Wayne David, Labour MP for Caerphilly, has warmly welcomed the revised proposals for Westminster parliamentary boundaries.

The Boundary Commission for Wales has made a dramatic U-turn and accepted most of the counterproposal from Wayne David. It has accepted that Caerphilly and the Lower Rhymney Valley should not be linked to Newport West. Instead, it is now being proposed that Caerphilly and the Lower Rhymney Valley be linked with its immediate hinterland in the middle of the Rhymney Valley, going across to Pontllanfraith. They are also proposing that the larger part of the Islwyn Constituency should be joined with Newport West.

Wayne David said, “I am delighted that the Boundary Commission has accepted most of my counterproposal and the overwhelming view that Caerphilly should not be linked to Newport, but to its natural valley hinterland. There has been a groundswell of opinion in the Lower Rhymney Valley against what was initially suggested. At the public hearings a number of community representatives put the case for my counterproposal. They included the Chair of Bedwas, Trethomas & Machen Community Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, Borough councillors from Labour and Plaid Cymru, the Welsh Liberal Democrats, the Secretary of the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre and the Secretary of the Caerphilly Constituency Labour Party, as well as myself.

“In addition, there were written submissions from a range of community organisations and individuals in the Lower Rhymney Valley. Among these were letters from Community Councils in the area, the Chairmen of Caerphilly Male Voice Choir and Senghenydd Rugby Club, Hefin David MS and petitions from the congregation of St Helen’s Catholic Church in Caerphilly and Aber Valley Male Voice Choir.

“I am pleased that the Boundary Commission has listened to public opinion and have come forward with proposals which are much more sensible than was originally suggested. These new proposals recognise the community of interest of our area and people’s very real sense of identity.”

The proposal from the Boundary Commission for Wales is for the Caerphilly Constituency to include Aber Valley, Bedwas, Trethomas & Machen, Hengoed, Llanbradach, Morgan Jones, Nelson, Penyrheol, St Cattwg, St James, St Martins, Ystrad Mynach, Cefn Fforest, Maesycwmmer, Pengam and Pontllanfraith.

The new proposed Newport West and Islwyn Constituency includes Abercarn, Argoed, Blackwood, Crosskeys, Crumlin, Newbridge, Penmaen, Risca East, Risca West and Ynysddu and wards from the current Newport West constituency.

These are the revised proposals from the Boundary Commission for Wales. There will now be a four-week consultation period on these proposals, but it is widely believed that if there are further changes, they are likely to be minor.

If you would like to support these revised proposals which will keep Caerphilly as a constituency, please click this link. Once you have entered a postcode in the constituency, you will be able to submit your thoughts on the proposals.