Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Boundary Reforms Confirmed
Welsh Government accepts LDBCW recommendations
Reforms to RCT Council’s ward boundaries are to go ahead after the Welsh Government decided to accept the recommendations of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales with minor modifications only made to recommended ward names.
The Commission’s Final Recommendations were submitted to the Welsh Government on 25 March 2020 and Minister for Finance and Local Government, Rebecca Evans MS, has today confirmed that the decision has been made to accept the recommendations.
The changes accepted by the Welsh Government mean that RCT will continue to have 75 councillors, resulting in an average of 2,302 voters per councillor.
Meanwhile the number of wards will be reduced from 52 to 46, with 26 of those being multi-member wards.
23 wards will elect two councillors, and 3 will elect three councillors.
20 current wards will see no change under these reforms.
The Commission recommends making a number of boundary changes in the Town of Pontypridd and the Communities of Llantwit Fardre, Pont-y-clun and Trehafod.
The Commission has recommended consequential changes to Pontypridd Town Council, Pont-yclun Community Council and Llantwit Fardre Community Council as a result of these boundary changes.
A small number of recommendations around ward names were not accepted by Welsh Government.
Responding to the Welsh Government’s decision, Shereen Williams MBE OStJ, Chief Executive of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales said:
“I’m delighted that the Welsh Government has accepted these recommendations with only minor modifications.
“These changes will mean greater electoral parity for the people of Rhondda Cynon Taf.
“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the review, the members of the public, councillors, RCT Council, and everyone else who sent us a representation or contributed in any other way.”
The boundary changes are expected to take effect from the 2022 local government elections.
The full list of retained wards:
- Abercynon
- Aberdare East
- Aberdare West/Llwydcoed
- Cilfynydd
- Cwm Clydach
- Gilfach Goch
- Glyncoch
- Llantwit Fardre
- Penrhiwceiber
- Pentre
- Pen-y-Graig
- Pen-y-Waun
- Pontypridd Town
- Porth
- Taffs Well
- Treforest
- Tonypandy
- Tonyrefail East
- Trallwng
- Treherbert
Recommendations not accepted by Welsh Government:
- The Commission proposed the electoral ward of Ynysybwl be give the single name of Ynysybwl. The electoral ward will have the English language name of Ynysybwl and the Welsh language name of Ynys-y-bwl.
- The Commission proposed the electoral ward of Llwyn-y-pia be given the single name of Llwyn-y-pia. The electoral ward will be given the English language name of Llwyn-y-pia and the Welsh language name of Llwynypia.
- The Commission proposed the electoral ward of Cwmbach be given the single name of Cwmbach. The electoral ward will have the English language name of Cwmbach and the Welsh language name of Cwm-bach.
- The Commission proposed the single spelling of Pont-y-clun for the electoral wards and community wards which contain Pont-y–clun within the names. Pont-y-clun will have the English language spelling of Pontyclun and the Welsh language spelling of Pont-y-clun where the electoral wards and community wards contain this place name.
The Final Recommendations report for RCT Council can be found here, along with maps of each recommended ward: https://ldbc.gov.wales/reviews/03-20/rhondda-cynon-taf-final-recommendations