As part of the Assembly Commission’s consultation on electoral reform, three events are being held across Wales during March to raise awareness of the consultation and provide context to the work done by the Expert Panel on Electoral Reform.
The events have been arranged by the National Assembly for Wales in partnership with Wales Institute of Social & Economic Research, Data & Methods, Institute of Welsh Affairs, and the Morgan Academy.
A panel presentation will be followed by a question and answer session, where people will have the opportunity to ask questions to the Llywydd, Elin Jones AM.
The consultation has been drawn up in anticipation of new powers given to the Assembly in the Wales Act 2017.
The Act gives the Assembly the power to make decisions in relation to the institution’s size and how Members are elected.
Earlier this month, the Assembly voted in favour of the Commission’s decision to consult on the recommendations of the Expert Panel’s report on Assembly Electoral Reform, “A Parliament that Works for Wales”.
Following a detailed analysis of evidence, the Panel recommended that the Assembly needs between 20 and 30 additional Members elected through a more proportional electoral system with diversity at its heart. It also recommended lowering the minimum voting age for National Assembly elections to include sixteen and seventeen year olds.
The consultation on the recommendations will run until 6 April.
In addition to the recommendations made by the Expert Panel on Assembly Electoral Reform the consultation also includes other potential changes to who can vote in Assembly elections and who can be an Assembly Member, as well as changes to the law relating to electoral administration and the Assembly’s internal arrangements.
The Commission has already consulted on changing the Assembly’s name, and as a result of that consultation the name will be changed to Welsh Parliament.
The Llywydd, Elin Jones AM said:
“The Wales Act 2017 marks the start of a new phase of devolution in Wales, giving us the opportunity to make profound changes to our legislature. We now have the opportunity to forge the national parliament that the people of Wales deserve to champion their interests.
This consultation is the beginning of a conversation with the people and communities of Wales about the institution that they want their Welsh Parliament to be. I look forward to hearing their views.”
Event Details:
Swansea
Day: Monday 12/03/2018
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Venue: School of Management Building, Swansea University, Swansea Bay Campus, SA1 8EN
Day: Thursday 15/03/2018
Time: 18:30 – 20:00
Venue: Main Hall, International Politics Building, Aberystwyth University, Ceredigion, SY23 3FE
Day: Thursday 22/03/2018
Time: 18:30 – 20:00
Venue: Bangor, Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2DG
For more information about the regional events, including how to attend, please visit the electoral reform consultation microsite at www.futuresenedd.wales.
There are a number of ways that you can let the Assembly Commission know what you think about the potential reforms:
- Visit the consultation website at www.assembly.wales/futuresenedd, where you will find the full consultation document and an easy read version of the consultation document. You can either email your completed consultation form toAssemblyCommission.Consultations@assembly.wales, or post it to Freepost, National Assembly for Wales.
- Visit the consultation microsite at www.futuresenedd.wales, and fill in an online survey. You can choose whether to answer questions on all of the proposals, or just the ones which interest you most.