# The County Borough of Caerphilly (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2026

W.S.I. 2026/126 · made 16 October 2026

This Order implements the recommendations of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (“the Commission”), which reported in March 2026 on its review of the electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Caerphilly. The Commission’s report proposed a reduction in the number of electoral wards from 31 to 30 and a decrease in the number of councillors from 69 to 68.

Made under: Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru etc. Act 2013 (Contents, Section 37, Section 40); Local Government Act 1972

PDFs: Printed copy https://openlegislation.uk/county-borough-of-caerphilly-electoral-arrangements-order-2026/pdf/wsi_20260126_mi.pdf

## Introductory text

LOCAL GOVERNMENT, WALES
Made 16 October 2026
Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2) and (3)
The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (“the Commission”) has, under section 36(5) of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru etc. Act 2013 (“the 2013 Act”), submitted to the Welsh Ministers a report dated March 2026 containing its recommendations for change and the details of its review of the electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Caerphilly.
The Welsh Ministers have decided to give effect to the Commission’s recommendations without modification.
Under section 37(3A) and (3B) of the 2013 Act, more than 6 weeks have elapsed since those recommendations were submitted to the Welsh Ministers and the Welsh Ministers have had regard to any representations made during that period.
The Welsh Ministers have published a statement setting out their decision in respect of each recommendation under section 37(6) of the 2013 Act.
The Welsh Ministers make the following Order in exercise of the powers conferred on them by sections 37(1)(a) and 40(1) and (2)(a) and (b) of the 2013 Act.
Under section 37(2A) of the 2013 Act, the Welsh Ministers make this Order more than 6 months preceding the day of an ordinary council election under section 26 of the Local Government Act 1972.

## 1 Title and coming into force

(1) The title of this Order is the County Borough of Caerphilly (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2026.
(2) For any purpose set out in regulation 4(1) of the Local Government Area Changes Regulations 1976, this Order comes into force on 6 November 2026.
(3) For all other purposes, this Order comes into force at 23:59 hours on the day before the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027.

## 2 Interpretation

(1) In this Order—
“the 1972 Act” (“Deddf 1972”) means the Local Government Act 1972;
“the 2013 Act” (“Deddf 2013”) means the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru etc. Act 2013;
“electoral ward” (“ward etholiadol”) means any area for which councillors are elected to Caerphilly County Borough Council.
(2) Words and expressions used in this Order have the same meaning as they have in Part 3 of the 2013 Act, except so far as a contrary intention appears.
(3) The provisions in this Order take precedence over any conflicting provision in any previous statutory instrument made under section 58(2) of the 1972 Act or order made under section 37(1) of the 2013 Act.

## 3 Electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Caerphilly

(1) The electoral wards of the County Borough of Caerphilly, as they exist immediately before the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027, are abolished.
(2) The County Borough of Caerphilly is divided into 30 electoral wards each bearing the English language name listed in column 1 and the Welsh language name listed in column 2 of the Table in the Schedule to this Order.
(3) Each electoral ward comprises the areas specified in relation to that electoral ward in column 3 of the Table in the Schedule to this Order.
(4) The number of members of Caerphilly County Borough Council to be elected for each electoral ward is the number specified in column 4 of the Table in the Schedule to this Order.

## Signature

Siân Gwenllian
Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, one of the Welsh Ministers
16 October 2026

## NAMES AND AREAS OF ELECTORAL WARDS AND NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

Table
Column (1)
Column (2)
Column (3)
Column (4)
English language name of electoral ward
Welsh language name of electoral ward
Area of electoral ward
Number of members of the council
Aber Valley
Cwm Aber
The community of Aber Valley
3
Aberbargoed Bargoed
Aberbargoed Bargoed
The Aberbargoed and Bargoed wards of the town of Bargoed
3
Aber-carn
Aber-carn
The community of Abercarn
2
Argoed
Argoed
The community of Argoed
1
Bedwas Trethomas
Bedwas Trethomas
The Bedwas and Trethomas wards of the community of Bedwas, Trethomas, Machen and Rudry
3
Blackwood
Coed-duon
The community of Blackwood
3
Cefn Fforest Pengam
Cefn Fforest Pengam
The community of Cefn Fforest and Pengam
3
Crosskeys
Crosskeys
The community of Crosskeys
1
Crumlin
Crymlyn
The community of Crumlin
2
Cwm Darran
Cwm Darran
The community of Darran Valley
1
Gilfach
Gilfach
The Gilfach and Park wards of the town of Bargoed
1
Hengoed
Hengoed
The Cefn Hengoed and Hengoed wards of the community of Gelligaer
2
Llanbradach
Llanbradach
The community of Llanbradach and Pwll-y-pant
2
Machen Rudry
Machen Rhydri
The Machen and the Rudry wards of the community of Bedwas, Trethomas, Machen and Rudry
2
Maesycwmwr
Maesycwmwr
The community of Maesycwmmer
1
Morgan Jones
Morgan Jones
The Bryncenydd, Parcyfelin and Tonyfelin wards of the community of Caerphilly
3
Moriah Pontlotyn
Moriah Pontlotyn
The Abertysswg, St Davids and Moriah, and Pontlottyn wards of the community of Rhymney
2
Nelson
Nelson
The community of Nelson
2
New Tredegar
Tredegar Newydd
The community of New Tredegar
2
Newbridge
Trecelyn
The community of Newbridge
3
Penmaen
Penmaen
The community of Penmaen
2
Penyrheol
Penyrheol
The community of Penyrheol, Trecenydd and Energlyn
4
Pontllan-fraith
Pontllan-fraith
The community of Pontllanfraith
3
Risca
Rhisga
The community of Risca
4
Sant Catwg
Sant Catwg
The Cascade, Greenhill and Tir-y-berth wards of the community of Gelligaer
3
Sant Martin
Sant Martin
The Castle, Twyn, Watford and Cwrt Rawlins wards of the community of Caerphilly
3
Twyncarno
Twyncarno
The Twyn Carno ward of the community of Rhymney
1
Van
Y Fan
The community of Van
2
Ynys-ddu
Ynys-ddu
The community of Ynys-ddu
2
Ystrad Mynach
Ystrad Mynach
The Ystrad Mynach ward of the community of Gelligaer
2

## Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order implements the recommendations of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (“the Commission”), which reported in March 2026 on its review of the electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Caerphilly. The Commission’s report proposed a reduction in the number of electoral wards from 31 to 30 and a decrease in the number of councillors from 69 to 68.
This Order implements the Commission’s recommendations without modification.
Article 3 of this Order abolishes the existing electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Caerphilly and introduces the Schedule, which sets out the new electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Caerphilly.
The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to this Order. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with this Order.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2026/126 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/county-borough-of-caerphilly-electoral-arrangements-order-2026
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.