Section 27 – Services to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office
84.Subsection (1) places a duty on Welsh Ministers to put in place arrangements for the provision of services to promote diversity in the protected characteristics and socio-economic circumstances of persons seeking to stand for election as members of Senedd Cymru and the councils of counties, county boroughs and communities in Wales.
85.“Protected characteristics” are defined for this purpose in subsection (11) as the protected characteristics in section 4 of the Equality Act 2010, which are—
age;
disability;
gender reassignment;
marriage and civil partnership;
pregnancy and maternity;
race;
religion or belief;
sex; and
sexual orientation.
86.Subsection (2) sets out the matters the Welsh Ministers must have regard to when discharging this duty. The Welsh Ministers must consider whether there are groups of persons with the same protected characteristics that are under-represented in the membership of Senedd Cymru or the councils of counties, county boroughs and communities. Under-representation is to be considered by reference to the population served by the body being considered (subsection (3)).
87.The Welsh Ministers must also have regard to—
the desirability of reducing inequalities of outcome that result from socio-economic disadvantage, and
the desirability of services being available to persons regardless of their membership or non-membership of a registered political party.
88.Subsection (4) provides that the Welsh Ministers are not required to provide services in respect of every under-represented group identified by virtue of subsection (2).
89.Subsection (5) sets out an exhaustive list of the services which may be provided under the arrangements required by this section. The services are information, advice, training, coaching and mentoring, work experience, equipment and assistance with tasks. Subsection (8) provides a power for the Welsh Ministers to make regulations to add to the list of services and amend or remove any services that are added by the regulations.
90.Subsection (6) requires the Welsh Ministers to ensure that in any arrangement put in place under this duty the Welsh Ministers are prohibited from making decisions in particular cases as to whether an individual is to receive a service under the arrangements.
