Newport City Council is suspending the majority of its public gatherings during the six-week period leading up to the May 7 Senedd elections.

A number of committee sessions have been called off for April as part of measures intended to preserve the council’s political neutrality throughout the election campaign.

Council representatives confirmed that while meetings have been halted, all services continue to operate and certain democratic activities, including the publication of necessary documents, have persisted.

The pre-election phase in Newport is facing more stringent controls this occasion due to the anticipation that multiple local councillors will seek Senedd seats.

The recently introduced voting method for the Welsh Parliament means an increased number of contenders are expected compared with earlier elections, with each party providing ranked candidate lists.

Although parties have not yet locked in their complete candidate rosters, preliminary releases indicate some existing city councillors have already been put forward.

When the previous Senedd elections occurred in May 2021, the city council chose a more lenient approach, permitting meetings to proceed normally throughout the preceding weeks.

A council spokesperson outlined that such determinations may hinge on whether current councillors could be contesting the upcoming elections or whether agenda items involve particularly delicate matters.

They noted that activity levels during pre-election phases might vary between different years and that the factors individual councils must weigh could differ accordingly.

Every local authority possesses the discretion to establish its own protocols regarding Senedd election periods, with no mandatory Welsh Government requirements to follow.

Additionally, Newport City Council will conduct a by-election on May 7 for the Rogerstone North ward, left vacant after Chris Reeks resigned from the councillor position citing personal reasons in March.