Council ward boundaries changes to go ahead – but some proposals are scrapped

A proposed merger between the Ynysddu and Crosskeys council wards will no longer be going ahead after the Welsh Government decided against implementing the proposals.

Controversial plans to move the Forge Mill estate from Ystrad Mynach to the Llanbradach ward have also been scrapped.

However, plans to merge the Bargoed and Aberbargoed wards will be going ahead – despite the two wards being in different Senedd constituencies.

It comes after the Welsh Government concluded its review into ward boundary change proposals put forward by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales in November last year.

The proposals aim to ensure people are represented adequately with a ‘correct’ number of councillors for their ward area.

However, despite deciding against the Ynysddu and Crosskeys merger, as well as Forge Mill’s move to Llanbradach, the Welsh Government’s Minister for Local Government, Rebecca Evans MS, has accepted every other proposal put forward by the commission for Caerphilly County Borough.

The changes will come into effect in time for the 2022 council elections.

As a result of the changes, the number of councillors on Caerphilly County Borough Council will be reduced from 73 to 69, while the number of wards will be reduced from 33 to 31.

This means on average, there will be 1,886 electors per councillor.

Which wards will change?

The boundary changes will affect the following wards:

Aberbargoed; Bargoed; Bedwas, Trethomas, Machen; Cefn Fforest; Hengoed; Moriah; Pengam; Pontlottyn; St Cattwg; St James; Twyn Carno; Ystrad Mynach

How will these wards change?

The Cefn Fforest ward and the Pengam ward will merge together, while Bargoed with Aberbargoed will also merge together.

In the north of the county borough a new ward by the name of Moriah and Pontylottyn will be created, which will be made up of the current Moriah ward and most of the current Pontlottyn ward.

The Twyn Carno ward will keep its name and would include a small area in the north of current Pontlottyn ward.

Hengoed ward, which is made up of Hengoed and Cefn Hengoed, will largely remain the same, though parts of Cefn Hengoed will be redistributed to other wards.

One of those wards is St Cattwg, which is made up of the communities of Penpedairheol, Gelligaer and Tir-y-berth.

The Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen ward will split into Bedwas and Trethomas, while Machen will be merged with part of the current St James to form a new ward of Machen and Rudry.

The remainder of the St James ward will be renamed Van and will include Porset Park and Lansbury Park.

The Ystrad Mynach ward will gain parts of Cefn Hengoed ward, but will retain the Forge Mill estate after the Welsh Government decided not to move it into the Llanbradach ward in line with the Boundary Commission’s recommendations.

Which wards will stay the same?

The following wards will be unaffected by the changes:

Aber Valley; Abercarn; Argoed; Blackwood; Crumlin; Darren Valley; Gilfach; Llanbradach; Maesycwmmer; Morgan Jones; Nelson; New Tredegar; Newbridge; Penmaen; Penyrheol; Pontllanfraith; Risca East; Risca West; St Martin’s; Ynysddu.

Reaction

Caerphilly Senedd Member Hefin David welcomed the fact Forge Mill would remain part of the Ystrad Mynach ward.

Dr David said: “This is a very welcome decision by the Minister in the Welsh Government. Residents in Forge Mill felt strongly that they wanted to remain part of the community of Ystrad Mynach and particularly remain within the Gelligaer Community Council area.

“Following a spirited and incredibly through campaign by residents, we’ve persuaded the Welsh Government that this is the common sense outcome.

“It’s a real victory for people power.”

Meanwhile, members of the Lower Sirhowy Valley Residents Group thanked Rebecca Evans MS for deciding against merging the Ynysddu ward with the Crosskeys ward.

A petition opposing the ward merger plans was signed by more than 1,000 residents and was submitted to the Welsh Government earlier this year.

In a statement, the residents group said: “Our thanks goes to all those residents of the villages of Wyllie, Ynysddu, Cwmfelinfach, Brynawel and Wattsville, who signed the petition and wrote dozens of letters to the Minister; thanks also to those residents who collected the signatures.  Without them we would not have succeeded.”

Shereen Williams MBE OStJ, Chief Executive of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, said she was delighted that the Welsh Government had accepted the majority of the commission’s recommendations.