Plaid Cymru’s leader has been urged to confirm that next year's local elections will proceed without changes or delays.

Conservative Senedd member Andrew RT Davies has called on Plaid Cymru ministers to confirm next year’s local government elections will go ahead as scheduled.

Speaking in the Senedd on June 16, Mr Davies asked Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to confirm if elections in May next year will be run on the existing franchise.

“First Minister, electoral reform is always important to make sure that the electorate engage fully with the opportunity to cast their opinion via the ballot box,” stated Mr Davies.

“Your manifesto touched on electoral reform in local government, which is an area that hasn't seen much electoral reform during this Senedd term.

“Is it your commitment that the elections that will be run next May will be run on the existing franchise, and there will be no change to the electoral way that people will vote, but the electoral aspiration for local government is more longer term and those are changes you will seek to make in the back end of this Senedd term?

In response, ap Iorwerth said: “I think this close to next year's local elections, I don't think it would be possible to bring in a new way of electing members, though that decision will ultimately be down to local authorities themselves.”

Mr Davies said delaying elections to change the voting system would be unacceptable. He called on ministers to rule it out. He has tabled a written question to Local Government Minister Sian Gwenllian asking her to confirm the elections will go ahead without any deferments, and no changes to current voting laws.

Mr Davies added: “Local councils are responsible for vital services, and residents must get to decide who runs them. Any attempt to delay elections or stitch up the voting system would be unacceptable. Plaid Cymru separatists must rule this out.”