made jointly by the Electoral Commission and principal councils

11 Proposals for pilots made by electoral registration officers

12 Joint proposals for pilots

13 Electoral Commission recommendations

Evaluation of pilot proposals

14 Evaluation of pilot proposals

15 Welsh election pilot forums

Guidance on pilots

16 Guidance on pilots

Evaluation of pilots

17 Evaluation of pilot regulations

Reform following pilots

18 Electoral reform regulations

19 Electoral reform regulations: procedure

General

20 Publication

21 Regulations: ancillary provision

22 Interpretation of this Chapter

23 Consequential amendments

CHAPTER 4 ACCESSIBILITY AND DIVERSITY: WELSH ELECTIONS

Reports on assistance for disabled voters

24 Reports by the Electoral Commission

Candidate survey: local government elections

25 Survey of councillors and unsuccessful candidates in local elections

Welsh elections information platform

26 Welsh elections information platform

Diversity in persons seeking elected office

27 Services to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office

28 Financial assistance schemes to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office

29 Excluded persons

30 Guidance for political parties to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office

General

31 Interpretation of this Chapter

CHAPTER 5 CAMPAIGN FINANCE

Expenditure in respect of local government elections

32 Notional expenditure: candidates in local government elections

Expenditure in respect of Senedd Cymru elections

33 Notional and third party expenditure: Senedd Cymru elections

34 Codes of practice on expenses

35 Authorised persons not required to pay through election agent

36 Restriction on which third parties may incur controlled expenditure

37 Third parties capable of giving notification

38 Code of practice on controls relating to third parties

General

39 Minor and consequential amendments

PART 2
ELECTED BODIES AND THEIR MEMBERS

CHAPTER 1 ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Electoral arrangements reviews: principal councils

40 Considerations for a review of principal area electoral arrangements

41 Review period for principal area reviews

Reviews of seaward boundaries

42 Review of seaward boundaries

Consultation and consideration of representations

43 Electoral review recommendations and decisions: duty to have regard to representations

44 Names of electoral wards

45 Consultation on reviews

46 Meaning of “mandatory consultees” in Part 3 of the 2013 Act

Timing of reviews and implementation

47 Electoral review recommendations and decisions: period before a local election

48 Deadline for completion of reviews

49 Deadline for completion of implementation

50 Directions to pause reviews

Community reviews and status as towns

51 Community reviews and implementation

52 Notice of resolutions on status of communities as towns

Publication of information: arrangements for local government

53 Publication of orders under Part 3 of the 2013 Act

54 Publication of up-to-date lists of communities and community councils

General

55 Transitional provision

CHAPTER 2 REMUNERATION OF ELECTED MEMBERS

Abolition of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales

56 Abolition of Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales

Functions of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru

57 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru functions relating to remuneration

58 Transfer of property, rights and liabilities

59 Minor and consequential amendments

60 Savings

CHAPTER 3 DISQUALIFICATION, UNDUE INFLUENCE AND POLITICAL RESTRICTION OF OFFICES

Disqualification

61 Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd and a community councillor

62 Disqualification for corrupt or illegal practice: local government elections

63 Disqualification for corrupt or illegal practice: Senedd Cymru elections

‍Undue influence

64 Undue influence

Political restriction of offices

65 Political restriction of officers and staff

CHAPTER 4 DEMOCRACY AND BOUNDARY COMMISSION CYMRU

66 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: persons who may not be members etc.

67 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: governance and audit committee

68 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: power to charge

PART 3
GENERAL PROVISION

69 Regulations: restrictions

70 General interpretation

71 Power to make consequential and transitional provision etc.

72 Coming into force

73 Short title

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

PART 1ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION AND REGISTRATION

CHAPTER 3WELSH ELECTIONS PILOTING AND REFORM

Evaluation of pilots

17Evaluation of pilot regulations

(1)

The Electoral Commission must prepare a report on the operation of the pilot regulations before the day specified under section 6(1)(b).

(2)

The report must contain, in particular—

(a)

a description of—

(i)

the way in which the provision made by the pilot regulations differed from the provisions which would otherwise have applied, or

(ii)

in the case of pilot regulations containing provision of the kind specified in section 5(4), the provisions being tested;

(b)

a copy of the pilot regulations;

(c)

an assessment of the success or otherwise of the pilot regulations in achieving the objective specified in the pilot regulations;

(d)

an assessment of whether provision similar to that made by the pilot regulations should apply generally, and on a permanent basis, in relation to Welsh elections or any type of Welsh election.

(3)

The principal council for any area or part of an area to which pilot regulations apply must give the Commission such assistance as the Commission may reasonably require in connection with the preparation of the report.

(4)

The assistance may include—

(a)

making arrangements for ascertaining the views of electors about the operation of the provisions of the pilot regulations;

(b)

reporting to the Commission allegations of electoral offences or other malpractice.

(5)

The Commission must send a copy of the report to—

(a)

the Welsh Ministers,

(b)

each returning officer for the election to which the pilot regulations applied, unless the report only relates to proposals made under section 11, and

(c)

if the report relates to proposals made under section 11, each electoral registration officer for an area to which the pilot regulations applied,

before the day specified in the pilot regulations.

(6)

A returning officer who receives a report under subsection (5) must publish the report before the end of the period of one month beginning with the day the officer receives the report from the Commission, unless the report only relates to proposals made under section 11.

(7)

An electoral registration officer who receives a report under subsection (5) must publish the report before the end of the period of one month beginning with the day the officer receives the report from the Commission.