The number of councillors representing residents on Caerphilly County Borough Council could be reduced with a shake-up of ward boundaries.

The proposals include reducing the number of councillors from 73 to 69 and reducing the number of electoral wards by three to 33.

A 12-week consultation will start next week on the proposals, made by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, which recommends an average of 1,886 electors per councillor.

The proposals include 26 multi-member wards, consisting of 14 two-member wards, 11 three-member wards and one four-member ward.

However, the proposals have drawn a mixed response from councillors.

Independent councillor Kevin Dawson, whose Pengam ward will be merged with the Aberbargoed ward, said reducing the number of councillors would be “a mistake”.

Cllr Dawson said: “Reducing the number of councillors impacts their ability to do the job. Councillors don’t have staff to work with them like AMs and MPs have.

“Unless moves are made to make councillors full time positions, then I’m against this. Councillors have enough workload as it is.”

Plaid Cymru councillor Lyndon Binding was also critical of the changes, which would see the number of councillors representing his Aber Valley ward reduced from three to two, despite the boundaries staying the same.

He said: “It’s not doing justice to the people of Aber Valley.

“It’s a complex ward which still has a lot of deprivation. There are three of us [Aber Valley ward councillors] and we are all very busy.

“The other councillors in this ward are unhappy too. We’re constantly busy, particularly at a time when the council are making cuts.

“If you don’t have the number of councillors, who will do the work?”

Fellow-Aber Valley councillor John Taylor echoed the views of Cllr Binding, and expressed his disappointment that the boundary commission had not accepted all of the council’s recommendations, which he said drew-cross party support.

The council recommendations would have left the Aber Valley ward, which covers both Abertridwr and Senghenydd, completely unchanged.

Elsewhere, Labour councillor Elaine Forehead, who represents the St James ward, said she was “very disappointed” at the proposals.

She said: “I’m very disappointed that St James will be losing a councillor. It’ll be a massive workload increase for the two remaining councillors.

“To increase the workload for councillors could put a lot of younger people off from being a councillor, particularly those in full time employment.

Proposed changes to the St James ward would see the ward renamed ‘Van’, with Rudry, Draethen and Waterloo moving to the newly-formed two-member Machen and Rudry ward, with the remainder of the ward, which includes Lansbury Park, making up the two-member Van ward.

However, Pontlottyn councillor Gaynor Oliver welcomed the proposals, which would see her ward scrapped and become part of the newly-named Moriah and Pontlottyn.

Cllr Oliver said: “I think the merger is necessary. I have no problem with the changes.

“I’m happy that Pontlottyn will have two councillors. It’s a very hard ward to work in on your own.”

Additional Reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service.