The Welsh Government’s Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee met on 26 November to consider and vote on the proposed Stage 2 amendments to the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill.
The Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates AM, appeared before the committee to set out the Welsh Government’s position on the proposed amendments, while those considered by the Committee but not supported by the Minister were dismissed.
On the background, the Welsh Government’s ‘Historic Environment Bill E-bulletin’ wrote in advanced of the meeting:
The Welsh Government has tabled 39 amendments to the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill.
Many of the amendments respond to recommendations made in the reports of the Communities, Equality and Local Government and the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committees.
A change to the Bill may require several individual amendments to ensure that it is reflected throughout the legislation.
If passed, the proposed government amendments will make a number of changes to the Bill:
- The Welsh Ministers will be required to compile a list of historic Welsh place names. Historic environment records will be required to provide access to the list.
- These important additions to the Bill will raise awareness of the value and importance of place names by providing better public access to information about them.
- They will also give local authorities a way to get information on historic place names when considering development applications and requests for changes to property names.
- Improvements will be made to how temporary stop notices work.
- The Welsh Ministers will be able to choose the most appropriate way to receive representations on scheduled monument consent applications. This will include appointing a person to receive written representations.
- The Advisory Panel on the Welsh Historic Environment will be required to publish a report on its activities every three years.
- The Welsh Ministers will have to make regulations needed for certain provisions in the Bill to work effectively.
See the source documents
See the ‘marshalled list’ of amendments for 26 November
Access the E-bulletins in English
