The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) Order 2017

Statutory Instruments

2017 No. 145

Representation Of The People, Wales

The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) Order 2017

Made

8th February 2017

Laid before Parliament

13th February 2017

Coming into force in accordance with article 2

The Minister for the Cabinet Office(1) makes the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred by section 26(2) (as applied by section 22 of the Representation of the People Act 1985(2)) and section 27(3) and (4) of the Welsh Language Act 1993(3).

Citation, commencement and transition

1.  This Order may be cited as the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Welsh Forms) (Amendment) Order 2017.

2.  This Order comes into force on 13th February 2017 but has no effect in relation to any election in respect of which the date of the poll specified in the notice of election, as defined by rule 3 in each of Schedules 2 and 3 to the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006(4), is on or before 3rd May 2017.

Amendment of the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Order 2007

3.  In article 4(1) (Welsh versions of forms of words) of the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Welsh Forms) Order 2007(5), before sub-paragraph (a) insert—

“(za) “Ethol cynghorwyr i [rhowch enw’r awdurdod lleol]” is prescribed as the form of words in Welsh for the words “Election of councillors to [insert name of local authority]”;”.

Chris Skidmore

Minister for the Constitution

Cabinet Office

8th February 2017

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order amends the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Welsh Forms) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/1015) (the “2007 Order”) which principally prescribes Welsh versions of certain forms to be used at county and borough council elections held in Wales.

Article 4 of the 2007 Order provides for the Welsh version of the form of the front of the ballot paper in the appendices to Schedules 2 and 3 to the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 (S.I. 2006/3304).

Article 3 of this Order amends the wording in article 4 of the 2007 Order to provide for the Welsh version of the heading of the ballot paper.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument because no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(1)

The Minister for the Cabinet Office is the Minister responsible for the execution of the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 (S.I. 2006/3305) and is therefore “the appropriate minister” for the purposes of section 27(4) of the Welsh Language Act 1993 (c. 38). Under section 199ZA of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), the functions of the Secretary of State under that Act are exercisable concurrently with the Minister for the Cabinet Office. Section 199ZA was substituted by paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997).

(2)

1985 c. 50. Section 22 of the Representation of the People Act 1985 was substituted by section 35(5) of the Welsh Language Act 1993.

(3)

1993 c. 38.

(4)

S.I. 2006/3304.

(5)

S.I. 2007/1015; article 4(1) was substituted by the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (Welsh Forms)(Amendment) Order 2014 (S.I 2014/918) article 2(3)(a).