Shropshire Star

Electoral wards could drop by 13

The number of electoral wards in Powys could drop by 13 and the number of councillors decrease by five, according to a report.

Published

The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (LDBC) has submitted its Final Recommendations Report to the county council.

The report has recommended that the number of councillors in Powys be snipped from 73 to 68, and the number of electoral wards be reduced to 60 from its current number of 73.

The report, which will go before the cabinet outlines where all the changes will be made across Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, to make every area have 1,569 electors per member.

The commission received representations from Powys Group Leaders, Powys Liberal Democrats Group, Llandrindod Wells and Builth Wells Branch Labour Party, 32 town and community councils, the Presteigne area community development group, 13 county councillors and five members of the public.

Throughout the report there are a number of changes outlined.

The report states: "The commission recommends a change to the arrangement of electoral wards that will achieve a marked improvement in the level of electoral parity across the county of Powys.

Largest

"The largest under-representation (in terms of variance from the recommended county average) is recommended to be 28 per cent above the proposed county average (Forden and Montgomery).

"At present the greatest variance is 69 per cent above the recommended county average (St. John) (Brecon).

"The largest over-representation (in terms of variance from the recommended county average) is recommended to be 22 per cent below the proposed county average (Llanfyllin)."

Eight multi-member wards are being recommended included Llanidloes, Newtown Central and South, and no changes to 26 electoral wards.

The commission recommends ten electoral wards within the county which combine a part of a warded community, along with its neighbouring community.

These community splits are present within the Town of Presteigne, and the Communities of Cwmdu and District, Forden with Leighton and Trelystan, Treflys and Kerry.

A number of boundary changes have also been proposed in Welshpool.

The report will be discussed on Friday, May 3.