Proposed by Cllr J Gebbie

Restoring Public Trust Through a Recall Mechanism for Councillors in Wales

This Council notes that:

1.         Public trust in politics is built upon accountability, transparency and integrity.

2.         The Welsh Government has rightly sought to strengthen ethical standards in local government through the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 and the Ethical Standards Framework.

3.         Despite these reforms, councillors in Wales remain exempt from any statutory recall mechanism, even where serious misconduct has irreparably damaged public confidence.

4.         Members of Parliament are subject to the Recall of MPs Act 2015, enabling constituents, in prescribed circumstances, to petition for a by-election following serious misconduct.

5.         No equivalent democratic safeguard exists for local government in Wales, despite councillors making decisions that directly affect residents every day, including council tax, planning, education, housing, social care, economic development and community safety.

6.         This inconsistency creates a democratic deficit whereby electors have greater powers to hold Members of Parliament to account than they do the councillors who represent them locally.

7.         Strengthening democratic accountability is not about weakening local government—it is about strengthening public confidence in those elected to serve.

This Council believes that:

1.         Every elected representative should remain accountable to those who elected them throughout their term of office.

2.         Public office is founded upon trust, and where that trust has been fundamentally breached through serious misconduct, the electorate should have the opportunity to determine whether that individual continues to represent them.

3.         The overwhelming majority of councillors serve with integrity and dedication, and a statutory recall mechanism would enhance, rather than diminish, public confidence in local democracy.

4.         Any recall process should apply only in clearly defined statutory circumstances, with robust safeguards to prevent frivolous, vexatious or politically motivated campaigns.

This Council therefore resolves to:

1.         Call upon the Welsh Government to introduce legislation establishing a statutory recall mechanism for councillors in Wales.

2.         Request that such legislation provides for recall petitions to be triggered only in clearly defined circumstances, including serious criminal convictions or significant sanctions imposed under the Ethical Standards Framework.

3.         Write to the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Local Government, the Presiding Officer of the Senedd, all Members of the Senedd representing Bridgend County Borough, the Welsh Local Government Association and the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales seeking their support for this democratic reform.

4.         Request that the Welsh Local Government Association adopts the introduction of a statutory recall mechanism for councillors as a national policy priority.

Council further declares that:

Democracy does not end on polling day. Public office is a privilege entrusted by local people, not an entitlement retained regardless of conduct. Where serious misconduct destroys public confidence, elected representatives should not be able to hide behind a five-year mandate. In those exceptional circumstances, the final judgment should rest not with politicians, but with the electorate. This Council therefore calls upon the Welsh Government to ensure that the people of Wales are afforded the same democratic right to hold their local representatives to account as already exists for Members of Parliament