THE number of councillors in Blaenau Gwent could be cut from 42 to 34, it has been revealed.

The proposals have been put together by a Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council task group as part of a review into electoral arrangements in the area by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission.

The group has also proposed cutting the number of council wards from 16 to 14.

Under the proposals to be presented to the council’s Democratic Services Committee tomorrow, Tredegar Central and West will be renamed Tredegar and be reduced from four members to three.

And Badminton and Beaufort will be merged into a single ward represented by three councillors. Both currently have two ward members.

Abertillery and Six Bells will also be merged into a single ward, represented by three councillors, a n overall reduction of two.

Nantyglo, Llanhilleth and Blaina will be reduced from three members to two, while the Garnlydan estate will be moved from Beaufort into Rassau, which will be renamed Rassau and Garnlydan.

Georgetown, Sirhowy, Ebbw Vale North, Ebbw Vale South, Cwm, Brynmawr and Cwmtillery, will remain unchanged.

A council report said initial work by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission had proposed reducing the number of councillors from 42 to 38.

“The members of the group were in agreement with decreasing the number of councillors, and by more than the Commission’s suggestion of 38,” it said. “The number of councillors has always been raised as a concern in public consultations, and this proposal will demonstrate that the council is listening to residents’ views.

“The first proposal of the group is that the number of councillors in Blaenau Gwent decrease from 42 to 34 or thereabouts. Members were of the opinion that the resourcing of committees, scrutiny and constituency work could still be managed effectively with 34 members.”

A Commission spokesman said a review of wards across Wales is being carried out before the next local authority election in 2022.

A Newport council spokeswoman said the authority’s boundaries are due to be reviewed next year.

A Torfaen council spokesman said some ward boundary borders were redrawn following a review last year, but the number of councillors was not reduced.

Caerphilly and Monmouthshire councils were contacted for comment.