South Glamorgan facts for kids
| South Glamorgan Welsh: De Morgannwg |
|
 South Glamorgan shown within Wales as a preserved county |
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| Geography | |
| Status | Non-metropolitan county (1974–1996) Preserved county (1996–) |
| 2003 area | 475 km2 |
| 2022 area | 472 km2 (8th) |
| HQ | County Hall, Butetown, Cardiff |
| Chapman code | SGM |
| History | |
| Created | 1974 |
| Abolished | 1996 |
| Succeeded by | Cardiff Vale of Glamorgan Preserved county of South Glamorgan |
| 2022 population | 505,581 (2nd) |
Quick facts for kids Politics |
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|---|---|
| Governance | South Glamorgan County Council |
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| Subdivisions | |
| Type | Non-metropolitan districts |
| Units | 1. City of Cardiff 2. Vale of Glamorgan |
South Glamorgan (which is De Morgannwg in Welsh) is a special area in Wales. It's known as a preserved county. This means it's a historical area that still exists for certain purposes, like for official ceremonies, even though its local government has changed.
Contents
How South Glamorgan Was Formed
South Glamorgan was first created in 1974. This happened because of a law called the Local Government Act 1972. Before that, the area was part of different counties.
What Areas Made Up South Glamorgan?
When it was formed, South Glamorgan included:
- The city area of Cardiff.
- The southern part of a larger county called Glamorgan.
- A small parish (a type of local area) called St Mellons, which used to be in Monmouthshire.
Districts Within the County
These areas were then divided into two main parts, called districts:
- The City of Cardiff district.
- The Vale of Glamorgan district.
It was quite unusual for a county to have only two districts. Most other counties created at that time had more. Besides Cardiff, some of the other important towns in South Glamorgan included Barry, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major, and Penarth.
Local Government and Changes
For a while, the local government of South Glamorgan was managed by a few different groups. These included the South Glamorgan County Council, the Cardiff City Council, and the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council. Sometimes, they didn't always agree on everything!
When South Glamorgan Changed
In 1996, another law, the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, changed things again. South Glamorgan as a county council area was officially ended on April 1, 1996. The two districts, Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, then became their own independent local government areas, called unitary authorities. This means they manage all local services themselves.
New Boundaries for Areas
When these changes happened, both Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan also gained small parts of a nearby county called Mid Glamorgan.
- The Vale of Glamorgan received areas like Wick, St Brides Major, and Ewenny.
- Cardiff received Pentyrch and Creigiau.
Even though the county council was abolished, South Glamorgan still exists as a "preserved county." This means its boundaries have stayed the same since 1996, and it's still used for things like official royal visits or other special purposes.
