Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council () is the local authority for the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, one of the principal areas of Wales. The council headquarters are at the Llys Cadwyn development in Pontypridd.
History The council was established on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, covering the area of the three former districts of Rhondda, Cynon Valley, and Taff-Ely (except Pentyrch, which went to Cardiff). As well as taking over the functions of the abolished district councils, the new authority also took over the functions of the abolished Mid Glamorgan County Council in the area. The new county borough was described in the 1994 Act with different spellings in English and Welsh: Rhondda Cynon Taff (English) / Rhondda Cynon Taf (Welsh). In 1999, the council adopted the spelling Rhondda Cynon Taf for use in both languages. (See downloadable boundary-legislation-changes-from-1973.xls spreadsheet.)
Political control The council has been under Labour majority control since 2004.
The first election to the council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been as follows: (Put "Rhondda Cynon Taff" in search box to see specific results.)
Party in controlYears 1996–1999 1999–2004 2004–present
Leadership The role of Mayor of Rhondda is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The first leader, Bill Murphy, was the last leader of the old Rhondda Borough Council. The leaders since 1996 have been:
Councillor Party From To Bill Murphy 1 Apr 1996 May 1998 Russell Roberts May 1998 1999 Pauline Jarman 1999 2004 Russell Roberts 2004 May 2012 Anthony Christopher 23 May 2012 15 May 2014 Andrew Morgan 28 May 2014
Composition Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to July 2026, the composition of the council was:
Party Councillors 57 8 2 7 1Total75
Two of the independent councillors sit together as the 'RCT Independent Group', another three form the 'Independent Group', and two are not aligned to a group. The next election is due in 2027.
Elections Since 2012, elections take place every five years.
YearSeatsLabourPlaid CymruLiberal DemocratsConservative OthersNotes1995745414105Labour majority control1999752638407Plaid Cymru majority control2004755713104Labour majority control2008754420416Labour majority control201275609114Labour majority control2017754718145Labour majority control202275598026Labour majority control Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.
Premises The council is based at the Llys Cadwyn development on Taff Street in the centre of Pontypridd. The complex was built in 2020, comprising a library, council customer contact point, café, leisure facilities and offices. The offices were initially marketed for rent, with some being taken up, notably by Transport for Wales. In 2023 the council decided to move its council chamber and principal offices into some of the remaining vacant office space at 2 Llys Cadwyn, moving into the building in early 2024.
The council was previously based at The Pavilions, a group of 1990s office buildings at the Cambrian Industrial Park in the community of Cwm Clydach on the outskirts of Tonypandy in the Rhondda, which is the largest urban area in the borough. When the council was created it inherited the offices of the three former district councils, being Rock Grounds on High Street in Aberdare from Cynon Valley, the Municipal Offices on Llewellyn Street in Pentre from Rhondda, and the Municipal Buildings on Gelliwastad Road in Pontypridd from Taff-Ely. In the period leading up to the creation of the new authority there was some debate about where the new council should be based, with Plaid Cymru leading a campaign for Pontypridd to be the headquarters, but Labour preferring a location in the Rhondda. The recently built site at The Pavilions was secured for the new council in 1995. The older offices at Aberdare and Pontypridd continue to be used by the council as secondary offices, whilst the Pentre building has been sold. The Pavilions is earmarked to become a new special school for the area.
Mayors of Rhondda Cynon Taf Past mayors of the council are:
1996–1997: Russell Roberts 1997–1998: K Rees 1998–1999: J David 1999–2000: G Beard 2000–2001: R Moses 2001–2002: L Jones 2002–2003: I Wilkins 2003–2004: D E B Arnold 2004–2005: A L Davies 2005–2006: E Jenkins 2006–2007: J Cass 2007–2008: Jane Ward 2008–2009: Margaret Davies 2009–2010: Robert Smith 2010–2011: Simon Lloyd 2011–2012: Sylvia J Jones 2012–2013: Doug H Williams 2013–2014: Ann Crimmings 2014–2015: John Watts 2015–2016: Barry Stephens 2016–2017: Rhys Lewis 2017–2018: Margaret Tegg 2018–2019: Steve Powderhill 2019–2020: Linda De Vet 2020–2021: Susan Morgans 2021–2022: Jill Bonetto 2022–2023: Wendy Treeby 2023–2024: Wendy Lewis 2024–2025: Dan Owen-Jones 2025–present: Sheryl Evans
Electoral wards
Since the 2022 elections, the Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough has been divided into 46 electoral wards returning 75 councillors. Some of these electoral wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Some communities have their own elected council. The following table lists council electoral wards, communities and associated geographical areas:
Electoral wardsCouncillorsCommunities (civil parishes)Other geographic areasAberaman 3Aberaman NorthAberaman SouthAbercwmboi, Cwmaman, Glynhafod, GodreamanAbercynon c 2AbercynonCarnetown, Pontcynon, Tyntetown, Ynysboeth Aberdare East c 2Aberdare EastAbernant, Foundry Town, Tŷ FryAberdare Westand Llwydcoed 3Aberdare WestLlwydcoedBwllfa Dare, Cwmdare, Robertstown, Trecynon, Beddau andTyn-y-nant 2Llantrisant * (Beddau and Tyn-y-nant wards)Beddau, BryntegBrynna and Llanharan 3Llanharan * Bryncae, Brynna, Dolau, LlanharanChurch Village 2Llantwit Fardre * (Church Village ward)Upper Church VillageCilfynydd 1Pontypridd Town * (Cilfynydd ward)Cwm Clydach c 1Cwm ClydachClydach ValeCwmbach c 2CwmbachCymer 2CymmerTrehafodCymmer, Glynfach, Trebanog, TrehafodFerndale and Maerdy 2FerndaleMaerdyBlaenllechauGilfach Goch c 1Gilfach Goch *Garden City, Hendreforgan Estate Glyn-coch 1Pontypridd Town * (Glyncoch ward)Graig and Pontypridd West 2Pontypridd Town * (Graig and Rhondda wards)Maesycoed, Pantygraigwen, Pen-y-coedcae, Hopkinstown, PwllgwaunHawthorn andLower Rhydfelen 1Pontypridd Town * (Hawthorn and Rhydfelen Lower wards)Upper BoatHirwaun, Penderyn and Rhigos 2Hirwaun *Rhigos *Cwm Hwnt, Cefn Rhigos, Hirwaun, PenderynLlanharry 1Llanharry * (Llanharry ward)Llantrisant and Talbot Green 2Llantrisant * (Llantrisant Town and Talbot Green wards)Cross Inn, Llantrisant, Rhiwsaeson, Talbot Green, YnysmaerdyLlantwit Fardre 2Llantwit Fardre * (Efail Isaf and Llantwit Fardre wards)Efail IsafLlwyn-y-pia c 1LlwynypiaMountain Ash 2Mountain Ash EastMountain Ash WestCefnpennar, Cwmpennar, Fernhill, Glenboi, NewtownPenrhiw-ceiber c 2PenrhiwceiberMiskin, PerthcelynPentre c 2PentreTon PentrePen-y-graig c 2Pen-y-graigDinas, Edmondstown, Penpisgah, WilliamstownPen-y-waun c 1Pen-y-waunTrenantPontyclun Central 1Pontyclun * (Central ward)Miskin, Rhondda Cynon Taff, PontyclunPontyclun East 1Pontyclun * (East ward)Groes-faen, Mwyndy Pontyclun West 1Pont-y-clun * (West ward)Llanharry * (Tylagarw ward)Brynsadler, Pontyclun, Tyla GarwPontypridd Town 1Pontypridd Town * (Town ward)PenygraigwenPorth 2PorthBirchgrove, Llwyncelyn, Mount PleasantRhydfelen Central 1Pontypridd Town * (Rhydfelen Central ward)Rhydyfelin Taffs Well c 1Taffs Well *Glan-y-llyn, Nantgarw, Taff's Well, Tŷ RhiwTon-teg 1Llantwit Fardre * (Tonteg ward)Tonypandy c 1TonypandyTonyrefail East 2Tonyrefail * (Coedely, Collena and Tylcha wards)CoedelyTonyrefail West 2Tonyrefail * (Penrhiw-fer, Thomastown and Tynybryn wards)Trallwn 1Pontypridd Town * (Trallwng ward)Trealaw c 1TrealawTreforest 1Pontypridd Town * (Treforest ward)GlyntaffTreherbert c 2TreherbertBlaencwm, Blaenrhondda, Tynewydd,Treorchy c 2TreorchyCwmparc, YnyswenTylorstown and Ynyshir 2TylorstownYnyshir Penrhys, Pontygwaith, Stanleytown, Wattstown Upper Rhydfelen and Glyn-Taf 1Pontypridd Town * (Upper Rhydfelen and Glyn-taf ward)Rhydyfelin Ynysybwl 2Ynysybwl and Coed-y-Cwm *Roberttown, Buarth-y-capelYstrad c 2YstradGelli
* = Communities which elect a community council c = Ward coterminous with community of the same name Election Maps, Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
See also Environment Agency v Clark
References
External links Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council