New plans to cut number of Welsh constituencies revealed

REVISED proposals that would see the number of MPs representing Wales reduced from 40 to 29 have been published.

They supersede an earlier plan released last September, and reflect comments made to the Boundary Commission for Wales during a consultation exercise.

Under the new proposals, every constituency in Wales would face significant changes to ensure they meet the requirement that they should have an electorate within the range of 71,031 to 78,507.

In all but one case, the number of eligible voters in each proposed new constituency is much larger than in the current Welsh constituencies.

The reduction in the number of MPs would be the biggest change in the country’s Parliamentary representation since the Boundary Commission was set up in 1944.

Under the new proposals, the number of constituencies in Cardiff would reduce from four to three, while the three seats in the Swansea local authority area would go down to two.

Newport would have one seat instead of the present two.

An expanded Torfaen constituency would take in parts of the current Monmouth and Newport West seats. A new Monmouthshire seat would take in most of the current Monmouth seat and part of Newport East.

In the Valleys, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney would take in a significant part of the Rhymney Valley currently in the Caerphilly seat, while Caerphilly would absorb parts of Islwyn and Newport West. Blaenau Gwent would increase in size to include part of the current Islwyn constituency. There would be new seats of Cynon Valley and Pontypridd, Rhondda and Llantrisant, and Ogmore and Aberavon. Neath would expand and include some wards from the current Aberavon seat.

The western part of Vale of Glamorgan would join with Bridgend, while the eastern part would have a seat of its own together with Penarth.

Llanelli would grow by absorbing part of the existing Gower seat, while Carmarthen would become a constituency on its own.

Mid and South Pembrokeshire would form another new seat, while Ceredigion would expand to include North Pembrokeshire.

North Wales would see a new constituency called Ynys Mon a Fangor, comprising Anglesey and Bangor. A new seat of Gwynedd would be created, as would one called Conwy and Colwyn.

There would be new seats of Flint and Rhuddlan, an expanded Alyn and Deeside and a larger Wrexham. Another new seat would cover South Clwyd and North Montgomeryshire, while there would also be a seat of Brecon, Radnor and Montgomery.

The commission points out that, while its proposals meet the statutory criteria, it has also taken into account other relevant factors important to Wales, such as the size, shape and accessibility of constituencies; local government boundaries; boundaries of existing constituencies and any local ties that would be broken by changes in constituencies.

Steve Halsall, secretary to the commission, said: “I would emphasise that these are not the final set of proposals so I urge the Welsh public to take this opportunity to have their say during this consultation period. Over the next eight weeks people may visit our consultation portal, write in or email us to let us know what they think of the commission’s proposals. Whether they accept or object, we are keen to hear people’s views.

“Where they object – particularly where they can supply counter-proposals – the commission will give full consideration and may amend its proposals accordingly.”

The commission’s final proposals will be submitted by October 2018, when there will be votes in Parliament.

There has been speculation that they may fail to get through, especially with the Conservatives having lost their majority.