History of local government in Wales
Encyclopedia
The history of local government Wales in a recognisably modern form emerged during the late 19th century.
(51 & 52 Vict, c. 41) based on the historic counties of Wales, but they were not entirely identical.
(1)Renamed from Carnarvonshire, July 1, 1926
(2)Monmouthshire's status as a county of Wales was ambiguous until 1974.
s:
(1972 c. 70). These counties were sub-divided into lower-tier districts.
The counties were all given names in Welsh
only, apart from the three in Glamorgan, which had English
names as well as Welsh. The creation of these new administrative areas effectively separated the administrative function from the traditional counties, although in reality this had occurred in 1889.
When these two-tier counties were abolished in 1996, their names and areas were retained with slight modifications for some purposes such as Lieutenancy, and became known as the preserved counties of Wales
. These were further amended in 2003 by S.I. 2003/974 to ensure that each unitary area is wholly within one preserved county.
Local Government Act 1888
From 1889 to 1974, counties made up of administrative counties and county boroughs were used for local government purposes. The counties were created by the Local Government Act 1888Local Government Act 1888
The Local Government Act 1888 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which established county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales...
(51 & 52 Vict, c. 41) based on the historic counties of Wales, but they were not entirely identical.
Administrative Counties
The table shows the area and population of administrative counties in Wales and Monmouthshire as recorded at the censuses of 1891 and 1961.| Administrative county | Area 1891 (Statute acres) |
Population 1891 | Area 1961 (Statute acres) |
Population 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglesey | 175,836 | 50,098 | 176,694 | 51,705 |
| Brecknockshire Brecknockshire Brecknockshire , also known as the County of Brecknock, Breconshire, or the County of Brecon is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, and a former administrative county.-Geography:... |
469,894 | 51,393 | 469,281 | 55,185 |
| Cardiganshire Ceredigion Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later... |
443,071 | 63,467 | 443,189 | 53,648 |
| Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford... |
587,816 | 130,566 | 588,271 | 168,008 |
| Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales.... (1) |
360,138 | 117,233 | 364,108 | 121,767 |
| Denbighshire Denbighshire (historic) Historic Denbighshire is one of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which covers an area in north east Wales... |
424,235 | 118,843 | 427,978 | 174,151 |
| Flintshire Flintshire (historic) Flintshire , also known as the County of Flint, is one of thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county, which mostly lies on the north east coast of Wales.... |
164,051 | 77,277 | 163,707 | 150,082 |
| Glamorgan Glamorgan Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three... |
505,815 | 467,954 | 468,808 | 523,253 |
| Merionethshire Merionethshire Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974... |
427,810 | 49,212 | 422,372 | 38,310 |
| Monmouthshire Monmouthshire (historic) Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county.... (2) |
342,548 | 203,347 | 346,779 | 336,556 |
| Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording... |
510,111 | 58,003 | 510,110 | 41,165 |
| Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered.... |
392,710 | 88,296 | 393,008 | 94,124 |
| Radnorshire Radnorshire Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805... |
301,164 | 21,791 | 301,165 | 18,471 |
(1)Renamed from Carnarvonshire, July 1, 1926
(2)Monmouthshire's status as a county of Wales was ambiguous until 1974.
County Boroughs
There were also a number of administratively independent county boroughCounty borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
s:
- CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
created in 1889 (associated with Glamorgan) - SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, created in 1889 (associated with Glamorgan) - NewportNewportNewport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, separated from Monmouthshire in 1891 - Merthyr TydfilMerthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, separated from Glamorgan in 1908
| County borough | Area 1911 (Statute acres) |
Population 1911 | Area 1961 (Statute acres) |
Population 1961 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... |
6,373 | 182,259 | 15,085 | 256,582 |
| Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of... |
17,761 | 80,990 | 17,760 | 59,039 |
| Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... |
4,504 | 83,691 | 7,691 | 112,298 |
| Swansea Swansea Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands... |
5,202 | 114,663 | 21,600 | 167,322 |
Local Government Act 1972: Counties and districts
In 1974, the existing administrative counties and county boroughs were abolished and replaced by eight new two-tier authorities, instead called 'counties' by the Local Government Act 1972Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
(1972 c. 70). These counties were sub-divided into lower-tier districts.
The counties were all given names in Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
only, apart from the three in Glamorgan, which had English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
names as well as Welsh. The creation of these new administrative areas effectively separated the administrative function from the traditional counties, although in reality this had occurred in 1889.
When these two-tier counties were abolished in 1996, their names and areas were retained with slight modifications for some purposes such as Lieutenancy, and became known as the preserved counties of Wales
Preserved counties of Wales
The preserved counties of Wales are the current areas used in Wales for the ceremonial purposes of Lieutenancy and Shrievalty. They are based on the counties created by the Local Government Act 1972 and used for local government and other purposes between 1974 and 1996.-Usage:The Local Government ...
. These were further amended in 2003 by S.I. 2003/974 to ensure that each unitary area is wholly within one preserved county.
Counties
|
Districts
The counties were sub-divided into districts, these were:- ClwydClwydClwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...
— Alyn and DeesideAlyn and Deeside (district)Alyn and Deeside was one of six districts of the county of Clwyd, north-east Wales from 1974 to 1996. There is still a parliamentary constituency of the same name....
, ColwynColwynThe Borough of Colwyn was one of six districts of the county of Clwyd, north-east Wales, from 1974 to 1996.It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 from the following parts of the administrative county of Denbighshire:...
, DelynDelyn (district)Delyn is an area in north Wales. From 1974 to 1996 it was a district of Clwyd, but is now included in the county of Flintshire. Delyn is twinned with Menden, Germany....
, GlyndwrGlyndwrGlyndŵr was one of six districts of Clwyd between 1974 and 1996.It was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from parts of the administrative counties of Denbighshire and Merionethshire....
, RhuddlanRhuddlan (district)The Borough of Rhuddlan was one of six districts of the county of Clwyd, north-east Wales, from 1974 to 1996. It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 from part of the administrative county of Flintshire, namely the urban districts of Prestatyn and Rhyl and St Asaph Rural District.The...
, Wrexham MaelorWrexham MaelorWrexham Maelor was one of six local government districts of the county of Clwyd, north-east Wales, from 1974 to 1996.It was formed from parts of the administrative counties of Denbighshire and Flintshire.... - DyfedDyfedDyfed is a preserved county of Wales. It was created on 1 April 1974 under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972, and covered approximately the same geographic extent as the ancient Principality of Deheubarth, although excluding the Gower Peninsula and the area west of the River Tawe...
— CarmarthenCarmarthen (district)Carmarthen was one of six local government districts of the county of Dyfed, west Wales, from 1974 to 1996. It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 from the following parts of the administrative county of Carmarthenshire:...
, CeredigionCeredigionCeredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
, DinefwrDinefwrDinefwr was a local government district of Dyfed, Wales from 1974 to 1996. It was named after Dinefwr Castle which was the royal capital of the Principality of Deheubarth and one of the three principal royal courts of Wales....
, LlanelliLlanelli (district)The Borough of Llanelli was one of thirty-seven local government districts in Wales from 1974 to 1996. It was the smallest of six districts in the newly-created county of Dyfed, and was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 by a merger of the municipal boroughs of Llanelli and Kidwelly, Burry...
, Preseli PembrokeshirePreseli PembrokeshirePreseli Pembrokeshire was one of six local government districts of Dyfed in West Wales from 1974 to 1996. Until 1987 the name of the district was Preseli...
(named Preseli until 1987), South PembrokeshireSouth PembrokeshireSouth Pembrokeshire was one of six local government districts of Dyfed, Wales from 1974 to 1996.It was formed on April 1, 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, from the following parts of the administrative county of Pembrokeshire:... - GwentGwent (county)Gwent is a preserved county and a former local government county in south-east Wales. It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, and was named after the ancient Kingdom of Gwent....
— Blaenau GwentBlaenau GwentBlaenau Gwent is a county borough in South Wales, sharing its name with a parliamentary constituency. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and...
, IslwynIslwynThe Borough of Islwyn was one of five local government districts of Gwent from 1983 to 2011.The district was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 from part of the administrative county of Monmouthshire, namely the urban districts of Abercarn, Mynyddislwyn and Risca, and the Bedwellty urban...
, MonmouthMonmouth (district)The Monmouth district was one of five districts of Gwent in Wales between 1974 and 1996. In 1988 the district was granted a charter conferring borough status, becoming the Borough of Monmouth .The district was created by the Local Government Act 1972 from the following parts of the...
, NewportNewport (district)The Newport district was one of the five local government districts of Gwent from 1974 to 1996. The district comprised the county borough of Newport and several surrounding parishes...
, TorfaenTorfaenTorfaen is a county borough in Wales within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It was originally formed in 1974 as a district of the county of Gwent and in 1996 it was reconstituted as a unitary authority.-Education:... - GwyneddGwyneddGwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
— AberconwyAberconwy (district)The Borough of Aberconwy was one of five districts of Gwynedd, north-west Wales, from 1974 to 1996.It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972, on April 1, 1974 from parts of the administrative counties of Caernarfonshire and Denbighshire....
, ArfonArfonArfon was one of five districts of Gwynedd, Wales, from 1974 to 1996.It was created by the Local Government Act 1972 on 1 April 1974 from part of the administrative county of Caernarfonshire, namely the municipal boroughs of Bangor and Caernarfon, the Bethesda urban district, the rural districts...
, DwyforDwyforDwyfor was one of the five local government districts of Gwynedd, Wales from 1974 to 1996, covering the Llŷn peninsula. Its council was based in Pwllheli....
, MeirionnyddMeirionnyddMeirionnydd is a coastal and mountainous region of Wales. It has been a kingdom, a cantref, a district and, as Merionethshire, a county.-Kingdom:...
, AngleseyAngleseyAnglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales... - Mid GlamorganMid GlamorganMid Glamorgan is a preserved county of Wales. From 1974 until 1996, it was also an administrative county, with a county council.Mid Glamorgan was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
— Cynon ValleyCynon ValleyThe Cynon Valley , is a famous former coal mining valley within the South Wales Valleys of Wales. The Cynon Valley lies between the other mining Valley of Rhondda and the iron industrial Valley of the Merthyr Valley. Its main towns are Aberdare located North of the Valley and Mountain Ash located...
, OgwrOgwrThe Borough of Ogwr was one of six districts of Mid Glamorgan in Wales, which existed from 1974 to 1996.It was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 from the urban districts of Bridgend, Maesteg, Ogmore and Garw and Porthcawl, along with Penybont Rural District from the administrative county...
, Merthyr TydfilMerthyr TydfilMerthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, RhonddaRhondda (district)Rhondda was a local government district based around the geographical area of the Rhondda Valley, south Wales.The district was initially created as Ystradyfodwg Local Government District from parts of Ystradyfodwg, Llanwonno and Llantrisant parishes, Glamorgan, in 1877, when the Local Government...
, Rhymney ValleyRhymney Valley (district)Rhymney Valley was one of six local government districts in Mid Glamorgan from 1974 to 1996.The district was formed from areas in the administrative counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire...
, Taff–ElyTaff-ElyTaff-Ely was a local government district in Wales from 1974 to 1996.It was formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by a merger of the urban district of Pontypridd, along with Llantrisant and Llantwit Farde Rural District, the Taff's Well ward of Caerphilly urban district, the... - PowysPowysPowys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
— BrecknockBrecknock (borough)The Borough of Brecknock was one of the three local government districts of the county of Powys, Wales from 1974 to 1996. The district comprised the majority of the historic county of Brecknockshire....
, MontgomeryMontgomeryshire (district)Montgomeryshire was, from 1974 to 1996, one of three districts of the county of Powys, Wales. The district had an identical area to the previous administrative county of Montgomeryshire....
, RadnorRadnorshire (district)Radnorshire was one of three districts of the county of Powys, Wales, from 1974 - 1996. The district had an identical area to the previous administrative county of Radnorshire.... - South GlamorganSouth GlamorganSouth Glamorgan is a preserved county of Wales.It was originally formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as a county council area...
— CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Vale of GlamorganVale of GlamorganThe Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales... - West GlamorganWest GlamorganWest Glamorgan is a preserved county and former administrative county of Wales, one of the divisions of the ancient county of Glamorgan.West Glamorgan was created on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972 from the county borough of Swansea, the municipal boroughs of Neath and Port Talbot,...
— Lliw ValleyLliw ValleyThe Borough of Lliw Valley was one of the four local government districts of West Glamorgan, Wales from 1974 to 1996...
, NeathNeath (district)Neath was one of the four local government districts of West Glamorgan, Wales from 1974 to 1996. It was formed from the municipal borough of Neath, along with all of Neath Rural District apart from Rhigos parish, which went to Cynon Valley district....
, Port TalbotPort Talbot (district)Port Talbot was one of the four local government districts of the county of West Glamorgan, Wales from 1974 to 1996.The district was formed as Afan on 1 April 1974 as part of a general reorganisation of local government in England and Wales under the Local Government Act 1972...
(named Afan until 1986), SwanseaSwanseaSwansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
1996
The redistribution of these districts into the current unitary authorities is as follows:| Unitary authority | Previous districts |
|---|---|
| Blaenau Gwent | most of Blaenau Gwent |
| Bridgend | most of Ogwr |
| Caerphilly | Islwyn, Rhymney Valley |
| Carmarthenshire | Carmarthen, Llanelli, Dinefwr |
| Cardiff | Cardiff, part of Taff–Ely |
| Ceredigion | Ceredigion |
| Conwy | Aberconwy, most of Colwyn |
| Denbighshire | Rhuddlan, parts of Glyndwr and Colwyn |
| Flintshire | Alyn and Deeside, Delyn |
| Gwynedd | Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd |
| Isle of Anglesey | Anglesey |
| Merthyr Tydfil | Merthyr Tydfil |
| Monmouthshire | Monmouth, part of Blaenau Gwent |
| Neath Port Talbot | Neath, Port Talbot, parts of Lliw Valley |
| Newport | Newport |
| Pembrokeshire | Preseli Pembrokeshire, South Pembrokeshire |
| Powys | Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire, Brecknock, part of Glyndwr |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | Rhondda, Cynon Valley, most of Taff-Ely |
| Swansea | Swansea, parts of Lliw Valley |
| Torfaen | Torfaen |
| Vale of Glamorgan | most of Vale of Glamorgan |
| Wrexham | most of Wrexham, parts of Glyndwr |