County Borough of Blaenau Gwent

April 2019

Summary

Full report and maps:

https://ldbc.gov.wales/

@LDBCW

This document is available in Welsh

County Borough of Blaenau Gwent

Summary of Final Recommendations

Who we are :

The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales is an independent Welsh Government

Sponsored Body. It was established under the Local

Democracy (Wales) Act 2013 with the main purpose of publishing a programme of work which keeps under review the electoral arrangements for the 22 principal councils.

The Commission makes electoral review recommendations, which it feels are in the interest of effective and convenient local government.

This review has been conducted as a result of the former Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government’s Written Statement of 23 June 2016 as part of an all Wales review programme for the 2022 local government elections.

Summary of our Recommendations: The Commission recommends a council of 33 members, a reduction from the

present 42 members.

The Commission recommends a change to the arrangement of electoral wards that will achieve a substantial improvement in the level of electoral parity across the

County Borough of Blaenau Gwent.

The Commission recommends 14 electoral wards, a reduction from 16 existing wards.

The largest under-representation is recommended to be 13% above the proposed

county average in Blaina.

The largest over-representation is recommended to be 15% below the proposed

county average in Brynmawr. The Commission recommends 14 multi-member wards in the County Borough consisting of: nine two-member electoral wards; and five three-member electoral

wards; The Commission recommends no change to five electoral wards. The Commission recommends splitting one existing community across the County Borough (Beaufort).

Stage of Description Review

The Commission wrote to Blaenau Gwent County Borough 20 December 2017 Council and other interested parties

03 January 2018 – Initial Consultation Period 27 March 2018

11 September 2018 Draft Proposals Published

18 September 2018 – Consultation Period on Draft Proposals 10 December 2018

10 April 2019 Final Recommendations Published

Overview of Final Recommendations for the

County Borough of Blaenau Gwent

Key :

1. Abertillery and Six Bells

2. Beaufort 3. Blaina

4. Brynmawr 5. Cwm

6. Cwmtillery 7. Ebbw Vale North

8. Ebbw Vale South

9. Georgetown 10. Llanhilleth

11. Nantyglo 12. Rassau and Garnlydan

13. Sirhowy 14. Tredegar

To view this report in full, as well as the Final Recommendations map data, visit : https://ldbc.gov.wales/

What happens next?

We have now completed our review of electoral arrangements for the

County Borough of Blaenau Gwent. It now falls to the Welsh Government, if it thinks fit, to give effect to these final recommendations either as submitted, or with modifications. County Borough of Torfaen The Welsh Government may also direct us to conduct a further review.

Our Final Recommendations:

The table lists all the wards we are proposing along with the number of voters in each ward. The table also shows the electoral variances for each of the proposed wards, which tells you how we have delivered electoral equality. Finally, the table includes electorate projections for 2022, so

you can see the impact of the recommendations for the future.

% variance % variance No. OF ELECTORATE 2017 ELECTORATE 2022 WARD NAME from from COUNCILLORS 2017 RATIO 2022 RATIO average average

Aber�llery and Six 3 4,924 1,641 6% 4,941 1,647 6% Bells

Beaufort 3 4,634 1,545 0% 4,632 1,544 -1%

Blaina 2 3,479 1,740 13% 3,511 1,756 13%

Brynmawr 3 3,955 1,318 -15% 3,975 1,325 -15%

Cwm 2 3,246 1,623 5% 3,283 1,642 6%

Cwm�llery 2 3,435 1,718 11% 3,491 1,746 12%

Ebbw Vale North 2 3,278 1,639 6% 3,216 1,608 4%

Ebbw Vale South 2 2,998 1,499 -3% 2,951 1,476 -5%

Georgetown 2 3,082 1,541 0% 3,083 1,542 -1%

Llanhilleth 2 3,395 1,698 10% 3,430 1,715 10%

Nantyglo 2 3,289 1,645 6% 3,358 1,679 8%

Rassau and 2 3,040 1,520 -2% 3,051 1,526 -2% Garnlydan

Sirhowy 3 4,228 1,409 -9% 4,260 1,420 -9%

Tredegar 3 3,997 1,332 -14% 4,073 1,358 -13%

Total 33 50,980 1,545 51,255 1,553