BCBC publishes town & community council shake-up proposals

Bridgend Council has published its draft proposals for reforming the county’s 20 town and community councils (pdf).

There’s a lot to cover, so I’ve split this post into sections.

If you don’t want to wade through that, the headline proposals are:

Town & community councils would be cut from 20 to 13.
Town & community councillors would be cut from 236 to 176.
All town & community councils would elect a minimum of 10 councillors and there would be no more “single ward” community councils (where all councillors are elected from a single list).
There are many proposed boundary changes – meaning the map would look quite different – but these changes are unlikely to affect many people. It mainly results in farmland, open spaces and industrial estates moving from one community to another (with a few notable exceptions).
Each of the proposed new councils meets BCBC’s target minimum of 5,000 electors. The smallest proposed “new council” (Newcastle Higher) would have 5,516 electors compared to the smallest at present (Merthyr Mawr, 235 electors).
Consultation responses were generally supportive of the need for change, though there was opposition from within Coychurch Higher and Merthyr Mawr community councils. Though some smaller community councils (Ynysawdre, Llangynwyd Middle, St. Bride’s Minor) support merging with neighbours.

1. The Valleys & Pencoed

Maesteg Town Council

Llangynwyd Middle Community Council would be merged into Maesteg Town, retaining its two Cwmfelin and Pontrhydycyff wards.
The number of wards would subsequently increase from four to six.
There are a few minor boundary changes, such as the whole area around the WEPA paper mill transferring into Maesteg Town and a few houses moving from the Nantyfyllon ward into Caerau.
22 town councillors would be elected, making it the biggest town/community council in the borough: Caerau (4), Nantyfyllon (3), Maesteg East (5), Maesteg West (6), Cwmfelin (2), Pontrhydycyff (2).

Pencoed Town Council

Coychurch Higher Community Council would be merged into Pencoed Town. The area covered by the existing community council would become a new town council ward called Heol-y-Cyw.
The number of wards would subsequently increase from three to four.
There are several changes to boundaries, though this mainly affects rural areas north of Heol-y-Cyw (transferring to Ogmore Valley) and the farmland around Coed-y-Mwstwr (transferring to Brackla). A few streets around Min-y-Nant and Glyn-y-Mel in Pencoed would transfer into Penprysg ward from Hendre.
13 councillors would be elected: Felindre (3), Hendre (5), Penprysg (3), Heol-y-Cyw (2).

Garw Valley Community Council

No changes to the number of wards or their names.
There are some changes to ward boundaries, namely the transfer of Bryngarw House and the surrounding area from Garw Valley to the Brynmenyn ward in the new Llansantffraid Community Council.
Councillors would be cut from 13 to 10: Bettws (3), Pontycymmer (3), Blaengarw (2), Llangeinor (2).

Ogmore Valley Community Council

No changes to the number of wards or their names.
There are some changes to ward boundaries, but these mainly affect rural/sparsely populated areas/farms; the “Planka” fields would move from the Ogmore Vale ward to Nantymoel.
Councillors would be cut from 15 to 11: Ogmore Vale (4), Nantymoel (3), Blackmill (2), Evanstown (2).