Councillor numbers set to reduce

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The number of councillors at two north Wales local authorities could be cut as part of a programme to change electoral boundaries.

Elected members in Flintshire would fall from 70 to 60 and in Anglesey from 40 to 35, but Rhondda Cynon Taf looks set to stay the same, at 75.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales has made the recommendations.

About a sixth of councillors in Wales - 200 from more than 1,260 - could go.

The boundary commission wants to see "electoral parity" or councillors elected by a similar number of voters.

The LGBCW said it believed it was unfair that in some places, councillors were elected by more than 3,000 voters, while in other wards it was just over 1,000.

Democracy

Commission chair Paul Wood previously said: "The situation where some councillors are representing far fewer electors than others in their council area cannot be fair.

"To simply insist that what already exists must always stay the same will only continue the unfairness that exists in many parts of Wales and is not good for democracy."

Currently in Rhondda Cynon Taf, an average of 2,304 electors are represented by each councillor.

Under the proposals a council size of 60 in Flintshire would result in an average number of 1,924 electors represented by each councillor.

On Anglesey, a reduction to 35 councillors would result in an average number of 1,451 electors represented by each councillor.

Last year the first draft reports were published for Denbighshire, Neath Port Talbot and Newport. They each face losing up to 10 councillors.

There are 22 local authorities in Wales. A reduction of between seven and 10 councillors in each authority is expected to be recommended.