Rebecca Evans MS, Minister for Finance and Local Government
On 16 June I wrote to members to set out the current position in respect of the programme of Electoral Arrangements Reviews. I also set out the process by which I intended to communicate my decisions about each area.
This included my commitment to provide regular updates to members through written statements. This is the tenth of these statements.
Legislative overview
It may be helpful to remind members of the requirements placed on the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (the Commission) in respect of the arrangements for electoral reviews in Wales.
Section 30(1) of the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013 (the Act) requires the Commission, in considering whether to make recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for a principal area, to:
(a) seek to ensure that the ratio of local government electors to the number of members of the council to be elected is, as nearly as may be, the same in every electoral ward of the principal area; and to
(b) have regard to the desirability of:
(i) fixing boundaries for electoral wards which are and will remain easily identifiable;
(ii) not breaking local ties when fixing boundaries for electoral wards.
In accordance with section 30(2) of the Act, in considering the ratio of local government electors to the number of members, account is to be taken of any:
(a) discrepancy between the number of local government electors and the number of persons that are eligible to be local government electors (as indicated by relevant official statistics); and
(b) changes to the number or distribution of local government electors in the principal area which is likely to take place in the period of five years immediately following the making of any recommendation.
The Commission is required, before conducting a review, to consult the mandatory
consultees on its intended procedure and methodology for the review and in particular, on
how it proposes to determine the appropriate number of members for any principal council
in the principal area or areas under review. Detailed arrangements are set out in the Commission’s ‘Electoral Reviews: Policy and Practice’, which was agreed as part of the preparation for the current programme of electoral reviews.
Options for ministerial decision
Welsh Ministers may make an Order to implement any recommendation, with or without modification, or may decide to take no action.
Importantly the law requires that Welsh Ministers only implement a recommendation with modification where they are satisfied it is in the interests of effective and convenient local government.
Decisions
In coming to my decisions I first had to decide whether the Commission has complied with both the requirements of the Act and the detailed arrangements within its agreed Policy and Practice document. I am satisfied the Commission has met these requirements.
I then considered the individual recommendations and the representations received from a range of individuals in respect of each recommendation.
While the criteria the Commission are required to consider when developing recommendations are not weighted, I have given considerable weight to the views of local communities when balancing the variety of information I have received.
In the case of the first 19 decisions made, I decided to implement the recommendations submitted by the Commission. Following extensive discussions, including with office of the Welsh Language Commissioner, the only modifications I have made in respect of those decisions have related to the Welsh and English names of a number of electoral wards.
Cardiff / Caerphilly
In the case of these reviews, the previous Minister for Housing and Local Government sought additional information from the Commission because of significant numbers of representations received relating to particular recommendations.
I have now considered all of the information available to me, including the additional information. In the case of both reviews I have decided to implement the Commission’s recommendations with modifications.
As stated above, I consider the Commission has complied with the legislation and its published Policy and Practice document. However, having considered the representations received in respect of a number of the recommendations, I consider that these modifications are in the best interest of effective and convenient government.
I have therefore decided upon a number of modifications including not to implement the recommendations in respect of the following areas:
- Cardiff – Llanrumney, Pontprennau and Old St Mellons
- Caerphilly –Ystrad Mynach and Llanbradach
- Caerphilly – Crosskeys and Ynysddu
On 30 September I wrote to the Leaders and Chief Executives of the City and County of Cardiff and the County Borough of Caerphilly to confirm my decisions to implement the Commission’s recommendations with modifications.
The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales Final Recommendations Report for the City and County of Cardiff can be found here - https://ldbc.gov.wales/reviews/11-20/cardiff-final-recommendations. The modification made to these recommendations is set out in the annex to this statement.
The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales Final Recommendations Report for the County Borough of Caerphilly can be found here - https://ldbc.gov.wales/reviews/11-20/caerphilly-final-recommendations.
The modifications made to these recommendations are set out in the annex to this statement.
Annex
Modifications made to the Commission’s Final recommendations for electoral arrangements in the following areas.
City and County of Cardiff
Electoral ward arrangements
Llanrumney, Old St Mellons and Pontprennau
The Commission recommended the Communities of Llanrumney and Old St Mellons combine to form an electoral ward represented by three councillors with the Welsh language name of Llanrhymni a Phentref Llaneirwg and the English language name of Llanrumney and Old St Mellons.
The existing arrangements will be retained:
- The electoral ward will be Pontprennau and Old St Mellons represented by two councillors with the Welsh name of Pontprennau a Phentref Llaneirwg and the English language name of Pontprennau and Old St Mellons
- The electoral ward of the Community of Llanrumney represented by three councillors with the Welsh language name of Llanrhymni and the English language name of Llanrumney.
County Borough of Caerphilly
Electoral ward arrangements
Hengoed - The Commission recommended combining part of the Cefn Hengoed and Hengoed wards of the Community of Gelligaer to form an electoral ward represented by two councillors.
The electoral ward will be the existing Cefn Hengoed and Hengoed wards of the Community of Gelligaer represented by two councillors with the single name of Hengoed.
Llanbradach - The Commission recommended combining part of the Ystrad Mynach ward of the Community of Gelligaer with the Community of Llanbradach and Pwllypant to form an electoral ward represented by two councillors.
The electoral ward will be the existing Community of Llanbradach and Pwllypant ward, represented by two councillors with a single name of Llanbradach.
St Cattwg - The Commission recommended combining part of the Cefn Hengoed ward of the Community of Gelligaer and the Cascade, Greenhill and Tir-y-berth wards of the Community of Gelligaer to form an electoral ward represented by three councillors.
The electoral ward will be the existing Cascade, Greenhill and Tir-y-berth wards of the Community of Gelligaer, represented by three councillors. The English language name will remain as St Cattwg. The electoral ward will be given the Welsh language name of Sant Catwg.
Ystrad Mynach - The Commission recommended combining part of the Cefn Hengoed ward of the Community of Gelligaer with part of the Ystrad Mynach ward of the Community of Gelligaer to form an electoral ward represented by two councillors.
The electoral ward will be the existing Ystrad Mynach ward of the Community of Gelligaer represented by two councillors with the single name of Ystrad Mynach.
Crosskeys and Ynysddu - The Commission recommended the Communities of Crosskeys and Ynysddu are combined to form an electoral ward represented by three councillors.
Crosskeys - The electoral ward will be the existing electoral ward of Crosskeys represented by one councillor with the single name of Crosskeys.
Ynysddu – The electoral ward will be the existing electoral ward of Ynysddu represented by two councillors. The English language name will remain as Ynysddu. The electoral ward will be given the Welsh language name of Ynys-ddu.
Electoral ward names
- The Commission recommended retaining the single electoral name of Abercarn. The electoral ward will be given the Welsh language name of Aber-carn.
- The Commission recommended retaining the single electoral name of Maesycwmmer. The electoral ward will be given the Welsh language name of Maesycwmwr.
- The Commission recommended the single name of Pontllan-fraith. The electoral ward will be given the Welsh language name of Pontllan-fraith and the English language name of Pontllanfraith.