The County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) (No. 2) Order 2021

Welsh Statutory Instruments

2021 No. 1228 (W. 310)

Local Government, Wales

The County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) (No. 2) Order 2021

Made

2 November 2021

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

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

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

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

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

Title, commencement and revocation

1.—(1) The title of this Order is the County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) (No. 2) Order 2021.

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

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

(4) The County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021(4) is revoked.

Interpretation

2.  In this Order—

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

“the Regulations” (“y Rheoliadau”) means the Local Government Area Changes Regulations 1976(5);

any reference to a map means one of the 10 maps marked “Map of the County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) (No. 2) Order 2021” deposited in accordance with regulation 5 of the Regulations, labelled “1” to “10”, and a reference to a numbered map is a reference to the map that bears that number;

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

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

Electoral arrangements for the County of Flintshire

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

(2) The County of Flintshire is divided into 45 electoral wards each bearing the English language name listed in column 1 and the Welsh language name listed in column 2 of the Table in the Schedule to this Order.

(3) Each electoral ward comprises the areas specified in relation to that electoral ward in column 3 of the Table in the Schedule to this Order.

(4) The number of members of the council to be elected for each electoral ward is the number specified in column 4 of the Table in the Schedule to this Order.

(5) The provisions in this Order take precedence over any conflicting provision in any previous statutory instrument made under section 58(2) of the Local Government Act 1972(6).

The town of Buckley: changes to community wards

4.  In the town of Buckley—

(a) the part of the Pentrobin ward shown hatched on Map 1 is transferred to the Bistre East ward;

(b) the part of the Mountain ward shown hatched on Map 2 is transferred to the Pentrobin ward.

The town of Buckley: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

5.  In the town of Buckley—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the Mountain ward is 3;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the Pentrobin ward is 7.

The town of Flint: changes to community wards

6.  In the town of Flint—

(a) the part of the Oakenholt ward shown hatched on Map 3 is transferred to the Castle ward;

(b) the part of the Oakenholt ward shown hatched on Map 4 is transferred to the Trelawny ward.

The town of Flint: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

7.  In the town of Flint—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the Oakenholt ward is 3;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the Trelawny ward is 4.

The town of Connah’s Quay: changes to community wards

8.  In the town of Connah’s Quay—

(a) the part of the South ward shown hatched on Map 5 is transferred to the Central ward;

(b) the part of the Golftyn ward shown cross-hatched on Map 5 is transferred to the Central ward.

The town of Connah’s Quay: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

9.  In the town of Connah’s Quay—

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

(b) the number of members to be elected for the South ward is 6.

The community of Mold: changes to community wards

10.  In the community of Mold—

(a) the part of the West ward shown hatched on Map 6 is transferred to the East ward;

(b) the part of the Broncoed ward shown hatched on Map 7 is transferred to the South ward;

(c) the part of the South ward shown hatched on Map 8 is transferred to the West ward.

The community of Hawarden: changes to community wards and abolition of the community ward of Hawarden

11.  The community ward of Hawarden, as it exists immediately before the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2022, is abolished and—

(a) the part of that ward shown hatched on Map 9 is transferred to the Mancot ward;

(b) the part of that ward shown hatched on Map 10 is transferred to the Aston ward.

The community of Hawarden: consequential changes to electoral arrangements

12.  In the community of Hawarden—

(a) the number of members to be elected for the Aston ward is 7;

(b) the number of members to be elected for the Mancot ward is 7.

Rebecca Evans

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

2 November 2021

Article 3

SCHEDULE NAMES AND AREAS OF ELECTORAL WARDS AND NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL

Table

Column (1)	Column (2)	Column (3)	Column (4)
English language name of electoral ward	Welsh language name of electoral ward	Area of electoral ward	Number of members of the council
Argoed and New Brighton	Argoed a New Brighton	The community of Argoed	2
Bagillt	Bagillt	The town of Bagillt	2
Broughton North East	Gogledd-ddwyrain Brychdyn	The North East ward of the community of Broughton and Bretton	1
Broughton South	De Brychdyn	The South ward of the community of Broughton and Bretton	2
Brynford and Halkyn	Brynffordd a Helygain	The communities of Brynford and Halkyn	2
Buckley: Bistre East	Bwcle: Dwyrain Bistre	The Bistre East ward of the town of Buckley	2
Buckley: Bistre West	Bwcle: Gorllewin Bistre	The Bistre West ward of the town of Buckley	2
Buckley: Mountain	Bwcle: Mynydd	The Buckley Mountain ward of the town of Buckley	1
Buckley: Pentrobin	Bwcle: Pentrobin	The Pentrobin ward of the town of Buckley	2
Caergwrle	Caergwrle	The Caergwrle ward of the community of Hope	1
Caerwys	Caerwys	The community of Caerwys and the community of Ysceifiog	1
Cilcain	Cilcain	The communities of Cilcain and Nannerch	1
Connah’s Quay Central	Canol Cei Connah	The Central ward of the town of Connah’s Quay	2
Connah’s Quay: Golftyn	Cei Connah: Golftyn	The Golftyn ward of the town of Connah’s Quay	2
Connah’s Quay South	De Cei Connah	The South ward of the town of Connah’s Quay	2
Connah’s Quay: Wepre	Cei Connah: Gwepra	The Wepre ward of the town of Connah’s Quay	1
Flint: Castle	Y Fflint: Y Castell	The Castle ward of the town of Flint	1
Flint: Coleshill and Trelawny	Y Fflint: Cynswllt a Threlawny	The Coleshill and Trelawny wards of the town of Flint	3
Flint: Oakenholt	Y Fflint: Oakenholt	The Oakenholt ward of the town of Flint	1
Greenfield	Maes-glas	The Greenfield ward of the town of Holywell	1
Gwernaffield and Gwernymynydd	Y Waun a Gwernymynydd	The communities of Gwernaffield and Pantymwyn, Gwernymynydd and Nercwys	2
Hawarden: Aston	Penarlâg: Aston	The Aston ward of the community of Hawarden	2
Hawarden: Ewloe	Penarlâg: Ewloe	The Ewloe ward of the community of Hawarden	2
Hawarden: Mancot	Penarlâg: Mancot	The Mancot ward of the community of Hawarden	2
Higher Kinnerton	Kinnerton Uchaf	The community of Higher Kinnerton	1
Holywell Central	Canol Treffynnon	The Central ward of the town of Holywell	1
Holywell East	Dwyrain Treffynnon	The East ward of the town of Holywell	1
Holywell West	Gorllewin Treffynnon	The West ward of the town of Holywell	1
Hope	Yr Hôb	The Hope ward of the community of Hope	1
Leeswood	Coed-llai	The community of Leeswood	1
Llanasa and Trelawnyd	Llanasa a Threlawnyd	The communities of Llanasa, and Gwaenysgor and Trelawnyd	2
Llanfynydd	Llanfynydd	The community of Llanfynydd	1
Mold: Broncoed	Yr Wyddgrug: Broncoed	The Broncoed ward of the community of Mold	1
Mold East	Dwyrain yr Wyddgrug	The East ward of the community of Mold	1
Mold South	De’r Wyddgrug	The South ward of the community of Mold	1
Mold West	Gorllewin yr Wyddgrug	The West ward of the community of Mold	1
Mostyn	Mostyn	The community of Mostyn	1
Northop	Llaneurgain	The communities of Northop and Northop Hall	2
Pen-y-ffordd	Pen-y-ffordd	The community of Penyffordd	2
Saltney Ferry	Saltney Ferry	The town of Saltney	2
Queensferry and Sealand	Queensferry a Sealand	The communities of Queensferry and Sealand	2
Shotton East and Shotton Higher	Dwyrain Shotton a Shotton Uchaf	The East and Higher wards of the community of Shotton	2
Shotton West	Gorllewin Shotton	The West ward of the community of Shotton	1
Treuddyn	Treuddyn	The community of Treuddyn	1
Whitford	Chwitffordd	The community of Whitford	1

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order implements the recommendations of the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales (“the Commission”), which reported in June 2020 on its review of the electoral arrangements for the County of Flintshire. The Commission’s Report proposed a decrease in the number of electoral wards, from 57 to 42, and a decrease in the number of councillors from 70 to 66.

This Order implements the Commission’s recommendations with modifications.

Article 1(4) of this Order revokes the County of Flintshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021.

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

This Order also implements recommendations for changes to community wards and changes to the electoral arrangements for some communities within the County of Flintshire.

Article 4 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Pentrobin, Bistre East and Mountain within the town of Buckley. Article 5 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Mountain and Pentrobin wards of the town of Buckley.

Article 6 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of Oakenholt, Castle and Trelawny within the town of Flint. Article 7 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Oakenholt and Trelawny wards of the town of Flint.

Article 8 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of South, Central and Golftyn within the town of Connah’s Quay. Article 9 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Central and South wards of the town of Connah’s Quay.

Article 10 makes changes to the boundaries between the community wards of West, East, Broncoed and South within the community of Mold.

Article 11 abolishes the community ward of Hawarden in the community of Hawarden and transfers parts of that ward to the Mancot and Aston wards of the community of Hawarden. Article 12 sets out the number of members to be elected for the Aston and Mancot wards of the community of Hawarden.

The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to this Order. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with this Order.

Prints of the maps labelled “1” to “10” to which this Order relates are deposited in the office of the Welsh Government at Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ (Local Government Democracy Division), and with Flintshire County Council. Prints deposited with Flintshire County Council are open to inspection by anyone affected by the provisions of this Order.

(1)

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

(2)

2013 anaw 4.

(3)

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

(4)

S.I. 2021/1215 (W. 304).

(5)

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

(6)

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