Local Government (Democracy) (Wales) Act 2013

Principal areas

23 Review of principal area boundaries

(1) The Commission may, of its own initiative or at the request of a local authority, conduct a review of one or more principal areas.

(2) But the Commission must not conduct a review under subsection (1) at the request of a local authority if it considers that doing so would impede the proper exercise of its functions.

(3) The changes that the Commission may recommend in relation to a review under this section are—

(a) such principal area boundary changes as it considers appropriate, and

(b) in consequence of any principal area boundary changes such community boundary changes, preserved county changes, community council changes or electoral arrangements changes as it considers appropriate.

(4) For the purposes of this Part—

(a) a reference to a “community boundary change” is a reference to—

(i) altering the boundary of a community;

(ii) abolishing a community;

(iii) constituting a new community;

(b) a reference to “community council change” is a reference to—

(i) constituting a council for a community or a common council for a group of communities;

(ii) dissolving a community council (separate or common);

(iii) separating a community from a group of communities having a common community council;

(iv) adding a community to a group of communities having a common community council;

(c) a reference to an “electoral arrangements change” is a reference to a change to the electoral arrangements for any local government area;

(d) a reference to a “preserved county change” is a reference to a change to the area of a preserved county;

(e) a reference to a “principal area boundary change” is a reference to—

(i) altering the boundary of a principal area;

(ii) abolishing a principal area;

(iii) constituting a new principal area.

24 Review of principal areas following new town order

(1) This section applies where, under section 1 of the New Towns Act 1981 (c. 64) (designation of areas of land for new towns)—

(a) the Welsh Ministers have made an order which designates any area of land as the site of a new town, and

(b) the area of the new town so designated is not wholly comprised within a principal area.

(2) The Welsh Ministers must, as soon as reasonably practicable after the date of operation of the order, give notice to the Commission specifying the principal areas affected by the order.

(3) The Commission must, on receipt of a notice under subsection (2), conduct a review under section 23 of any principal areas specified in the notice.