Preseli Pembrokeshire (, ; cy, Preseli Sir Benfro) was one of six local government districts of Dyfed in

West Wales West Wales ( cy, Gorllewin Cymru) is not clearly defined as a particular region of Wales. Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, which historically comprised the Welsh principality of ''Deheuba ...

from 1974 to 1996. Until 1987 the name of the district was Preseli. The district took its name from the

Preseli Hills The Preseli Hills or, as they are known locally and historically, Preseli Mountains, (Welsh: ''Mynyddoedd y Preseli / Y Preselau'' , ) is a range of hills in western Wales, mostly within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The range stret ...

Creation

The district was formed 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 ...

, from the following parts of the administrative county of

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 ...

: *

Cemaes Rural District Cemaes Rural District was an administrative subdivision of Pembrokeshire, Wales from 1934 to 1974. Name The district's name is that of its northernmost point, the promontory Cemaes Head, though it may also hark back to the Cantref of Cemais, wh ...

* Fishguard and Goodwick

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 ...

* Haverfordwest

Municipal Borough Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002. Broadly similar structures existed in S ...

* Haverfordwest Rural District *

Milford Haven Milford Haven ( cy, Aberdaugleddau, meaning "mouth of the two Rivers Cleddau") is both a town and a community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, an estuary forming a natural harbour that has ...

Urban District *

Neyland Neyland is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, lying on the River Cleddau and the upstream end of the Milford Haven estuary. The Cleddau Bridge carrying the A477 links Pembroke Dock with Neyland. Etymology The name of the town is ...

Urban District In 1981, a further 11 communities were transferred from South Pembrokeshire district.

Premises

The council's main offices were at Cambria House on Salutation Square in Haverfordwest, which had been built in 1965 as the headquarters of one of the council's predecessors, the Haverfordwest Rural District Council.

Abolition

On 1 April 1996 the district was abolished by the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, merging with its neighbour South Pembrokeshire to become a reconstituted

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

. Cambria House temporarily served as the headquarters of the new

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 ...

. A new County Hall was built adjoining Cambria House in 1999, and Cambria House was demolished the following year.

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. Throughout the council's existence a majority of the seats were held by

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

councillors.

Elections

1973 Preseli District Council election The first election to Preseli District Council was held in April 1973. It was followed by the 1976 election. On the same day there were elections to the other local authorities and community councils in Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a c ...

1976 Preseli District Council election An election to Preseli District Council was held in May 1976. It was preceded by the 1973 election and followed by the 1979 election. On the same day there were elections to the other local authorities and community councils in Wales Wale ...

1979 Preseli District Council election An election to Preseli District Council was held in May 1979. It was preceded by the 1976 election and followed by the 1983 election. On the same day there was a UK General Election and elections to the other local authorities and community coun ...

1983 Preseli District Council election An election to Preseli District Council was held in May 1983. It was preceded by the 1979 election and followed by the 1987 election (the authority having changed its name). On the same day there were elections to the other local authorities and ...

1987 Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council election An election to Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council was held in May 1987. It was preceded by the 1983 election and followed by the 1991 election. On the same day there were elections to the other local authorities and community councils in Wales ...

1991 Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council election An election to Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council was held in May 1991. The Independent councilors retained the vast majority of seats. It was preceded by the 1987 election and followed, after local government re-organization, by the 1995 Pembr ...

References