Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021

165 Merging and demerging public services boards under the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015

(1) In Part 4 of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 (anaw 2), section 47 (merger of public services boards) is amended as follows.

(2) Omit subsection (3) (requirement that the same Local Health Board is a member of each merging public services board).

(3) After subsection (4) insert—

“(5) A merged board must, as soon as reasonably practicable after it is established, review—

(a) the local well-being plans in effect for its area immediately before it was established, and

(b) the local objectives set out in those plans.

(6) As soon as reasonably practicable after a review under subsection (5), the board must prepare and publish a local well-being plan for its area which may adopt the plans and objectives mentioned in subsection (5)(a) and (b)—

(a) to the extent the board considers appropriate, and

(b) subject to such amendments and revisions as the board considers appropriate.

(7) A merged board may, if it considers that it would assist in contributing to the achievement of the well-being goals—

(a) demerge, or

(b) partially demerge (if three or more separate boards merged in the creation of the merged board).

(8) The Welsh Ministers may, if they consider that it would assist in contributing to the achievement of the well-being goals, direct a merged board to—

(a) demerge, or

(b) partially demerge (if three or more separate boards merged in the creation of the merged board).

(9) For the purposes of subsections (7) and (8), a merged board—

(a) demerges if it ceases to exist and a separate public services board is established for the area of each local authority that was a member of the merged board;

(b) partially demerges if—

(i) it continues to exist as the public services board for the areas of two or more local authorities, and

(ii) a separate public services board is established for the area of each local authority that has ceased to be a member of the merged board.

(10) A public services board established after a demerger or partial demerger must, as soon as reasonably practicable after it is established, review—

(a) the local well-being plan in effect for its area immediately before it was established, and

(b) the local objectives set out in that plan.

(11) As soon as reasonably practicable after a review under subsection (10), the board must prepare and publish a local well-being plan for its area which may adopt the plan and objectives mentioned in subsection (10)(a) and (b)—

(a) to the extent the board considers appropriate, and

(b) subject to such amendments and revisions as the board considers appropriate.

(12) Before publishing a plan under subsection (6) or (11), a board must consult—

(a) the Commissioner;

(b) the Welsh Ministers;

(c) such other persons as the board considers appropriate.

(13) A board must send a copy of a local well-being plan published under subsection (6) or (11) to the persons mentioned in section 44(6).”

(4) Schedule 14 makes amendments to Acts and Measures in consequence of subsection (3).