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Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013

The Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013 (‘the Act’) renames the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales as the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales and reforms its constitution and functions. 

The Act makes provision about the duties of the Commission to monitor the arrangements for local government and to conduct reviews where appropriate. It also places duties on principal councils to monitor the arrangements for the communities in their area and to conduct reviews where appropriate, including the procedure and the implementation of the recommendations.

The Act also makes provision about the review of the membership of certain public bodies and deals with other matters relating to the conduct of local government in Wales.

The Explanatory Notes to the Act provide detailed commentary on the various provisions.

Coming into force

Sections 1, 70 to 72 (and Schedule 3), and 75 and 76 came into force on 30 July 2013, which is the day the Act received Royal Assent, in accordance with section 75(1).

Parts 2, 3 and 4, sections 51 to 54, 59 to 62, 64 to 67, 73 (and Schedules 1 and 2) and section 74 came into force at the end of the period of 2 months beginning with the day the Act received Royal Assent.

The remaining provisions of this Act come into force on a day appointed by the Welsh Ministers by order made by statutory instrument.

The following Orders have been made:

Subordinate legislation made under the Act:

TitleCitation numberMade dateComing into force dateSupporting documents
The County Borough of Caerphilly (Electoral Arrangements) (Amendment) Order 20222022 No. 314 (W. 82)16 March 2022See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of  the Vale of Glamorgan (Electoral Arrangements) (Amendment) Order 20222022 No. 248 (W. 74)7 March 202211 March 2022N/A
The County Borough of Wrexham (Electoral Arrangements) (Amendment) Order 20222022 No. 13 (W. 7)5 January 20227 January 2022N/A
The County Borough of Powys (Electoral Arrangements) (Amendment) Order 20212021 No. 1387 (W. 364)8 December 202110 December 2021N/A
The County of Monmouthshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1232 (W. 311)3 November 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) (No. 2) Order 20212021 No. 1228 (W. 310)2 November 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The City and County Borough of Newport (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1216 (W. 305)1 November 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Gwynedd (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1223 (W. 307)1 November 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Caerphilly (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1217 (W. 306)1 November 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 (revoked)2021 No. 1215 (W. 304)1 November 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Conwy (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1181 (W. 292)25 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Pembrokeshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1182 (W. 293)25 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Denbighshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1159 (W. 284)18 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The City and County of Cardiff (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1160 (W. 285)18 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Blaenau Gwent (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1161 (W. 286)18 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Ceredigion (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1140 (W. 277)11 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of the Vale of Glamorgan (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1138 (W. 275)11 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Torfaen (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1139 (W. 276)11 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Wrexham (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1113 (W. 268)4 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Neath Port Talbot (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1114 (W. 269)4 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1111 (W. 266)4 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of the Isle of Anglesey (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1112 (W. 267)4 October 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1080 (W. 255)22 September 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County Borough of Bridgend (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1084 (W. 258)22 September 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The City and County of Swansea (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1075 (W. 254)22 September 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Carmarthenshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1082 (W. 257)22 September 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A
The County of Powys (Electoral Arrangements) Order 20212021 No. 1081 (W. 256)22 September 2021See article 1(2) and (3)N/A

Consideration of the legislation by the Senedd:

The Bill was introduced on 26 November 2012 by Carl Sargeant AM, who was the Minister for Local Government and Communities at the time. Following a change in ministerial portfolios in March 2013, the First Minister authorised Lesley Griffiths MS, Minister for Local Government and Government Business, as the new Member in Charge of the Bill, from 18 March 2013.

The Bill was passed by Senedd Cymru (then known as National Assembly for Wales) on 18 June 2013.

More information about the Bill is available on the Senedd website including a record of the passage of the Bill through Senedd Cymru and the Explanatory Memorandum that was prepared by the Welsh Government (as amended after Stage 2).

The Act received Royal Assent on 30 July 2013.

Related articles and information:

Local democracy in Wales: legislation | GOV.WALES
 

Published on
Last updated
15 May 2024