Want to keep up to date on Welsh politics? Sign up and get political news sent straight to your inbox Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Plans to increase the number of AMs in the National Assembly for Wales have been shelved.

The plans would have seen an extra 20-30 AMs added to the 60 already serving at the Assembly. It was hoped that the increase would make the Assembly a "more effective, accessible and diverse legislature".

However in a letter to AMs today presiding officer Elin Jones said that it had been decided that it was "not possible" to move forwards with the legislation at this time due to a lack of support in the Assembly.

Labour has said it will require a manifesto commitment to back the change and with the bill needing a two-thirds majority to pass it has been shelved until after the 2021 Assembly elections.

The proposals were the second phase of the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill. The first phase included votes for under 16s in Assembly and council elections and changing the Assembly’s name to Senedd. The first phase is not affected by this decision.

The Electoral Reform Society (ERS) called the move "deeply disappointing".

Director of ERS Cymru Jess Blair said: "The decision not to take forward planned reforms to the Assembly is a deeply disappointing one that could hold us back from creating a parliament that delivers more effectively for the people of Wales.

"The current over-stretched Senedd is not fit for purpose. Sixty members is not sufficient for a law-making parliament 20 years into devolution. This is recognised by the majority of Assembly Members currently sitting in the Senedd.

"Members and political parties now need to put their heads above the parapet and ensure that plans for a larger assembly don’t end here. With only two years until an assembly election parties must consider how they include these proposals as part of their manifestos which can be put to the public in May 2021."

The recommendations to increase the amount of AMs came from a 2017 report called "A Parliament that Works for Wales" by an expert panel chair by Professor Laura McAllister.

The report estimated that it would cost approximately £2.4 million for 20 additional Members and £3.3 million for 30 additional Members a year.

It said that "making the case for more politicians will be unpopular" but that increasing the Assembly to a size 80-90 AMs "would deliver meaningful difference in the ability of many Members to specialise, with consequent benefits for scrutiny and representation."

Professor McAllister said that she felt sorry for current and future AMs.

She said: "I am not surprised but I am disapointed. This issue is not going away.

"I feel sorry for the future politicians because they are not going to be able to apply proper levels of scrutiny.

"Even though the Assembly should be larger there is no consensus about how it should be done.

"I think the report presented some really compelling arguments. It is is going to have to be done as money is being wasted through lack of scrutiny quite frankly."

Presiding officer Elin Jones added in her letter: "As the challenges facing the Assembly’s capacity intensify, we are confident that the case in favour of increasing the number of AMs has been made.

"Nevertheless, the issue of reforming the electoral system continues to spark a wide range of views, with one party having already confirmed that it would require a manifesto commitment before any such change was implemented.

"On this basis, the Commission has decided it is not possible to legislate on phase two of electoral reform in this Assembly."

This means that the amount of AM will not change until the 2026 at the earliest.