Major shakeup for Commons seats on mainland but Ynys Môn spared

Wales set to lose 8 of 40 seats – but Ynys Môn will stay as a special case

PLANS to shake up Westminster constituency boundaries will radically redraw the political map of Wales.

It will end political careers and see electoral wards move across county borders to join new, enlarged constituencies.

Old constituency names such as Arfon, Vale of Clwyd, Clwyd West and Clwyd South will disappear.

New proposals from the Boundary Commission for Wales, published yesterday, follow a decision to reduce the number of Welsh seats in Westminster from 40 to 32.

Under rules set out in the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, each constituency proposed by the Boundary Commission for Wales must contain between 69,724 and 77,062 electors.

The only exception to this rule is Ynys Mon, which recently became a protected constituency and so will see no changes to its name, designation or boundaries.

Some names will change, while some would be fully absorbed into neighbouring constituencies. In North and Mid Wales, the proposed new constituencies are Aberconwy; Alyn and Deeside; Ceredigion Preseli; Clwyd; Delyn; Dwyfor Meirionnydd; Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr; Wrexham; and Ynys Môn.

The Commission has opened an eightweek consultation period where the public can give their views on the proposals.

Shereen Williams, secretary to the Boundary Commission for Wales, said she was “confident” the proposals are a “strong first attempt to create a workable map of 32 Welsh constituencies”.

She added: “The purpose of our initial proposals, however, is to start the conversation about how the new map will look.

“Nobody will know your local area as well as you do, so get involved in the consultation and let us know your views. We’re highly likely to make some changes to our proposals, so your responses could make a significant difference.”

In some cases the new names are the same as existing names, although the proposed new seats cover wider areas.

Political parties will assess the proposals, deciding how their MPs are likely to be affected by the new boundaries.

Previous Boundary Commission proposals were abandoned because it wasn’t possible to get them through Parliament.

But with the Conservatives now having a strong Commons majority, the reduction in Welsh MPs will go ahead.

In making its recommendations, the Boundary Commission considered geography and current boundaries such as local authority and ward boundaries.

The Commission also considered local ties, such as shared history and culture.

The public can send their views on the proposals to an online consultation portal at bcw-reviews.org.uk, which features the proposals in full, email bcw@boundaries.wales or write to the Boundary Commission for Wales, Hastings House, Cardiff CF24 0BL.

ABERCONWY

What’s proposed: A constituency combining the existing Aberconwy with electoral wards from Clwyd West and Arfon.

As well as four new Conwy wards, 12 Gwynedd wards have been included. Where’s affected: As well as existing Aberconwy wards, the new constituency will have the following wards (votes in brackets): Clwyd West CC - Llandrillo yn Rhos (6,110), Llangernyw (1,104), Mochdre (1,425) and Uwchaled (1,139)

Arfon CC - Arllechwedd (1,091), Deiniol (920), Dewi (1,301), Garth (556), Gerlan (1,696), Glyder (1,257), Hendre (940), Hirael (1,066), Marchog (1,579), Menai (Bangor) (1,548), Ogwen (1,697), and Tregarth and Mynydd Llandygai (1,628). Size: This constituency will have 69,909 electors, which is 4.7% below the UKEQ of 73,393 electors per constituency. Proposed name: Aberconwy.

Why? The Boundary Commission says the existing Aberconwy constituency is currently below the statutory requirements in terms of electorate size.

The Commission believes the additional areas are “well connected to the existing Aberconwy constituency by transport links, and similar in character”.

ALYN AND DEESIDE (ALUN A GLANNAU DYFRDWY)

What’s proposed: A constituency comprising the existing Alyn and Deeside, plus two electoral wards within Wrexham and three from Flintshire.

The Wrexham wards are currently part of the existing Clwyd South constituency.

The Flint wards are currently part of the existing Delyn constituency. Where’s affected: As well as existing Alyn and Deeside wards, the new constituency will have the following wards (electorate size in brackets): Clwyd South CC) - Brymbo (3,021) and Minera (1,870).

Delyn CC) - Argoed (2,167), Leeswood (1,627) and New Brighton (2,414). Size: 74,144 electors, 1% above the UK quota. Name: Alyn and Deeside. The proposed alternative name is Alun a Glannau Dyfrdwy. Why: The Commission said the existing Alyn and Deeside electorate is too small. It said the new constituency is “well connected by transport links, and are similar in character”.

CLWYD

What’s proposed: Parts of the Vale of Clwyd and Clwyd West in Denbighshire and Conwy would be combined. Other wards in these two constituencies will be subsumed into the new Delyn and Aberconwy constituencies.

Where’s affected: Vale of Clwyd wards include (electorate size in brackets) Bodelwyddan (1,612), Denbigh Central (1,462), Denbigh Lower (3,483), Denbigh Upper/ Henllan (2,265), Rhuddlan (2,913), Rhyl East (3,693), Rhyl South (2,874), Rhyl South East (6,253), Rhyl South West (3,732), Rhyl West (3,283), St Asaph East (1,472), St Asaph West (1,290) and Trefnant (1,503). Clwyd West wards in Denbighshire include - Efenechtyd (1,321), Llanfair Dyffryn (1,830) and Llanrhaeadr-Yng-Nghinmeirch (1,496) Clwyd West wards in Conwy include Abergele Pensarn (1,959), Betws yn Rhos (1,623), Colwyn (3,373), Eirias (2,800), Gele (3,997), Glyn (3,088), Kinmel Bay (4,607), Llanddulas (1,353), Llansannan (1,495), Llysfaen (1,906), Pentre Mawr (2,861), Rhiw (4,991) and Towyn (1,845). Size: 76,380 electors, 4.1% above the UK quota. Proposed name: Clwyd. Why? The Commission acknowledges that the Denbighshire Council area could form a constituency of its own. But it has proposed an alternative to create a “cohesive constituency that has good transport and communication links”.

DELYN

What’s proposed: Combining the majority of the existing Delyn constituency in Flintshire with wards in Denbighshire.

Eight Vale of Clwyd wards and three Clwyd West wards will be included.

Three existing Delyn wards – Argoed, Leeswood and New Brighton – are included within the proposed Alyn and Deeside constituency.

Where’s affected: As well as existing Delyn wards, the new constituency will have the following wards (electorate size in brackets):

Vale of Clwyd - Dyserth (1,882), Llandyrnog (1,765), Prestatyn Central (2,829), Prestatyn East (3,162), Prestatyn

Meliden (1,529), Prestatyn North (4,729), Prestatyn South West (2,861) and Tremeirchion (1,344).

Clwyd West - Llanarmon-yn-Ial/Llandegla (2,033), Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd/ Llangynhafal (1,170) and Ruthin (4,260). Size: 76,074 electors, 3.7% above the UK quota.

Proposed name: Delyn. The Commission considers this “recognisable and acceptable in both Welsh and English”. Why? The existing Delyn, Vale of Clwyd and Clwyd West are currently too small in terms of voter numbers.

The Commission this will create a “cohesive constituency that has good transport and communication links”.

DWYFOR MEIRIONNYDD

What’s proposed: To combine the existing Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency with a large part of the old Arfon constituency in Gwynedd.

A total of 19 additional Gwynedd wards will be merged.

Where’s affected: As well as existing Dwyfor Meirionnydd wards, the new constituency will have the following wards (electorate size in brackets):

Arfon wards - Bethel (1,025), Bontnewydd (865), Cadnant (1,514), Cwm-y-Glo (753), Deiniolen (1,463), Groeslon (1,374), Llanberis (1,613), Llanllyfni (915), Llanrug (1,396), Llanwnda (1,507), Menai (Caernarfon) (1,724), Peblig (Caernarfon) (1,603), Penisarwaun (1,365), Pentir (2,159), Penygroes (1,369), Seiont (2,233), Talysarn (1,399), Waunfawr (1,298) and Y Felinheli (1,803). Size: 71,962 electors, 1.9% below the UK quota. Proposed name: Dwyfor Meirionnydd. The Commission considers this to be “recognisable and acceptable in both Welsh and English”. Why? The electorate is too small in the existing Dwyfor Meirionnydd. The Commission believes the new constituency “creates a cohesive constituency that has good transport and communication links”.

MONTGOMERYSHIRE AND GLYNDŴR (MALDWYN A GLYNDŴR)

What’s proposed: To create a new constituency by combining the existing Montgomeryshire constituency with wards from Wrexham and Denbighshire.

Included will be nine wards from the old Clwyd South and three wards from the old Clwyd West constituency. Where’s affected: As well as existing Montgomeryshire wards, the new constituency will have the following wards: Clwyd South (Wrexham) - Cefn (3,768), Dyffryn Ceiriog/Ceiriog Valley (1,685), Chirk North (1,846), Chirk South (1,503), Llangollen Rural (1,631), Penycae (1,525), Penycae and Ruabon South (2,026), Plas Madoc (1,169) and Ruabon (2,078). Clwyd South (Denbighshire) - Corwen (1,799), Llandrillo (931) and Llangollen (3,302).

Size: 72,363 electors, 1.4% below the UK quota. Proposed name: Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr. The official alternative is Maldwyn a Glyndŵr. Why? Existing electorates in the Montgomeryshire and Clwyd South constituencies are too small. The Commission chose to combine the existing Montgomeryshire constituency with an area that effectively forms the southern electoral wards of the former Glyndwr district council.

WREXHAM (WRECSAM) What’s proposed: To combine the existing Wrexham constituency with 11 wards from the Clwyd South constituency. Where’s affected: Joining the new enlarged constituency are the following wards (electorate size in brackets):

Clwyd South - Bronington (2,620), Bryn Cefn (1,543), Coedpoeth (3,482), Esclusham (2,013), Gwenfro (1,217), Johnstown (2,461), Marchwiel (1,830), New Broughton (2,842), Overton (2,710),

Pant (1,528) and Ponciau (3,521).

Size: 75,596 electors, 3% above the UK quota.Proposed name: Wrexham. The official alternative is Wrecsam. Why? The electorate in the existing Wrexham constituency is too small. The Commission said wards in the proposed new constituency already lie within the Wrexham principal council area.

YNYS MÔN

What’s proposed: As a protected constituency, no change to name, designation, or boundaries.

Size: 52,415 electors, 28.6% below the UK quota. Name: Ynys MÔn. As a “recognised name”, it is the current constituency name used in both Welsh and English. Why? In June the UK Government agreed to add Ynys MÔn to its list of protected constituencies.

Unlike other island constituencies such as such as Orkney and Shetland, the Western Isles and the Isle of Wight, Ynys MÔn did not have special protected status and there were fears it would be annexed to northern Gwynedd, until an amendment to the Parliamentary Constituencies Bill following a campaign by MP Virginia Crosbie.

Mrs Crosbie said: “I do support reform of constituencies across the whole UK and, in Wales, we have some of the smallest so change is inevitable. However, it is important to stress that Anglesey remains a standalone constituency and I am pleased I was able to help ensure this happened.”