How does the Counsel General seek to address concerns by Professor Alan Renwick that the proposed new voting system will reduce Senedd election disaffection further?
The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill increases the size and capacity of the Senedd, and therefore increases both the level of representation of Senedd electors nationally, and the effectiveness with which elected members can represent their constituents.
The removal of the first-past-the-post element of the current mixed-member system ensures that all members will be elected on a proportional basis, and by returning the length of a Senedd term to four years, the frequency with which electors can renew or remove a government’s mandate is significantly increased.
This work is being carried out in collaboration with Rhun ap Iorwerth MS, leader of Plaid Cymru, as part of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru.