Local Government (Wales) Act 2015
2015 anaw 6
An Act of the National Assembly for Wales to make provision for and in connection with a reduction in the number of principal local authorities in Wales and to make other amendments of local government law as it applies in relation to Wales.
[25 November 2015]

Having been passed by the National Assembly for Wales and having received the assent of Her Majesty, it is enacted as follows:

Introductory
Overview
1 

(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(2) This Act also makes other amendments to local government law; and more specifically—
(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(c) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
(d) section 42 amends the provisions relating to surveys of councillors and unsuccessful candidates for election as councillors;
(e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Main definitions
2 
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Voluntary mergers of local authorities
Proposals for merger
3 
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Consultation before making merger application
4 
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Guidance about merger applications
5 
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Power to make merger regulations
6 
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Shadow authorities
7 
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Elections and councillors
8 
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Mayor and cabinet executive model authorities
9 
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Other consequential etc. provision
10 
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Transition committees
Transition committees
11 
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Composition of transition committees
12 
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Functions of transition committees
13 
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Sub-committees of transition committees
14 
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Provision of funding, facilities and information to transition committees
15 
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Electoral arrangements etc. for new principal areas
Directions to conduct initial review
16 
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Directions and guidance to Commission
17 
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Conduct of initial review
18 
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Pre-review procedure
19 
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Consultation and investigation
20 
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Reporting on initial review
21 
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Implementation by Welsh Ministers
22 
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Electoral regulations if no recommendations made
23 
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Future review periods
24 
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Remuneration etc. arrangements for new principal local authorities
Directions to Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales to perform relevant functions
25 
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Reports of Panel
26 
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Directions and guidance to Panel
27 
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Pay policy statements
28 
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Restraints on transactions and recruitment etc. by merging authorities
Restraining transactions and recruitment etc. by direction
29 
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Directions under section 29(1): supplementary
30 
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Directions under section 29(1): further provision about reserves
31 
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Directions under section 29(3): supplementary
32 
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Directions: consequences of contravention
33 
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Interpretation of sections 29 to 36
34 
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Determining whether financial limits have been exceeded
35 
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Guidance in relation to transactions, recruitment etc.
36 
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Information requirements
Requirement on merging authority to provide information to Welsh Ministers
37 
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Requirement on merging authority to provide information to other authorities
38 
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Other provisions relating to Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales
Temporary extension of functions of Panel relating to heads of paid service to chief officers
39 
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Changes to duty to have regard to Panel recommendations about salaries
40 
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Panel membership
41 
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Miscellaneous
Survey of councillors and unsuccessful candidates for election as councillors
42 

(1) Section 1 of the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 (duty to conduct survey of councillors and unsuccessful candidates for election as councillors) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (2) (local authority to conduct survey after each ordinary election), for  “after” substitute “
                  , or arrange for the conduct of a survey, in relation to
                ”.
(3) After subsection (3) insert—“
(3A) A survey in the case of an ordinary election may be conducted—
(a) entirely after the ordinary election, or
(b) by asking the candidates for election to the office of councillor to answer the prescribed questions before the ordinary election and collating the information provided afterwards.”
(4) In subsection (5) (no duty to provide information) for  “a councillor or an unsuccessful candidate for election to the office of councillor” substitute “
                  any individual
                ”.
(5) Omit subsection (6) (local authority to arrange for information to be provided anonymously).
Proposals submitted before commencement of Part 3 of Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013
43 
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Supplementary
Regulations
44 
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Interpretation
45 
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Commencement
46 

(1) Sections 25 to 28 and 37 to 43 come into force at the end of the period of 2 months beginning with the day on which this Act receives Royal Assent.
(2) Subject to that, this Act comes into force on the day following that on which this Act receives Royal Assent.
Short title
47 
The short title of this Act is the Local Government (Wales) Act 2015.