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Final proposals for a redrawing of the electoral map of Caerphilly County Borough Council have been submitted for approval – and residents of Ystrad Mynach are not happy.
Who is doing this?
The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales is an independent Welsh Government sponsored body.
Established under the Local Democracy (Wales) Act 2013, the commission periodically reviews electoral boundaries in Wales in “the interest of effective and convenient local government”.
This most recent review was carried out under the orders of the Welsh Government ready for the 2022 local government elections.
Why is it being done?
Populations change. This review was carried out with the intention of ensuring people are represented adequately with a ‘correct’ number of councillors for their ward area.
The proposals aim to improve “electoral parity” across the borough.
This means each ward has enough councillors to represent its size in terms of the number of residents able to vote (which from 2022 includes 16-year-olds.
What are the overall proposals and what’s staying the same?
The final recommendations propose a reduction in the number of councillors from 73 to 69.
It is also proposed to reduce the number of electoral wards by three from 33 to 30.
Eighteen wards would remain geographically the same. These are Abercarn, Aber Valley, Crumlin, Gilfach, Maesycwmmer, Nelson, New Tredegar, Penmaen, Pontllanfraith, Risca West, Argoed, Blackwood, Darran Valley, Morgan Jones, Penyrheol, Risca East, St Martins and Newbridge.
What’s changing?
Crosskeys and Ynysddu have been recommended to merge as have Cefn Fforest with Pengam; and Bargoed with Aberbargoed.
In the north of the county borough a new ward by the name of Moriah and Pontylottyn is proposed, which would be made up of the current Moriah ward and most of the current Pontlottyn ward.
The Twyn Carno ward would 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, would largely remain the same, though parts of Cefn Hengoed would 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 is proposed to be split into Bedwas and Trethomas, while Machen would 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 would be renamed Van and would include Porset Park and Lansbury Park.
The Ystrad Mynach ward would gain parts of Cefn Hengoed ward, but lose 528 homes which would go to Llanbradach.
How have people reacted? (especially in Ystrad Mynach)
On the whole, the changes have not provoked a huge reaction – except in the community of Forge Mill in Ystrad Mynach. This is the area where 528 homes could be ‘moved’ to Llanbradach in the shake-up.
Residents are unhappy with the proposed change. A similar reaction was had from residents of Blackwood with an earlier version of the plans. These had parts of Blackwood being placed into Cefn Fforest and Pengam, but protests from the community had those plans scrapped.
Forge Mill resident Phil Morris said his community was upset at the lack of publicity surrounding the changes. Had they known about them sooner, then they would have fed into the commission’s consultations.
The 43-year-old IT worker said: “Everybody is mortified. It is splitting us off from our community. We will be represented by councillors from a village we have nothing to do with.”
Residents have also raised concerns that a portion of their council tax will end up going to Llanbradach and Pwllypant Community Council rather than Gelligaer Community Council, which covers the town of Ystrad Mynach.
There is also concern around Bargoed and Aberbargoed, if merged, incorporating the Senedd constituency boundary between Caerphilly and Islwyn. This could lead to confusion from residents living in the ward as to who represents them in Cardiff Bay.
Caerphilly’s Labour Senedd Member Hefin David has met with Julie James, the Welsh Government minister who will have the final say, and was encouraged by the talks.
He said: “I made sure I put all the arguments very clearly. The key argument to me was the fact that electors will move from the Gelligaer Community Council area, which is responsible for Ystrad Mynach, and to which residents of Forge Mill are connected, the Llanbradach and Pwllypant Community Council, with which they have no connection.
“I think this is a point that cannot be underestimated.”
Dr David added: “She told me that she had received a significant volume of correspondence from Caerphilly residents regarding the movement of 528 electors from Ystrad to Llanbradach.
“I gathered that it was one of the most significant representations she had received.
“It’s my view that, as this has emerged directly and organically from the community, it strengthens the argument considerably as it is clearly driven by strong local feeling.”
What happens next?
The final proposals, published on November 5, are now in the hands of the Welsh Government for a final decision.
The final decision is due to be made later this month.
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