View source for Principal areas of Wales

{{Short description|Subdivisions of Wales; counties and county boroughs}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name = Principal areas of Wales <br />{{smaller|{{Lang|cy|Prif ardaloedd Cymru|italic=no}} ([[Welsh language|Welsh]])}}
| alt_name = 
| map = 
| category = [[Unitary authorities]]
| territory = [[Wales]]
| start_date = 1 April 1996
| current_number = 22
| type1 = County
| type2 = County borough
| population_range = 
| area_range = 
| government = [[Principal council|County / County Borough council]]
| subdivision = [[Community (Wales)|Community]]<br />[[List of electoral wards in Wales|Electoral wards]]
| image = File:Wales Principal Areas Map.svg
| caption = Map of the 22 principal areas of Wales
}}
{{Politics of Wales}}

The '''principal areas of Wales''', comprising the '''counties and''' '''county boroughs of Wales''', are a [[Subdivisions of Wales|form of subdivision]] in [[Wales]]. There are currently 22 principal areas in Wales, and they were established in 1996. They are a single-tier form of [[Local government in Wales|local government]], each governed by a [[principal council]]. They replaced the previous two-tier system of [[Preserved counties of Wales|eight counties]] and [[Districts of Wales|37 districts]] that were in place in Wales [[History of local government in Wales|from 1974 to 1996]].

== Description ==
For [[local government in Wales|local government]], Wales is divided into 22 sub-divisions collectively called "principal areas" in the 1994 act. They may be styled as either a "county" or a "county borough". Each principal area is overseen by a "[[principal council]]", which may also adopt their principal area style, being called a "county council" ({{Langx|cy|cyngor sir}}) or a "county borough council" ({{Langx|cy|cyngor bwrdeistref sirol|links=no}}).<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |date=15 March 2021 |title=Principal councils |url=https://law.gov.wales/principal-councils |website=law.gov.wales |publisher=Law Wales - [[Welsh Government]]}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=5 July 1994 |title=Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/19/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref>

The basic framework of local government and specifically a council's constitution and general powers were set out in the [[Local Government Act 1972]], which simplified the [[History of local government in Wales|existing local governing structure in Wales that existed prior]]. The later [[Local Government (Wales) Act 1994]] restructured local government, by significantly amending the previous act. The councils of the principal areas are generally supervised by the [[Welsh Government]].<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=1 October 2023 |title=Local Government Act 1972 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1972/70 |website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref>

The names of the principal areas, in both English and Welsh, are set out in the 1994 amended version of the 1972 act, under Schedule 4. Section 74 of the 1972 act allows principal councils to change their names, if there is a two-third majority support for such in a specially convened meeting. Since their establishment, multiple councils have pursued a name change. Any notice of a name change has to be submitted to the [[Welsh Ministers]] and the [[Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales]]. The 1972 changes were enacted in 1974 by the then [[1970 United Kingdom general election|Conservative administration]].<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":8" /><ref name=bbc>{{cite web| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/history/sites/themes/guide/ch22_a_new_nation.shtml|website=bbc.co.uk| title= A new nation (part 1)| access-date = 4 October 2024}}</ref>

The principal areas' councils are [[unitary authorities]], and are sub-divided into [[Community (Wales)|communities]] and [[List of electoral wards in Wales|electoral wards]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Wales - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/methodology/geography/ukgeographies/administrativegeography/wales |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>

Some of the principal areas have [[county borough]] status, a largely historical status that reflects their historical existence as major population centres.<ref name=":5" /> The eleven county boroughs of Wales are [[Blaenau Gwent]], [[Bridgend County Borough|Bridgend]], [[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]], [[Conwy County Borough|Conwy]], [[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough|Merthyr Tydfil]], [[Neath Port Talbot]], [[Newport, Wales|Newport]], [[Rhondda Cynon Taf]], [[Torfaen]], [[Vale of Glamorgan]] and [[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]. County borough status does not award any different rights compared to the other counties. The 1994 act stated they should not be treated as a "[[Borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]]" as defined by earlier legislation.<ref name=":8" />

The other eleven have county status, and are styled as "counties".

The principal areas' boundaries are made up of its electoral wards, and the average number of electoral wards in a principal area is 40.<ref name=":5" />

=== Name changes ===
Five of the principal areas use different names to those given in the [[Local Government (Wales) Act 1994]]. In each case the council renamed the area immediately, with the changes taking effect on 2 April 1996.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Residuary Body for Wales (Levies) Regulations 1996 |url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19962900_en_2.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209234040/http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19962900_en_2.htm |archive-date=9 December 2009 |access-date=8 May 2018 |website=www.opsi.gov.uk}}</ref> The changes were:

* [[Conwy County Borough|Conwy]] from "Aberconwy and Colwyn"
* [[Isle of Anglesey]] from "Anglesey"
* [[Gwynedd]] from "Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire"
* [[Ceredigion]] from "Cardiganshire"
Other simpler changes also took place such as:
* [[Neath Port Talbot]] from "Neath and Port Talbot"

== History ==
Following the enacting of the [[Local Government (Wales) Act 1994]], the pre-existing eight counties of Wales (now largely the ceremonial [[preserved counties of Wales]]) and its 37 [[Districts of Wales|districts]] in place since 1974 were replaced on 1 April 1996, with 22 unitary authorities, the "principal areas".<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=17 June 2015 |title=Why does the Welsh council map keep changing? |work=[[ITV News]] |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2015-06-17/why-does-the-welsh-council-map-keep-changing}}</ref><ref name=":8" /> The 1994 act also created the communities and preserved counties.<ref name=":8" />

In 2014, plans were announced to reform local government in Wales, reducing the number of principal areas from 22 to a smaller number of unitary authorities, similar to the counties that they replaced in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bodden |first=Tom |date=2014-02-11 |title=Anglesey and Gwynedd: The great divide separating two counties |url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/anglesey-gwynedd-great-divide-separating-6695015 |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=North Wales Live |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":6" />

During the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Wales]] in 2020, the principal areas were used as a basis for local [[COVID-19 lockdowns|lockdowns]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nisbet |first=Megan |date=2020-10-02 |title=All the counties in Wales in lockdown and the rules that apply |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/what-counties-in-wales-lockdown-19029565 |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=Wales Online |language=en}}</ref>

== Map ==
{{Image frame|content={{Image label begin|image=Wales location map subdivisions 1996.svg
                   |width=500
                   |font-size=100%}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.375|y=0.15|text=[[Isle of Anglesey]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.93|y=0.2|text=[[Flintshire]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.7|y=0.225|text=[[Conwy County Borough|''Conwy'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.815|y=0.3|text=[[Denbighshire]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=1|y=0.35|text=[[Wrexham County Borough|''Wrexham'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.635|y=0.4625|text=[[Gwynedd]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.85|y=0.825|text=[[Powys]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.55|y=0.865|text=[[Ceredigion]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.465|y=1.075|text=[[Carmarthenshire]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.14|y=1.1735|text=[[Pembrokeshire]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.775|y=1.5225|text=[[Blaenau Gwent|''Blaenau<br />Gwent'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.975|y=1.565|text=[[Monmouthshire]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.675|y=1.578|text=[[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough|''Merthyr<br />Tydfil'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.9|y=1.625|text=''[[Torfaen]]''}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.423|y=1.6|text=[[Neath Port Talbot|''Neath<br />Port<br />Talbot'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.773|y=1.675|text=[[Caerphilly County Borough|''Caerphilly'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.6315|y=1.725|text=[[Rhondda Cynon Taf|''Rhondda<br />Cynon<br />Taf'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.185|y=1.7125|text=[[Swansea]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.935|y=1.775|text=[[Newport, Wales|''Newport'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.495|y=1.8125|text=[[Bridgend County Borough|''Bridgend'']]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.785|y=1.85|text=[[Cardiff]]}}
{{Image label|scale=|x=0.575|y=1.935|text=''[[Vale of Glamorgan]]''}}
{{Image label end}}|width=500|align=left|caption=Map of the 22 principal areas of Wales. County boroughs are ''italicised''.}}{{clear}}

== List of principal areas in 1994 act ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+List of principal areas set out in the [[Local Government (Wales) Act 1994]]<ref name=":8" />
! colspan="2" |Principal area
!Comprising (in 1996)
|-
!Current name(s)
!Initial name(s) in 1994 Act
!Districts (and specific communities)
|-
| colspan="3" {{rh2|align=center}}|'''Counties'''
|-
|[[Isle of Anglesey]]
({{Langx|cy|Ynys Môn}})
|Anglesey
({{Langx|cy|Sir Fôn}})
|
* Ynys Môn – Isle of Anglesey
|-
|[[Gwynedd]]
|Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire
({{Langx|cy|Sir Gaernarfon a Meirionnydd}})
|
* [[District of Arfon|Arfon]]
* [[Dwyfor]]
* [[Meirionnydd]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Cardiff]]
({{Langx|cy|Caerdydd}})
|
* Cardiff
* parts of [[Taff-Ely]]:
** [[Pentyrch]]
|-
|[[Ceredigion]]
|Cardiganshire
({{Langx|cy|Sir Aberteifi}})
|
* Ceredigion
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Carmarthenshire]]
({{Langx|cy|Sir Gaerfyrddin}})
|
* [[Carmarthen]]
* [[Llanelli]]
* [[District of Dinefwr|Dinefwr]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Denbighshire]]
({{Langx|cy|Sir Ddinbych}})
|
* [[Rhuddlan]]
* parts of [[Glyndŵr (district)|Glyndŵr]]
** [[Aberwheeler]]
** [[Betws Gwerfil Goch]]
** [[Bryneglwys]]
** [[Clocaenog]]
** [[Corwen]]
** [[Cyffylliog]]
** [[Cynwyd, Denbighshire|Cynwyd]]
** [[Denbigh]]
** [[Derwen]]
** [[Efenechtyd]]
** [[Gwyddelwern]]
** [[Henllan]]
** [[Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd]]
** [[Llandegla]]
** [[Llandrillo, Denbighshire|Llandrillo]]
** [[Llandyrnog]]
** [[Llanelidan]]
** [[Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd]]
** [[Llangollen]]
** [[Llangollen Rural]] (''transferred to Wrexham in 1997'')''<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |date=9 December 1996 |title=The Denbighshire and Wrexham (Areas) Order 1996 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1996/2914/made |website=[[legislation.gov.uk]] |publisher=[[UK Parliament]]}}</ref>''
** [[Llangynhafal]]
** [[Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch]]
** [[Llanferres]]
** [[Llanynys]]
** [[Llanarmon-yn-Iâl]]
** [[Llantysilio]]
** [[Nantglyn]]
** [[Ruthin]]
* parts from [[Colwyn (district)|Colwyn]]
** [[Cefn Meiriadog|Cefnmeiradog]]
** [[Trefnant]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Flintshire]]
({{Langx|cy|Sir y Fflint}})
|
* [[District of Alyn and Deeside|Alyn and Deeside]]
* [[District of Delyn|Delyn]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Monmouthshire]]
({{Langx|cy|Sir Fynwy}})
|
* [[Monmouth]]
* parts of [[Blaenau Gwent]]
** [[Llanelly]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Pembrokeshire]]
({{Langx|cy|Sir Benfro}})
|
* [[Preseli Pembrokeshire]]
* [[South Pembrokeshire]]
* ''[[Caldey Island]]''
* ''[[St Margaret's Island]]''
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Powys]]
|
* [[District of Montgomeryshire|Montgomeryshire]]
* [[District of Radnorshire|Radnorshire]]
* [[Borough of Brecknock|Brecknock]]
* parts of [[Glyndŵr (district)|Glyndŵr]]
** [[Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant]]
** [[Llansilin]]
** [[Llangedwyn]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Swansea]]
({{Langx|cy|Abertawe}})
|
* Swansea
* parts of [[Lliw Valley]]
** [[Clydach, Swansea|Clydach]]
** [[Gorseinon]]
** [[Gowerton]]
** [[Grovesend]]
** [[Llangyfelach]]
** [[Llwchwr]]
** [[Mawr]]
** [[Penllergaer]]
** [[Pontarddulais|Pontardulais]]
** [[Pontlliw|Pont-Lliw]]
|-
| colspan="3" {{rh2|align=center}}|'''County boroughs'''
|-
|[[Conwy County Borough|Conwy]]
|Aberconwy and Colwyn
({{Langx|cy|Aberconwy a Cholwyn}})
|
* [[District of Aberconwy|Aberconwy]]
* all of [[Colwyn (district)|Colwyn]]; except:
** [[Cefn Meiriadog|Cefnmeiriadog]]
** [[Trefnant]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Blaenau Gwent]]
|
* all of Blaenau Gwent: except:
** [[Llanelly]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Bridgend County Borough|Bridgend]]
({{Langx|cy|Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr}})
|
* all of [[Ogwr]]: except:
** [[Ewenny]]
** [[St Brides Major (community)|St Bride's Major]]
** [[Wick, Vale of Glamorgan|Wick]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]]
({{Langx|cy|Caerffili}})
|
* [[Islwyn]]
* [[District of Rhymney Valley|Rhymney Valley]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough|Merthyr Tydfil]]
({{Langx|cy|Merthyr Tudful}})
|
* [[Merthyr Tydfil]]
|-
|[[Neath Port Talbot]]
({{Langx|cy|Castell-nedd Port Talbot}})
|Neath and Port Talbot
({{Langx|cy|Castell-nedd a Phort Talbot}})
|
* [[Neath]]
* [[Port Talbot]]
* parts of [[Lliw Valley]]
** [[Cilybebyll]]
** [[Cwmllynfell]]
** [[Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen]]
** [[Pontardawe]]
** [[Ystalyfera]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
({{Langx|cy|Casnewydd}})
|
* Newport
|-
|[[Rhondda Cynon Taf]]
|Rhondda, Cynon, Taff
({{Langx|cy|Rhondda, Cynon, Taf}})
|
* [[Rhondda]]
* [[Cynon Valley]]
* all of [[Taff-Ely]]; except:
** [[Pentyrch]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Torfaen]]
({{Langx|cy|Tor-faen}})
|
* Torfaen
|-
| colspan="2" |[[The Vale of Glamorgan]]
({{Langx|cy|Bro Morgannwg}})
|
* Vale of Glamorgan
* parts of [[Ogwr]]
** [[Ewenny]]
** [[St Brides Major (community)|St Bride's Major]]
** [[Wick, Vale of Glamorgan|Wick]]
|-
| colspan="2" |[[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]
({{Langx|cy|Wrecsam}})
|
* [[Wrexham Maelor]]
* parts of [[Glyndŵr (district)|Glyndŵr]]
** [[Ceiriog Ucha]]
** [[Chirk]]
** [[Glyntraian]]
** [[Llansantffraid Glyn Ceiriog]]
** ''[[Llangollen Rural]]'' ''was transferred in 1997 from Denbighshire.<ref name=":9" />''
|}

== See also ==

* [[List of Welsh principal areas]]
* [[List of Welsh areas by percentage of Welsh-speakers]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{List of Settlements in the UK}}
{{Principal areas of Wales}}
{{Geography of Wales}}

[[Category:Principal areas of Wales|*]]
[[Category:Geography of Wales|Principal areas]]
[[Category:Local government in Wales|Principal areas]]