AN EXTRAORDINARY meeting of the Angle Community Council was held last month, at the Village Hall, where councillors gathered to discuss the proposed boundary changes put forward by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. The meeting saw the attendance of Councillors Williams, Ward, Stuckey, Lamport-Taylor, and Clerk M Newton, with Mrs J Lewis present as a member of the public. Apologies were received from Councillor Watkins.

The primary agenda item was the proposed merger of Angle and Hundleton councils, which would create a larger area to be named ‘Hundleton community.’ Under this proposal, Angle would become a ward of the new community, represented by only three councillors—a reduction from its current six. Hundleton, on the other hand, would see a reduction from eight to six councillors.

Councillors expressed significant concerns about the potential impact of these changes on the identity and representation of Angle. The proposed name change was seen as a threat to Angle’s historic identity, and the councillors voiced their unease about the distinct characteristics of the areas involved. Angle is a rural community, while Hundleton is more urban, which could lead to challenges in governance and representation.

The reduction in the number of councillors representing Angle was another major concern. With only three councillors proposed, there were fears that the community’s interests would not be adequately represented in the larger, more urbanised Hundleton community.

After thorough deliberation, the councillors unanimously agreed that the preferred option for Angle would be to maintain its current status as an independent council. However, recognising the possibility that this might not be feasible, they proposed an alternative course of action: a merger with Stackpole Castlemartin council, a suggestion initially made by Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC).

As a third option, the council considered a broader merger involving all councils on the peninsula—Angle, Hundleton, Stackpole, and Castlemartin—with a proposed new name for the area: ‘Penrhyn.’

The consensus was clear: the proposed merger with Hundleton was deemed unacceptable by all present. In preparation for the upcoming consultation deadline on 3rd September, the council resolved to take the following actions:

1. Arrange a meeting with representatives from Hundleton council and invite Stackpole Castlemartin to discuss the possibility of a jointly agreed merger.
2. Draft a response to the Boundary Commission, outlining Angle’s views and suggesting alternative proposals for the future of the community.

The meeting, held on July 24, concluded with a strong sense of unity among the councillors, all committed to preserving the identity and representation of Angle in the face of these proposed changes. Further updates are expected following the discussions with neighbouring councils and the formal submission to the Boundary Commission.