Constituency
The Aberavon
constituency stretches from the Bristol Channel in the south to the upper
end of the Afan Valley in the north and from Kenfig Dunes in the east to
Crymlyn Burrows in the west.
It, and the neighbouring Assembly and Parliamentary constituencies of Neath, constitute the County Borough Council of Neath Port Talbot. The number of electors in the Aberavon constituency is 49,000.
The
constituency is a good place for business with a long industrial history.
While the massive Corus steel
plant continues to employ over 3,000 people at Margam, most industrial
activity is located at the western end of Port Talbot where the Baglan
Industrial Estate and the new flagship Baglan
Energy Park are located.
At the eastern end of the constituency the industrial reclamation work at Llandarcy is already leading to new leisure and business opportunities which are expected to grow over the next five to ten years. And in the short to medium term, the development of the bye pass Road in Port Talbot promises to open up the old docklands area for reclamation and development. The internet retailer Amazon now has a base in Aberavon. The company has chosen Aberavon to house its massive warehousing facility which is located in the Jersey Marine area of the constituency. The Amazon site is extremely large and will employ 1200 people.
Aberavon
is not just about industry. The seafront stretches from Kenfig Dunes to
Crymlyn Burrows and incorporates the large sandy beach at Aberavon. Set
in picturesque wooded surroundings Margam Castle, the Orangery and Margam
Abbey are very popular visitor destinations. In the Upper Afan
Valley, the Afan Forest Park is developing a growing reputation for mountain
biking, walking and a variety of other outdoor pursuits. It also is home
to the Welsh
Miners Museum.
Aberavon is in the Welsh EU Objective One area. In addition six of the thirteen electoral ward in the constituency are part of the National Assembly's Communities First programme. The challenge for social and economic renewal is a major one throughout the constituency.
In responding to the this challenge Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council and it's partner organisations have all developed a reputation for innovation and excellence in their particular fields of responsibility. Links to the partner organisations can be found on the links page.
In the sporting area Aberavon RFC plays in the Heineken League Division One. It has topped the Division on two occasions and there is a continuing sense of injustice that this has not led to an automatic promotion to the very top flight. Port Talbot is the only town in Wales to boasts two League of Wales Premier sides, Port Talbot FC and Afan Lido. The constituency is also home to three other League of Wales sites from lower divisions - Briton Ferry FC, Goytre FC and Gwynfi United. Cwmavon Hornets has an outstanding reputation in amateur boxing and produces a regular stream of Welsh champions and representatives. The constituency is home to a number of boxing clubs which regularly produce a stream of Welsh internationals.
In
the cultural field the Princess
Theatre, Port Talbot has hosted many outstanding events. There
are a number of choirs in the area including Cor Meibion Aberavon, Cwmavon
and Glyncorrwg Ladies Choir. The amateur operatic societies at Briton Ferry
and Margam continue to flourish and put on annual performances that are
invariably well received. The Port
Talbot Little Theatre and the Little Owl Theatre Group are also
important parts of the constituencie's varied cultural life.
Aberavon is seen as a Labour heartland constituency. Briton Ferry had one of the very first Independent Labour Party branches in Wales and ever since the election of Ramsey McDonald to Parliament in 1919, the constituency has had a Labour MP. Lord John Morris represented the constituency for 42 years and served as Minister for Defence, Secretary of State for Wales and Attorney General. The present MP is the trade union and labour historian Dr. Hywel Francis.