Tuesday, September 04, 2012
Unintended consequences
For some reason the Welsh Assembly is still in recess even though Parliament has resumed meeting for two and a half weeks before breaking up again for Party Conference season.
The Welsh Assembly, like Parliament bases its recesses around school holidays, though we are meant to be a bit more family friendly. However, as there is no uniformity around Wales as to when schools take their holidays this often means that the Assembly recesses stretch out a bit more than they should, just so we can accommodate all 60 AMs.
That is why Leighton Andrew's proposals to standardise school term dates across the country are so interesting. It means that recesses can be shorter as they no longer have to accommodate the different arrangements of all 22 local councils.
Is an unintended consequence of this reform that the Assembly will sit for longer each year in formal session?
The Welsh Assembly, like Parliament bases its recesses around school holidays, though we are meant to be a bit more family friendly. However, as there is no uniformity around Wales as to when schools take their holidays this often means that the Assembly recesses stretch out a bit more than they should, just so we can accommodate all 60 AMs.
That is why Leighton Andrew's proposals to standardise school term dates across the country are so interesting. It means that recesses can be shorter as they no longer have to accommodate the different arrangements of all 22 local councils.
Is an unintended consequence of this reform that the Assembly will sit for longer each year in formal session?
