Jump to content

Senedd constituencies and electoral regions: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous edit
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Monkbot (talk | contribs)
Bots
3,695,952 edits
m Task 20: replace {lang-??} templates with {langx|??} ‹See Tfd› (Replaced 36);
 
(37 intermediate revisions by 15 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Expand French|1=Circonscriptions et régions électorales du Senedd|date=July 2021|topic=gov}}

{{Short description|Electoral constituencies and regions of the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament}}
{{Short description|Electoral constituencies and regions of the Senedd, the Welsh Parliament}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox subdivision type
{{Infobox subdivision type
| name = Senedd constituencies and electoral regions
| name = Senedd constituencies and electoral regions
| alt_name =Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament constituencies and electoral regions
| alt_name = Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament constituencies and electoral regions
| map = [[File:Senedd constituencies and electoral regions.svg|255px]]
| map = [[File:Senedd constituencies and electoral regions.svg|255px]]
|caption = Map of the 40 constituencies (left side) and the 5 electoral regions (right side) of the Senedd in Wales
| caption = Map of the 40 constituencies (left side) and the 5 electoral regions (right side) of the Senedd in Wales
| category = [[Electoral district]]
| category = [[Electoral district]]
| territory = [[Wales]]
| territory = [[Wales]]
| start_date ={{Start date and age|1999|5|12|df=y}}
| start_date = {{Start date and age|1999|5|12|df=y}}
| current_number = 40 constituencies<br>5 regions {{#tag:ref |Consisting of between 7-9 constituencies.|group=note}}
| current_number = 40 constituencies<br />5 regions{{efn-la |Consisting of between 7-9 constituencies.|group=la}}
| number_date = 2021
| number_date = 2021
| population_range = Constituency:<br>43,125 ([[Arfon (Senedd constituency)|Arfon]]) - <br>81,366 ([[Cardiff South and Penarth (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff South and Penarth]])<br><br>Region: <br> 413,569 ([[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]]) - <br>523,096 ([[South Wales Central (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales Central]])
| population_range = Constituency:<br />43,125 ([[Arfon (Senedd constituency)|Arfon]]) - <br />81,366 ([[Cardiff South and Penarth (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff South and Penarth]])<br /><br />Region: <br /> 413,569 ([[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]]) - <br />523,096 ([[South Wales Central (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales Central]])
| area_range =
| area_range =
| government = [[Senedd]]
| government = [[Senedd]]
| subdivision =
| subdivision =
|legislation_begin=[[Government of Wales Act 1998]]|government1=[[Welsh Government]]}}
| legislation_begin = [[Government of Wales Act 1998]]|government1=[[Welsh Government]]}}

{{Politics of Wales}}
{{Politics of Wales}}
The '''Senedd constituencies and electoral regions''' ({{Lang-cy|Etholaethau a Rhanbarthau etholiadol Senedd Cymru}}){{#tag:ref |They are known as '''Senedd constituencies''' and '''Senedd electoral regions''' in the [[Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020]] and revised [[Government of Wales Act 2006]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2020/1/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |access-date=8 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Government of Wales Act 2006 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/32|website=legislation.gov.uk |access-date=11 July 2021}}</ref> but may be alternatively titled by Senedd Research,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perks |first1=William |title=Data for the Senedd Cymru constituency areas: 2021 |url=https://statswales.gov.wales/Download/File?fileId=655 |website=gov.wales |publisher=Senedd Research |access-date=8 July 2021}}</ref> and English-language news sources as '''Welsh Parliament constituencies and electoral regions''', or '''Senedd Cymru constituencies and electoral regions'''.
<br>The districts were formerly known as '''National Assembly for Wales constituencies and electoral regions''', or informally, (Welsh) '''Assembly constituencies and electoral regions''' from its establishment in 1999 until May 2020, when it was renamed to its current name(s).|group=note}} are the electoral districts used to elect [[Member of the Senedd|Members of the Senedd]] (MS; {{lang-cy|Aelodau'r Senedd or AS}}) to the [[Senedd]] (Welsh Parliament; {{Lang-cy|Senedd Cymru}}), and have been used in some form since the first election of the then ''National Assembly for Wales'' [[1999 National Assembly for Wales election|in 1999]]. New boundaries were introduced for the [[2007 National Assembly for Wales election|2007 elections]] and currently consist of fourty constituencies and five regions. The five electoral regions are: [[Mid and West Wales (Senedd electoral region)|Mid and West Wales]], [[North Wales (Senedd electoral region)|North Wales]], [[South Wales Central (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales Central]], [[South Wales East (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales East]], and [[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]], with the fourty constituencies listed below.<ref name=":2">[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20061041.htm ''The Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006'', OPSI website]</ref> [[Voting]] last took place in all districts in the [[2021 Senedd election]], and are not used for [[Local government in Wales|local government]].

The constituencies were created through the [[Government of Wales Act 1998]], with the boundaries of the [[Wales|Welsh]] constituencies of the [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] ([[Palace of Westminster|Westminster]]), as they were in 1999. The new boundaries were also used for the [[2010 United Kingdom general election]]. Therefore, between the 2007 Assembly election and the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the two sets of constituencies, Assembly and Westminster, had differing boundaries.

The [[Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011]], unlinked the two sets of constituencies, meaning any changes to one set, no longer affects the other. This has allowed for differing proposals for constituencies in Wales, with separate proposals for an increase in Senedd constituencies and a decrease in UK Parliament constituencies in Wales.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/1/enacted|url-status=live|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[UK Parliament]]}}</ref>


The '''Senedd constituencies and electoral regions''' ({{Langx|cy|Etholaethau a Rhanbarthau etholiadol Senedd Cymru}}){{efn-lr|They are known as '''Senedd constituencies''' and '''Senedd electoral regions''' in the [[Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020]] and revised [[Government of Wales Act 2006]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/anaw/2020/1/enacted |website=legislation.gov.uk |access-date=8 July 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Government of Wales Act 2006 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/32|website=legislation.gov.uk |access-date=11 July 2021}}</ref> but may be alternatively titled by Senedd Research,<ref name="2021 Data">{{cite web |last1=Perks |first1=William |title=Data for the Senedd Cymru constituency areas: 2021 |url=https://statswales.gov.wales/Download/File?fileId=655 |website=gov.wales |publisher=Senedd Research |access-date=8 July 2021}}</ref> and English-language news sources as '''Welsh Parliament constituencies and electoral regions''', or '''Senedd Cymru constituencies and electoral regions'''. The districts were formerly known as '''National Assembly for Wales constituencies and electoral regions''', or informally, (Welsh) '''Assembly constituencies and electoral regions''' from its establishment in 1999 until May 2020, when it was renamed to its current name(s).|group=lr}} are the electoral districts used to elect [[members of the Senedd]] (MS; {{langx|cy|Aelodau'r Senedd or AS}}) to the [[Senedd]] (Welsh Parliament; {{Langx|cy|Senedd Cymru}}), and have been used in some form since the first election of the then ''National Assembly for Wales'' [[1999 National Assembly for Wales election|in 1999]]. New boundaries were introduced for the [[2007 National Assembly for Wales election|2007 elections]] and currently consist of forty constituencies and five regions. The five electoral regions are: [[Mid and West Wales (Senedd electoral region)|Mid and West Wales]], [[North Wales (Senedd electoral region)|North Wales]], [[South Wales Central (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales Central]], [[South Wales East (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales East]], and [[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]], with the forty constituencies listed below.<ref name="2006 Order">{{Cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2006/20061041.htm|title=The Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006}}</ref> [[Voting]] last took place in all districts in the [[2021 Senedd election]], and is not used for [[Local government in Wales|local government]].
Senedd constituencies are grouped into electoral regions consisting of between seven and nine constituencies. An [[additional member system]] is used to elect four additional Members of the Senedd from each region, in addition to the MSs elected by the constituencies. The Electoral Regions boundaries were based upon the pre-1999 [[European Parliament constituencies in the United Kingdom|European Parliament constituencies]]. At each [[general election]] of the Senedd, each elector has two votes, one constituency vote and one regional party-list vote. Each constituency elects one Member by the [[first past the post]] (single-member district plurality, SMDP) system, and the additional Senedd seats are filled from regional [[closed list|closed party list]]s, under the [[D'Hondt method]], with constituency results being taken into account, to produce a degree of [[proportional representation]] for each region.


The constituencies were created through the [[Government of Wales Act 1998]], with the boundaries of the [[Wales|Welsh]] constituencies of the [[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]] of the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] ([[Palace of Westminster|Westminster]]), as they were in 1999. The new boundaries were also used for the [[2010 United Kingdom general election]]. Therefore, between the 2007 Assembly election and the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the two sets of constituencies, Assembly and Westminster, had differing boundaries. The [[Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011]], unlinked the two sets of constituencies, meaning any changes to one set, no longer affect the other. This has allowed for differing proposals for constituencies in Wales, with separate proposals for an increase in Senedd seats and a decrease in UK Parliament constituencies in Wales.<ref name="2011 Act">{{Cite web|title=Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/1/enacted|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[UK Parliament]]}}</ref>
The [[Boundary Commission for Wales]], a [[Non-departmental public bodies|non-departmental public body]], is responsible for proposing alterations to the boundaries of UK parliamentary constituencies in Wales, and reports proposals to the [[UK Government]]. Boundaries of Senedd constituencies and electoral regions are currently not overseen by any statutory review body,<ref>{{cite web|last=Roberts|first=Owain|date=September 2011|title=The review of parliamentary constituencies in Wales|url=http://www.assembly.wales/Research%20Documents/The%20review%20of%20parliamentary%20constituencies%20in%20Wales%20-%20Research%20paper-06092011-223771/11-055-English.pdf|publisher=[[National Assembly for Wales]]}}</ref> following the delinking of Senedd and UK Parliament constituencies in 2011, although the current configurations of both constituencies share the same boundaries (on the Senedd has electoral regions). Organisations such as the [[Electoral Reform Society|Electoral Reform Society Cymru]] have indicated a preference for coterminosity (meaning the mirroring of Senedd seat boundaries in Wales along the lines of the 2016 proposed reforms to the Welsh seats in the UK Parliament),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Reshaping the Senedd|url=https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/latest-news-and-research/publications/reshaping-the-senedd/|access-date=2019-12-23|website=www.electoral-reform.org.uk|language=en-US}}</ref> however, such coterminosity is merely desired and isn't enforced by law, meaning any changes to UK parliamentary constituencies in Wales don't necessarily need to be mirrored with the same changes for Senedd constituencies. If the differing proposals to constituencies in Wales, the proposed reduction of UK parliamentary constituencies and a proposed increase in Senedd constituencies in Wales are followed through, full coterminosity would be impossible.


Altogether, the sixty Members of the Senedd are elected from the forty constituencies and five electoral regions, creating a Senedd of forty constituency MSs and twenty additional MSs. Every [[Electoral district|constituent]] is represented by one constituency member and four regional members.
Senedd constituencies are grouped into electoral regions consisting of between seven and nine constituencies. An [[additional member system]] is used to elect four additional Members of the Senedd from each region, in addition to the MSs elected by the constituencies. The Electoral Regions boundaries were based upon the pre-1999 [[European Parliament constituencies in the United Kingdom|European Parliament constituencies]]. At each [[general election]] of the Senedd, each elector has two votes, one constituency vote and one regional party-list vote. Each constituency elects one Member by the [[first past the post]] (single-member district plurality, SMDP) system, and the additional Senedd seats are filled from regional [[closed list|closed party list]]s, under the [[D'Hondt method]], with constituency results being taken into account, to produce a degree of [[proportional representation]] for each region. Altogether, the sixty Members of the Senedd are elected from the forty constituencies and five electoral regions, creating a Senedd of forty constituency MSs and twenty additional MSs. Every [[Electoral district|constituent]] is represented by one constituency member and four regional members.


== History ==
== History ==


=== Establishment ===
=== Establishment ===
Following the [[1997 Welsh devolution referendum]], where a narrow majority voted in support for the creation of a [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolved]] [[Welsh Assembly]], constituencies of the devolved legislature were established.
Following the [[1997 Welsh devolution referendum]], where a narrow majority voted in support of the creation of a [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolved]] [[Welsh Assembly]], constituencies of the devolved legislature were established.


Section 2 of the [[Government of Wales Act 1998]] stipulates that the constituencies for the [[National Assembly for Wales]] be the same as the constituencies used for elections to the [[United Kingdom parliament|United Kingdom Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Government of Wales Act 1998|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/38/enacted|url-status=live|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[Act of Parliament (UK)|UK Parliament]]}}</ref> The same act sets out the creation of five regions which would use the same borders as the five [[European Parliamentary Constituencies|European Parliamentary constituencies]] in Wales which themselves were set out in the European Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1994,<ref>{{Cite web|date=24 February 1994|title=The European Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1994|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/cy/uksi/1994/428/made?view=plain|url-status=live|access-date=11 July 2021|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[UK Parliament]]}}</ref> used for [[European Election|elections]] to the [[European Parliament]] between [[1994 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|1994]] and [[1999 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|1999]]. The electoral regions set out are still used, despite the abolishment of the five European Parliamentary constituencies for a [[Wales (European Parliament constituency)|all-Wales constituency]], and the withdrawal of the [[UK]] from the [[European Union]]. Although minor border adjustments to the regions have taken place.
Section 2 of the [[Government of Wales Act 1998]] stipulates that the constituencies for the [[National Assembly for Wales]] be the same as the constituencies used for elections to the [[United Kingdom parliament|United Kingdom Parliament]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Government of Wales Act 1998|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/38/enacted|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[Act of Parliament (UK)|UK Parliament]]}}</ref> The same act sets out the creation of five regions which would use the same borders as the five [[European Parliamentary Constituencies|European Parliamentary constituencies]] in Wales which themselves were set out in the European Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1994,<ref>{{Cite web|date=24 February 1994|title=The European Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1994|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/cy/uksi/1994/428/made?view=plain|access-date=11 July 2021|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[UK Parliament]]}}</ref> used for [[European Election|elections]] to the [[European Parliament]] between [[1994 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|1994]] and [[1999 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|1999]]. The electoral regions set out are still used, despite the abolishment of the five European Parliamentary constituencies for an [[Wales (European Parliament constituency)|all-Wales constituency]], and the withdrawal of the [[UK]] from the [[European Union]]. Although minor border adjustments to the regions have taken place.


=== Change in boundaries ===
=== Change in boundaries ===
In 2006, the Government of Wales Act 2006 was enacted. When enacted the act reinforced the link between Assembly and UK Parliamentary constituencies, and that the number of electoral regions is five.
In 2006, the [[Government of Wales Act 2006]] was enacted. When enacted the act reinforced the link between Assembly and UK Parliamentary constituencies, and that the number of electoral regions is five.


The Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006 defined the new borders for the constituencies and electoral regions.<ref name=":2" />
The Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006 defined the new borders for the constituencies and electoral regions.<ref name="2006 Order" />


The order detailed the abolition of three constituencies ([[Caernarfon (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Caernarfon]], [[Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Conwy]], and [[Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Meironnydd Nant Conwy]]), with three new constituencies to replace them ([[Aberconwy (Senedd constituency)|Aberconwy]], [[Arfon (Senedd constituency)|Arfon]], and [[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Senedd constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]]). Nine constituencies were subject to "substantial" border adjustments involving the transfer of more than 3,000 inhabitants between constituencies. A further eight constituencies were subject to boundary changes resulting in the redistribution of fewer than 3,000 inhabitants between each constituency, and a further four constituencies were subject to minor boundary adjustments that led to minimal transfers of inhabitants between constituencies. The remaining sixteen constituencies were not subject to any boundary or name modifications.
The order detailed the abolition of three constituencies ([[Caernarfon (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Caernarfon]], [[Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Conwy]], and [[Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Meironnydd Nant Conwy]]), with three new constituencies to replace them ([[Aberconwy (Senedd constituency)|Aberconwy]], [[Arfon (Senedd constituency)|Arfon]], and [[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Senedd constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]]). Nine constituencies were subject to "substantial" border adjustments involving the transfer of more than 3,000 inhabitants between constituencies. A further eight constituencies were subject to boundary changes resulting in the redistribution of fewer than 3,000 inhabitants between each constituency, and a further four constituencies were subject to minor boundary adjustments that led to minimal transfers of inhabitants between constituencies. The remaining sixteen constituencies were not subject to any boundary or name modifications.
Line 57: Line 49:
the Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) (Amendment)
the Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) (Amendment)
Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1791)|title=|source=[[Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011]]}}
Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1791)|title=|source=[[Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011]]}}
This details that any further changes to the UK Parliament constituencies in Wales specified in the act (notably the proposed reduction in constituencies to 30) will not be applied to Assembly (Senedd) constituencies.
This details that any further changes to the UK Parliament constituencies in Wales specified in the act (notably the proposed reduction in constituencies to 30) will not be applied to Assembly (Senedd) constituencies.


In a session of the House of Commons where the then [[Secretary of State for Wales|secretary of state for Wales]], [[Cheryl Gillan|Cheryl Gillian]] was questioned on the Labour party's opposition to the decoupling of the two constituencies, she replied:<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 May 2011|title=Parliamentary Debates - Wednesday 11 May 2011|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/chan155.pdf|url-status=live|access-date=11 July 2021|website=publications.parliament.uk|publisher=[[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]], [[UK Parliament]]}}</ref>
In a session of the House of Commons where the then [[Secretary of State for Wales|secretary of state for Wales]], [[Cheryl Gillan|Cheryl Gillian]] was questioned on the Labour party's opposition to the decoupling of the two constituencies, she replied:<ref>{{Cite web|date=11 May 2011|title=Parliamentary Debates - Wednesday 11 May 2011|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/chan155.pdf|access-date=11 July 2021|website=publications.parliament.uk|publisher=[[House of Commons (UK)|House of Commons]], [[UK Parliament]]}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=That is a very interesting thought. Hon.
{{Blockquote|text=That is a very interesting thought. Hon.
Members are well aware that the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 broke the link between Assembly constituencies and parliamentary constituencies. I have agreed that we need to look carefully at the implications of having constituency boundaries relating to different areas and regions for UK and Assembly elections in Wales.|author=[[Cheryl Gillan|Rt. Hon Cheryl Gillan]] [[Member of Parliament (UK)|MP]]}}
Members are well aware that the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 broke the link between Assembly constituencies and parliamentary constituencies. I have agreed that we need to look carefully at the implications of having constituency boundaries relating to different areas and regions for UK and Assembly elections in Wales.|author=[[Cheryl Gillan|Rt. Hon Cheryl Gillan]] [[Member of Parliament (UK)|MP]]}}
Line 65: Line 57:
=== Re-naming ===
=== Re-naming ===
On 6 May 2020, the [[Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020]] came into force, renaming the Assembly constituencies and Assembly electoral regions of the [[National Assembly for Wales]], to the Senedd constituencies and Senedd electoral regions of "[[Senedd Cymru]]" or "the [[Welsh parliament|Welsh Parliament]]", known in both [[Welsh language|Welsh]] and [[English language|English]] as the [[Senedd]].
On 6 May 2020, the [[Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020]] came into force, renaming the Assembly constituencies and Assembly electoral regions of the [[National Assembly for Wales]], to the Senedd constituencies and Senedd electoral regions of "[[Senedd Cymru]]" or "the [[Welsh parliament|Welsh Parliament]]", known in both [[Welsh language|Welsh]] and [[English language|English]] as the [[Senedd]].
=== Reform ===
The [[Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024]] was passed by the Senedd legislating that the [[Next Senedd election]] (as planned for 2026) should use 16 six-member constituencies, replacing the current system of 40 one-member constituencies and 5 four-member electoral regions.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-08-21 |title=Senedd reform {{!}} GOV.WALES |url=https://www.gov.wales/senedd-reform |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=www.gov.wales |language=en}}</ref>


== Constituencies ==
== Constituencies ==
{{Anchor|List of Senedd constituencies|List of Senedd constituencies in Wales}}
Wales is made up of 40 constituencies for [[elections to the Senedd]], the constituencies are the same as those used for [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom]], with each constituency containing a population of around 60,000.
Wales is currently made up of 40 constituencies for [[elections to the Senedd]], the constituencies were the same until the [[2024 United Kingdom general election]] but were not linked to those used for [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom]], with each constituency containing a population of around 60,000. The next Senedd election will not use constituencies.


The borders of each constituencies are drawn using Local government boundaries, defined in Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 as "the boundaries of counties, county boroughs, electoral divisions, communities and community wards".<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=11 April 2006|title=Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/1041/made|url-status=live|access-date=11 July 2021|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[UK Parliament]]}}</ref>
The borders of each constituency are drawn using Local government boundaries, defined in Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 as "the boundaries of counties, county boroughs, electoral divisions, communities and community wards".<ref name="2011 Act" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=11 April 2006|title=Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/1041/made|access-date=11 July 2021|website=legislation.gov.uk|publisher=[[UK Parliament]]}}</ref>


=== Current constituencies ===
=== Boundary responsibility ===
{{See also|List of Parliamentary constituencies in Wales#Proposed boundary changes|label 1=Proposed boundary changes to UK Parliamentary constituencies in Wales}}
{{Update|part=section|date=June 2022|reason=Proposals by the Welsh Government (with Plaid Cymru) over a potential expansion of members of the Senedd and how it affects constituencies, and their relation to the proposed Westminster constituencies}}
The [[Boundary Commission for Wales]], a [[Non-departmental public bodies|non-departmental public body]], is responsible for proposing alterations to the boundaries of UK parliamentary constituencies in Wales, and reports proposals to the [[UK Government]]. Boundaries of Senedd constituencies and electoral regions are currently not overseen by any statutory review body,<ref>{{cite web|last=Roberts|first=Owain|date=September 2011|title=The review of parliamentary constituencies in Wales|url=http://www.assembly.wales/Research%20Documents/The%20review%20of%20parliamentary%20constituencies%20in%20Wales%20-%20Research%20paper-06092011-223771/11-055-English.pdf|publisher=[[National Assembly for Wales]]}}</ref> following the delinking of Senedd and UK Parliament constituencies in 2011, although the current configurations of both constituencies share the same boundaries (only the Senedd has electoral regions). Organisations such as the [[Electoral Reform Society|Electoral Reform Society Cymru]] have indicated a preference for coterminosity (meaning the mirroring of Senedd seat boundaries in Wales along the lines of the 2016 proposed reforms to the Welsh seats in the UK Parliament),<ref>{{Cite web|title=Reshaping the Senedd|url=https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/latest-news-and-research/publications/reshaping-the-senedd/|access-date=2019-12-23|website=www.electoral-reform.org.uk|language=en-US}}</ref> however, such coterminosity is merely desired and is not enforced by law, meaning any changes to UK parliamentary constituencies in Wales do not necessarily need to be mirrored with the same changes for Senedd constituencies. If the differing proposals to constituencies in Wales, the proposed reduction of UK parliamentary constituencies and a proposed increase in Senedd constituencies in Wales are followed through, full coterminosity would be impossible. On 8 September 2021, a draft proposal of new UK parliamentary constituencies, reducing to 32, was published, with no plans to pass these changes to Senedd Constituencies, meaning the [[2024 United Kingdom general election]] may use different constituencies to the [[next Senedd election]], once more.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-09-08|title=Major changes to cut number of Welsh MPs published|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-58476636|access-date=2021-09-08}}</ref>

=== Constituencies, prior to the Boundary Changes ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
|-
! [[Constituency (UK)|Constituency]]
! [[Constituency (UK)|Constituency]]
(''Welsh name'')
(''Welsh name'')
!Electoral population (March 2020)<ref name="2021 Data"/>
!Electoral population (March 2020)<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Perks |first1=William |title=Data for the Senedd Cymru constituency areas: 2021 |url=https://statswales.gov.wales/Download/File?fileId=655 |website=gov.wales |publisher=Senedd Research |access-date=8 July 2021}}</ref>
![[Principal areas of Wales|Principal areas]]
![[Principal areas of Wales|Principal areas]]
! Electoral Region
! Electoral region
|-
|-
| [[Aberavon (Senedd constituency)|Aberavon]]
| [[Aberavon (Senedd constituency)|Aberavon]]
{{Lang-cy|Aberafan|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Aberafan|label=none}}
|51,450
|51,450
|[[Neath Port Talbot]]
|[[Neath Port Talbot]]
Line 92: Line 92:
|-
|-
| [[Alyn and Deeside (Senedd constituency)|Alyn and Deeside]]
| [[Alyn and Deeside (Senedd constituency)|Alyn and Deeside]]
{{Lang-cy|Alun a Glannau Dyfrdwy|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Alun a Glannau Dyfrdwy|label=none}}
|65,183
|65,183
|[[Flintshire]]; [[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]
|[[Flintshire]]; [[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]
Line 108: Line 108:
|-
|-
| [[Brecon and Radnorshire (Senedd constituency)|Brecon and Radnorshire]]
| [[Brecon and Radnorshire (Senedd constituency)|Brecon and Radnorshire]]
{{Lang-cy|Brycheiniog a Sir Faesyfed|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Brycheiniog a Sir Faesyfed|label=none}}
|55,124
|55,124
|[[Powys]]
|[[Powys]]
Line 114: Line 114:
|-
|-
| [[Bridgend (Senedd constituency)|Bridgend]]
| [[Bridgend (Senedd constituency)|Bridgend]]
{{Lang-cy|Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr|label=none}}
|64,245
|64,245
|[[Bridgend County Borough|Bridgend]]
|[[Bridgend County Borough|Bridgend]]
Line 120: Line 120:
|-
|-
| [[Caerphilly (Senedd constituency)|Caerphilly]]
| [[Caerphilly (Senedd constituency)|Caerphilly]]
{{Lang-cy|Caerffili|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Caerffili|label=none}}
|64,926
|64,926
|[[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]]; [[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
|[[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]]; [[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
Line 126: Line 126:
|-
|-
| [[Cardiff Central (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff Central]]
| [[Cardiff Central (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff Central]]
{{Lang-cy|Canol Caerdydd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Canol Caerdydd|label=none}}
|63,017
|63,017
|[[Cardiff]]
|[[Cardiff]]
Line 132: Line 132:
|-
|-
| [[Cardiff North (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff North]]
| [[Cardiff North (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff North]]
{{Lang-cy|Gogledd Caerdydd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gogledd Caerdydd|label=none}}
|69,143
|69,143
|[[Cardiff]]
|[[Cardiff]]
Line 138: Line 138:
|-
|-
| [[Cardiff South and Penarth (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff South and Penarth]]
| [[Cardiff South and Penarth (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff South and Penarth]]
{{Lang-cy|De Caerdydd a Phenarth|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|De Caerdydd a Phenarth|label=none}}
|81,366
|81,366
|[[Cardiff]]
|[[Cardiff]]
Line 144: Line 144:
|-
|-
| [[Cardiff West (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff West]]
| [[Cardiff West (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff West]]
{{Lang-cy|Gorllewin Caerdydd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gorllewin Caerdydd|label=none}}
|69,511
|69,511
|[[Cardiff]]
|[[Cardiff]]
Line 150: Line 150:
|-
|-
| [[Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen East and Dinefwr]]
| [[Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen East and Dinefwr]]
{{Lang-cy|Dwyrain Caerfyrddin a Dinefwr|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Dwyrain Caerfyrddin a Dinefwr|label=none}}
|58,048
|58,048
|[[Carmarthenshire]]
|[[Carmarthenshire]]
Line 156: Line 156:
|-
|-
| [[Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire]]
| [[Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire]]
{{Lang-cy|Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro|label=none}}
|59,924
|59,924
|[[Carmarthenshire]]; [[Pembrokeshire]]
|[[Carmarthenshire]]; [[Pembrokeshire]]
Line 167: Line 167:
|-
|-
| [[Clwyd South (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd South]]
| [[Clwyd South (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd South]]
{{Lang-cy|De Clwyd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|De Clwyd|label=none}}
|54,747
|54,747
|[[Denbighshire]]; [[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]
|[[Denbighshire]]; [[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]
Line 173: Line 173:
|-
|-
| [[Clwyd West (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd West]]
| [[Clwyd West (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd West]]
{{Lang-cy|Gorllewin Clwyd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gorllewin Clwyd|label=none}}
|58,024
|58,024
|[[Conwy County Borough|Conwy]]; [[Denbighshire]]
|[[Conwy County Borough|Conwy]]; [[Denbighshire]]
Line 179: Line 179:
|-
|-
| [[Cynon Valley (Senedd constituency)|Cynon Valley]]
| [[Cynon Valley (Senedd constituency)|Cynon Valley]]
{{Lang-cy|Cwm Cynon|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Cwm Cynon|label=none}}
|51,461
|51,461
|[[Rhondda Cynon Taf]]
|[[Rhondda Cynon Taf]]
Line 195: Line 195:
|-
|-
| [[Gower (Senedd constituency)|Gower]]
| [[Gower (Senedd constituency)|Gower]]
{{Lang-cy|Gŵyr|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gŵyr|label=none}}
|62,763
|62,763
|[[Swansea]]
|[[Swansea]]
Line 211: Line 211:
|-
|-
| [[Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Senedd constituency)|Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney]]
| [[Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Senedd constituency)|Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney]]
{{Lang-cy|Merthyr Tudful a Rhymni|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Merthyr Tudful a Rhymni|label=none}}
|57,883
|57,883
|[[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]]; [[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough|Merthyr Tydfil]]
|[[Caerphilly County Borough|Caerphilly]]; [[Merthyr Tydfil County Borough|Merthyr Tydfil]]
Line 217: Line 217:
|-
|-
| [[Monmouth (Senedd constituency)|Monmouth]]
| [[Monmouth (Senedd constituency)|Monmouth]]
{{Lang-cy|Sir Fynwy|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Sir Fynwy|label=none}}
|67,252
|67,252
|[[Monmouthshire]]
|[[Monmouthshire]]
Line 223: Line 223:
|-
|-
| [[Montgomeryshire (Senedd constituency)|Montgomeryshire]]
| [[Montgomeryshire (Senedd constituency)|Montgomeryshire]]
{{Lang-cy|Sir Drefaldwyn|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Sir Drefaldwyn|label=none}}
|49,691
|49,691
|[[Powys]]
|[[Powys]]
Line 229: Line 229:
|-
|-
| [[Neath (Senedd constituency)|Neath]]
| [[Neath (Senedd constituency)|Neath]]
{{Lang-cy|Castell-nedd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Castell-nedd|label=none}}
|57,032
|57,032
|[[Neath Port Talbot]]
|[[Neath Port Talbot]]
Line 235: Line 235:
|-
|-
| [[Newport East (Senedd constituency)|Newport East]]
| [[Newport East (Senedd constituency)|Newport East]]
{{Lang-cy|Dwyrain Casnewydd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Dwyrain Casnewydd|label=none}}
|60,936
|60,936
|[[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
|[[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
Line 241: Line 241:
|-
|-
| [[Newport West (Senedd constituency)|Newport West]]
| [[Newport West (Senedd constituency)|Newport West]]
{{Lang-cy|Gorllewin Casnewydd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gorllewin Casnewydd|label=none}}
|68,748
|68,748
|[[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
|[[Newport, Wales|Newport]]
Line 247: Line 247:
|-
|-
| [[Ogmore (Senedd constituency)|Ogmore]]
| [[Ogmore (Senedd constituency)|Ogmore]]
{{Lang-cy|Ogwr|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Ogwr|label=none}}
|57,934
|57,934
|[[Rhondda Cynon Taf]]
|[[Rhondda Cynon Taf]]; [[Bridgend County Borough|Bridgend]]
| [[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]]
| [[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]]
|-
|-
Line 258: Line 258:
|-
|-
| [[Preseli Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Preseli Pembrokeshire]]
| [[Preseli Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Preseli Pembrokeshire]]
{{Lang-cy|Preseli Sir Benfro|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Preseli Sir Benfro|label=none}}
|60,025
|60,025
|[[Pembrokeshire]]
|[[Pembrokeshire]]
Line 269: Line 269:
|-
|-
| [[Swansea East (Senedd constituency)|Swansea East]]
| [[Swansea East (Senedd constituency)|Swansea East]]
{{Lang-cy|Dwyrain Abertawe|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Dwyrain Abertawe|label=none}}
|60,726
|60,726
|[[Swansea]]
|[[Swansea]]
Line 275: Line 275:
|-
|-
| [[Swansea West (Senedd constituency)|Swansea West]]
| [[Swansea West (Senedd constituency)|Swansea West]]
{{Lang-cy|Gorllewin Abertawe|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gorllewin Abertawe|label=none}}
|59,419
|59,419
|[[Swansea]]
|[[Swansea]]
Line 286: Line 286:
|-
|-
| [[Vale of Clwyd (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Clwyd]]
| [[Vale of Clwyd (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Clwyd]]
{{Lang-cy|Dyffryn Clwyd|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Dyffryn Clwyd|label=none}}
|56,307
|56,307
|[[Denbighshire]]
|[[Denbighshire]]
Line 292: Line 292:
|-
|-
| [[Vale of Glamorgan (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Glamorgan]]
| [[Vale of Glamorgan (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Glamorgan]]
{{Lang-cy|Bro Morgannwg|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Bro Morgannwg|label=none}}
|77,204
|77,204
|[[Vale of Glamorgan]]
|[[Vale of Glamorgan]]
Line 298: Line 298:
|-
|-
| [[Wrexham (Senedd constituency)|Wrexham]]
| [[Wrexham (Senedd constituency)|Wrexham]]
{{Lang-cy|Wrecsam|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Wrecsam|label=none}}
|52,713
|52,713
|[[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]
|[[Wrexham County Borough|Wrexham]]
Line 310: Line 310:


=== Former constituencies ===
=== Former constituencies ===
[[File:2001 Wales Assembly Constituencies and Electoral Regions map.svg|thumb|Former constituencies and regions (1999-2007)]]
Between the first election in [[1999 National Assembly for Wales election|1999]] for the then [[National Assembly for Wales]], to the [[2007 National Assembly for Wales election|2007 election]], there were three former constituencies. These constituencies were replaced at the 2007 election, with new boundaries and names.
Between the first election in [[1999 National Assembly for Wales election|1999]] for the then [[National Assembly for Wales]], to the [[2007 National Assembly for Wales election|2007 election]], there were three former constituencies. These constituencies were replaced at the 2007 election, with new boundaries and names.


Line 315: Line 316:
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|-
!Former constituency
!Former constituency!!Region of former constituency
!Replacement constituencies
!Preserved county!!Region of former constituency
!Regions of replacement constituencies
!Replacement constituencies and regions
!Preserved county
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Caernarfon (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Caernarfon]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Caernarfon (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Caernarfon]]|| rowspan="2" |[[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales electoral region)|North Wales]]
|[[Arfon (Assembly constituency)|Arfon]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Gwynedd]]|| rowspan="2" |[[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales electoral region)|North Wales]]
|[[Arfon (Assembly constituency)|Arfon]], [[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|North Wales electoral region]]
|[[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|North Wales]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Gwynedd]]
|-
|-
|[[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Assembly constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]], [[Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Mid and West Wales electoral region]]
|[[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Assembly constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]]
|[[Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Mid and West Wales]]
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Conwy]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Conwy]]|| rowspan="2" |[[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales electoral region)|North Wales]]
|[[Arfon (Assembly constituency)|Arfon]]
|[[Clwyd]]|| rowspan="2" |[[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales electoral region)|North Wales]]
|[[Arfon (Assembly constituency)|Arfon]], [[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|North Wales electoral region]]
| rowspan="2" |[[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|North Wales]]
|[[Clwyd]]
|-
|-
|[[Aberconwy (Assembly constituency)|Aberconwy]]
|Gwynedd
|Gwynedd
|[[Aberconwy (Assembly constituency)|Aberconwy]], [[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|North Wales electoral region]]
|-
|-
| rowspan="2" |[[Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Meirionnydd Nant Conwy]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Meirionnydd Nant Conwy]]|| rowspan="2" |[[Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales electoral region)|Mid and West Wales]]
|Clwyd|| rowspan="2" |[[Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales electoral region)|Mid and West Wales]]
|[[Aberconwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Aberconwy]]
|[[Aberconwy (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Aberconwy,]] [[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|North Wales electoral region]]
|[[North Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|North Wales]]
|Clwyd
|-
|-
|[[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]]
|[[Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Mid and West Wales electoral]]
|Gwynedd
|Gwynedd
|[[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd,]] [[Mid and West Wales (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Mid and West Wales electoral region]]
|-
|-
|}
|}
Line 349: Line 356:
!Constituencies
!Constituencies
<small>(ordered alphabetically)</small>
<small>(ordered alphabetically)</small>
!Electoral population (March 2020)<ref name=":0" />
!Electoral population (March 2020)<ref name="2021 Data" />
!Image
!Image
<small>(numbered alphabetically)</small>
<small>(numbered alphabetically)</small>
|-
|-
|[[Mid and West Wales (Senedd electoral region)|Mid and West Wales]]
|[[Mid and West Wales (Senedd electoral region)|Mid and West Wales]]
{{Lang-cy|Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru|label=none}}
|8
|8
|[[Brecon and Radnorshire (Senedd constituency)|Brecon and Radnorshire]], [[Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen East and Dinefwr]], [[Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire]], [[Ceredigion (Senedd constituency)|Ceredigion]], [[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Senedd constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]], [[Llanelli (Senedd constituency)|Llanelli]], [[Montgomeryshire (Senedd constituency)|Montgomeryshire]], [[Preseli Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Preseli Pembrokeshire]]
|[[Brecon and Radnorshire (Senedd constituency)|Brecon and Radnorshire]], [[Carmarthen East and Dinefwr (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen East and Dinefwr]], [[Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire]], [[Ceredigion (Senedd constituency)|Ceredigion]], [[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (Senedd constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]], [[Llanelli (Senedd constituency)|Llanelli]], [[Montgomeryshire (Senedd constituency)|Montgomeryshire]], [[Preseli Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)|Preseli Pembrokeshire]]
Line 361: Line 368:
|-
|-
|[[North Wales (Senedd electoral region)|North Wales]]
|[[North Wales (Senedd electoral region)|North Wales]]
{{Lang-cy|Gogledd Cymru|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gogledd Cymru|label=none}}
|9
|9
|[[Aberconwy (Senedd constituency)|Aberconwy]], [[Alyn and Deeside (Senedd constituency)|Alyn and Deeside]], [[Arfon (Senedd constituency)|Arfon]], [[Clwyd South (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd South]], [[Clwyd West (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd West]], [[Delyn (Senedd constituency)|Delyn]], [[Vale of Clwyd (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Clwyd]], [[Wrexham (Senedd constituency)|Wrexham]], [[Ynys Môn (Senedd constituency)|Ynys Môn]]
|[[Aberconwy (Senedd constituency)|Aberconwy]], [[Alyn and Deeside (Senedd constituency)|Alyn and Deeside]], [[Arfon (Senedd constituency)|Arfon]], [[Clwyd South (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd South]], [[Clwyd West (Senedd constituency)|Clwyd West]], [[Delyn (Senedd constituency)|Delyn]], [[Vale of Clwyd (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Clwyd]], [[Wrexham (Senedd constituency)|Wrexham]], [[Ynys Môn (Senedd constituency)|Ynys Môn]]
Line 368: Line 375:
|-
|-
|[[South Wales Central (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales Central]]
|[[South Wales Central (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales Central]]
{{Lang-cy|Canol De Cymru|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Canol De Cymru|label=none}}
|8
|8
|[[Cardiff Central (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff Central]], [[Cardiff North (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff North]], [[Cardiff South and Penarth (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff South and Penarth]], [[Cardiff West (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff West]], [[Cynon Valley (Senedd constituency)|Cynon Valley]], [[Pontypridd (Senedd constituency)|Pontypridd]], [[Rhondda (Senedd constituency)|Rhondda]], [[Vale of Glamorgan (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Glamorgan]]
|[[Cardiff Central (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff Central]], [[Cardiff North (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff North]], [[Cardiff South and Penarth (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff South and Penarth]], [[Cardiff West (Senedd constituency)|Cardiff West]], [[Cynon Valley (Senedd constituency)|Cynon Valley]], [[Pontypridd (Senedd constituency)|Pontypridd]], [[Rhondda (Senedd constituency)|Rhondda]], [[Vale of Glamorgan (Senedd constituency)|Vale of Glamorgan]]
Line 375: Line 382:
|-
|-
|[[South Wales East (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales East]]
|[[South Wales East (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales East]]
{{Lang-cy|Dwyrain De Cymru|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Dwyrain De Cymru|label=none}}
|8
|8
|[[Blaenau Gwent (Senedd constituency)|Blaenau Gwent]], [[Caerphilly (Senedd constituency)|Caerphilly]], [[Islwyn (Senedd constituency)|Islwyn]], [[Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Senedd constituency)|Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney]],[[Monmouth (Senedd constituency)|Monmouth]], [[Newport East (Senedd constituency)|Newport East]], [[Newport West (Senedd constituency)|Newport West]], [[Torfaen (Senedd constituency)|Torfaen]]
|[[Blaenau Gwent (Senedd constituency)|Blaenau Gwent]], [[Caerphilly (Senedd constituency)|Caerphilly]], [[Islwyn (Senedd constituency)|Islwyn]], [[Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney (Senedd constituency)|Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney]], [[Monmouth (Senedd constituency)|Monmouth]], [[Newport East (Senedd constituency)|Newport East]], [[Newport West (Senedd constituency)|Newport West]], [[Torfaen (Senedd constituency)|Torfaen]]
|491,142
|491,142
|[[File:South Wales East Senedd region 2021.svg|200px]]
|[[File:South Wales East Senedd region 2021.svg|200px]]
|-
|-
|[[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]]
|[[South Wales West (Senedd electoral region)|South Wales West]]
{{Lang-cy|Gorllewin De Cymru|label=none}}
{{Langx|cy|Gorllewin De Cymru|label=none}}
|7
|7
|[[Aberavon (Senedd constituency)|Aberavon]], [[Bridgend (Senedd constituency)|Bridgend]], [[Gower (Senedd constituency)|Gower]], [[Neath (Senedd constituency)|Neath]], [[Ogmore (Senedd constituency)|Ogmore]], [[Swansea East (Senedd constituency)|Swansea East]], [[Swansea West (Senedd constituency)|Swansea West]]
|[[Aberavon (Senedd constituency)|Aberavon]], [[Bridgend (Senedd constituency)|Bridgend]], [[Gower (Senedd constituency)|Gower]], [[Neath (Senedd constituency)|Neath]], [[Ogmore (Senedd constituency)|Ogmore]], [[Swansea East (Senedd constituency)|Swansea East]], [[Swansea West (Senedd constituency)|Swansea West]]
Line 389: Line 396:
|}
|}


== Proposed boundaries ==
The passing of the [[Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024]], legislated for 16 new six-member constituencies to be used for the [[next Senedd election]] (scheduled in 2026), replacing the existing 40 constituencies and five regions. The constituencies are to be contiguous pairings of the [[List of UK Parliament constituencies in Wales|32 UK Parliament constituencies]] used in Wales since the [[2024 United Kingdom general election in Wales]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2024-09-03 |title=2026 Review: Initial Proposals {{!}} DBCC |url=https://www.dbcc.gov.wales/reviews/09-24/2026-review-initial-proposals |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=www.dbcc.gov.wales |language=en-GB}}</ref>

=== Initial proposals (2024) ===
[[File:Draft proposal (2024) Wales Senedd constituencies map.svg|thumb|Map of the initial proposal of the 16 new Senedd constituencies, as of September 2024. These are not the final boundaries. [[Anglesey]] (as [[Ynys Môn (UK Parliament constituency)|Ynys Môn]]; top-left) is proposed to be joined with [[Bangor Aberconwy (UK Parliament constituency)|Bangor Aberconwy]].|333x333px]]

The [[Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru]] revealed its initial proposals for the proposed new constituencies in September 2024.<ref name=":0" />
{| class="wikitable sortable" <!-- width="100%" -->
!Initial Proposed Senedd Constituency
!UK Parliament Constituencies
|-
| rowspan="2" |Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn
|[[Bangor Aberconwy (UK Parliament constituency)|Bangor Aberconwy]]
|-
|[[Ynys Môn (UK Parliament constituency)|Ynys Môn]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Clwyd
|[[Clwyd East (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd East]]
|-
|[[Clwyd North (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd North]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Alyn, Deeside and Wrexham
|[[Alyn and Deeside (UK Parliament constituency)|Alyn and Deeside]]
|-
|[[Wrexham (UK Parliament constituency)|Wrexham]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
|[[Dwyfor Meirionnydd (UK Parliament constituency)|Dwyfor Meirionnydd]]
|-
|[[Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr (UK Parliament constituency)|Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire
|[[Ceredigion Preseli (UK Parliament constituency)|Ceredigion Preseli]]
|-
|[[Mid and South Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Mid and South Pembrokeshire]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Carmarthenshire
|[[Caerfyrddin (UK Parliament constituency)|Caerfyrddin]]
|-
|[[Llanelli (UK Parliament constituency)|Llanelli]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Swansea West and Gower
|[[Swansea West (UK Parliament constituency)|Swansea West]]
|-
|[[Gower (UK Parliament constituency)|Gower]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Brecon, Radnor, Neath and Swansea East
|[[Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe]]
|-
|[[Neath and Swansea East (UK Parliament constituency)|Neath and Swansea East]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore
|[[Aberafan Maesteg (UK Parliament constituency)|Aberafan Maesteg]]
|-
|[[Rhondda and Ogmore (UK Parliament constituency)|Rhondda and Ogmore]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Pontypridd
|[[Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare (UK Parliament constituency)|Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare]]
|-
|[[Pontypridd (UK Parliament constituency)|Pontypridd]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Blaenau Gwent, Rhymney and Caerphilly
|[[Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney (UK Parliament constituency)|Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney]]
|-
|[[Caerphilly (UK Parliament constituency)|Caerphilly]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Monmouthshire and Torfaen
|[[Monmouthshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Monmouthshire]]
|-
|[[Torfaen (UK Parliament constituency)|Torfaen]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Newport and Islwyn
|[[Newport East (UK Parliament constituency)|Newport East]]
|-
|[[Newport West and Islwyn (UK Parliament constituency)|Newport West and Islwyn]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Cardiff East and North
|[[Cardiff East (UK Parliament constituency)|Cardiff East]]
|-
|[[Cardiff North (UK Parliament constituency)|Cardiff North]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Cardiff West, South and Penarth
|[[Cardiff West (UK Parliament constituency)|Cardiff West]]
|-
|[[Cardiff South and Penarth (UK Parliament constituency)|Cardiff South and Penarth]]
|-
| rowspan="2" |Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend
|[[Vale of Glamorgan (UK Parliament constituency)|Vale of Glamorgan]]
|-
|[[Bridgend (UK Parliament constituency)|Bridgend]]
|}
== See also ==
== See also ==
* [[Boundary Commission for Wales]]
* [[Boundary Commission for Wales]]
* [[Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru]]


== Notes ==
== Notes ==
{{notelist-la}}
{{reflist|group=note}}
{{notelist-lr}}


== References ==
== References ==
Line 400: Line 500:
== External links ==
== External links ==


* [https://senedd.wales/en/memhome/Pages/memhome.aspx List of Members] at the Senedd Cymru website
* [https://senedd.wales/en/memhome/Pages/memhome.aspx List of Members] at the Senedd website


{{DEFAULTSORT:National Assembly For Wales Constituencies And Electoral Regions}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Assembly For Wales Constituencies And Electoral Regions}}
[[Category:Senedd|National Assembly for Wales]]
[[Category:Senedd|National Assembly for Wales]]
[[Category:Senedd constituencies| ]]
[[Category:Senedd constituencies| ]]
[[Category:Senedd electoral regions]]
[[Category:Senedd constituencies and electoral regions]]

Latest revision as of 10:40, 11 November 2024

Senedd constituencies and electoral regions
  • Also known as:
  • Senedd Cymru / Welsh Parliament constituencies and electoral regions
Map of the 40 constituencies (left side) and the 5 electoral regions (right side) of the Senedd in Wales
CategoryElectoral district
LocationWales
Created byGovernment of Wales Act 1998
Created
  • 12 May 1999; 25 years ago (1999-05-12)
Number40 constituencies
5 regions[a] (as of 2021)
PopulationsConstituency:
43,125 (Arfon) -
81,366 (Cardiff South and Penarth)

Region:
413,569 (South Wales West) -
523,096 (South Wales Central)
Government
This article is part of a series within the
Politics of the United Kingdom on the
Politics of Wales
The Crown
The Monarch

Charles III

Heir Apparent
William, Prince of Wales

Government
Welsh Government
Eluned Morgan government (list)

First Minister (list)
Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS (L)

Deputy First Minister
Huw Irranca-Davies MS (L)

Counsel General-designate – Elisabeth Jones Chief Whip and Trefnydd – Jane Hutt MS (L) Permanent Secretary

International relations
Legislature
Senedd

Sixth Senedd

Llywydd (Presiding Officer)
Elin Jones MS (PC)

Leader of the Opposition
Andrew RT Davies MS (C)
Shadow Cabinet (current)

Wales and the United Kingdom
HM Government
Starmer ministry

Prime Minister
Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP (L)

Secretary of State for Wales
Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP (L)

UK Parliament
Politics of the United Kingdom
Law and justice
Local administration
History
Subdivisions of Wales
Local government

Principal councils (leader list) Corporate Joint Committees

Local twinning

see also: Regional terms and Regional economy

Elections and referendums
Senedd elections

United Kingdom Parliament elections

European Parliament elections (1979–2020)

Local elections

Police and crime commissioner elections

Referendums

Represented in the Senedd

The Senedd constituencies and electoral regions (Welsh: Etholaethau a Rhanbarthau etholiadol Senedd Cymru)[i] are the electoral districts used to elect members of the Senedd (MS; Welsh: Aelodau'r Senedd or AS) to the Senedd (Welsh Parliament; Welsh: Senedd Cymru), and have been used in some form since the first election of the then National Assembly for Wales in 1999. New boundaries were introduced for the 2007 elections and currently consist of forty constituencies and five regions. The five electoral regions are: Mid and West Wales, North Wales, South Wales Central, South Wales East, and South Wales West, with the forty constituencies listed below.[4] Voting last took place in all districts in the 2021 Senedd election, and is not used for local government.

The constituencies were created through the Government of Wales Act 1998, with the boundaries of the Welsh constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster), as they were in 1999. The new boundaries were also used for the 2010 United Kingdom general election. Therefore, between the 2007 Assembly election and the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the two sets of constituencies, Assembly and Westminster, had differing boundaries. The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011, unlinked the two sets of constituencies, meaning any changes to one set, no longer affect the other. This has allowed for differing proposals for constituencies in Wales, with separate proposals for an increase in Senedd seats and a decrease in UK Parliament constituencies in Wales.[5]

Senedd constituencies are grouped into electoral regions consisting of between seven and nine constituencies. An additional member system is used to elect four additional Members of the Senedd from each region, in addition to the MSs elected by the constituencies. The Electoral Regions boundaries were based upon the pre-1999 European Parliament constituencies. At each general election of the Senedd, each elector has two votes, one constituency vote and one regional party-list vote. Each constituency elects one Member by the first past the post (single-member district plurality, SMDP) system, and the additional Senedd seats are filled from regional closed party lists, under the D'Hondt method, with constituency results being taken into account, to produce a degree of proportional representation for each region. Altogether, the sixty Members of the Senedd are elected from the forty constituencies and five electoral regions, creating a Senedd of forty constituency MSs and twenty additional MSs. Every constituent is represented by one constituency member and four regional members.

History

[edit]

Establishment

[edit]

Following the 1997 Welsh devolution referendum, where a narrow majority voted in support of the creation of a devolved Welsh Assembly, constituencies of the devolved legislature were established.

Section 2 of the Government of Wales Act 1998 stipulates that the constituencies for the National Assembly for Wales be the same as the constituencies used for elections to the United Kingdom Parliament.[6] The same act sets out the creation of five regions which would use the same borders as the five European Parliamentary constituencies in Wales which themselves were set out in the European Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1994,[7] used for elections to the European Parliament between 1994 and 1999. The electoral regions set out are still used, despite the abolishment of the five European Parliamentary constituencies for an all-Wales constituency, and the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union. Although minor border adjustments to the regions have taken place.

Change in boundaries

[edit]

In 2006, the Government of Wales Act 2006 was enacted. When enacted the act reinforced the link between Assembly and UK Parliamentary constituencies, and that the number of electoral regions is five.

The Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006 defined the new borders for the constituencies and electoral regions.[4]

The order detailed the abolition of three constituencies (Caernarfon, Conwy, and Meironnydd Nant Conwy), with three new constituencies to replace them (Aberconwy, Arfon, and Dwyfor Meirionnydd). Nine constituencies were subject to "substantial" border adjustments involving the transfer of more than 3,000 inhabitants between constituencies. A further eight constituencies were subject to boundary changes resulting in the redistribution of fewer than 3,000 inhabitants between each constituency, and a further four constituencies were subject to minor boundary adjustments that led to minimal transfers of inhabitants between constituencies. The remaining sixteen constituencies were not subject to any boundary or name modifications.

The three new constituencies straddled the border of the electoral regions of Mid and West Wales and North Wales, leading to adjustments in the boundaries of both electoral regions, in addition to minor adjustments to the constituency of Montgomeryshire also leading to minor regional boundary adjustments. In south Wales, the boundaries of the electoral regions, South Wales West, and South Wales Central were altered to accommodate changes to the boundaries of Bridgend, and Vale of Glamorgan constituencies.

The changes in the boundaries for constituencies and electoral regions of the Senedd came into force for the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election.

Delinking from UK parliament constituencies

[edit]

Section 13(1) of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 states that:[8]

The Assembly constituencies are the constituencies specified in the Parliamentary

Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1041)24 as amended by— the Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) (Amendment)

Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/1791)

— Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011

This details that any further changes to the UK Parliament constituencies in Wales specified in the act (notably the proposed reduction in constituencies to 30) will not be applied to Assembly (Senedd) constituencies.

In a session of the House of Commons where the then secretary of state for Wales, Cheryl Gillian was questioned on the Labour party's opposition to the decoupling of the two constituencies, she replied:[9]

That is a very interesting thought. Hon. Members are well aware that the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 broke the link between Assembly constituencies and parliamentary constituencies. I have agreed that we need to look carefully at the implications of having constituency boundaries relating to different areas and regions for UK and Assembly elections in Wales.

— Rt. Hon Cheryl Gillan MP

Re-naming

[edit]

On 6 May 2020, the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 came into force, renaming the Assembly constituencies and Assembly electoral regions of the National Assembly for Wales, to the Senedd constituencies and Senedd electoral regions of "Senedd Cymru" or "the Welsh Parliament", known in both Welsh and English as the Senedd.

Reform

[edit]

The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 was passed by the Senedd legislating that the Next Senedd election (as planned for 2026) should use 16 six-member constituencies, replacing the current system of 40 one-member constituencies and 5 four-member electoral regions.[10]

Constituencies

[edit]

Wales is currently made up of 40 constituencies for elections to the Senedd, the constituencies were the same until the 2024 United Kingdom general election but were not linked to those used for elections to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, with each constituency containing a population of around 60,000. The next Senedd election will not use constituencies.

The borders of each constituency are drawn using Local government boundaries, defined in Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 as "the boundaries of counties, county boroughs, electoral divisions, communities and community wards".[5][11]

Boundary responsibility

[edit]
See also: Proposed boundary changes to UK Parliamentary constituencies in Wales

The Boundary Commission for Wales, a non-departmental public body, is responsible for proposing alterations to the boundaries of UK parliamentary constituencies in Wales, and reports proposals to the UK Government. Boundaries of Senedd constituencies and electoral regions are currently not overseen by any statutory review body,[12] following the delinking of Senedd and UK Parliament constituencies in 2011, although the current configurations of both constituencies share the same boundaries (only the Senedd has electoral regions). Organisations such as the Electoral Reform Society Cymru have indicated a preference for coterminosity (meaning the mirroring of Senedd seat boundaries in Wales along the lines of the 2016 proposed reforms to the Welsh seats in the UK Parliament),[13] however, such coterminosity is merely desired and is not enforced by law, meaning any changes to UK parliamentary constituencies in Wales do not necessarily need to be mirrored with the same changes for Senedd constituencies. If the differing proposals to constituencies in Wales, the proposed reduction of UK parliamentary constituencies and a proposed increase in Senedd constituencies in Wales are followed through, full coterminosity would be impossible. On 8 September 2021, a draft proposal of new UK parliamentary constituencies, reducing to 32, was published, with no plans to pass these changes to Senedd Constituencies, meaning the 2024 United Kingdom general election may use different constituencies to the next Senedd election, once more.[14]

Constituencies, prior to the Boundary Changes

[edit]
Constituency

(Welsh name)

Electoral population (March 2020)[3] Principal areas Electoral region
Aberavon

Aberafan

51,450 Neath Port Talbot South Wales West
Aberconwy 45,426 Conwy North Wales
Alyn and Deeside

Alun a Glannau Dyfrdwy

65,183 Flintshire; Wrexham North Wales
Arfon 43,125 Gwynedd North Wales
Blaenau Gwent 51,495 Blaenau Gwent South Wales East
Brecon and Radnorshire

Brycheiniog a Sir Faesyfed

55,124 Powys Mid and West Wales
Bridgend

Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr

64,245 Bridgend South Wales West
Caerphilly

Caerffili

64,926 Caerphilly; Newport South Wales East
Cardiff Central

Canol Caerdydd

63,017 Cardiff South Wales Central
Cardiff North

Gogledd Caerdydd

69,143 Cardiff South Wales Central
Cardiff South and Penarth

De Caerdydd a Phenarth

81,366 Cardiff South Wales Central
Cardiff West

Gorllewin Caerdydd

69,511 Cardiff South Wales Central
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

Dwyrain Caerfyrddin a Dinefwr

58,048 Carmarthenshire Mid and West Wales
Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire

Gorllewin Caerfyrddin a De Sir Benfro

59,924 Carmarthenshire; Pembrokeshire Mid and West Wales
Ceredigion 56,634 Ceredigion Mid and West Wales
Clwyd South

De Clwyd

54,747 Denbighshire; Wrexham North Wales
Clwyd West

Gorllewin Clwyd

58,024 Conwy; Denbighshire North Wales
Cynon Valley

Cwm Cynon

51,461 Rhondda Cynon Taf South Wales Central
Delyn 55,604 Conwy; Flintshire North Wales
Dwyfor Meirionnydd 44,882 Gwynedd Mid and West Wales
Gower

Gŵyr

62,763 Swansea South Wales West
Islwyn 56,841 Caerphilly South Wales East
Llanelli 62,196 Carmarthenshire; Swansea Mid and West Wales
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney

Merthyr Tudful a Rhymni

57,883 Caerphilly; Merthyr Tydfil South Wales East
Monmouth

Sir Fynwy

67,252 Monmouthshire South Wales East
Montgomeryshire

Sir Drefaldwyn

49,691 Powys Mid and West Wales
Neath

Castell-nedd

57,032 Neath Port Talbot South Wales West
Newport East

Dwyrain Casnewydd

60,936 Newport South Wales East
Newport West

Gorllewin Casnewydd

68,748 Newport South Wales East
Ogmore

Ogwr

57,934 Rhondda Cynon Taf; Bridgend South Wales West
Pontypridd 60,923 Rhondda Cynon Taf South Wales Central
Preseli Pembrokeshire

Preseli Sir Benfro

60,025 Pembrokeshire Mid and West Wales
Rhondda 50,471 Rhondda Cynon Taf South Wales Central
Swansea East

Dwyrain Abertawe

60,726 Swansea South Wales West
Swansea West

Gorllewin Abertawe

59,419 Swansea South Wales West
Torfaen 63,061 Torfaen South Wales East
Vale of Clwyd

Dyffryn Clwyd

56,307 Denbighshire North Wales
Vale of Glamorgan

Bro Morgannwg

77,204 Vale of Glamorgan South Wales Central
Wrexham

Wrecsam

52,713 Wrexham North Wales
Ynys Môn 52,610 Isle of Anglesey North Wales

Former constituencies

[edit]
Former constituencies and regions (1999-2007)

Between the first election in 1999 for the then National Assembly for Wales, to the 2007 election, there were three former constituencies. These constituencies were replaced at the 2007 election, with new boundaries and names.

Three constituency names, Conwy, Caernarfon, and Meirionydd Nant Conwy, have become historic, and the new boundaries define three constituencies with new names: Arfon, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, and Aberconwy. Generally, the new boundaries define each constituency taking into account local government ward boundaries, and define constituencies close to equal in terms of the sizes of their electorates.

Former constituency Region of former constituency Replacement constituencies Regions of replacement constituencies Preserved county
Caernarfon North Wales Arfon North Wales Gwynedd
Dwyfor Meirionnydd Mid and West Wales
Conwy North Wales Arfon North Wales Clwyd
Aberconwy Gwynedd
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy Mid and West Wales Aberconwy North Wales Clwyd
Dwyfor Meirionnydd Mid and West Wales electoral Gwynedd

Electoral regions

[edit]

Wales is organised into five electoral regions for elections to the Senedd. Each region contains between 7 and 9 constituencies within them. Each region elects four additional members of the Senedd and roughly contains 500,000 people.

Electoral region

(Welsh name)

Number of constituencies Constituencies

(ordered alphabetically)

Electoral population (March 2020)[3] Image

(numbered alphabetically)

Mid and West Wales

Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru

8 Brecon and Radnorshire, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Llanelli, Montgomeryshire, Preseli Pembrokeshire 446,524
North Wales

Gogledd Cymru

9 Aberconwy, Alyn and Deeside, Arfon, Clwyd South, Clwyd West, Delyn, Vale of Clwyd, Wrexham, Ynys Môn 483,739
South Wales Central

Canol De Cymru

8 Cardiff Central, Cardiff North, Cardiff South and Penarth, Cardiff West, Cynon Valley, Pontypridd, Rhondda, Vale of Glamorgan 523,096
South Wales East

Dwyrain De Cymru

8 Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Islwyn, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, Monmouth, Newport East, Newport West, Torfaen 491,142
South Wales West

Gorllewin De Cymru

7 Aberavon, Bridgend, Gower, Neath, Ogmore, Swansea East, Swansea West 413,569

Proposed boundaries

[edit]

The passing of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024, legislated for 16 new six-member constituencies to be used for the next Senedd election (scheduled in 2026), replacing the existing 40 constituencies and five regions. The constituencies are to be contiguous pairings of the 32 UK Parliament constituencies used in Wales since the 2024 United Kingdom general election in Wales.[15]

Initial proposals (2024)

[edit]
Map of the initial proposal of the 16 new Senedd constituencies, as of September 2024. These are not the final boundaries. Anglesey (as Ynys Môn; top-left) is proposed to be joined with Bangor Aberconwy.

The Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru revealed its initial proposals for the proposed new constituencies in September 2024.[15]

Initial Proposed Senedd Constituency UK Parliament Constituencies
Bangor Aberconwy Ynys Môn Bangor Aberconwy
Ynys Môn
Clwyd Clwyd East
Clwyd North
Alyn, Deeside and Wrexham Alyn and Deeside
Wrexham
Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr
Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Ceredigion Preseli
Mid and South Pembrokeshire
Carmarthenshire Caerfyrddin
Llanelli
Swansea West and Gower Swansea West
Gower
Brecon, Radnor, Neath and Swansea East Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe
Neath and Swansea East
Aberafan Maesteg, Rhondda and Ogmore Aberafan Maesteg
Rhondda and Ogmore
Merthyr Tydfil, Aberdare and Pontypridd Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare
Pontypridd
Blaenau Gwent, Rhymney and Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney
Caerphilly
Monmouthshire and Torfaen Monmouthshire
Torfaen
Newport and Islwyn Newport East
Newport West and Islwyn
Cardiff East and North Cardiff East
Cardiff North
Cardiff West, South and Penarth Cardiff West
Cardiff South and Penarth
Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend Vale of Glamorgan
Bridgend

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Consisting of between 7-9 constituencies.
  1. ^ They are known as Senedd constituencies and Senedd electoral regions in the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 and revised Government of Wales Act 2006,[1][2] but may be alternatively titled by Senedd Research,[3] and English-language news sources as Welsh Parliament constituencies and electoral regions, or Senedd Cymru constituencies and electoral regions. The districts were formerly known as National Assembly for Wales constituencies and electoral regions, or informally, (Welsh) Assembly constituencies and electoral regions from its establishment in 1999 until May 2020, when it was renamed to its current name(s).

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  2. ^ "Government of Wales Act 2006". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Perks, William. "Data for the Senedd Cymru constituency areas: 2021". gov.wales. Senedd Research. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b "The Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006".
  5. ^ a b "Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011". legislation.gov.uk. UK Parliament.
  6. ^ "Government of Wales Act 1998". legislation.gov.uk. UK Parliament.
  7. ^ "The European Parliamentary Constituencies (Wales) Order 1994". legislation.gov.uk. UK Parliament. 24 February 1994. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  8. ^ The review of parliamentary constituencies in Wales (PDF). Senedd.wales: National Assembly for Wales Research Service. 2011.
  9. ^ "Parliamentary Debates - Wednesday 11 May 2011" (PDF). publications.parliament.uk. House of Commons, UK Parliament. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  10. ^ "Senedd reform | GOV.WALES". www.gov.wales. 21 August 2024. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006". legislation.gov.uk. UK Parliament. 11 April 2006. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  12. ^ Roberts, Owain (September 2011). "The review of parliamentary constituencies in Wales" (PDF). National Assembly for Wales.
  13. ^ "Reshaping the Senedd". www.electoral-reform.org.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Major changes to cut number of Welsh MPs published". BBC News. 8 September 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  15. ^ a b "2026 Review: Initial Proposals | DBCC". www.dbcc.gov.wales. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Senedd_constituencies_and_electoral_regions&oldid=1256745861"