Planning (Wales) Act 2026

8 Power to designate joint planning area and establish joint planning board

(1) Regulations may—

(a) designate two or more areas, each of which is the whole or part of a county or county borough in Wales, as a joint planning area, and

(b) establish a joint board (to be known as a “joint planning board”) for the joint planning area.

(2) The Welsh Ministers may not make regulations under this section unless either—

(a) they have caused a local inquiry to be held, or

(b) all the constituent councils have agreed.

(3) A joint planning board is a body corporate.

(4) A joint planning board consists of members appointed by the constituent councils.

(5) The regulations establishing the board must determine the number of members.

(6) Regulations under this section may—

(a) regulate the appointment, tenure of office and vacation of office of members of a joint planning board;

(b) regulate the meetings and proceedings of the board;

(c) provide for the payment of the board’s costs by the constituent councils;

(d) apply to the board (with or without modifications) any enactment relating to the constitution, functions or financial arrangements (including audit) of local authorities of any description;

(e) make any other provision that the Welsh Ministers think appropriate in connection with the exercise of the board’s functions.

(7) Regulations under this section may also—

(a) provide for the transfer of property, rights and liabilities (including rights and liabilities relating to contracts of employment);

(b) provide for the adjustment of accounts and apportionment of liabilities.

(8) The “constituent councils” of a joint planning board are each county council or county borough council all or part of whose area is included in the board’s joint planning area.