The County Borough of Wrexham (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021

Welsh Statutory Instruments

2021 No. 1113 (W. 268)

Local Government, Wales

The County Borough of Wrexham (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021

Made

4 October 2021

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2) and (3)

The Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales(1) has, in accordance with section 36(5) of the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013(2) (“the 2013 Act”), submitted to the Welsh Ministers a report dated November 2020 containing its recommendations for change and the details of its review of the electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Wrexham.

The Welsh Ministers have, after consideration of the matters referred to and set out in section 37(2)(a) and (c) of the 2013 Act, decided to give effect to those recommendations with modifications.

In accordance with section 37(3) of the 2013 Act, more than 6 weeks have elapsed since those recommendations were submitted to the Welsh Ministers.

The Welsh Ministers make the following Order in exercise of their powers conferred by section 37(1) of the 2013 Act.

Title and commencement

1.—(1) The title of this Order is the County Borough of Wrexham (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021.

(2) For any purpose set out in regulation 4(1) of the Regulations, this Order comes into force on the second day after the day on which it is made.

(3) For all other purposes, this Order comes into force on the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2022(3).

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

“electoral ward” (“ward etholiadol”) means any area for which members are elected to Wrexham County Borough Council;

“the Regulations” (“y Rheoliadau”) means the Local Government Area Changes Regulations 1976(4);

any reference to a map means one of the 12 maps marked “Map of the County Borough of Wrexham (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021” deposited in accordance with regulation 5 of the Regulations, labelled “1” to “12”, and a reference to a numbered map is a reference to the map that bears that number;

where a boundary is shown on a map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse or similar geographical feature, it is to be treated as running along the centre line of the feature;

words and expressions used in this Order have the same meaning as they have in Part 3 of the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013, except so far as a contrary intention appears.

Electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Wrexham

3.—(1) The electoral wards of the County Borough of Wrexham, as they exist immediately before the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2022, are abolished.

(2) The County Borough of Wrexham is divided into 49 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 the council to be elected for each electoral ward is the number specified in column 4 of the Table in the Schedule to this Order.

(5) The provisions in this Order take precedence over any conflicting provision in any previous statutory instrument made under section 58(2) of the Local Government Act 1972(5).

The community of Cefn: changes to community wards

4.  In the community of Cefn—

(a) the part of the Acrefair and Penybryn ward shown hatched on Map 1 is transferred to the Plas Madoc ward;

(b) the part of the Cefn ward shown hatched on Map 2 is transferred to the Acrefair and Penybryn ward;

(c) the part of the Rhosymedre and Cefn Bychan ward shown cross-hatched on Map 2 is transferred to the Acrefair and Penybryn ward.

The community of Cefn: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

5.  In the community of Cefn—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the Acrefair and Penybryn ward is 5;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the Cefn ward is 5;

(c) the number of members to be elected for the Rhosymedre and Cefn Bychan ward is 1.

The community of Rhosllanerchrugog: changes to community wards

6.  In the community of Rhosllanerchrugog—

(a) the part of Ponciau North ward shown hatched on Map 3 is transferred to the Rhos ward;

(b) the part of the Ponciau South ward shown cross-hatched on Map 3 is transferred to the Rhos ward.

The community of Rhosllanerchrugog: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

7.  In the community of Rhosllanerchrugog—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the Johnstown ward is 6;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the Ponciau South ward is 2;

(c) the number of members to be elected for the Rhos ward is 4.

The community of Broughton: changes to community wards

8.  In the community of Broughton—

(a) the part of the Brynteg ward shown hatched on Map 4 is transferred to the Bryn Cefn ward;

(b) the part of the Brynteg ward shown hatched on Map 5 is transferred to the Gwenfro ward;

(c) the part of the New Broughton ward shown cross-hatched on Map 5 is transferred to the Gwenfro ward.

The community of Broughton: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

9.  In the community of Broughton—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the Bryn Cefn ward is 5;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the Brynteg ward is 2;

(c) the number of members to be elected for the Gwenfro ward is 5.

The community of Gwersyllt: changes to community wards

10.  The part of the Gwersyllt South ward of the community of Gwersyllt shown hatched on Map 6 is transferred to the Gwersyllt East ward of the community of Gwersyllt.

The community of Gwersyllt: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

11.  In the community of Gwersyllt—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the East ward is 4;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the South ward is 4;

(c) the number of members to be elected for the West ward is 5.

The community of Caia Park: changes to community wards

12.  In the community of Caia Park—

(a) the part of the Whitegate ward shown hatched on Map 7 is transferred to the Smithfield ward;

(b) the part of the Smithfield ward shown hatched on Map 8 is transferred to the Wynnstay ward.

The communities of Abenbury and Caia Park: changes to community boundaries

13.  That part of the community of Abenbury shown hatched on Map 9 is transferred to the community of Caia Park, and forms part of the Whitegate ward of the community of Caia Park.

The community of Caia Park: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

14.  The number of members to be elected for the Wynnstay ward of the community of Caia Park is 3.

The community of Offa: changes to community wards

15.  In the community of Offa—

(a) the parts of the Offa ward shown hatched on Map 10 are transferred to the Erddig ward;

(b) the part of the Brynyffynnon ward shown hatched on Map 11 is transferred to the Offa ward;

(c) the part of the Offa ward shown hatched on Map 12 is transferred to the Brynyffynnon ward.

The community of Offa: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

16.  In the community of Offa—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the Hermitage ward is 4;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the Offa ward is 5.

Rebecca Evans

Minister for Finance and Local Government, one of the Welsh Ministers

4 October 2021

Article 3

SCHEDULE 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
Acrefair North	Gogledd Acre-fair	The Plas Madoc ward of the community of Cefn	1
Acton and Maesydre	Gwaunyterfyn a Maes-y-dre	The Acton Park, Acton Central, and Maesydre wards of the community of Acton	2
Bangor Is-y-Coed	Bangor-is-y-coed	The communities of Bangor Is-y-Coed and Willington Worthenbury	1
Borras Park	Parc Borras	The Borras Park ward of the community of Acton	1
Bronington and Hanmer	Bronington a Hanmer	The communities of Bronington and Hanmer	1
Brymbo	Brymbo	The Brymbo and Vron wards of the community of Brymbo	2
Bryn Cefn	Bryn Cefn	The Bryn Cefn ward of the community of Broughton	1
Brynyffynnon	Brynyffynnon	The Brynyffynnon ward of the community of Offa	1
Cartrefle	Cartrefle	The Cartrefle ward of the community of Caia Park	1
Cefn East	Dwyrain Cefn	The Cefn, and Rhosymedre and Cefn Bychan wards of the community of Cefn	1
Cefn West	Gorllewin Cefn	The Acrefair and Penybryn ward of the community of Cefn	1
Chirk North	Gogledd y Waun	The North ward of the community of Chirk	1
Chirk South	De’r Waun	The South ward of the community of Chirk	1
Coedpoeth	Coed-poeth	The community of Coedpoeth	2
Dyffryn Ceiriog	Dyffryn Ceiriog	The communities of Ceiriog Ucha, Glyntraian and Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog	1
Erddig	Erddig	The Erddig ward of the community of Offa	1
Esclusham	Esclusham	The Bersham and Rhostyllen wards of the community of Esclusham	1
Garden Village	Garden Village	The Garden Village ward of the community of Rhosddu	1
Gresford East and West	Dwyrain a Gorllewin Gresffordd	The Gresford East and Gresford West wards of the community of Gresford	1
Grosvenor	Grosvenor	The Grosvenor ward of the community of Rhosddu	1
Gwenfro	Gwenfro	The Gwenfro ward of the community of Broughton	1
Gwersyllt East	Dwyrain Gwersyllt	The East ward of the community of Gwersyllt	1
Gwersyllt North	Gogledd Gwersyllt	The North ward of the community of Gwersyllt	1
Gwersyllt South	De Gwersyllt	The South ward of the community of Gwersyllt	1
Gwersyllt West	Gorllewin Gwersyllt	The West ward of the community of Gwersyllt	1
Hermitage	Hermitage	The Hermitage ward of the community of Offa	1
Holt	Holt	The communities of Abenbury, Holt and Isycoed	1
Little Acton	Acton Fechan	The Little Acton ward of the community of Acton	1
Llangollen Rural	Llangollen Wledig	The community of Llangollen Rural	1
Llay	Llai	The community of Llay	2
Marchwiel	Marchwiel	The community of Marchwiel	1
Marford and Hoseley	Marford a Hoseley	The Marford and Hoseley ward of the community of Gresford	1
Minera	Mwynglawdd	The Bwlchgwyn ward of the community of Brymbo, and the community of Minera	1
New Broughton	New Broughton	The Brynteg and New Broughton wards of the community of Broughton	1
Offa	Offa	The Offa ward of the community of Offa	1
Overton and Maelor South	Owrtyn a De Maelor	The communities of Maelor South and Overton	1
Pant and Johnstown	Pant a Johnstown	The Johnstown and Pant wards of the community of Rhosllanerchrugog	2
Penycae	Pen-y-cae	The Eitha ward of the community of Penycae	1
Penycae and Ruabon South	Pen-y-cae a De Rhiwabon	The Groes ward of the community of Penycae and the South ward of the community of Ruabon	1
Ponciau	Ponciau	The Pentrebychan ward of the community of Esclusham and the Ponciau North and Ponciau South wards of the community of Rhosllanerchrugog	1
Queensway	Queensway	The Queensway ward of the community of Caia Park	1
Rhos	Rhos	The Rhos ward of the community of Rhosllanerchrugog and the Aberoer ward of the community of Esclusham	1
Rhosnesni	Rhosnesni	The Rhosnesni ward of the community of Acton	2
Rossett	Yr Orsedd	The community of Rossett	2
Ruabon	Rhiwabon	The North ward of the community of Ruabon	1
Smithfield	Smithfield	The Smithfield ward of the community of Caia Park	1
Stansty	Stansty	The Stansty ward of the community of Rhosddu	1
Whitegate	Whitegate	The Whitegate ward of the community of Caia Park	1
Wynnstay	Wynnstay	The Wynnstay ward of the community of Caia Park	1

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order implements the recommendations of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (“the Commission”), which reported in November 2020 on its review of the electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Wrexham. The Commission’s Report proposed an increase in the number of electoral wards, from 47 to 49, and an increase in the number of councillors from 52 to 56.

This Order implements the Commission’s recommendations, with modifications.

Article 3 of this Order abolishes the existing electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Wrexham and introduces the Schedule, which sets out the new electoral arrangements for the County Borough of Wrexham.

This Order also implements recommendations for changes to community boundaries and changes to the electoral arrangements for some communities within the County Borough of Wrexham.

Article 4 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Acrefair and Penybryn, Cefn, Plas Madoc, and Rhosymedre and Cefn Bychan within the community of Cefn. Article 5 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Acrefair and Penybryn, Cefn, and Rhosymedre and Cefn Bychan wards of the community of Cefn.

Article 6 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Ponciau North, Ponciau South and Rhos within the community of Rhosllanerchrugog. Article 7 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Johnstown, Ponciau South and Rhos wards of the community of Rhosllanerchrugog.

Article 8 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Brynteg, Bryn Cefn, New Broughton and Gwenfro within the community of Broughton. Article 9 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Bryn Cefn, Brynteg and Gwenfro wards of the community of Broughton.

Article 10 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Gwersyllt South and Gwersyllt East within the community of Gwersyllt. Article 11 sets out the number of members to be elected for the East, South and West wards of the community of Gwersyllt.

Article 12 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Whitegate, Smithfield and Wynnstay within the community of Caia Park. Article 13 makes changes to the boundaries between the communities of Abenbury and Caia Park. Article 14 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Wynnstay ward of the community of Caia Park.

Article 15 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Erddig, Offa, and Brynyffynnon within the community of Offa. Article 16 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Hermitage and Offa wards of the community of Offa.

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.

Prints of the maps labelled “1” to “12” to which this Order relates are deposited in the office of the Welsh Government at Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ (Local Government Democracy Division), and with Wrexham County Borough Council. Prints deposited with Wrexham County Borough Council are open to inspection by anyone affected by the provisions of this Order.

(1)

The Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales was established by section 53 of, and Schedule 8 to, the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) (“the 1972 Act”). Section 53 and Schedule 8 were repealed by section 73(2) of, and Schedule 2 to, the Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013 (anaw 4) (“the 2013 Act”). The 2013 Act re-names the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales as the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (see section 2).

(2)

2013 anaw 4.

(3)

The Local Authorities (Change to the Years of Ordinary Elections) (Wales) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/1269 (W. 220)) amends section 26(1) of the 1972 Act to provide that the year in which the ordinary elections of councillors of local authorities shall take place is 2022 instead of 2021.

(4)

S.I. 1976/246. Section 74(3) of the 2013 Act provides that the Regulations continue to have effect in relation to orders made under Part 3 of the 2013 Act, as if those orders were made under Part 4 of the 1972 Act.

(5)

1972 c. 70; section 58 of the 1972 Act was repealed by section 73(2) of, and Schedule 2 to, the 2013 Act, subject to savings provisions specified in section 74 of the 2013 Act.