NEWPORT council’s cabinet has called for a full meeting of the council to agree a response to a Welsh Government white paper on the reorganisation of local government in Wales.
Power to Local People by the Welsh Government is setting out its vision for the future of local government in Wales, something being overseen by local government minister Leighton Andrews.
Published on February 3, it suggested a series of reforms aiming to increase community participation in decision-making.
The Welsh Local Government Association has published a response to the white paper’s proposals saying they are “broadly supportive” but have taken note of some “highly-controversial points”.
A meeting of Newport council’s cabinet yesterday had to decide whether to endorse the WLGA’s response, as well as approving a response of their own.
At the meeting councillors voted to send the matter to full council for a strong consensus.
Council leader, Cllr Bob Bright agreed the council is generally in agreement with the white paper from a political point of view. He said: “We have to make it very clear that we as local politicians are not against any reorganisation. We realise there needs to be a reorganisation.”
Cllr Debbie Wilcox, cabinet member for education and young people, said: “We don’t have an issue about reform. Putting this to the council meeting, we need that consensus. Newport needs to give a strong united voice.”
The white paper outlines the Welsh Government’s response to the Williams Commission, which in January 2014 called for a cut to between 10 to 12 councils.
The council’s own report, by council chief executive Will Godfrey, supports the white paper in principle and a number of the proposals, but has concerns regarding the concept of a 'one welsh public service'.
It rejects the assumption that leaders and cabinet members could work on a part-time basis, saying workloads would not decrease. It said it also opposes term limits for councillors, which they feel would remove choice from electors.
The response also called plans for public recall of elected members as “unworkable” and that while it supports a national framework for top officer salaries, there should be “market supplements” where necessary.
Mr Andrews has not yet formally set a time limit, but he has said that it could be five terms – 25 years – for councillors and 10 years for leaders.
Newport’s report also said the council does not support the roles of leaders and elected mayors defined in the legislation. It feels that it should be left to individual councils to establish individual job descriptions based on their own constitutions.
A final response by Newport council is due to be submitted to Welsh Government by April 28, the date of the next meeting of the full council.
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