For
local government, Wales is divided into 22 sub-divisions collectively called "principal areas" in the 1994 act. They may be styled as either a "county" or a "county borough". Each principal area is overseen by a "
principal council", which may also adopt their principal area style, being called a "county council" () or a "county borough council" (). Although four principal areas,
Cardiff,
Swansea,
Newport and
Wrexham, have since obtained
city status, therefore may style their principal councils as a "city council" instead. The names of the principal areas, in both English and Welsh, are set out in the 1994 amended version of the 1972 act, under Schedule 4. Section 74 of the 1972 act allows principal councils to change their names, if there is a two-third majority support for such in a specially convened meeting. Since their establishment, multiple councils have pursued a name change. Any notice of a name change has to be submitted to the
Welsh Ministers and the
Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. The 1972 changes were enacted in 1974 by the then
Conservative administration. The principal areas' councils are
unitary, and are sub-divided into
communities and
electoral wards. Some of the principal areas have
county borough status, a largely historical status that reflects their historical existence as major population centres. The changes were: •
Conwy from "Aberconwy and Colwyn" •
Isle of Anglesey from "Anglesey" •
Gwynedd from "Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire" •
Ceredigion from "Cardiganshire" Other simpler changes also took place such as: •
Neath Port Talbot from "Neath and Port Talbot" •
Rhondda Cynon Taf from "Rhondda, Cynon, Taff" or "Rhondda Cynon Taff" == History ==