# Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024, Section 65: Political restriction of officers and staff

Extent: E+W
Status: prospective

(1) The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (c. 42) is amended as follows.
(2) In section 1 (disqualification and political restriction of certain officers and staff)—
(a) in subsection (1A)—
(i) after “member of any local authority in Wales” insert “(including an elected mayor)”;
(ii) in paragraph (b), after “under a” insert “community council or”;
(b) in subsection (1B), after “any corporate joint committee” insert “, community council”;
(c) after subsection (1B) insert—
“(1C) A person shall be disqualified from becoming or remaining a member of a community council if that person holds a politically restricted post under any community council, corporate joint committee or local authority in Great Britain.”;
(d) after subsection (12) insert—
“(13) Subsections (5) and (6) of this section apply to a community council as they apply to a local authority in Wales.”.
(3) In section 2 (politically restricted posts)—
(a) after subsection (1B) insert—
“(1C) For the purposes of this Part the following persons are to be regarded as holding politically restricted posts under a community council—
(a) a paid officer having responsibility, for the purposes of section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972, for the administration of the financial affairs of the community council;
(b) a person holding a paid post that is for the time being specified by the community council in the list maintained in accordance with subsection (2) and any directions under section 3.”;
(b) after subsection (10C) insert—
“(10D) This section, other than subsection (1), applies in relation to a community council as it applies in relation to a local authority in Wales.
(10E) In the application of subsection (4) to a community council, the reference to the coming into force of this section has effect as if it were a reference to 6 May 2027.”.
(4) In section 3(9) (grant and supervision of exemptions from political restriction), after “corporate joint committee” insert “and a community council”.
(5) In section 10(2) (limit on paid leave for local authority duties), in the definition of “local authority”, after “corporate joint committee” insert “and a community council”.
(6) In section 12(2) (conflict of interest in staff negotiations), in the definition of “local authority”, after “corporate joint committee” insert “and a community council”.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2024/5/section/65 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/elections-and-elected-bodies-wales-act-2024/section-65
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.