There have been call to increase the number of councillors on Anglesey .

The authority has the fewest elected members of any authority in Wales, with 30 sitting on it.

A cross-party group says it now wants to increase that number to 35.

The recommendation has been made amid a review by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission.

In line with this increase its also proposed that the 11 current multi-member wards should be carved up into 14 electoral districts – although “disappointment” has also been expressed that Anglesey remains the only authority in Wales where more traditional single-member wards have been scrapped.

The final decision will be up to the independent Wales-wide commission but it’s own formula acknowledges that based on the island’s population, it is currently under-represented.

Anglesey used to have 40 councillors, but 10 seats were culled during the time that Welsh government commissioners were brought in in to run the authority in 2011 .

In contrast to other authorities, Merthyr Tydfil, despite having 10,000 fewer residents , currently has 33 members.

Blaenau Gwent, which has almost the exact same population as Anglesey, has 42 councillors sitting in its chamber – although it is recommended that their numbers should also be slashed to 33.

The panel of councillors, having now released their findings, noted that increasing the membership to 35 is “necessary”, “bearing in mind current workload of councillors.”

“The panel supports the concept of continuing with the multi member wards introduced in 2013,” notes the report, while acknowledging the commission’s own view that the number of members should not exceed 33.

“However, it wishes to express disappointment on the clear lack of consistency in applying such an universal model of multi member wards in other reviews conducted already by the Commission, since commencement of the review programme for all 22 authorities.

“The county council’s electoral arrangements are unique in Wales as this is the only authority where all wards are multi-member.”

The panel’s recommendations are set to be discussed by the authority’s Democratic Services Committee on Wednesday, but the main proposals include:

  • The community of Llangristiolus should be moved from Bro Rhosyr to create a new two member ward known as “Cefni,” including the town of Llangefni which would be taken out of Canolbarth Mon.
  • The remaining Bro Rhosyr ward would be renamed “Braint” to reflect local geography.
  • Splitting the existing three-member Caergybi ward into two new two-member wards to be known as “Tref Cybi” and “Parc a’r Mynydd.”
  • Scrapping the two-member Llifon ward, replacing it with a new two-member ward known as “Crigyll,” consisting of Trewalchmai, Bryngwran and Llanfaelog and another two-member ward including the communities of Caergeiliog, Y Fali and Bodedern, known as “Bro’r Llynnoedd.”