Welsh Ministers have made the County of Pembrokeshire (Communities) Order 2026 to give effect, in large part, to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru’s review of community arrangements submitted in January 2025. The Commission’s report and final recommendations for Pembrokeshire were provided to Ministers on 29 January 2025. (dbcc.gov.wales)
The Order staggers commencement. Technical provisions linked to the Local Government Area Changes Regulations 1976 start first, with all other changes taking legal effect at 23:59 on the day before the 2027 ordinary local government elections. Welsh Government documentation confirms those elections are scheduled for Thursday 6 May 2027. (laiddocuments.senedd.wales)
Ministers have implemented most recommendations but took no action on several items outside the review’s scope. Specifically, proposals relating to Nolton and Roch, Martletwy, Stackpole and Castlemartin, and Pencaer are excluded from this Order and may be considered in a future electoral review. (gov.wales)
Across central Pembrokeshire, the Order transfers parts of Llawhaden to Clunderwen, aligning those areas with the Maenclochog electoral ward. Llawhaden and Clunderwen will each return six community councillors. The abolition of certain community wards in nearby Tiers Cross is accompanied by targeted boundary realignments with Johnston and Camros, with councillor numbers set at six for Tiers Cross, eleven for Johnston, and eleven for Camros.
In and around Haverfordwest, the Order standardises ward names and adjusts ward lines. Haverfordwest’s Castle and Priory wards become Castell and Priordy respectively. Boundary swaps between Prendergast and Castell are set out, while land at the edge of Haverfordwest transfers into the Priordy community ward. These changes are designed to reflect existing settlement patterns in the county town ahead of the 2027 polls.
To the west of the county town, parts of Merlin’s Bridge and Hook move to Freystrop, placing affected streets within the Llangwm electoral ward. Merlin’s Bridge will elect eleven community councillors; Hook will elect six. Elsewhere on the Cleddau, sections of Burton shift to Rosemarket but remain within the Burton electoral ward, with nine councillors for Burton.
Further south, the Order removes the internal community wards of Tiers Cross and Thornton within the Tiers Cross community, streamlining governance. It also tidies the Milford Haven area by moving small areas between Hakin, Hubberston and West to consolidate representation within the Milford: Hubberston electoral ward. The Havens community will elect eight councillors and, for Welsh-language purposes, will be known as Yr Aberoedd while retaining The Havens in English.
Around Neyland, Llanstadwell is standardised to Llanstadwel in both languages. Land from Milford Haven (East) and Neyland West moves into Llanstadwel and vice versa, with the resultant arrangements setting six councillors for Llanstadwel, and eight and five for Neyland East and Neyland West respectively. These shifts aim to keep communities intact where everyday ties run across historic lines.
In the Preseli hinterland, the Order consolidates Maenclochog and Wiston by abolishing their internal community wards, and transfers an area from New Moat into Maenclochog. Wiston will elect eight councillors and Uzmaston, Boulston and Slebech six, following a transfer from Wiston into Uzmaston, Boulston and Slebech that aligns representation with settlement footprints.
On the south coast, Manorbier’s internal wards are abolished and a small area is moved from Penally into Manorbier. Pembroke sees the creation of a single community ward, Monkton and St Mary South, combining two existing wards; a piece of Cosheston moves into Pembroke’s St Mary North, and a small area of Pembroke transfers to Hundleton. Pembroke will return seven councillors for Monkton and St Mary South, four for St Mary North and four for St Michael, with six councillors each in Cosheston and Hundleton.
In the east, the Order reshapes East Williamston, Carew and St Florence. Land moves from Carew and St Florence into East Williamston and back from Saundersfoot into Amroth, supporting a more consistent division between Amroth, Kilgetty/Begelly and Saundersfoot. Amroth will elect nine councillors, St Florence six and Carew ten, reflecting community size and workload.
North of St Bride’s Bay, a small area of St Davids transfers to Solva, leaving St Davids with eleven councillors and Solva with six. In Narberth, land is moved from the Rural to the Urban ward and from Llanddewi Velfrey into Narberth Rural. Narberth will return three councillors for the Rural ward and ten for the Urban ward, clarifying the split between town and hinterland.
The Order also regularises bilingual naming. Camrose becomes Camros in both languages; Walwyn’s Castle adopts the punctuation in English and retains Castell Gwalchmai in Welsh; Llanstadwell becomes Llanstadwel in English and Welsh; Lampeter Velfrey retains its English name but adopts Llanbedr Felffre in Welsh; Templeton retains Templeton in English but adopts Tredeml in Welsh; Manordeifi is standardised to Maenordeifi in both languages. These changes are intended to eliminate spelling variation across signage, registers and official notices.
In the north-east, adjustments between Boncath, Crymych, Cilgerran, Clydau and Eglwyswrw redraw long-standing lines along roads, streams and field boundaries. The Order sets councillor numbers at six for Boncath, ten for Cilgerran, six for Clydau, eleven for Crymych and six for Eglwyswrw. The pattern in Letterston, Puncheston, Scleddau, Newport and Dinas Cross also shifts, with selective transfers to better reflect daily travel and service use; resulting council sizes are eight for Letterston, six for Puncheston, seven for Scleddau, eight for Newport and six for Dinas Cross.
For residents and candidates, the practical impact begins with updated poll cards and nomination packs aligned to the new community boundaries in time for the 2027 ordinary elections. The Electoral Commission’s guidance for Wales confirms that candidate materials and election administration will track the revised boundaries once they are in force. (electoralcommission.org.uk)
The legal basis for this programme sits with the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru etc. Act 2013 and subsequent amendments. The Commission’s remit and name were updated by the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024, with Welsh Government material outlining its expanded functions and review responsibilities. (gov.wales)