Commentary on Sections

Part 9 – Collaboration and Amalgamation

Section 165 – Power to direct a referendum involving an elected mayor

199.Enables the Welsh Ministers to make regulations by which they may direct the shadow authority of a new local government area to hold a referendum on whether or not the new local authority should operate the elected mayor and cabinet form of executive arrangements.

200.The circumstances where this power might be invoked would be where the residents of one of the local authorities to be amalgamated had voted in a referendum in favour of having an elected mayor, but the election of the mayor had not yet been held. The power will enable the Welsh Ministers to extend the procedure for introducing an elected mayor over the whole of the new local government area.