Until 1974, Wales was divided into
civil parishes. These were abolished by section 20 (6) of the
Local Government Act 1972, and replaced by communities by section 27 of the same Act. The
principal areas of Wales are divided entirely into communities. Unlike in England, where
unparished areas exist, no part of Wales is outside a community, even in
urban areas. At the
2001 United Kingdom census, there were 869 communities in Wales. 84 percent, or more than 730, have a council. The councils propose changes to the
Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, which prepares a report and makes recommendations to the
Welsh Government. If the Welsh Government accepts the recommendations, then it implements them using a
statutory instrument. For example, in 2016 four new communities were created in the
City and County of Cardiff. The legislation surrounding community councils in Wales has been amended significantly in the
Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 and the
Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011. ==See also==