Under Part II of the Local Government Act 2000 (“the Act”), local authorities are required to make arrangements for the discharge of their functions by executives which must take one of the forms specified in section 11(2) to (4) of the Act or in regulations under section 11(5). Section 25 of the Act requires local authorities to draw up proposals for executive arrangements. Section 31 of the Act permits a local authority to which that section applies to draw up proposals for alternative arrangements of a particular type permitted by regulations under section 32 of the Act. These regulations contain requirements as to those proposals for alternative arrangements.

Regulation 3(1) requires an authority to take reasonable steps to consult whilst the approach which the authority should take to its consultation is set out in regulation 3(2). Regulation 3(4) requires an authority to decide what form of alternative arrangements to include in its proposals and to comply with any directions given by the National Assembly. Regulation 3(5) specifies the matters which must be included in the proposals and regulation 3(6) requires that a copy of the proposals and accompanying information be sent to the National Assembly. The requirement for an authority to implement its proposals for alternative arrangements in accordance with the timetable included in those proposals is set out in regulation 3(7).