Taff-Ely ( cy, Taf-Elái) was a
local government district with
borough status
Borough status is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district. In Scotland, s ...
in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
from 1974 to 1996.
History
The borough was formed in 1974 as a local government
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
of
Mid Glamorgan. It covered parts of five former districts which were abolished at the same time, and was initially arranged into ten
communities
A community is a Level of analysis, social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place (geography), place, Norm (social), norms, religion, values, Convention (norm), customs, or Identity (social science), identity. Communiti ...
based on the former districts and parishes:
*
Llanharan
Llanharan is a village and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. As a community Llanharan takes in the neighbouring settlements of Bryncae, Brynna, Llanilid, Peterston-super-Montem and Ynysmaerdy. Llanharan thrived during ...
‡
*
Llanharry‡
*
Llanilid‡
*Llanilterne, formerly a parish in
Cardiff Rural District
Cardiff Rural District was a second tier local government district of Glamorgan, Wales until 1974. It covered the more rural areas to the west and north of the city of Cardiff.
Background
Cardiff Rural District was preceded by the Llandaff and ...
*
Llantrisant
Llantrisant (; "Parish of the Three Saints") is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The three saints of the town's name are SS ...
, formerly a parish in
Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre Rural District
*
Llantwit Fardre
Llantwit Fardre ( cy, Llanilltud Faerdref) is a large village and community (and electoral ward) situated on the A473, Pontypridd to Bridgend, road near the Welsh towns of Pontypridd and Llantrisant. Llantwit Fardre is also the name of the old ...
, formerly a parish in Llantrisant and Llantwit Fardre Rural District
*
Pentyrch
Pentyrch ( cy, Pen-tyrch) is a village and community located on the western outskirts of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The village gives its name to a Cardiff local authority electoral ward, Pentyrch, which covers the village and immediat ...
, formerly a parish in
Cardiff Rural District
Cardiff Rural District was a second tier local government district of Glamorgan, Wales until 1974. It covered the more rural areas to the west and north of the city of Cardiff.
Background
Cardiff Rural District was preceded by the Llandaff and ...
*Peterson-super-Montem‡
*
Pontypridd, covering
Pontypridd Urban District
*
Taff's Well, covering the Taff's Well ward from
Caerphilly
Caerphilly (, ; cy, Caerffili, ) is a town and community in Wales. It is situated at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley.
It is north of Cardiff and northwest of Newport. It is the largest town in Caerphilly County Borough, and lies wit ...
Urban District
Urban district may refer to:
* District
* Urban area
* Quarter (urban subdivision)
* Neighbourhood
Specific subdivisions in some countries:
* Urban districts of Denmark
* Urban districts of Germany
* Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland) (hist ...
‡Formerly a parish in
Cowbridge Rural District
The borough was named after the
River Taff
The River Taff ( cy, Afon Taf) is a river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons; the Taf Fechan (''little Taff'') and the Taf Fawr (''great Taff'') before becoming one just north of Merthyr Tydfil. Its confluence with the R ...
and the
River Ely
The River Ely ( cy, Afon Elái) is in South Wales flowing generally southeast, from Tonyrefail to Cardiff.
The river is about long. The Ely's numerous sources lie in the mountains to the south of Tonypandy, near the town of Tonyrefail, ris ...
.
The communities within the borough were reorganised in 1985, which saw the small community of Llanilterne (where the main settlement was Capel Llanilltern) absorbed into Pentyrch, the communities of Llanilid and Peterson-super-Montem absorbed into
Llanharan
Llanharan is a village and community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. As a community Llanharan takes in the neighbouring settlements of Bryncae, Brynna, Llanilid, Peterston-super-Montem and Ynysmaerdy. Llanharan thrived during ...
, and the large community of Llantrisant divided into the four communities of
Gilfach Goch
Gilfach Goch is a community, electoral ward and small former coal mining village mostly in the Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, south Wales, near the larger community of Tonyrefail. Some areas in the North Western part of the village lie within Br ...
,
Tonyrefail,
Pont-y-clun, and a smaller Llantrisant community.
In 1996 the borough was abolished, with most of the area going to the new principal area of
Rhondda Cynon Taf, with the exception of Pentyrch community going to
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
.
Political control
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 1996 was held by the following parties:
Premises

The council was based at the Municipal Buildings on Gelliwastad Road in Pontypridd, which had been built in 1904 as the headquarters of Pontypridd Urban District Council. Since the council's abolition in 1996 the building has been used as a register office for
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council ( cy, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf) is the governing body for Rhondda Cynon Taf, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council headquarters are located in the community of Cwm Clydach o ...
.
References
{{Mid Glamorgan elections
Districts of Wales abolished in 1996
1974 establishments in Wales
Mid Glamorgan