Lliw Valley () was a

local government district Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Local'' (comics), a limited series comic book by Bria ...

with borough status in

West Glamorgan West Glamorgan () is a former administrative county in South Wales. It is now a preserved county. West Glamorgan was one of the divisions of the ancient county of Glamorgan. It was created on 1 April 1974, by the Local Government Act 1972 fr ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

from 1974 to 1996.

History

The borough was created on 1 April 1974 under the

Local Government Act 1972 The Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974. It was one of the most significant acts of Parliament to be passed by the Heath Gov ...

, which reorganised local government across Wales and England. The new borough covered the area of the former Llwchwr Urban District and Pontardawe Rural District. The new district was named after the Afon Lliw and its valley, which ran through the centre of the new borough. It was one of four districts within the new county of West Glamorgan. The borough was abolished in 1996, when West Glamorgan County Council was abolished and the districts in the county reorganised to become principal areas. Lliw Valley was split between the principal areas of

Swansea Swansea ( ; ) is a coastal City status in the United Kingdom, city and the List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, second-largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of ...

and

Neath Port Talbot Neath Port Talbot () is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. Its principal towns are Neath, Port Talbot, Briton Ferry and Pontardawe. The county borough borders Bridgend County Borough and Rhon ...

. Communities becoming part of Swansea: * Clydach *

Gorseinon Gorseinon is a town within the City and County of Swansea, Wales, near the Loughor estuary. It was a small village until the late 19th century, when it grew around the coal mining and tinplate industries. It is around north west of Swansea Ci ...

Gowerton Gowerton ( ) is a large village and community, about northwest of Swansea city centre, Wales. Gowerton is often known as the gateway to the Gower Peninsula. Gowerton's original name was Ffosfelin. The village falls within the Gowerton electora ...

* Grovesend * Llangyfelach * Llwchwr * Mawr * Penllergaer * Pontarddulais * Pontlliw Communities becoming part of Neath Port Talbot: * Cilybebyll * Cwmllynfell * Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen *

Pontardawe Pontardawe () is a town and a community (Wales), community in the lower Swansea Valley (). it had a population of approximately 7,172 in the 2021 Census for Pontardawe Parish, and forms part of the county borough of Neath Port Talbot. On the opp ...

* Trebanos * Ystalyfera The old Lliw Valley had two football clubs in the Welsh Football League - Garden Village and Pontardawe Town.

Political control

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. Throughout the council's existence the Labour Party held a majority of the seats on the council:

Premises

The council inherited offices at West Street in Gorseinon from Llwchwr Urban District Council and at Holly Street in Pontardawe from Pontardawe Rural District Council. It shared its functions between these offices until 1981 when it moved to a purpose-built Civic Centre at Penllergaer. After the council's abolition the former civic centre was used for some years by Swansea Council as secondary offices, before being demolished to make way for a residential development called Mansion Gardens.

References

{{coord, 51.762, -3.965, display=title, region:GB_scale:50000 West Glamorgan Former subdivisions of Wales Districts of Wales abolished in 1996 1974 establishments in Wales