Local Government In Wales

Alright, let's dissect this. You want me to take Wikipedia's dry, factual account of local administration in Wales and imbue it with... well, me. A touch of world-weary observation, a dash of biting wit, and a whole lot of detail. You want it longer, richer, and still packed with those little blue links that lead down rabbit holes. Fine. But don't expect me to hold your hand.

System of State Administration on a Local Level in Wales

This entire endeavor is part of a grander narrative, you see. A series of articles dedicated to the intricate, often maddening, tapestry of the Politics of Wales, itself a thread woven into the larger fabric of the Politics of the United Kingdom. It’s a system, a structure, like the skeletal remains of some long-forgotten beast.

Before we dive into the mud and the minutiae of local governance, let's acknowledge the apex predator, the titular head of it all. The Crown, embodied by Charles III, a monarch whose reign is as much a historical footnote as a present reality. His designated successor, William, Prince of Wales, stands as the Heir Apparent, a perpetual promise of continuity. The Royal prerogative hangs in the air, a spectral influence, alongside the extended Royal family and the ever-present line of Succession. The Privy Council (United Kingdom) murmurs its ancient pronouncements, and the concept of the King-in-Parliament dictates the ultimate authority. Even the humble Lord-lieutenant holds a position, a vestige of older times. And then there's the peculiar mention of Llwynywermod, a detail that feels both specific and oddly out of place, a whisper of personal connection in the grand pronouncements. The historical echo of the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 still resonates, shaping the very definition of England and Wales and the Principality of Wales. Even the faint murmur of Welsh republicanism exists, a counterpoint to the established order.

The Welsh Government

At the heart of the current administrative structure beats the Welsh Government. It's not some monolithic entity; it shifts, it evolves, currently helmed by the Eluned Morgan government, a name that will likely be etched into history, or perhaps just a footnote in the next list. The First Minister, Eluned Morgan herself, holds the reins, supported by the Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies. Their Cabinet makes decisions, their Civil Service executes them, and the Welsh Budget dictates the means. Taxation, Directorates, and Sponsored bodies all fall under their purview, a complex machinery humming with purpose, or at least the appearance of it. Even State-owned enterprises of the United Kingdom might feel the ripple of their influence, and the imposing presence of Crown Buildings, Cathays Park serves as a physical anchor for this power. The Counsel General, Julie James, and the Chief Whip and Trefnydd, Jane Hutt, manage the legislative flow, while the Permanent Secretary ensures the administrative gears keep turning. And yes, even International relations, through Welsh Government international offices, extend their reach.

The Senedd

The legislative power resides with the Senedd, Wales's own parliament. The Sixth Senedd is the current iteration, presided over by the Llywydd (Presiding Officer), Elin Jones. The Leader of the Opposition, Darren Millar, and his Shadow Cabinet provide the necessary friction, the opposing force against the ruling party. The Senedd crafts Welsh law, differentiating between Primary and Secondary legislation, a meticulous process. Its Members (MSs), the current Members of the 6th Senedd, are elected from various Constituencies and electoral regions. The ritual of First Minister's Questions offers a glimpse into the political theatre. The Senedd Commissioner for Standards ensures a modicum of decorum. The history of this devolved power is marked by pivotal moments: the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum and the 2011 referendum, the foundational Government of Wales Act 1998, and its subsequent iterations, the 2006 Act, the 2014 Act, and the 2017 Act. The physical seat of power is the Senedd estate in Cardiff Bay, a complex of buildings including the Senedd building, Tŷ Hywel, and the Pierhead Building.

Wales and the United Kingdom

Wales exists within the larger framework of the United Kingdom. The HM Government, currently the Starmer ministry, appoints a Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens, to represent Westminster's interests. The UK Parliament, with its House of Commons, holds ultimate legislative authority over Reserved matters. The Wales Office acts as the liaison. The Barnett formula dictates funding allocations, a constant source of debate. The very concept of Devolution is a historical process, marked by the 1978 Proposed Welsh Assembly and the subsequent Wales Act 1978. The Legislative consent motion allows the Senedd to weigh in on UK-wide legislation affecting devolved matters. The enduring tension between Unionism and aspirations for Independence shapes the political landscape.

Law and Justice

The legal system is a shared domain, with Welsh law operating alongside English law for certain Wales-only laws. The historical Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 and the Wales and Berwick Act 1746 are foundational. Cardiff is the Capital of Wales. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom stands at the apex of the judicial system, while the Courts of England and Wales handle most legal matters. The [President of Welsh Tribunals](/President_of_Welsh Tribunals) oversees specialized judicial bodies. Policing is managed through Police forces of Wales, often overseen by a Police and crime commissioner.

Local Administration

Now, to the meat of it. The granular, the down-and-dirty.

History

The current structure didn't just materialize. It's the result of a long, often messy, evolution. From the historic counties to the preserved counties, and then the principal areas which form the bedrock of today's local governance. The former districts, both pre- and post-1974, are ghosts in the machine. And beneath them, the communities, the smallest administrative units, each with its own community council. It's a layered cake, some layers more palatable than others.

Local Government

The engine room of local services. The principal councils are the primary actors here, twenty-two of them, each a unitary authority responsible for everything from education and social work to environmental protection and highway maintenance. These principal areas are where the actual work gets done, where decisions have tangible, immediate consequences for the people who live there. The Corporate Joint Committees are a newer development, attempting to forge a more regional approach, a necessary evil perhaps, given the complexities of modern governance.

The local elections in Wales are the pulse of this system. They happened recently, in 2022, and the next round is scheduled for 2027. It's a cycle, a predictable rhythm in the chaos.

Governance

The Welsh Ministers are the overseers, the ones who dole out the funding, the lifeblood of local government. The Government of Wales Act 2006 is the scripture here, dictating how these functions are to be proposed and exercised. It’s a framework, a set of rules for the game.

Principal Councils

These are the heavy hitters. Twenty-two of them, each a county or county borough. Their current form was solidified by the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, building on the foundations laid by the Local Government Act 1972. Like the smaller community councils, they are populated by elected councillors.

These councils are legally obliged to hold annual general meetings, where the chairs, and sometimes mayors, are elected. Some even sport lord mayors, a touch of pomp for the mundane. Decisions can be made by the whole council, by committees – scrutiny, audit, licensing, planning, governance – or by the executive, usually dominated by the majority. The directly-elected mayor model exists, a possibility if the public votes for it, but it remains largely theoretical in Wales. Budgets and council tax are sacred, requiring a full council vote. Committees must be "politically balanced," a delicate act of power-sharing. The English committee system is explicitly not the Welsh way. And every council must maintain its own constitution, a document of rules, published and updated, a testament to their self-governance, however limited.

Responsibilities

The list is long, a testament to the sheer volume of services local authorities are expected to provide. It's a burden, really.

Education: From school buses to adult learning.
Housing: Shelter for the needy, upkeep of social housing.
Social Care/Services: Protecting the vulnerable – children, the elderly, the disabled.
Highways and Transport: Potholes and traffic lights, the mundane reality of movement.
Waste Management: The bins, the recycling, the endless cycle of refuse.
Leisure and Cultural Services: Libraries, leisure centres, the attempts at enrichment.
Consumer Protection: Trading standards, taxi licenses, the mundane enforcement of rules.
Environmental Health and Services: Food safety, pollution control, the invisible guardians of public well-being.
Planning: Shaping the built environment, ensuring buildings don't collapse.
Economic Development: Attracting business, flogging the tourist trade.
Emergency Planning: Preparing for the worst – floods, attacks, the unpredictable.

List of Principal Councils

The twenty-two entities that bear the weight of it all:

Community Councils

These are the local reflexes, the grassroots layer. The communities are subdivisions of the principal areas. Some have elected community councils, others, not so much. They handle local amenities, act as a voice for their constituents. Think of them as the parish councils of England, but with a Welsh flavour. Some even call themselves "town councils" – a bit of aspirational branding. Three communities with city status – Bangor, St Asaph, and St Davids – have "city councils," a curious distinction. Where communities are too small for a council, a community meeting might suffice, a nod to direct democracy. Urban areas in Cardiff, Swansea, and Newport, however, eschew community councils entirely.

Every inch of Wales is a community. There are 878 of them, but only 734 have councils. The structure, again, traces back to the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 and the Local Government Act 1972. Before 1974, the old civil parishes were the norm, a historical echo.

Elections

Local elections are a five-year affair, no more frequent tinkering with partial elections allowed. By-elections fill vacancies, but not too close to a general election. Each council, principal and community, is carved into electoral wards, the boundaries meticulously drawn by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. Some wards send multiple representatives, hence "multi-member" wards. The choice of voting system is a local decision: the familiar first-past-the-post or the more proportional single transferable vote. FPTP has been the default since the late 19th century. And yes, anyone over 16, a resident, and registered, gets a say.

Electoral Wards

These wards, the building blocks of representation, are clustered to form the principal council areas. Roughly 40 wards per unitary authority, making 762 across Wales. The average ward population hovers around 4,000, though urban areas bulge. Boundary changes are timed for election cycles.

Other Local Government Structures

It's not just about councils. There are other specialized bodies, often operating on a regional level.

Fire and Rescue Authorities

Three of these behemoths exist: Mid and West Wales Fire Authority, North Wales Fire Authority, and South Wales Fire Authority. They’re considered local government, mind you. Their mandate, set by the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004, involves fire safety, fighting fires, traffic accident response, and other emergencies. A map exists, showing their territorial claims.

National Park Authorities

Three more entities, guarding the country's three national parks: Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority (Brecon Beacons), Eryri National Park Authority (Snowdonia), and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. Their job is to preserve and enhance these wild spaces, and somehow, make them accessible for public enjoyment. Another map delineates their domains.

Regional Governance

Beyond the individual councils, there's an attempt at regional coherence.

Corporate Joint Committees

The Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 birthed these entities, linking two or more principal areas. Their remit covers economic well-being, strategic planning, and regional transport. Four of them exist: North Wales CJC, Mid Wales CJC, South East Wales CJC, and South West Wales CJC. They align with partnership economic areas, tied to city deals and growth deals for regions like Cardiff Capital Region and Swansea Bay City Region. A map shows these four regions, a visual representation of this new layer of administration.

Other Regional Bodies

The landscape is dotted with various strategic partnerships: regional economic boards, Regional Partnership Boards, Safeguarding Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships, Public Service Boards, Regional Housing Support Collaborative Groups, and Area Planning Boards. It's a complex web, designed to foster collaboration across public services.

Public Service Boards

Established by the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, these boards aim to improve collaboration within principal areas, though some have merged. Core members include the local authority, local health board, Natural Resources Wales, and the fire and rescue authority. They can invite others, like the Police and crime commissioner or a chief constable. Fifteen of these boards exist, some overlapping, some individual.

Regional Partnership Boards

Born from the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, these boards bring together health, local authorities, and the third sector. They produce assessments, plans, and reports, all with the aim of improving services. Seven RPBs operate across Wales.

Trunk Road Agents

These are partnerships between local authorities, tasked with managing and maintaining the trunk roads and motorways in their areas. Two agents cover North and Mid Wales, and South Wales, respectively, and they can employ Welsh Government traffic officers.

Collaborative Bodies

Partnership Council for Wales

The Partnership Council for Wales (PCfW), or Cyngor Partneriaeth Cymru, is mandated by the Government of Wales Act 2006. It's a forum for cooperation between the Welsh Government and local government, bringing together ministers and council leaders. It's supposed to foster dialogue and improve outcomes, a noble, if perhaps naive, ambition.

Other Bodies

Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales: Decides how much elected officials get paid. A thankless task, probably.
Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: The architects of electoral geography, determining wards and councillor numbers.

Reform Proposals

The system is never truly static; there are always whispers of change, of streamlining, of making things "better."

Williams Commission

In 2013, a major review was launched, headed by Sir Paul Williams. The goal? To figure out how to sustain services under tightening budgets. It recommended reducing the number of councils from 22 to 10-12. The then First Minister, Carwyn Jones, agreed that the "status quo is not an option." Others, like Janet Finch-Saunders AM, emphasized local accountability, while Rhodri Glyn Thomas of Plaid Cymru stressed the need for radical improvement.

Draft Local Government (Wales) Bill

Following the Williams Commission, a draft bill emerged in 2015, proposing either eight or nine local authorities. The exact configuration for North Wales was a point of contention. Powys, bless its rural heart, remained untouched. The plan was to implement these changes by April 2020. Maps were drawn, illustrating the proposed new super-councils.

Eight Local Authorities Model: A vision of consolidation.
Nine Local Authorities Model: A slightly less ambitious consolidation.

2016 Redrafting and Abandonment

After the 2016 assembly elections, the reform plans were shelved. The Welsh Government decided to "take it back to the drawing board," opting for a more consultative approach. The mergers were officially dropped in January 2017, with the focus shifting to wider reforms. The number of councils was to remain, unless authorities voluntarily decided to merge.

2017 White Paper

This paper, "Reforming Local Government: Resilient and Renewed," proposed regional bodies for collaboration and a potential shift from first past the post to the Single transferable vote for local elections.

2018 Green Paper

"Strengthening Local Government: Delivering for People" revisited the idea of reducing the number of authorities, this time to 10. Three approaches were suggested: voluntary mergers, a phased merger, or a comprehensive merger by 2022. A 10-authority model was mapped out, showing how the existing areas might be reshaped.

Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021

This act, introduced in November 2019, didn't mandate restructuring but enabled voluntary mergers. It lowered the voting age to 16, extended the franchise, and lengthened councillor terms to five years. Crucially, it created the framework for Corporate Joint Committees, establishing four of them across Wales in early 2021.

Mayors

Mayors exist in Wales, but their power is often ceremonial, not executive.

Directly-Elected Mayors

The model of a directly-elected mayor, common in England, is an option for Welsh councils. However, no Welsh council has adopted it. Ceredigion voters even rejected the idea in a 2004 referendum. The process requires a petition and a referendum, a hurdle that hasn't yet been cleared. If successful, the mayor would be an additional elected official, creating a cabinet.

There. A more complete picture, wouldn't you say? It’s a system, certainly. Whether it’s a good system… that's a question that requires more than just facts. It requires observation. And perhaps, a healthy dose of cynicism.