The number of electoral wards in Rhondda Cynon Taf will fall in proposals agreed by Welsh Government.
The number of wards will be reduced from 52 to 46, with 26 of those being multi-councillor wards under recommendations from the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales.
The proposals mean RCT will continue to have 75 councillors, resulting in an average of 2,302 voters per councillor.
In RCT, 23 wards will elect two councillors, and three will elect three councillors with 20 current wards seeing no change under these reforms.
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The final recommendations from the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales were submitted to the Welsh Government on March 25, 2020 and minister for finance and local government, Rebecca Evans MS, has confirmed that the decision has been made to accept them.
The wards that have been kept are Aberdare East, Aberdare West/Llwydcoed, Cilfynydd, Cwm Clydach, Gilfach Goch, Glyncoch, Llantwit Fardre, Penrhiwceiber, Pentre, Pen-y-Graig, Pen-y-Waun, Pontypridd Town, Porth, Taff's Well, Treforest, Tonypandy, Tonyrefail East, Trallwng and Treherbert.
The commission recommended making a number of boundary changes in the town of Pontypridd and the communities of Llantwit Fardre, Pontyclun and Trehafod.
The commission has also recommended consequential changes to Pontypridd Town Council, Pontyclun Community Council and Llantwit Fardre Community Council as a result of these boundary changes.
A small number of recommendations around ward names for Ynysybwl, Llwynypia, Cwmbach and Pontyclun were not accepted by Welsh Government.
Responding to the Welsh Government’s decision, Shereen Williams MBE OStJ, chief executive of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales said: “I’m delighted that the Welsh Government has accepted these recommendations with only minor modifications.
“These changes will mean greater electoral parity for the people of Rhondda Cynon Taf.
“I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to the review, the members of the public, councillors, RCT Council, and everyone else who sent us a representation or contributed in any other way.”
The boundary changes are expected to take effect from the 2022 local government elections.
