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Councillors face term limits in radical shake-up | Councillors face term limits in radical shake-up |
(35 minutes later) | |
Term limits for councillors will break up "the old boy network", the public services minister has said. | |
"Reform not reorganisation" is the aim of a white paper published on Tuesday, according to Leighton Andrews. | |
He promised measures to cut costs and "challenge" the culture of local government by limiting councillors to 25 years service and 10 years for leaders. | |
A plan to cut the 22 Welsh councils to 12 has also been proposed. | |
Last week Mr Andrews rejected voluntary mergers by six of the 22 councils for lacking a "compelling vision". | Last week Mr Andrews rejected voluntary mergers by six of the 22 councils for lacking a "compelling vision". |
'Poor reflection' | |
The white paper outlines the Welsh government's response to the Williams Commission, which in January 2014 called for a cut to between 10 and 12 councils, along with ideas to reform the way local authorities operated. | |
The white paper quoted a report saying the make-up of councils was a "poor reflection" of the communities they serve, with 60% of councillors being aged over sixty and men outnumbering women three to one. | |
Mr Andrews told BBC Wales: "It's seen as a bit of an old boys club and we want to cut out the cosy cabals." | |
Promoting 'diversity' | |
Among the changes proposed in the white paper are: | |
'Trust and confidence' | 'Trust and confidence' |
"This is about reform not reorganisation," said Mr Andrews. | "This is about reform not reorganisation," said Mr Andrews. |
"It is about rebuilding councils from the inside out, rebuilding trust and confidence in local government and a new relationship between councils and the people they serve," he said. | "It is about rebuilding councils from the inside out, rebuilding trust and confidence in local government and a new relationship between councils and the people they serve," he said. |
Plaid Cymru local government spokesman Rhodri Glyn Thomas called for a "clear vision" from a minister who was in danger of "jumping from one thing to another". | |
"First we had the Williams Commission, then he called on local authorities to propose voluntary mergers, they were turned down, now we are given a new introduction to look at management performance," he said. | |
Public consultation on the white paper - Reforming Local Government: Power to Local People - is open until 28 April. |