2026 Review: Initial Proposals

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Foreword

The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (‘the Commission’) is responsible for reviewing Senedd constituency boundaries in Wales. This report contains the Commission’s initial proposals for Senedd constituencies in Wales. It is the beginning, not the end, of the Commission’s review process. These are our initial views. We look forward, during our review process, to hearing from the people of Wales on how these proposals might be amended and revised.

In September 2023, the Welsh Government announced a bill to amend the Senedd constituencies. The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill was introduced on 18 September 2023. The bill received royal assent on 24 June 2024. The new legislation will mean that the Commission will have to return 16 Senedd constituencies which are formed by combining 2 contiguous UK parliamentary constituencies. Each constituency will be represented by 6 Members of the Senedd, bringing the total number of members to 96.

The review has to be completed by 1 April 2025, and will use the 32 new UK Parliamentary constituencies in order to create 16 new Senedd constituencies. The Commission’s recommendations will be implemented by the ‘automaticity’ rule. As such, the recommendations will not require Senedd approval. The final decisions must be implemented as set out in the Commission’s final report.

The Commission is now starting its initial consultation. Members of the public, groups and organisations may submit written responses to the initial proposals described in this document from 3 September 2024 to 30 September 2024.

The Commission will look carefully at every representation it receives to see if the initial proposals can be amended and improved. However, the Commission will have to balance the issues raised in representations against all the other factors we have to consider, as well as the constraints set out in the legislation.

Finally, may I thank the Commissioners – Dianne Bevan, Frank Cuthbert, Michael Imperato and Ginger Wiegand – for their invaluable contributions, as well as the Chief Executive and the other officers of the Commission for their assistance in our work.

Beverley Smith

Chair

Chapter 1: Introduction

1. On 18 July 2024, the Commission announced the start of the 2026 review of Senedd constituencies, in accordance with the provisions of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024. A summary of the relevant statutory framework and of the Commission’s general approach to the review can be found in the Commission’s ‘Guide to the 2026 review’, which is available in English and Welsh on the Commission’s website.

2. The Commission is an independent and impartial non-departmental public body that is responsible for reviewing Senedd constituency boundaries in Wales. The Commission is comprised of the Chair, Beverley Smith and 4 other Commissioners, Frank Cuthbert, Dianne Bevan, Michael Imperato and Ginger Wiegand. The Commission is supported by a Chief Executive, Mrs Shereen Williams MBE OStJ DL, and a secretariat team. The Chair and Commissioners have considered and approved this report.

3. The Commission is now publishing its initial proposals for public consultation. These proposals take careful account of the relevant legislation. It is emphasised, however, that the proposals are provisional. It is very important that all concerned now have the opportunity to make representations to the Commission, whether they support or object to the proposed constituencies.

4. Details of when and how to make representations are given later in this document (see Chapter 5).

Chapter 2: Criteria for reviewing Senedd constituencies

Application of the provisions of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024

1. The criteria described in this chapter apply to the review of Senedd constituencies.

Review cycle

2. The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (‘the act’) states that the Commission must submit a report on a review of all the constituencies in Wales by 1 April 2025, another report by 1 December 2028, and a report every 8 years thereafter.

The distribution of constituencies

3. The act states there is to be a fixed number of 16 constituencies for the whole Wales. The act also states that for the 2026 review the Commission should pair the 32 UK Parliamentary constituencies in order to create the 16 contiguous Senedd constituencies (2 constituencies must be touching i.e. have a shared boundary).

Statutory factors

4. Schedule 2 of the act specifies a number of other factors that the Commission may take into account as it develops proposals and recommendations for Senedd constituencies. Specifically, the Commission may take into account:

• local government boundaries that existed on the review date
• special geographical considerations, including in particular, the size, shape and accessibility of a proposed Senedd constituency
• any local ties that would be broken by the proposed pairings

Local government boundaries

5. The act states that the Commission may take into account ‘local government boundaries that exist on the review date’ when developing its proposals for Senedd constituencies. The Commission defines local government boundaries in Wales as the boundaries of counties, county boroughs, electoral wards, communities and community wards. However, for the purposes of the 2026 Review the Commission is only concerned with the existing UK parliamentary constituencies.

Special geographical considerations

6. The Commission thinks the special geographical considerations that may impact on Senedd constituency boundaries will primarily relate to physical geography – such as mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, estuaries and islands – rather than human or social geography. Matters of culture, history, socioeconomics and other possible aspects of non-physical geography (such as road links) are more likely to arise as issues when considering the separate factor of local ties.

Local ties

7. The Commission considers that existing community boundaries are likely to have been created in recognition of local ties, and are therefore likely to reflect local ties. The Commission’s policy is therefore not to divide existing communities when it develops proposals and recommendations for Senedd constituencies, unless there is no other available solution that would enable compliance with the statutory electorate range. However, for the purposes of the 2026 Review the Commission will only be able to consider the existing UK parliamentary constituencies.

Factors the Commission does not consider

Impact on future election results

8. The Commission is an independent and impartial body. As such, existing voting patterns and the prospective fortunes of political candidates do not enter its considerations during a review.

Naming and designating constituencies

9. In making its proposals and recommendations, the act also requires the Commission to specify a name and designation for each proposed constituency.

Naming

10. The act states that each constituency in Wales must have a single monolingual name, unless the Commission consider doing so would be unacceptable in which case they must propose different names for communication through the medium of Welsh and English. Therefore, the Commission must provide official alternatives in Welsh for those constituency names in English, and vice versa (where appropriate to do so). In this way both languages are treated equally. The Commission has decided that in the first instance where no suitable alternative can be met the UK parliamentary constituencies will be listed alphabetically in Welsh language name order. The Commission welcomes representations that offer alternative suggestions to the names proposed.

Designating

11. The act also requires that each constituency be designated as either a ‘county constituency’ or a ‘borough constituency’. The Commission considers that, as a general principle, where constituencies contain more than a small rural element, they should normally be designated as county constituencies. In other cases, they should be designated as borough constituencies. The designation is suffixed to the constituency name, and is usually abbreviated: BC for borough constituency and CC for county constituency.

Chapter 3: Senedd constituencies

1. Detailed maps of the proposed constituencies are available on the Commission’s website (please note the copyright warning at Chapter 6 concerning the maps).

2. The Commission has been faced with the task of devising proposals for the required 16 constituencies. The Commission has sought to identify the most suitable solutions for local needs, throughout Wales, that can be accommodated within the statutory rules set out in the act. An all Wales map of the UK parliamentary constituencies can be found on the next page.

3. Following the UK parliamentary constituencies map is an all Wales Initial Proposals map which sets out the Commission’s initial proposals.

4. The Commission would like to emphasise that these proposals represent the Commission’s initial views. The Commission welcomes representations from the public. Details of how to respond to the Commission’s proposals are set out in Chapter 5.

Chapter 4: Proposals in detail

This chapter describes the Commission’s initial proposals in detail. For each proposed constituency, the report sets out:

• the name and designation of the constituency proposed by the Commission, including the proposed official alternative name (if applicable)
• the Commission’s main reasons for proposing the constituency
• an explanation of the proposed name
• a map of the proposed constituency

In some instances, a blank page has been deliberately inserted to allow the description and map of each proposal to be viewed side by side.

The following page sets out an overall picture of the Commission’s initial proposals. The mapping key, shown below, explains the colours and lines used in each map in this chapter.

1. Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn

1.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Bangor Aberconwy UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Ynys Môn UK Parliamentary constituency.

1.2 The UK Parliamentary constituency of Ynys Môn only has road connections to the mainland via the Bangor Aberconwy UK Parliamentary constituency. The act states that the Commission must create constituencies that are contiguous. The Commission is of the view that having clear communication and travel connections is a vital part of being able to provide for effective and convenient representation. The Commission considers that combining the areas as proposed is appropriate due to the good transport and communication links within the proposed constituency. Therefore, the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

1.3 The Commission has proposed the single language name of Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn to represent the constituency. The Commission’s policy is to list the UK Parliamentary constituency names alphabetically by Welsh language name in order to create the new Senedd constituency name. The Commission feels that it is appropriate to propose a single name in this instance. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the single name of Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn.

1.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the proposed constituency name.

2. Clwyd

2.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Clwyd East UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Clwyd North UK Parliamentary constituency.

2.2 As a result of the proposed Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn constituency the only other constituency which shares a boundary with the Clwyd North constituency is the Clwyd East constituency. The Commission has previously set out its policy on creating Senedd constituencies that are a combination of 2 UK Parliamentary constituency that are contiguous, therefore there would be no need to travel outside of the proposed constituency in order to reach another part of that constituency. The Commission is of the view that these areas are well connected to each other by transport links, and are similar in character. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

2.3 The Commission has proposed the single language name of Clwyd to represent the constituency. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily long and unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the single name of Clwyd.

2.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the proposed constituency name.

3. Alyn, Deeside and Wrexham (Alun, Glannau Dyfrdwy a Wrecsam)

3.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Alyn and Deeside UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Wrexham UK Parliamentary constituency.

3.2 As a result of the proposed Clwyd constituency, the only other constituency which shares a boundary with the Alyn and Deeside constituency is the Wrexham constituency. The Commission has previously set out its policy on creating Senedd constituencies that are a combination of 2 UK Parliamentary constituency that are contiguous, therefore there would be no need to travel outside of the proposed constituency in order to reach another part of that constituency. The Commission is of the view that these areas are well connected to each other by transport links, and are similar in character. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

3.3 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Alyn, Deeside and Wrexham to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Alun, Glannau Dyfrdwy a Wrecsam. The Commission’s policy is to list the UK Parliamentary constituency names alphabetically by Welsh language name in order to create the new Senedd constituency name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name, however proposed the use of a single spelling of Alun.

3.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the proposed constituency name.

4. Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Maldwyn a Glyndŵr)

4.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Dwyfor Meirionnydd UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr UK Parliamentary constituency.

4.2 The Commission proposes to combine these constituencies, it did consider the alternative of combing Dwyfor Meirionnydd with Ceredigion Preseli, and Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr with Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, however, was of the view that the alternative would create 2 Senedd constituencies that would be very large and unwieldly. The Commission is of the view that there are reasonable road links between the areas of the proposed constituency such as between Machynlleth and Dolgellau. Whilst the Commission is of the view that it is not ideal to propose such a large constituency it is the best option in terms of proposing a contiguous combination of 2 UK parliamentary constituencies in the area.

4.3 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Maldwyn a Glyndŵr. The Commission’s policy is to list the UK Parliamentary constituency names alphabetically by Welsh language name in order to create the new Senedd constituency name, however the commission has felt it appropriate to omit a conjunction in this instance. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

4.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

5. Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire (Ceredigion a Sir Benfro)

5.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Ceredigion Preseli UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Mid and South Pembrokeshire UK Parliamentary constituency.

5.2 The proposed constituency would combine the whole of the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire principal council areas into 1 constituency. The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting Pembrokeshire into 1 constituency building on the established links between the UK Parliamentary constituencies of Ceredigion Preseli and Mid and South Pembrokeshire. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

5.3 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Ceredigion a Sir Benfro. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

5.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

6. Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)

6.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Caerfyrddin UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Llanelli UK Parliamentary constituency.

6.2 The proposed constituency would combine the whole of the Carmarthenshire principal council area into 1 constituency. The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be building on the established links in the principal council area. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

6.3 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Carmarthenshire to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Sir Gaerfyrddin. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name with the principal council area of Carmarthenshire being wholly contained within the proposed constituency. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

6.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

7. Swansea West and Gower (Gorllewin Abertawe a Gŵyr)

7.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Gower UK Parliamentary constituency:

and:

2. The Swansea West UK Parliamentary constituency.

7.2 The proposed constituency would combine 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies that sit within the Swansea principal council area into 1 constituency. The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be building on the established links in the principal council area. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

7.3 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the City and County of Swansea (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Clydach will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Brecon, Radnor, Neath and Swansea East.

7.4 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Swansea West and Gower to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Gorllewin Abertawe a Gŵyr. The Commission’s policy is to list the UK Parliamentary constituency names alphabetically by Welsh language name in order to create the new Senedd constituency name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

7.5 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

8. Brecon, Radnor, Neath and Swansea East (Aberhonddu, Maesyfed, Castell-nedd a Dwyrain Abertawe)

8.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Neath and Swansea East UK Parliamentary constituency.

8.2 The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting areas that form part of the Neath Port Talbot principal council area into 1 constituency by building on the established links that exist. The Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe constituency was one of the more contentious UK Parliamentary constituencies with many suggesting that the Cwm Tawe area should have been in a UK Parliamentary constituency with areas of Neath or of Swansea. This proposal would see the Cwm Tawe area combined with areas of both Neath and Swansea. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

8.3 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the City and County of Swansea (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Clydach will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Swansea West and Gower.

8.4 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Neath Port Talbot (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Cimla and Pelenna will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore.

8.5 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Brecon, Radnor, Neath and Swansea East to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Aberhonddu, Maesyfed, Castell-nedd a Dwyrain Abertawe. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

8.6 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

9. Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore (Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda ac Ogwr)

9.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Aberafan Maesteg UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Rhondda and Ogmore UK Parliamentary constituency.

9.2 The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting areas that form part of the Bridgend principal council area into 1 constituency by building on the established links that exist. The Commission believes that there is a shared sense of character between the valley communities of Maesteg, Pontycymmer and Ogmore. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

9.3 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Neath Port Talbot (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Cimla and Pelenna will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Brecon, Radnor, Neath and Swansea East.

9.4 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Bridgend (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend.

9.5 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda ac Ogwr. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

9.6 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

10. Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Pontypridd (Merthyr Tudful, Aberdâr a Phontypridd)

10.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Pontypridd UK Parliamentary constituency.

10.2The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting areas that form part of the Rhondda Cynon Taf principal council area into 1 constituency by building on the established links that exist. By pairing these constituencies the Commission will be able to reunite the historic Cynon Valley area within 1 constituency. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

10.3 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Pontyclun West will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Cardiff West, South and Penarth.

10.4 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Pontypridd to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Merthyr Tudful, Aberdâr a Phontypridd. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

10.5 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

11. Blaenau Gwent, Rhymney and Caerphilly (Blaenau Gwent, Rhymni a Chaerfilli)

11.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Caerphilly UK Parliamentary constituency.

11.2 The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting areas that form part of the Caerphilly principal council area into 1 constituency by building on the established links that exist. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

11.3 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Caerphilly (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Cefn Fforest and Pengam will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Newport and Islwyn.

11.4 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Blaenau Gwent, Rhymney and Caerphilly to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Blaenau Gwent, Rhymni a Chaerffili. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

11.5 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

12. Monmouthshire and Torfaen (Sir Fynwy a Thorfaen)

12.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Monmouthshire UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Torfaen UK Parliamentary constituency.

12.2 The proposed constituency would combine the whole of the Monmouthshire and Torfaen principal council areas into 1 constituency. The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 contiguous UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be building on the established links between the 2 areas. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

12.3 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Sir Fynwy a Thorfaen. The Commission’s policy is to list the UK Parliamentary constituency names alphabetically by Welsh language name in order to create the new Senedd constituency name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

12.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

13. Newport and Islwyn (Casnewydd ac Islwyn)

13.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Newport East UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Newport West and Islwyn UK Parliamentary constituency.

13.2 The proposed constituency would combine the whole of the Newport principal council area into 1 constituency, the Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 contiguous UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting the City of Newport into 1 constituency building on the established links between the UK Parliamentary constituencies of Newport East and Newport West and Islwyn. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

13.3The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Caerphilly (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Cefn Fforest and Pengam will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Blaenau Gwent, Rhymney and Caerphilly.

13.4 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Newport and Islwyn to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Casnewydd ac Islwyn. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

14. Cardiff East and North (Dwyrain a Gogledd Caerdydd)

14.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Cardiff East UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Cardiff North UK Parliamentary constituency.

14.2 The proposed constituency would combine the 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies that cover the Northeast of the Cardiff principal council area into 1 constituency with the inclusion of the Taffs Well electoral ward from the Rhondda Cynon Taf principal council area. The Commission is of the view that there are good road and communication links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 contiguous UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting 2 of the 4 UK Parliamentary constituencies that cover the City of Cardiff into 1 constituency by building on the established links that exist in the area. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

14.3 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Cardiff East and North to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Dwyrain a Gogledd Caerdydd. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

14.4 The Commission would welcome any comments on the pairing of the proposed constituency and its name.

15. Cardiff West, South and Penarth (Gorllewin Caerdydd, De a Phenarth)

15.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Cardiff South and Penarth UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Cardiff West UK Parliamentary constituency.

15.2 The proposed constituency would combine the 2 UK Parliamentary constituencies that cover the Southwest of the Cardiff principal council area into 1 constituency with the inclusion of the area of Pontyclun from the Rhondda Cynon Taf principal council area, and the area of Penarth from the Vale of Glamorgan principal council area. The Commission is of the view that there are good road and communication links between the areas and by pairing these 2 contiguous UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting 2 of the 4 UK Parliamentary constituencies that cover the City of Cardiff into 1 constituency building on the established links that exist in the area. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

15.3 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Pontyclun West will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Pontypridd.

15.4 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Cardiff West, South and Penarth to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Gorllewin Caerydd, De a Phenarth. The Commission believes that the name is a suitable alternative to merely combining the UK Parliamentary constituency names which would make for an unnecessarily unwieldy name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the proposed name.

16. Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend (Bro Morgannwg a Phen-y-bont)

16.1 The Commission proposes that a county constituency be created from:

1. The Bridgend UK Parliamentary constituency,

and:

2. The Vale of Glamorgan UK Parliamentary constituency.

16.2 The Commission is of the view that there are good road links between the 2 areas and by pairing these 2 contiguous UK Parliamentary constituencies the Commission would be uniting areas that have a shared sense of character. The Commission is therefore of the view that the proposed combination creates a cohesive constituency.

16.3 The Commission wishes to highlight that due to changes made as part of the County Borough of Bridgend (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 the electoral ward of Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr will be split across this proposed constituency and the proposed constituency of Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore.

16.4 The Commission has proposed the English language name of Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend to represent the constituency. The Commission has proposed the Welsh language name of Bro Morgannwg a Phen-y-bont. The Commission’s policy is to list the UK Parliamentary constituency names alphabetically by Welsh language name in order to create the new Senedd constituency name. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the name, however has proposed the use of Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr as part of the Welsh language name.

Chapter 5: The initial consultation period: 3 September 2024 to 30 September 2024

1. The proposals and maps in this report have been published on the Commission’s website and on the Commission’s consultation portal.

2. The Commission is now starting its initial consultation in relation to its initial proposals. The initial consultation period begins on 3 September 2024 and ends on 30 September 2024.

3. During the initial consultation period, members of the public, groups and organisations may provide their views in writing (‘written representations’) on any or all of the Commission’s initial proposals. Written representations may be made in Welsh or English, and may be provided to the Commission in one of the following ways:

• using the Commission’s consultation portal: https://senedd2026.reviewswales.wales
• by email: consultations@dbcc.gov.wales
• by post: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ

4. The Commission will acknowledge receipt of all written representations that are submitted by any of these methods.

5. The Commission requests that all written representations make clear which area or areas of Wales they relate to. The Commission also requests individuals, groups and organisations that submit written representations to make clear whether they approve of or object to the Commission’s initial proposals, and to give their reasons for their approval or objection.

6. The Commission recommends that, if individuals, groups or organisations submit written representations objecting to the Commission’s proposals, those representations should include counter-proposals. An objection accompanied by a viable counter-proposal is likely to carry more weight than a simple statement of objection. Furthermore, because changes in 1 constituency will have knock-on effects in other constituencies. Accordingly, the Commission will generally view a counter-proposal that addresses the composition of each affected constituency as more persuasive than a proposal that only addresses the composition of 1 constituency, without addressing any consequences on other constituencies.

7. The Commission wishes to stress that its initial proposals relate solely to Senedd constituencies in Wales. They do not affect parliamentary constituencies. Nor do they affect principal council, electoral ward or community boundaries, taxes or services. The Commission will therefore not take account of any representation made about those issues. The Commission also wishes to stress that it will not consider any representations, or parts of representations, where comment is made on the reform of the Senedd including the number of Senedd seats. These reforms have been set by the Senedd, and the Commission remit is to combine 2 UK parliamentary constituencies in order to create new Senedd constituencies.

8. The Commission will not take into account representations that are received outside the initial consultation period, except where those representations are submitted in the course of subsequent stages of the 2026 review. The Commission therefore asks that all written representations in response to the Commission’s initial consultation be made within the 4-week period of 3 September 2024 to 30 September 2024.

9. The subsequent stages of the 2026 review are described in the Commission’s ‘Guide to the 2026 review’, which is available on the Commission’s website.

Publication of representations

10. The act obliges the Commission to publish representations it receives during the initial consultation period (as well as during subsequent stages of the 2026 review).

11. To protect the privacy of individuals participating in the 2026 review, the Commission will take the following approach to redacting personal information contained in the written representations that the Commission publishes.

12. Representations from public figures and officials (such as councillors, Members of Parliament or Members of the Senedd) acting in an official capacity:

• the Commission will publish the name of any public figure or official writing in an official capacity
• however, all postal and email addresses, telephone numbers and signatures will be redacted

13. Representations from members of the public, and from public figures or officials writing in a personal capacity:

• the Commission will redact the name and postal address of individuals submitting representations, but will publish the approximate location of the individual’s postal address – that is, by reference to the village, town or city stated
• all email addresses, telephone numbers and signatures will be redacted

14. The Commission will also redact anything in a representation that could be illegal, libellous or both.

15. The Commission’s ‘Data protection and privacy policy information’ provides information about the Commission’s processing of the personal data of individuals who participate in the 2026 review. This can be accessed on the Commission’s website.

Welsh language

16. The Commission is committed to the use of the Welsh and English languages on the basis of equality, and welcomes correspondence in either language.

17. The Commission will publish all its guidance documents, reports and the representations it receives throughout the 2026 review in both Welsh and English on its website.

Chapter 6: Additional information

Crown copyright

18. The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru has provided detailed maps under licence from Ordnance Survey. Those detailed maps that form part of this document, are subject to © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction will infringe Crown copyright, and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Any newspaper editor wishing to use the maps as part of an article about the initial proposals should first contact the Copyright Office at Ordnance Survey.

Enquiries

19. Should you require further information about the Commission’s initial proposals, or about other aspects of the Commission's work, please contact:

Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru

Cathays Park

Cardiff

CF10 3NQ

Telephone: 029 2046 4819

Email: enquiries@dbcc.gov.wales

Website: www.dbcc.gov.wales

Appendix 1: Initial proposals: constituencies

English name	Welsh name
Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn	Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn
Clwyd	Clwyd
Alyn, Deeside and Wrexham	Alun, Glannau Dyfrdwy a Wrecsam
Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr	Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Maldwyn a Glyndŵr
Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire	Ceredigion a Sir Benfro
Carmarthenshire	Sir Gaerfyrddin
Swansea West and Gower	Gorllewin Abertawe a Gŵyr
Brecon, Radnor, Neath and Swansea East	Aberhonddu, Maesyfed, Castell-nedd a Dwyrain Abertawe
Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore	Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda ac Ogwr
Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Pontypridd	Merthyr Tudful, Aberdâr a Phontypridd
Blaenau Gwent, Rhymney and Caerphilly	Blaenau Gwent, Rhymni a Chaerfilli
Monmouthshire and Torfaen	Sir Fynwy a Thorfaen
Newport and Islwyn	Casnewydd ac Islwyn
Cardiff East and North	Dwyrain a Gogledd Caerdydd
Cardiff West, South and Penarth	Gorllewin Caerdydd, De a Phenarth
Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend	Bro Morgannwg a Phen-y-bont

© Crown copyright 2024

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