Introduction
1.These Explanatory Notes relate to the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 as passed by the National Assembly for Wales on 15 March 2011 and approved by Her Majesty in Council on 10 May 2011.
2.They have been prepared by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Department for Social Justice and Local Government in order to assist the reader of the proposed Measure and to help inform debate on it. They do not form part of the draft Measure and have not been endorsed by the National Assembly for Wales.
3.The Explanatory Notes should be read in conjunction with the proposed Measure. They are not, and are not meant to be, a comprehensive description of the Measure. So where a section or part of a section does not seem to require any explanation or comment, none is given.
4.There are 10 parts to the Explanatory Notes:
	Parts 1-2 – Strengthening local democracy; Family absence for members of local authorities;
	Parts 3-5 – Governance arrangements, changes to executive arrangements and discharge of functions by committees and councillors;
	Part 6 – Overview and Scrutiny;
	Part 7 – Communities and community councils;
	Part 8 – Members: Payment and Pensions;
	Part 9 – Collaboration and Amalgamation;
	Part 10 – General.
5.The powers to make such a Measure are contained in Matters 12.1 and 12.5 to 12.17 of Schedule 5 to the Government of Wales Act 2006.
6.The following terms are used in these Notes:
	Principal council – to refer to a county or county borough council in Wales;
	Community council – to refer to a community or town council in Wales;
	The 1972 Act – The Local Government Act 1972;
	The 2000 Act – The Local Government Act 2000;
	The 2009 Measure –The Local Government (Wales) Measure 2009;
	The Welsh Commission – the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales.