Supplementary memorandum by the Office
of the Deputy Prime Minister (DRA 73(a))
Further to my appearance before the ODPM Select
Committee on 14 September I am now able to provide information
on the two matters on which we were asked to write.
1. How many respondents to the White Paper
Your Region: Your Choice: Revitalising the English Regions,
had supported the Government's proposals for the members of elected
regional assemblies to be elected by the additional member system
(AMS)? [Q288]
Of the 1,171 individual respondents to the White
Paper 67 mentioned the voting system. Of these 64 expressed a
firm view for or against AMS. Twenty-four favoured AMS. Of those
40 that did not favour AMS, 18 expressed a preference for the
single transferable vote (STV), three for first past the post,
two for a party list system, and 23 did not suggest an alternative
system.
2. Examples of local authorities using their
powers to give co-opted members voting rights on scrutiny committees
under the Local Government Act 2000 (as amended by the Local Government
Act 2003) [Q320]
ODPM is not aware of any local authority that
has so far used its powers to give co-opted members voting rights
on scrutiny committees. However authorities are not under any
duty to inform us if they do choose to use such enabling powers
and we, in the interests of minimising administrative burdens
on local authorities, do not as a rule undertake surveys to ascertain
their take up of such powers.
Richard Allan
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