Changes to the number of Powys county councillors will see two wards in Newtown affected.
Newtown Central and Newtown South will become a two member ward under proposals put forward by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission.
It recommends reducing the total number of county councillors from 73 to 68 members for the 2022 elections, saving £68,000 a year.
Councillors will need to discuss the proposals in the next couple of months.
Commission chairman, Owen Watkin, said: “In working up our proposals, we have considered local ties and those who wish to retain current boundaries.
“We have looked carefully at every representation made to us. However we need to balance these issues and representations against all other factors we have to consider, and the constraints. In particular, the requirement for electoral parity.
“Democratic fairness for all electors, is the dominant factor in law and this is what we have tried to apply.”
The proposals are:
• 68 members down from 73
• Average of 1,569 voters per councillor
• 60 electoral wards (down from 73)
• Eight two councillor multi-member wards
• These would be some two-member wards: Aber-craf and Ystradgynlais, Knighton and Beguildy, Crickhowell with Cwmdu and Tretower, Llandrindod South, Llanidloes with Llangurig, Newtown Central and South, Brecon East and Brecon West.
The commission forecast that by 2022 the number of voters is set to fall from 106,664 to 103,021.
But, the Office of National Statistics estimates that 1,048 people who could vote are not registered.
According to the commission, the average number of electors at the moment is 1,461.
But the numbers can range down to 790 voters in Llanbrynmair. And up to 2,658 voters in Brecon St John.
By bringing the number of councillors down to 68 the ratio of voters per councillor comes to 1,569 and the ward boundaries have been re-jigged to get as close to that figure as possible.
The Commission said: “The recommended scheme has placed emphasis on achieving improvements in electoral parity while maintaining community ties wherever possible.
“We have made every effort to ensure that the revised electoral wards in the Commission’s view, are an appropriate combination of existing communities and community wards.
“We are satisfied that it would be difficult to achieve electoral arrangements that keep the existing combination of communities and community wards, without having a detrimental effect on one or more of the other issues that we must consider.”
A spokesman for Powys County Council said: “The boundary commission final recommendations will be debated by full council, no date yet but it will have to be before the annual meeting in May.”
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter and MyNewtown Editorial
