Comment DBCC-8007

2026 Review of Senedd Constituencies
Response to the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission Consultation
September 2024
The Wales Electoral Coordination Board (WECB)
The Wales Electoral Coordination Board (WECB) has been in existence since 2017. Whilst currently operating under a voluntary arrangement, with no statutory basis or formal powers and, until very recently, with no national grant funding, the WECB is recognised by the professional elections network, national partners and both governments.
The WECB:-
• coordinates the planning of, and de-risks, all electoral events in Wales – both non-reserved and reserved elections;
• advises on the planning, drafting and implementation of electoral reform policy, legislation and test/pilot innovation, and other policy and reviews,
• maintains and supports a resilient network of returning officers and electoral administrators; and
• promotes good, innovative and consistent practice.
The role of the WECB in making consultation responses
The WECB can provide expert advice on (1) the practicality of implementing the provisions of draft legislation once published, and also on national policy and other reviews (2) the risks which will need to be managed to ensure that any electoral reform, ongoing electoral registration and the electoral events themselves can be administered efficiently and safely, with integrity, and with the trust and confidence of the electorate and all stakeholders and (3) the resource requirements for returning officers and elections services teams within local authorities and their national partners.
The Board contributes to the development and drafting of legislation and policy reviews - from conception to publication – in the background, through close liaison with civil servants and with and alongside national partners.
 
Consultation Response
The WECB reviewed the initial proposals of the Commission for the review of Senedd Constituencies, and the pairing of the 32 Parliamentary Constituencies to form 16 new Senedd Constituencies, at its meeting in early September.
The WECB recognises that the legislation for the review exercise is prescriptive for the number and distribution of constituencies, and with the statutory factors, in determining the pairing choice. Given the predictability of the initial proposals made, and the logic which sits behind the choice of pairings to ensure compliance with the legislative prescription, we have no specific suggestions to make for betterment of the initial proposals.
Given the need to comply with the legislative prescription, and the extreme limitations of choices to do so, we would not realistically expect much if any change between the initial proposals and the final proposals which will emerge post-consultation.
We would ask that full consideration be given to any alternative local proposals which might come forward from local authorities - whether individually or clusters – where compelling and compliant argument is made. We would ask that particular attention is paid to arguments made for alternative, and more appropriate, constituency naming under the monolingual requirement.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment and to contribute.

Respondent type

On behalf of an organisation (private or public)

Organisation name

Wales Electoral Coordination Board

This comment refers to

The entire area under review.