This event is aimed at our Welsh AMO Members.
Corporate Joint Committees (CJCs) represent one of the most significant structural developments in Welsh local government in recent years, having been established under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021. As regional bodies bringing together principal councils to collaborate on strategic planning, transport, and economic development, CJCs are now firmly embedded in the Welsh governance landscape - yet the frameworks governing them continue to evolve.
This webinar, delivered by Laura Hughes and Tim Edds, is designed specifically for Monitoring Officers and those responsible for the legal and constitutional oversight of their local authority's engagement with CJCs. As the governance arrangements and powers associated with CJCs develop, Monitoring Officers face an increasingly complex set of responsibilities, from ensuring compliance with emerging regulations to navigating the interaction between CJC decision-making and the democratic accountability mechanisms of constituent councils.
Laura and Tim will examine the latest changes to CJC governance structures and the expansion of their functional powers, exploring what these developments mean in practice for Monitoring Officers operating across Wales. The session will consider scrutiny arrangements, the handling of conflicts of interest, constitutional implications, and the role of the Monitoring Officer in safeguarding lawful decision-making at a regional level.
Delegates will leave with a clearer understanding of the current legal framework, the direction of travel for CJC governance reform, and practical guidance on how to manage their responsibilities effectively as these bodies continue to mature.
Laura Hughes is head of the insurance and public risk department at Browne Jacobson and an experienced public law expert who advises clients across government, local government, education, health, audit, sports and natural resources. She brings more than 20 years' experience advising public sector clients on the full range of public law matters, including decision-making, consultation, statutory interpretation, statutory and guidance drafting, judicial review and civil enforcement.
Laura has led the way in helping areas establish Combined County Authorities under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, acting on the very first of these deals and subsequently acting for two further areas on both Level 2 and Level 3 deals. Following the publication of the Devolution White Paper, Laura has led the firm's offering on devolution and local government reorganisation and is regarded as a leading figure nationally in this area.
Tim Edds is head of Browne Jacobson's Cardiff office and leads the firm's public and administrative law offering to public bodies across Wales, while also playing a lead role in the firm's offering to bodies in England. Tim is a partner specialising in matters involving assessments of public and administrative law risk, particularly those with a Welsh devolution focus, and is also an experienced legislative draftsman who regularly operates as an extension to his clients' in-house legal teams. He advises on the development of nationally significant policies, has drafted Orders and Regulations implementing such policies, and has advised Bill teams taking primary legislation through Senedd Cymru.
Tim has vast experience advising elected officials - including ministers and cabinet members - on legal risk. Before joining Browne Jacobson, Tim worked as an in-house Welsh Government lawyer and at Environment Agency Wales (now Natural Resources Wales), giving him a unique understanding of the policy development process.
AMO Partner
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14:00 - 15:00
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