tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post2525449584248048257..comments2023-08-19T16:44:23.150+01:00Comments on National Left: Which Party in Wales will be smiling on Friday?glynbeddauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09933352430631144936noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133809191630290599.post-84006052054173100152017-05-02T12:27:27.552+01:002017-05-02T12:27:27.552+01:00A form of PR for local elections could transform l...A form of PR for local elections could transform local elections in wales. While people are speculating on how many seats will change hands on thursday the big story is actually that turnout in wales on thursday will likely be risible in most places. <br /><br />Course it wasnt always like this. Time was turnouts for local elections in wales would be 50 percent and higher in the great era of 'municipal socialism' in the 50s and 60s. But then thatcher came along and emasculated local councils and people cocluded what is the point in voting in local elections when councillors have so few powers? And disappointing to report that despite nearly 20 years of welsh devolution successive welsh governments have done little to restore the powers taken away from welsh local authorities by thatcher. <br /><br />So the answer is a simple one if we want to engage people in wales at a local level. Introduce a voting system that encourages a higher turnout for local elections and give powers back to local councils tory governments stripped them of in the 80s. The Senedd now has the powers to do both of these things and there is no good reason for it not to do so.Leigh Richardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10598475954140926742noreply@blogger.com