Senedd to get more members after expansion plan approved

Published

7 months ago

May 9, 2024

LANDMARK legislation to increase the size of the Senedd and change its voting system cleared the final hurdle in the Welsh Parliament.

MSs voted 43-16 in favour of the members and elections bill, securing a necessary two-thirds supermajority, following a debate on May 8.

Under the bill, the number of Senedd members will increase from 60 to 96 in response to concerns that the relatively small size of the legislature leads to ineffective scrutiny.

The maximum number of Welsh Government ministers will increase to 17 – not including the first minister and counsel general – with powers to further increase this to 19.

The 32 constituencies in Wales that will be used in the forthcoming general election will be paired to create 16 for the 2026 Senedd poll, with each returning six members.

Mick Antoniw, who is counsel general, the Welsh Government’s chief legal adviser, said Welsh democracy has grown, developed and matured over the past 25 years.

Mr Antoniw told the chamber, or Siambr, that while the responsibilities of the Senedd have grown, its capacity has not – remaining the smallest of the UK’s devolved legislatures.

“The bill before us changes that,” he said. “It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in our democracy by creating a modern Senedd.”

Mr Antoniw said the bold reforms will give the Senedd greater ability and capacity to hold the Welsh Government to account as well as ensure that every vote counts.

He argued laws are best forged in the fires of parliamentary scrutiny, saying: “I think we’ve seen that in this bill’s own legislative passage.”

Darren Millar, who is the Conservatives’ shadow constitution minister, described the bill as a deeply flawed piece of legislation which will undermine Welsh democracy.

Wales will move away from the current additional-member electoral system which uses a mix of first-past-the-post constituencies and regional party lists.

Future Senedd elections will instead use a full form of proportional representation, with Wales becoming the first UK nation to entirely scrap the first-past-the-post system.

Under the new closed-list system, People will vote for political parties rather than individuals and parties will control the order of candidates on lists.

Mr Millar, whose party was alone in voting against the bill, said the reforms will damage the relationship between the public and their elected representatives.

He told the Siambr the closed-list system will strip away a fundamental right enjoyed by generations of Welsh voters to choose an individual candidate.

The Tory MS for Clwyd West said: “It is the biggest power grab from the people of Wales that it has ever suffered in the history of Welsh democracy.”

Mr Millar criticised the “shameful” costs of expansion which have been estimated at almost £18m a year, suggesting it would be better spent on schools and hospitals.

He said: “That money instead will be spent on luxury offices and pay for 36 more politicians, their entourage of staff and the structure needed here at the Senedd to support them.

“Spending £120m on more politicians over the review period is a luxury we can ill afford.”

Heledd Fychan, for Plaid Cymru, said the long-awaited reforms will strengthen opposition members’ ability to hold Welsh ministers accountable.

Ms Fychan, who represents South Wales Central, stressed that the reforms are not the end of the journey, with a review to follow the 2026 election.

She said Plaid Cymru will continue to support – and campaign for – the single-transferable vote (STV) electoral system, which would allow voters to rank candidates.

Ms Fychan added that her party will hold the Welsh Government to a commitment to bring forward a recall system, which would allow voters to remove members between elections.

She said: “There is still work to be done to strengthen our democracy but the step that we are taking today is a huge step forward – not only for this Senedd but also for our nation.”

Jane Dodds agreed the bill will enhance scrutiny as well as ensure proper representation for each and every one of Wales’ diverse communities.

The Lib Dems’ leader in Wales welcomed the “outdated” first-past-the-post system being binned but warned the proposed replacement is fundamentally flawed.

Ms Dodds said: “The introduction of closed party lists risks robbing voters of true choice.”

The Mid and West Wales MS argued STV would be the fairest and most accountable system, with every vote carrying equal weight and power.

Ms Dodds said she would support the legislation but she urged fellow members to view it as only the first step on a journey towards a stronger, fully democratic parliament for Wales.

Mike Hedges, a Labour backbencher who represents Swansea East, pointed out the practical problems of having as few as four members on some Senedd committees.

He said that day’s public accounts committee meeting would have had insufficient members to proceed if he had to go to the toilet, warning: “You cannot run an organisation like that.”

Mr Hedges described the reforms as akin to reverse gerrymandering, suggesting Labour will find it hard to win and the new system will consistently produce a hung Senedd.

The bill is expected to receive Royal Assent, officially becoming an Act, later this year.

MSs are considering two related bills: the elections bill, which would introduce automatic vote registration, and the candidate lists bill on gender quotas in Senedd elections.

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

2 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.

Climate

Pembrokeshire group plans for larger community wind turbine

Published

2 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A NORTH Pembrokeshire group which has raised more than £76,000 from its community wind turbine for local projects is hoping to expand with a bigger turbine.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd is hoping to get permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

In 2015, TBG raised its 50 per cent share of capital funding for the project by means of loans from 28 local individuals and four community groups, contributing a total of £286,500, the other 50 per cent contributed by landowners Parc-y-Morfa Farms Ltd.

The statement added: “Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine. By the end of 2022, all loans had been repaid, allowing the launch of TBG’s Community Climate Fund. This year we have awarded our third round of grants bringing the total amount granted to £76,036.”

In 2022, £15,274 was awarded to seven projects, including Fishguard Sports AFC to install solar panels on their clubhouse as part of their Tregroes Park development, Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their Increasing Biodiversity and Bees project, and Nevern Valley Veg / Llysiau Cwm Nyfer to install a solar powered vegetable irrigation scheme.

In 2023, £39,85 was made available for seven projects, including Sea Trust Wales to part fund the installation of solar panels on the Ocean Lab roof and to produce a display on solar technology, Letterston Memorial Hall to part fund the installation of an air source heat pump heating system, and Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club to install solar panels on their clubhouse.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun to insulate their loft to reduce heating loss, Parc Cerrig Growers for developing a rainwater harvesting system with a pond to irrigate their allotments, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture for an electric cargo bike for delivering organic vegetables in the Fishguard and St Davids areas, and Nevern Valley Veg to develop wildlife ponds and rainwater harvesting for food production.

The supporting documentation concludes: “The repowering of the existing turbine at Trebover would require a limited increase in turbine size which would result in a very limited change in landscape and visual effects in comparison to the existing Trebover turbine.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Business

Call to end ‘fad’ of ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to end the ‘fad’ of permanent ‘school dogs’ in Pembrokeshire for their benefit and the befit of the schools, instead using visiting ‘therapy dogs’ is to be heard next week.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28 will consider a public submission by Robert Thomas – who works with therapy dogs – on the subject of school dogs.

The submission reads: “My definition of a school dog is one that spends long periods in the school and is managed and owned by school employees not outside assessed and insured visiting therapy dogs who stay for an hour with a competent handler.

“The welfare of many dogs in schools in Pembrokeshire has been compromised over the last few years and we are concerned that the rise in the popularity of school-owned or teacher-owned dogs is an animal welfare issue.

“I can think of several school dogs in Pembrokeshire where it has gone wrong for the animal.”

He cites examples of ‘school dogs’ the county, where he says they have had to be removed, with the animals being unsettled, barking and even nipping on occasions, showing “a lack of understanding of animal welfare”.

His submission adds: “We have done some work with the Animal Welfare team at the Welsh Government around licensing this field, a consultation was completed in March 2023, currently awaiting the outcome.

“It has become a fad across the country and many dogs spend all day in schools supported by staff members who have another job to do. It feels like PCC does not have a policy overarching animal welfare policy in schools to protect dogs from being seen as staff members and there purely for human benefit, not the dogs.

“Dogs need to rest and sleep during the day and not in school. The visiting therapy dog model works best as the impact is greatest and the welfare of the dog is managed externally. If the dog is there all the time that can diminish the impact, and the novelty can wear off for the pupils.

“In my experience schools should concentrate on teaching and leave the therapy dog introduction to those that have the expertise in animal welfare.”

The submission will be considered by committee members at the November 28 meeting.