Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024

Evaluation of pilot proposals

14 Evaluation of pilot proposals

(1) When proposals for pilot regulations are submitted to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru under sections 8 to 11, the Commission must prepare a report on the proposals.

(2) The report must contain an assessment of—

(a) whether the objective of the proposed pilot is desirable;

(b) the likely costs and feasibility of the proposed pilot.

(3) In making its assessment for the purposes of the report, the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru must have regard to any relevant factors specified in regulations made by the Welsh Ministers.

(4) The report may contain recommendations on any matter the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru considers relevant to the proposed pilot.

(5) A public authority that submits proposals to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru under any of sections 8 to 11 must give the Commission such assistance as the Commission may reasonably require in connection with the preparation of the report.

(6) The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru must send its report to the person who submitted the proposal before the end of a period of 6 weeks beginning with the day it receives the proposals.

(7) The Welsh Ministers must publish a report sent to them under this section or sections 9 to 11 when they make the pilot regulations.

(8) The power to make regulations in subsection (3) is exercisable by statutory instrument.

(9) A statutory instrument containing regulations under subsection (3) is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of Senedd Cymru.

15 Welsh election pilot forums

(1) This section applies if—

(a) the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru has prepared a report on one or more proposals for pilot regulations under section 14,

(b) the proposals are for—

(i) a pilot in the area of more than one principal council, or

(ii) different pilots in the areas of different principal councils to take place at the same Senedd Cymru general election or the same ordinary elections of councillors, and

(c) the Commission considers it likely that the pilot or pilots will take place.

(2) The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru must establish a forum for discussion of issues relating to the pilot or pilots with a view to providing persons implementing the pilot or pilots with information and advice.

(3) A forum established under subsection (2) must include—

(a) the returning officers of each principal council participating in the pilot or pilots;

(b) representation of electoral administrators from each principal council participating in the pilot or pilots;

(c) one or more members of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru with relevant experience.

(4) The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru may invite any person they consider appropriate to participate in a forum.