§ DECLARATION BY LOCAL AUTHORITY OF VACANCY IN OFFICE IN CERTAIN CASES
§ Mr. Graham PageI beg to move Amendment No. 281, in page 56, line 16. 231 leave out from 'vacant' to end of line 18.
With this Amendment it will be convenient, if the House will agree, to take Government Amendment No. 558.
These Amendments are designed to ensure that public notice is given of every casual vacancy, no matter how it occurs. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Charles Morrison) for raising this matter in Committee. The tabling of these Amendments has implemented the undertaking which I gave at that time.
At present public notice of only some casual vacancies is required. This is particularly unfortunate in the case of parishes or community councils, because not all casual vacancies have to be filled by the local electorate. Some may be filled by the council itself, so it is all the more important that there should be a public notice.
§ Mr. BlenkinsopI welcome the fact that the Government have tabled these Amendments to meet points which were raised by both sides in Committee. However, these Government Amendments seem to use many more words to express the same point.
§ Amendment agreed to.