Welsh Ministers have made the County of Pembrokeshire (Communities) Order 2026, giving legal effect to most of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru’s January 2025 recommendations on community arrangements. The Order was made on 11 March 2026 and adjusts numerous community boundaries, names and associated county electoral ward alignments. Ministers confirmed in October 2025 that one recommendation relating to Caldey and St Margaret’s Islands would not proceed.
Commencement is in two stages. For preparatory purposes under regulation 4(1) of the Local Government Area Changes Regulations 1976, the Order comes into force on 6 May 2026. For all other purposes it takes effect at 23:59 on the day before the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2027, so the new boundaries and councillor numbers will apply at those elections and thereafter.
Technical rules are set out for certainty. Where a boundary follows a road, railway, footway, watercourse or similar feature it runs along the centre line of that feature. The detailed geometry is defined on 57 official maps labelled 1 to 57, deposited at the Welsh Government’s Elections Division in Cathays Park and with Pembrokeshire County Council for public inspection.
Central and northern communities see targeted changes. Parts of Llawhaden transfer to Clunderwen, with both communities returning six councillors. In Maenclochog, the Llanycefn and Maenclochog community wards are abolished and land from New Moat transfers in; Maenclochog will elect six councillors. In Wiston, the Walton East and Wiston community wards are abolished and land moves to Uzmaston, Boulston and Slebech; Wiston will elect eight councillors and Uzmaston, Boulston and Slebech six.
Around Haverfordwest, Tiers Cross’s internal wards of Tiers Cross and Thornton are abolished. Land moves between Johnston, Walwyn’s Castle, Camros and Tiers Cross, with transfers into Tiers Cross aligning to the St Ishmael’s county electoral ward and those into Johnston aligning to the Johnston electoral ward. After these adjustments, Camros will elect eleven councillors; Tiers Cross six; and Johnston eleven. Within Haverfordwest, minor exchanges between Prendergast and Castell rebalance representation.
In the lower Cleddau, a portion of Burton transfers to Rosemarket while remaining within the Burton county electoral ward; Burton will elect nine councillors. Transfers from Hook and from Merlin’s Bridge move to Freystrop and align with the Llangwm county electoral ward. Merlin’s Bridge will return eleven councillors and Hook six.
Milford Haven and neighbouring communities are tidied for electoral alignment. Areas from Hakin and from West transfer to Hubberston within Milford Haven, while land from Milford East and areas from Herbrandston and Hubberston transfer to Walwyn’s Castle, with those parcels forming part of the St Ishmael’s county electoral ward. The Havens retains its English name and gains the Welsh name Yr Aberoedd; a section of Walwyn’s Castle moves into The Havens. The Havens will elect eight councillors.
Names are standardised and bilingual forms confirmed. Camrose becomes Camros in both languages. Walwyns Castle is styled Walwyn’s Castle in English and retains Castell Gwalchmai in Welsh. Llanstadwell becomes Llanstadwel in both languages. Lampeter Velfrey and Templeton gain the Welsh forms Llanbedr Felffre and Tredeml respectively. Manordeifi becomes Maenordeifi in both languages. Within Haverfordwest, the Castle and Priory community wards adopt the bilingual names Castell and Priordy.
Neyland and Llanstadwel see re‑balancing. An area from Milford East and parts of Neyland West transfer into Llanstadwel and sit within the Neyland: West electoral ward, while a section of Llanstadwel moves to Neyland East and into the Neyland: East electoral ward. Llanstadwel will elect six councillors; within Neyland, eight councillors will be elected for Neyland East and five for Neyland West.
Rudbaxton and the western peninsula receive minor changes. A portion of Spittal transfers to Rudbaxton, which will elect eight councillors. Further west, land moves from Marloes and St Brides to Dale and aligns to the St Ishmael’s county electoral ward, with the community name confirmed in Welsh as Marloes a Sain Ffraid.
Pembroke and the immediate hinterland are reorganised. A new community ward called Monkton and St Mary South is created by combining the existing Monkton and St Mary South wards within Pembroke. A small area from Cosheston transfers to Pembroke’s St Mary North ward, and another area from Monkton and St Mary South transfers to Hundleton. Cosheston and Hundleton will each elect six councillors. In Pembroke, seven councillors will be elected for Monkton and St Mary South, four for St Mary North and four for St Michael. In Pembroke Dock, minor adjustments move parts of Bush ward into Market and Bufferland respectively.
Manorbier’s internal warding is removed and its footprint adjusted. The Jameston and Lydstep and Manorbier community wards are abolished. A parcel from Penally transfers into Manorbier and aligns with the county electoral ward of Manorbier and Penally. Manorbier will elect eight councillors.
North of Fishguard and Goodwick, internal warding in Puncheston and Scleddau is abolished. Several small re‑draws between Letterston, Puncheston, Scleddau, Fishguard and Goodwick, and Cwm Gwaun align communities with the Bro Gwaun county electoral ward. Final council sizes are six for Puncheston, eight for Letterston and seven for Scleddau.
In the south‑east, the East Williamston and Kilgetty/Begelly community wards are abolished. Land moves between Carew, East Williamston, Jeffreyston and St Florence to align communities with the East Williamston and the Carew and Jeffreyston county electoral wards. East Williamston will return eleven councillors, St Florence six and Carew ten.
For the Saundersfoot and Tenby hinterland, areas move between Amroth and Kilgetty/Begelly, and from Saundersfoot North into Amroth, with a further parcel of Kilgetty/Begelly moving into Saundersfoot’s Saundersfoot North ward. Separate transfers move land from Saundersfoot South and Tenby North into St Mary Out Liberty. The resulting totals are nine councillors for Amroth and six for St Mary Out Liberty.
On the north coast, two small areas of Newport are reallocated-one to Dinas Cross, forming part of the Newport and Dinas county electoral ward, and one to Nevern, which retains alignment with the St Dogmaels electoral ward. Nevern’s internal wards are abolished. Dinas Cross will elect six councillors, Newport eight and Nevern six.
Across the Preseli–Teifi corridor, multiple minor amendments occur between Crymych, Boncath, Cilgerran, Eglwyswrw and Clydau to reflect settlement patterns and road links. Transfers include land from Crymych to Boncath, from Boncath and Maenordeifi to Cilgerran, from Boncath and Clydau to Crymych, and from Crymych and Cilgerran to Eglwyswrw. Final council sizes are six for Boncath, ten for Cilgerran, six for Clydau, eleven for Crymych and six for Eglwyswrw.
Narberth’s internal balance is adjusted. Several parcels from Narberth Rural move to Narberth Urban, while an area of Llanddewi Velfrey transfers to Narberth Rural. Representation will be three councillors for Narberth Rural and ten for Narberth Urban, with corresponding county electoral wards titled Narberth: Rural and Narberth: Urban.
What this means in practice. From 6 May 2026, councils can begin preparatory work under the 1976 Regulations, including updating community registers, apportioning assets and precepts, and publishing revised community ward boundaries. From 23:59 on the day before the 2027 ordinary local elections, the new community boundaries, names and councillor numbers have full legal effect for nominations, polling administration and ongoing governance. The Welsh Government previously confirmed that the Caldey and St Margaret’s Islands recommendation would not be taken forward.