Welsh Liberal Democrats want greater freedom for local councils.
We want to introduce a single power of "general competence" to give local councils more choice over what they do; similar to the one Liberal Democrats have delivered in England. We want to reduce the number of specific funds that councils are given, funds that have to be spent on what the Welsh government wants not what local people judge is in the best interest of their community. Instead, this money should be given to local councils to spend on what they decide is important. This won't mean less money; instead it will mean councils can spend their money on what they want. We would begin these changes by introducing a Community Bill of Rights, guaranteeing new powers for councils.
But reforming local government needs to be about more than just giving additional powers to the town hall. Local democracy also has to be strengthened. Councils need to reflect the different political voices that exist in every community. Local democracy needs to be restored and renewed in some councils in Wales, especially those that have been run by Labour for decades.
Welsh Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for changes to the way local councils are elected for generations. We want to hear all views and believe that all communities deserve real democratic accountability. We want to see a new electoral system, the Single Transferable Vote, so that every vote counts and the local council is elected fairly - this will mean an end to the unrepresentative oneparty politics that exists in many parts of Wales. The Scottish Liberal Democrats have already achieved this and local politics has been re-invigorated as a result.
We also need to clean up the way our councils do politics. Fairer elections will contribute to this by making sure many more seats are contested. We also want an independent review of the way councils manage their own affairs. That way we can promote the open and transparent practices of the best councils across Wales.
This is our vision for local government in Wales. Your council will have more opportunity to change your community. Your council will be elected fairly. And your council will be trusted to get on with the job.
