Bridgend Council has approved the terms of reference for a review of the county’s town and community councils (pdf).
The review will consider:
- The number of town & community councils – including the option of mergers, alterations or creating new ones.
- Electoral arrangements – including the number of councillors, the number of wards, the number of councillors elected in each ward and ward boundaries.
- Names/titles of town & community councils.
The council also agreed on the timetable.
The process will start in July 2023 with a consultation amongst town & community councils, other elected members in Bridgend and interested community groups. This phase is expected to be completed by October 2023.
The second phase is the publication of draft recommendations, expected by February 2024. Following further consultation, final recommendations are expected by May 2024, with a report presented to the full council for approval in September 2024.
After that, the proposals will need to be examined and approved by the Local Democracy & Boundary Commission for Wales, with everything signed off by November 2024.
Bridgend county currently has 20 town & community councils, with a combined 236 seats for town & community councillors.
Town & community councils have the power to levy a precept on council tax for spending on local projects and services. However, in the last few years, a small number of councils in Bridgend have made headlines for the wrong reasons.
There has also been a noticeable struggle to find candidates to stand in town & community councils or fill vacancies, with a high turnover of councillors through resignation. Also many county councillors double-role as both members of (sometimes multiple) town & community councils.
During 2022, I looked at community governance in more detail at State of Wales.
