Dyfed County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir Dyfed) was the

county council A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries. Ireland The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irela ...

of the non-metropolitan county of

Dyfed Dyfed () is a preserved county in southwestern Wales. It is a mostly rural area with a coastline on the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel. Between 1974 and 1996, Dyfed was also the name of the area's county council and the name remains in use f ...

in south west Wales. It operated between 1974 and 1996. The county council was based at County Hall,

Carmarthen Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, ...

History

Dyfed County Council 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 ...

. It took over the functions of the three previous county councils which had covered the area:

Cardiganshire Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cere ...

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...

, and

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

. Dyfed County Council was abolished under the

Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (c. 19) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which amended the Local Government Act 1972 to create the current local government structure in Wales of 22 unitary authority areas, referred to as ...

, being replaced on 1 April 1996 by three unitary authorities:

Carmarthenshire County Council Carmarthenshire County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin) is the local authority for the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It provides a range of services including education, planning, transport, social services and public safety. The counc ...

Ceredigion County Council Ceredigion County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir Ceredigion) is the governing body for the county of Ceredigion, since 1996 one of the unitary authorities of Wales. The council's main offices are in Aberaeron. History The current council was created ...

, and

Pembrokeshire County Council Pembrokeshire County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir Penfro) is the governing body for Pembrokeshire, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. Political control The first election to the council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authorit ...

. These corresponded to the former counties which had been abolished 22 years earlier. The area of Dyfed became a

preserved county The preserved counties of Wales are the eight current areas used in Wales for the ceremonial purposes of lieutenancy and shrievalty. They are based on the counties created by the Local Government Act 1972 and used for local government and othe ...

, being used for some ceremonial purposes, but no longer having a county council.

Political control

The first election to the county council was held in April 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1974. The vast majority of the councillors elected in 1973 were members of one of the three previous county councils. At the 1977 election, Plaid Cymru gained some ground although not to the extent that was seen in parts of the South Wales valleys in that year. Political control of the council from 1974 until its abolition in 1996 was held by the following parties:

Elections

* 1973 Dyfed County Council election * 1977 Dyfed County Council election * 1981 Dyfed County Council election * 1985 Dyfed County Council election * 1989 Dyfed County Council election *

1993 Dyfed County Council election The sixth and final election to Dyfed County Council was held in May 1993. It was preceded by the 1989 election. In 1995 Welsh local government reorganization led to the abolition of the authority. Overview The Independents remained the larges ...

Premises

The council inherited several offices from its three predecessor county councils, including the three former county councils' main offices, being

Swyddfa'r Sir Swyddfa'r Sir ( en, County office) is a Grade II listed former hotel, former main offices of Ceredigion County Council and former Magistrates Court building located in Aberystwyth, well known as the outside of the police station in the BBC Wales po ...

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

from Cardiganshire, County Hall, Carmarthen from Carmarthenshire, and the County Offices on St Thomas Green in

Haverfordwest Haverfordwest (, ; cy, Hwlffordd ) is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire with a population of 14,596 in 2011. It is also a community, being the second most populous community in the county, ...

from Pembrokeshire. County Hall in Carmarthen served as Dyfed County Council's headquarters throughout its existence, with the other offices serving as area offices.Shrewsbury, Hereford and Mid Wales Telephone Directory, 1975, page 85, Dyfed County Council: Area Office, Swyddfa' Sir, Aberystwyth

References

{{Dyfed elections, state=collapsed 1974 establishments in Wales 1996 disestablishments in Wales

County Council A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries. Ireland The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irela ...

County councils of Wales