28/6/24

Residents across South Wales are being reminded of recent parliamentary constituency changes that may affect the area in which they cast their vote on July 4.

A number of changes have taken place to constituency boundaries across the UK ahead of the General Election next week, with the number of constituencies in Wales reducing from 40 to 32.

The changes follow a review of parliamentary boundaries last year to ensure that constituencies are all roughly a similar size. Constituency areas have been altered to reflect rising and falling populations and changes in the boundaries of the electoral wards that comprise them.

The Returning Officers in the local authority areas of Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and the Vale of Glamorgan are advising voters to familiarise themselves with the changes which included new names for some constituencies, enlarged boundaries for some areas and reduced area for others.

The changes do not apply to the boundaries of seats in the Senedd.

A spokesperson for the Returning Officers said: "It's really important that residents in areas affected by the boundary review know in which constituency or ‘seat' they will be voting. Voters living in an area that has moved to a different constituency may notice that their poll card or postal vote looks a bit different to the ones they've previously had, because it has been issued by a different council that is running the election in this new constituency.

"We don't want this to cause any confusion for our residents. People living in the areas where these changes have happened will continue to be residents of their existing local authority area and it is their local council that will continue to manage the process of registering their votes for all future elections."

In Bridgend:

• Blackmill, Blaengarw, Bettws, Llangeinor, Nant-y-Moel, Ogmore Vale and Pontycymer, formerly in the old constituency of Ogmore, are now in the new constituency of Rhondda and Ogmore.

• Caerau, Llangynwyd, Maesteg East, Maesteg West, formerly in Ogmore, are now in Aberafan Maesteg.

• Cornelly and Pyle, formerly Bridgend, are now in Aberafan Maesteg.

• Former Ogmore areas of Aberkenfig, Bryncethin, Bryncoch, Cefn Cribwr, Hendre, Felindre, Penprysg, Sarn and Ynysawdre are now in Bridgend.

Residents can check their local polling station by entering their post code here: https://www.bridgend.gov.uk/my-council/elections/

In Cardiff:

• The Cardiff Central constituency is now known as Cardiff East. The wards of Llanrumney, Rumney and Trowbridge which had previously been in the Cardiff South & Penarth constituency are now in Cardiff East.

• Taffs Well, previously part of Pontypridd constituency, is now part of the Cardiff North constituency.

• Cathays, previously part of Cardiff Central, is now part of Cardiff South & Penarth while Dinas Powys also joins this parliamentary constituency.

• Pontyclun, previously part of Pontypridd constituency, now comes under the Cardiff West constituency.

Local polling station check: https://www.cardiff.gov.uk/ENG/Your-Council/Voting-and-elections/Find-your-nearest-polling-station/Pages/default.aspx

In Merthyr Tydfil:

• The Merthyr Tydfil wards of Bedlinog and Trelewis, Cyfarthfa, Dowlais and Pant, Gurnos, Merthyr Vale, Park, Penydarren, Plymouth, Town, Treharris and Vaynor combine with the former Rhondda wards of Aberaman North, Aberaman South, Aberdare East, Aberdare West and Llwydcoed, Cwmbach, Hirwaun, Rhigos, Pen-y-waun in the new consitituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare.

Local polling station check: https://wheredoivote.co.uk/

In Rhondda Cynon Taf:

•Taff's Well, previously in the Pontypridd constituency, is now in Cardiff North.

• Pontyclun Central and Pontyclun East, also previously in Pontypridd, are now in Cardiff West

• Pontyclun West (excluding Tylegarw), previously partly in Ogmore and partly in Pontypridd, is now also in Cardiff West

• Aberaman, Aberdare East, Aberdare West And Llwydcoed, Cwmbach, Hirwaun, Penderyn And Rhigos and Pen-Y-Waun, all former Cynon Valley constituency areas, are now part of the new constituency of Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare

• Abercynon, Cilfynydd, Glyn-Coch, Mountain Ash, Penrhiw-Ceibr and Ynysybwl, previously part of Cynon Valley, are now in Pontypridd

• The areas of Brynna And Llanharan and Pontyclun West (Tylegarw) moves to Pontypridd from Ogmore.

• Llanharry and Llantristant And Talbot Green, previously falling within Ogmore and Pontypridd, are now in Pontypridd

• Forming part of the new constituency of Rhondda and Ogmore are Bettws, Blackmill, Blaengarw, Gilfach-Goch, Llangeinor, Nant-Y-Moel, Ogmore Vale and Pontycymmer - all previously in Ogmore

• Former Rhondda areas - Cwm Clydach, Cymer (excluding Trehafod), Ferndale And Maerdy, Llwyn-Y-Pia, Pentre, Pen-Y-Graig, Porth, Tonypandy, Trealaw, Treherbert, Treorchy, Tylorstown And Ynyshir, Ystrad - are now part of Rhondda and Ogmore.

• Tonyrefail East and Tonyrefail West, previously in Pontypridd, are in Rhondda and Ogmore.

Local polling station check: https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Council/Votingandelections/Noticeofelections/PollingStationInformation.aspx

In the Vale of Glamorgan:

•Dinas Powys moves from the Vale of Glamorgan to Cardiff South & Penarth

Local polling station check:  https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/our_council/Council-Structure/Electoral-Services/Polling-Stations.aspx

Local authority wards not mentioned in the breakdown above are not affected by the changes. To view maps of the former and new constituency areas, visit: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/boundary-review-2023-which-seats-will-change/