Cyflwynwyd yr ymateb hwn i ymgynghoriad y Pwyllgor Biliau Diwygio ar Fil Senedd Cymru (Aelodau ac Etholiadau).

This response was submitted to the Reform Bill Committee consultation on the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill.

SCME40 Ymateb gan:  | Response from: Hewan Ormson
_____________________________________________________________________________________

General question: You state: We want to make sure that our work is informed by experiences, needs, and views that reflect the diversity of the people and communities affected by these issues.

But then you state: We encourage anyone with expertise or experience of these issues to share your views, with the full knowledge that your views will be welcomed and valued.

These two statements appear to me to be contradictory. Surely, anyone in Wales can respond to this consultation. 

· Increase the size of the Senedd to 96 Members.
I do not think this number is necessary. I am already represented by 5 people - some of whom I have never even seen. I don’t think I need any more. The number of people represented by 1 MS in Wales will be significantly lower than the comparable figures for Scotland and England (Based on current figures).

· Decrease the length of time between Senedd ordinary general elections from five to four years.
MS will improve their knowledge and skills over the period of a Senedd term, especially if they are in their first terms so the term should remain at 5 years. More frequent elections will increase costs not only of the elections themselves but also of redundancy payments, I assume.

· Increase the maximum number of Deputy Presiding Officers from one to two.

· Increase the legislative limit on the size of the Welsh Government to 17 (plus the First Minister and Counsel General), with power to further increase the limit to 18 or 19.
I have no concerns about this as it might lead to ministers being able to narrow their focus more onto the responsibilities they hold.

· Require candidates to, and Members of, the Senedd to be resident in Wales (by disqualifying candidates and Members who are not registered to vote in a Senedd constituency).
I agree with this completely. How will the issue be dealt with if a member moves out of Wales during the term? Perhaps MS could be required to live in their constituencies?

· Provide a mechanism for the Seventh Senedd’s consideration of job-sharing of offices relating to the Senedd (by requiring the Llywydd in the Seventh Senedd to propose the establishment of a Senedd committee to review specified matters).
I don’t think job sharing is an efficient way forward. Job sharing can often lead to both workers working longer hours than contracted for. How will important decision making be organised?

· Change the Senedd’s electoral system so that all Members are elected via closed list proportional representation, with votes translated into seats via the D’Hondt formula.
I do not agree with this system as voters lose the ability (and right, in my view) to vote for specific candidates. If constituencies are larger then there is no guarantee that an MS  elected would be sufficiently knowledgeable about smaller areas within it leading to potential disenfranchisement. I understand that the D’Hondt formula tends to favour larger parties putting smaller parties at a disadvantage.

· Repurpose and rename the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales; provide the renamed Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) with the functions needed to establish new Senedd constituencies and undertake ongoing reviews of Senedd constituency boundaries; and provide instructions for the DBCC to follow when undertaking boundary reviews.
Should the Senedd be enlarged then this is necessary. I would be sorry to lose the word local from the title of the body as it reflects my feeling that individual MS are elected to represent a local area.

· Provide for review of the operation and effect of the new legislative provisions following the 2026 election (by requiring the Llywydd after the election to propose the establishment of a Senedd committee to review specified matters).

· No issue