Comment DBCC-8417

I wish to submit a personal comment on the proposals which I understand will also be submitted by the Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare Parliamentary Constituency Labour Party which I Chair.

I have no objection to the boundary of the proposed Senedd Constituency, but I do take issue with paragraph 10.5 of the revised proposals which I reproduce as follows:
“10.5 The Commission proposes the single name of Merthyr Cynon Taf for this constituency. The Commission has determined that the name is acceptable for use as a single name as it incorporates both local authority names within the proposed constituency and is likely to be recognisable to residents. The Welsh Language Commissioner has agreed with the orthography of the single name.”

My concern is with the proposal to use ‘Merthyr’ and not ‘Merthyr Tudful’ in the name of the proposed constituency.

I am sure that the Commission is aware of the historic significance behind the name Merthyr Tydfil. It dates from 480 AD when Tydfil, the daughter of King Brychan of Brycheiniog was killed at Merthyr by pagans.

There are to my knowledge five other communities with ‘Merthyr‘ in their name. – Merthyr Mawr (Bridgend), Merthyr Cynog (Powys) and Merthyr Dyfan (Barry). The fourth is simply Merthyr, a small village in Carmarthenshire. And the fifth is within Merthyr Tydfil itself - Merthyr Vale.

I therefore ask you to reconsider the name to include Tydfil. The Welsh version of the new constituency would be Merthyr Tudful Cynon Taf. I argue that the one extra word in the title would not make for difficult reading, and it would avoid the possible confusion of the similarity between MCT and RCT! In addition, a four word title is already proposed for our neighbouring constituency, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni.

Kind regards

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