Welsh Local Government Boundary Commissioners sacked

Welsh Local Government and Communities Minister, Carl Sargeant, this week told the Welsh Assembly that,

In December 2010 I announced a decision to establish an independent review of the timetabling and quality issues associated with the electoral review programme by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales and to identify actions required to ensure the delivery of the reviews in good time for the 2016 elections …

I fully accept the findings of the report which contains lessons for all of us, including the Welsh Government, concerned with the process of electoral reviews.

The most concerning finding, however, is the conclusion reached that the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales has lost the confidence of its stakeholders and because of this is ‘not fit for purpose’.

This is a most serious conclusion and I have decided to terminate the appointments of the three existing Commissioners.

The news follows the curious decision of the Welsh Local Government Boundary Commission earlier this year to continue with boundary reviews even though the Welsh Government had decided no further boundary changes would be introduced before the 2012 elections.