Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

Last updated

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council

Cyngor Rhondda Cynon Taf
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.svg
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1996
Preceded by Mid Glamorgan County Council
Cynon Valley Borough Council
Rhondda Borough Council
Taff-Ely Borough Council
Leadership
Dan Owen-Jones,
Labour
since 8 May 2024 [1]
Andrew Morgan,
Labour
since 28 May 2014
Paul Mee
since 1 December 2022 [2]
Structure
Seats75 councillors [3]
Political groups
Administration
  Labour (59)
Other parties (16)
  Plaid Cymru (8)
  Independent (6)
  Conservative (2)
Length of term
5 years
Elections
First past the post
First election
 4 May 1995
Last election
 5 May 2022
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
2 Llys Cadwyn, Taff Street, Pontypridd, CF37 4TH
Website
www.rctcbc.gov.uk

Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (Welsh : Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf) is the governing body for Rhondda Cynon Taf, one of the principal areas of Wales. The council headquarters are at the Llys Cadwyn development in Pontypridd.

Contents

History

The council was established on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, covering the area of the three former districts of Rhondda, Cynon Valley, and Taff-Ely (except Pentyrch, which went to Cardiff). As well as taking over the functions of the abolished district councils, the new authority also took over the functions of the abolished Mid Glamorgan County Council in the area. The new county borough was described in the 1994 Act with different spellings in English and Welsh: Rhondda Cynon Taff (English) / Rhondda Cynon Taf (Welsh). [4] The council now uses the latter spelling for both languages. [5]

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2004.

The first election to the council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been held by the following parties: [6]

Party in controlYears
Labour 1996–1999
Plaid Cymru 1999–2004
Labour 2004–present

Leadership

The first leader of the council, Bill Murphy, was the last leader of the old Rhondda Borough Council. The leaders since 1996 have been: [7]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Bill Murphy [8] Labour 19961999
Pauline Jarman Plaid Cymru 19992004
Russell Roberts [9] Labour 20046 May 2012
Anthony Christopher [10] Labour May 201215 May 2014
Andrew Morgan [11] Labour 28 May 2014

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections in September and November 2022, the composition of the council was: [12]

PartyCouncillors
Labour 59
Plaid Cymru 8
Independent 6
Conservative 2
Total75

Four of the independent councillors sit together as the 'RCT Independent Group', the other two form the 'Independent Group'. [13] The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since 2012, elections take place every five years. [14]

YearSeats Labour Plaid Cymru Liberal Democrats Conservative OthersNotes
1995 745414105Labour majority control
1999 752638407Plaid Cymru majority control
2004 755713104Labour majority control
2008 754420416Labour majority control
2012 75609114Labour majority control
2017 754718145Labour majority control
2022 75598026Labour majority control

Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.

Premises

The council is based at the Llys Cadwyn development on Taff Street in the centre of Pontypridd. The complex was built in 2020, comprising a library, council customer contact point, café, leisure facilities and offices. [15] The offices were initially marketed for rent, with some being taken up, notably by Transport for Wales. In 2023 the council decided to move its council chamber and principal offices into some of the remaining vacant office space at 2 Llys Cadwyn, moving into the building in early 2024. [16]

The council was previously based at The Pavilions, a group of 1990s office buildings at the Cambrian Industrial Park in the community of Cwm Clydach on the outskirts of Tonypandy in the Rhondda, which is the largest urban area in the borough. When the council was created it inherited the offices of the three former district councils, being Rock Grounds on High Street in Aberdare from Cynon Valley, the Municipal Offices on Llewellyn Street in Pentre from Rhondda, and the Municipal Buildings on Gelliwastad Road in Pontypridd from Taff-Ely. In the period leading up to the creation of the new authority there was some debate about where the new council should be based, with Plaid Cymru leading a campaign for Pontypridd to be the headquarters, but Labour preferring a location in the Rhondda. [17] The recently built site at The Pavilions was secured for the new council in 1995. [18] The older offices at Aberdare and Pontypridd continue to be used by the council as secondary offices, whilst the Pentre building has been sold. [19] The Pavilions is earmarked to become a new special school for the area.

Mayors of Rhondda Cynon Taf

Past mayors of the council are: [20]

  1. ↑ Served as Chairman, not Mayor
  2. ↑ Served as Chairwoman, not Mayor

Electoral wards

Pre-2022 electoral wards in Rhondda Cynon Taf Rhondda Cynon Taf UK ward map (blank).svg
Pre-2022 electoral wards in Rhondda Cynon Taf

Since the 2022 elections, the Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough has been divided into 46 electoral wards returning 75 councillors. [21] [22] Some of these electoral wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Some communities have their own elected council. The following table lists council electoral wards, communities and associated geographical areas:

Electoral wardsCouncillorsCommunities (civil parishes)Other geographic areas
Aberaman 3 Aberaman North
Aberaman South 		Abercwmboi, Cwmaman, Glynhafod, Godreaman
Abercynon c2 Abercynon Carnetown, Pontcynon, Tyntetown, Ynysboeth
Aberdare East c2 Aberdare East Abernant, Foundry Town, Tŷ Fry
Aberdare West
and Llwydcoed 		3 Aberdare West
Llwydcoed 		Bwllfa Dare, Cwmdare, Robertstown, Trecynon,
Beddau and
Tyn-y-nant 		2 Llantrisant * (Beddau and Tyn-y-nant wards) Beddau, Brynteg
Brynna and Llanharan 3 Llanharan *Bryncae, Brynna, Dolau, Llanharan
Church Village 2 Llantwit Fardre * (Church Village ward) Upper Church Village
Cilfynydd 1 Pontypridd Town * (Cilfynydd ward)
Cwm Clydach c1 Cwm Clydach Clydach Vale
Cwmbach c2 Cwmbach
Cymer 2 Cymmer
Trehafod 		Cymmer, Glynfach, Trebanog, Trehafod
Ferndale and Maerdy 2 Ferndale
Maerdy 		Blaenllechau
Gilfach Goch c1 Gilfach Goch *Garden City, Hendreforgan Estate
Glyn-coch 1 Pontypridd Town * (Glyncoch ward)
Graig and Pontypridd West 2 Pontypridd Town * (Graig and Rhondda wards) Maesycoed, Pantygraigwen, Pen-y-coedcae, Hopkinstown, Pwllgwaun
Hawthorn and
Lower Rhydfelen 		1 Pontypridd Town * (Hawthorn and Rhydfelen Lower wards) Upper Boat
Hirwaun, Penderyn and Rhigos 2 Hirwaun *
Rhigos *		 Cwm Hwnt, Cefn Rhigos, Hirwaun, Penderyn
Llanharry 1 Llanharry * (Llanharry ward)
Llantrisant and Talbot Green 2 Llantrisant * (Llantrisant Town and Talbot Green wards) Cross Inn, Llantrisant, Rhiwsaeson, Talbot Green, Ynysmaerdy
Llantwit Fardre 2 Llantwit Fardre * (Efail Isaf and Llantwit Fardre wards) Efail Isaf
Llwyn-y-pia c1 Llwynypia
Mountain Ash 2 Mountain Ash East
Mountain Ash West 		Cefnpennar, Cwmpennar, Fernhill, Glenboi, Newtown
Penrhiw-ceiber c2 Penrhiwceiber Miskin, Perthcelyn
Pentre c2 Pentre Ton Pentre
Pen-y-graig c2 Pen-y-graig Dinas, Edmondstown, Penpisgah, Williamstown
Pen-y-waun c1 Pen-y-waun Trenant
Pontyclun Central 1 Pontyclun * (Central ward) Miskin, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Pontyclun
Pontyclun East 1 Pontyclun * (East ward) Groes-faen, Mwyndy
Pontyclun West 1 Pont-y-clun * (West ward)
Llanharry * (Tylagarw ward)		 Brynsadler, Pontyclun, Tyla Garw
Pontypridd Town 1 Pontypridd Town * (Town ward) Penygraigwen
Porth 2 Porth Birchgrove, Llwyncelyn, Mount Pleasant
Rhydfelen Central 1 Pontypridd Town * (Rhydfelen Central ward) Rhydyfelin
Taffs Well c1 Taffs Well *Glan-y-llyn, Nantgarw, Taff's Well, Tŷ Rhiw
Ton-teg 1 Llantwit Fardre * (Tonteg ward)
Tonypandy c1 Tonypandy
Tonyrefail East 2 Tonyrefail * (Coedely, Collena and Tylcha wards) Coedely
Tonyrefail West 2 Tonyrefail * (Penrhiw-fer, Thomastown and Tynybryn wards)
Trallwn 1 Pontypridd Town * (Trallwng ward)
Trealaw c1 Trealaw
Treforest 1 Pontypridd Town * (Treforest ward) Glyntaff
Treherbert c2 Treherbert Blaencwm, Blaenrhondda, Tynewydd,
Treorchy c2 Treorchy Cwmparc, Ynyswen
Tylorstown and Ynyshir 2 Tylorstown
Ynyshir 		Penrhys, Pontygwaith, Stanleytown, Wattstown
Upper Rhydfelen and Glyn-Taf 1 Pontypridd Town * (Upper Rhydfelen and Glyn-taf ward) Rhydyfelin
Ynysybwl 2 Ynysybwl and Coed-y-Cwm *Roberttown, Buarth-y-capel
Ystrad c2 Ystrad Gelli

*= Communities which elect a community council
c= Ward coterminous with community of the same name [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhondda Cynon Taf</span> County borough in Wales

Rhondda Cynon Taf is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It consists of five valleys: the Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Cynon, Taff and Ely valleys, plus several towns and villages away from the valleys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maerdy</span> Human settlement in Wales

Maerdy is a village and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying at the head of the Rhondda Fach Valley.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Treorchy</span> Human settlement in Wales

Treorchy is a town and community in Wales. Once a mining town, it retains such characteristics. Situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in the Rhondda Fawr valley. Treorchy is also one of the 16 communities of the Rhondda. It includes the villages of Cwmparc and Ynyswen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ynysybwl</span> Human settlement in Wales

Ynysybwl is a village in Cwm Clydach in Wales. It is situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, roughly 15 miles (24 km) north-north-west of Cardiff, 4 miles (6 km) north of Pontypridd and 16 miles (26 km) south of Merthyr Tydfil, and forms part of the community of Ynysybwl and Coed-y-Cwm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beddau</span> Human settlement in Wales

Beddau is a large former mining village situated within the South Wales Valleys around 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Llantrisant and 4 miles (6.4 km) from the larger town of Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church Village</span> Village in Rhonda Cynon Taf, Wales

Church Village is a large village in the historic parish and community of Llantwit Fardre, located within the Taff Ely district of the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales. The village is centrally located being around 4 miles (6.4 km) from the local principal towns of Llantrisant to the southwest and Pontypridd to the north and is situated approximately 8 miles northwest of Cardiff city centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tonteg</span> Human settlement in Wales

Tonteg is a village in Rhondda Cynon Taf in South Wales. It is 4 miles (6.4 km) from Pontypridd, 9 miles (14.5 km) north west of Cardiff and 4 miles (6.44 km) north east of Llantrisant. The village is within the community of Llantwit Fardre. Tonteg is to the north west of the Garth Mountain, on the west side of the River Taff valley, at the top of a hill known locally as Powerstation Hill. The hill gets its name from the Upper Boat power station which was situated at the bottom of the hill until it was demolished in 1972. Tonteg is next to Church Village and the boundaries between the two villages are blurred. A significant part of the Treforest Industrial Estate falls within the Willowford area of Tonteg.

Hawthorn is a village and electoral ward within the community of the town of Pontypridd in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, located 10 miles north west of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. Historically this fell within the parish of Eglwysilan within Mid Glamorgan.

Pentre is a village, community and electoral ward near Treorchy in the Rhondda valley, falling within the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The village's name is taken from the Welsh word Pentref, which translates as homestead, though Pentre is named after a large farm that dominated the area before the coming of industrialisation. The community takes in the neighbouring village of Ton Pentre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graig, Pontypridd</span> Human settlement in Wales

Graig is a historic district of the town of Pontypridd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. It is also the name of an electoral ward for the town and county councils.

Rhondda is the name of an electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The ward covers the northwest part of the Pontypridd community, including Hopkinstown, Maesycoed, Pantygraig Wen and Pwllgwaun.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdare East</span> Human settlement in Wales

Aberdare East is a local government community and electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The community was formed in 2016 when the former community of Aberdare was split into two. Aberdare East includes the main town of Aberdare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberaman North</span> Human settlement in Wales

Aberaman North is a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It primarily includes the village of Aberaman. The community was formed in 2016 when the larger community of Aberaman was split into North and South.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mountain Ash East</span> Human settlement in Wales

Mountain Ash East is a community and coterminous electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It primarily includes the part of the town of Mountain Ash east of the River Cynon. The community was formed in 2016 when the larger community of Mountain Ash was divided into East and West to match the ward boundaries.

The 2017 Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council election took place on Thursday 4 May 2017 to elect members of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council in Wales. This was the same day as other 2017 United Kingdom local elections. The previous full council election took place on 3 May 2012 and the next full election took place in 2022.

Mountain Ash is an electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, electing two councillors to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. It was re-created by the merger of Mountain Ash East and Mountain Ash West, following a local government boundary review, effective from 5 May 2022, the date of the 2022 Welsh local elections.

Ynysybwl is the name of an electoral ward covering the valley of the Nant Clydach in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It elects two councillors to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.

Tonyrefail East is the name of an electoral ward covering the eastern two-thirds of the community of Tonyrefail in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It elects two councillors to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.

References

  1. ↑ "Council minutes, 08 May 2024" (PDF). Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  2. ↑ "Appointment of new Chief Executive Officer agreed by the Council". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. 14 July 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  3. ↑ "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections". opencouncildata.co.uk. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 24 October 2022
  5. ↑ "Welcome". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 6 October 2022.
  7. ↑ "Council minutes". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  8. ↑ "Former RCT Council boss speaks out on jobs losses". Wales Online. 2 July 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  9. ↑ Smith, Mark (10 May 2012). "Ousted council leader Russell Roberts speaks out". Wales Online. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  10. ↑ "RCT council leader Anthony Christopher dies after illness". BBC News. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  11. ↑ "New Rhondda Cynon Taf Council leader to be appointed". Wales Online. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  12. ↑ "Election results". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  13. ↑ "Your councillors by political grouping". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Welsh unitary councils". 2 June 2015.
  15. ↑ "Llys Cadwyn development in Pontypridd". Willmott Dixon. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  16. ↑ "Democratic Services Committee report, 27 November 2023" (PDF). Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  17. ↑ "Storm over new HQ". Rhondda Leader. 2 February 1995. p. 3. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  18. ↑ "Pavilions 'perfect' site for council". Rhondda Leader. 8 June 1995. p. 2. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  19. ↑ "What is happening to the old Pentre Town Hall building?". Wales Online. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  20. ↑ "Previous Mayors". Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
  21. ↑ Anthony Lewis (30 August 2018). "The number of electoral council wards in Rhondda Cynon Taf could be cut for 2022 election". Wales Online. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  22. ↑ "The County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021". Legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  23. ↑ Election Maps, Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
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