Councillors claim Penarth will be swamped in ‘Labour-voting’ new constituency
TWO Conservative Vale Councillors for the Plymouth ward in Penarth have raised objections to revised proposals by the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) that would see Penarth become part of a wider constituency, including eastern Cardiff, in future elections to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament).
The 2026 Senedd election will see radical changes in the constituency map and the way in which votes are counted, with the number of seats increasing from 60 to 96.
Under the new system, the 32 seats used for Westminster elections will be paired with their neighbours to create 16 constituencies for Senedd elections, each electing six members.
People will have one vote each, where they will select a party rather than an individual candidate, and the parties themselves will decide the order in which their candidates appear on the list. The votes will be counted using a form of proportional representation, and the six successful candidates in each constituency will be returned to the Senedd.
The system is controversial, as the electorate will be voting for parties rather than individuals, meaning that if they like one candidate on a party list but dislike others, they will be unable to vote solely for that particular person. Critics argue that allowing parties to choose the order in which candidates appear on the ballot paper will favour those who toe the party line and disadvantage people who are more inclined to rebel and challenge the party hierarchy.
The DBCC had originally planned to pair Cardiff North with Cardiff East, and Cardiff South and Penarth with Cardiff West, but it has now switched them around following a consultation period.
Many of those who contacted the DBCC to express their views supported the original proposals, but commissioners wanted to reunite the ward of Cathays, which has a large student population with the rest of the former Cardiff Central constituency.
The new Senedd seat, De-ddwyrain Caerdydd Penarth (Cardiff South-east Penarth), will encompass parts of eastern Cardiff including Llanedeyrn, Splott, Tremorfa and Rumney.
Photo: Vale Council.
Photo: Vale Council.
Cllr Anthony Ernest and Cllr Rhys Thomas (both Conservative, Plymouth Ward) issued a joint statement, saying: “Once again, Penarth has been dropped from its long-standing links with the rest of the Vale of Glamorgan, to be merged in an unpopular twinning with South Cardiff and East Cardiff – comprising Grangetown, Docks, Splott, Tremorfa, Rumney and other land to the east of these decade-long Labour-dominated voting areas.
“With a suggested name of Cardiff South-East Penarth (whatever that means to people actually living in the town of Penarth), the Welsh Boundary Commission [sic] has the audacity to suggest that the joining of Penarth with the Vale of Glamorgan would “have a disruptive impact on well-supported pairings across the surrounding area, therefore creating a less desirable set of constituencies overall.”
“Put another way (as we read it), Penarthians are not able to get on with the rest of the residents of the Vale, and would be better off jumping on an expensive bus, and making their way down to some of the more exciting parts of South Cardiff, where they might find improved facilities and so-called “social cohesion” as a real bonus, possibly in the Docklands or Splott, or even in Tremorfa, home of the former steelworks.
“Needless to say, South and East Cardiff return Labour councillors, LabourSenedd members (MS’s) and of course Labour MPs in the House of Commons, so anyone taking a different political view is going to be sorely disappointed in the future.
“At least the Conservative Party continues to return a couple of representatives, amidst the political interference of the unknown and unelected boundary review folk.”
DBCC chief executive Shereen Williams said the body was open to making further changes “depending on the representations we receive”.
The consultation closes on Monday 13th January.
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