(1)In conducting a review under this Part, the Commission or, as the case may be, a principal council (“the reviewing body”) must—
[F1(za)consult members of the public in the area affected by the review,]
(a)consult the mandatory consultees and such other persons as it considers appropriate, and
(b)conduct such investigations as it considers appropriate.
(2)After carrying out the consultation and investigations under subsection (1), the reviewing body must prepare a report containing—
(a)any proposals for change it considers appropriate or, if it does not consider any change appropriate, a proposal to that effect,
(b)details of the review it conducted.
(3)The reviewing body must—
(a)publish the report electronically,
[F2(aa)publicise the fact that representations relating to the review may be made to the reviewing body during the public consultation period,
(ab)indicate in the publicity when the public consultation period begins and ends,]
(b)secure that the report is available for inspection (without charge) at the offices of any principal council with an interest in the review for the duration of the [F3public consultation period],
(c)send copies of the report to the Welsh Ministers and the mandatory consultees,
(d)inform any other person who submitted evidence to the reviewing body how to obtain a copy of the report F4...
F5(e). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[F6(4)In subsection (3), the “public consultation period means a period of at least 6 weeks and no more than 12 weeks determined by the reviewing body, which may not begin before the end of a period of 7 days beginning with the day on which the report is published.]
(5)For the purposes of this section, a principal council has an interest in a review if—
(a)it is the reviewing body,
(b)its area is under review,
(c)a community in its area (or the electoral arrangements of such a community) is under review.
(6)In this section and section 36 a reference to a proposal for change is a reference to any change that the reviewing body may recommend or make (including consequential change) in relation to the type of review being conducted.
Textual Amendments
F1S. 35(1)(za) inserted (9.11.2024) by Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 45(3)(a), 72(2)(a) (with s. 55)
F2S. 35(3)(aa)(ab) inserted (9.11.2024) by Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 45(3)(b)(i), 72(2)(a) (with s. 55)
F3Words in s. 35(3)(b) substituted (9.11.2024) by Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 45(3)(b)(ii), 72(2)(a) (with s. 55)
F4Word in s. 35(3)(d) omitted (9.11.2024) by virtue of Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 45(3)(b)(iii), 72(2)(a) (with s. 55)
F5S. 35(3)(e) omitted (9.11.2024) by virtue of Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 45(3)(b)(iv), 72(2)(a) (with s. 55)
F6S. 35(4) substituted (9.11.2024) by Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 45(3)(b)(v), 72(2)(a) (with s. 55)