Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council

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.

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:

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:

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to July 2025, the composition of the council was:

Three of the independent councillors sit together as the 'RCT Independent Group', another three form the 'Independent Group', and one is not aligned to a group. The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Since 2012, elections take place every five years.

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

Main article: List of electoral wards in Rhondda Cynon Taf

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:

• = Communities which elect a community council

c = Ward coterminous with community of the same name

References

References

1. "Council minutes, 12 February 2025".
2. "Council minutes, 21 May 2025".
3. (14 July 2022). "Appointment of new Chief Executive Officer agreed by the Council".
4. "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections".
5. {{cite legislation UK. (1994)
6. "Historical information on changes to electoral arrangements of Local authorities, Parliamentary areas and European Parliamentary boundaries". Ordnance Survey.
7. "Welcome".
8. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
9. (2 July 2009). "Former RCT Council boss speaks out on jobs losses". Wales Online.
10. (14 May 1998). "New leader takes over at RCT". Aberdare Leader.
11. (6 May 2022). "Wales local elections 2022: Plaid Cymru leader in RCT Pauline Jarman loses seat". Wales Online.
12. (29 May 2008). "Council leader is reappointed". Wales Online.
13. (10 May 2012). "Ousted council leader Russell Roberts speaks out". Wales Online.
14. (15 May 2014). "RCT council leader Anthony Christopher dies after illness". BBC News.
15. (26 May 2014). "New Rhondda Cynon Taf Council leader to be appointed". Wales Online.
16. "Election results".
17. "Rhondda Cynon Taf".
18. "Your councillors by political grouping".
19. (2 June 2015). "Welsh unitary councils".
20. "Llys Cadwyn development in Pontypridd".
21. "Democratic Services Committee report, 27 November 2023".
22. (2 February 1995). "Storm over new HQ". Rhondda Leader.
23. (8 June 1995). "Pavilions 'perfect' site for council". Rhondda Leader.
24. (23 January 2018). "What is happening to the old Pentre Town Hall building?". Wales Online.
25. "Previous Mayors".
26. Anthony Lewis. (30 August 2018). "The number of electoral council wards in Rhondda Cynon Taf could be cut for 2022 election". Wales Online.
27. "The County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021". Legislation.gov.uk.
28. [https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ Election Maps], [[Ordnance Survey]]. Retrieved 21 June 2022.