Council respond to "inconvenient" Senedd boundary change proposals (original) (raw)

Neath Port Talbot Council has responded to proposals around the new boundaries planned for Senedd constituencies by 2026.

The discussions came at a council cabinet meeting where members gave feedback on the plans, which could see the parliamentary constituencies of Neath and Swansea East joining with Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe, as well as Aberafan combining with Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore in future Senedd elections.

It comes after the Boundary Commission for Wales released an initial proposal to create 16 new constituencies ahead of the 2026 elections, with a bill to amend receiving royal assent on 24 June, 2024.

Officers speaking at the meeting described how a cross-party group of councillors from all parties in Neath Port Talbot had formed to give a response to the commission over the changes they described as being "inconvenient" for the electorate.

One proposed change affecting the Neath Port Talbot area would be with Neath and Swansea East joining with Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe. However members felt the move would create a "super constituency" which encompassed a massive area of both urban and rural communities with "vastly different demographics that offers no proper sense of community ties, identity or place."

It added that as well as causing confusion for electors this could also cause difficulties in administration, with a strong belief from members that the most natural combination for Neath and Swansea East would be with the Aberafan Maesteg parliamentary ward.

Plans for a second constituency, which could see the combination of Aberafan Maesteg with Rhondda and Ogmore were also opposed as members felt there was "little in the way of community connection between the larger community areas of Aberafan and Rhondda" with road links that were not "sufficiently robust".

A section of the response read: "Overall, the council believes that any boundary alteration proposals should be for change that is desirable, effective and convenient for local communities. On that basis, it is felt that these initial proposals will regretfully be inconvenient for the electorate and increase the complexity and risk of administrative error in the running of elections.

"In addition, members of council have also expressed their concern over the added layers of complexity newly elected representatives will face in advocating for constituents across multiple principal councils, health boards, police forces and rescue services."

The commission will now look at the representations it receives from local councils to see if the initial proposals can be amended or improved with the review needing to be completed by April 1, 2025. For the latest Neath Port Talbot news sign up to our newsletter here.

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