Bridgend Council Boundary Reforms Confirmed

Welsh Government accepts LDBCW recommendations

Reforms to Bridgend 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 Welsh language ward names.

The Commission’s Final Recommendations were submitted to the Welsh Government 02 October 2019 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 Bridgend’s number of councillors will reduce by 3, taking the council from 54 to 51 members. This results in an average of 2,096 electors per councillor.

Meanwhile the number of wards will be reduced from 39 to 28, with 15 of those being multi-member wards.

7 wards will elect 2 councillors while 8 wards will elect 3 councillors.

9 current wards will see no change under these reforms.

A small number of recommendations on Welsh language 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 Bridgend.

“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the review, the members of the public, councillors, Bridgend 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:

• Aberkenfig
• Nant-y-moel
• Blackmill
• Ogmore Vale
• Llangynwyd
• Oldcastle
• Maesteg East
• Pen-y-fai
• Maesteg West

Recommendations not accepted by Welsh Government:

• The Commission proposed the electoral ward of Bridgend Central be given the Welsh language name of Canol Pen-y-bont. The electoral ward will be given the Welsh language name of Canol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr.
• The Commission proposed the electoral ward of Cefn Glas be given the single name of Cefn Glas. The electoral ward will be given the single name of Cefn-glas

The Final Recommendations report for Bridgend Council can be found here, along with maps of each proposed ward.

The Welsh Government Written Statement outlining the decision can be found here.