Our Community Council is one of 735 community and town councils in Wales, representing the tier of government closest to the people. They cover approximately 94% of the land area and 70% of the population of Wales.

The communities they serve range from small rural settlements to large towns and their budgets vary accordingly.  However, what they all have in common is serving their communities and acting to improve the quality of life in their locality.  This is achieved through exercising a range of statutory powers and duties. An independent research study by Aberystwyth University identified 8 key benefits of community councils. These include the ability to represent local interests and being more able to respond quickly to issues. Community councils exist at a scale that reflects people’s patterns of social interaction and their identification with place. They can therefore act to facilitate community activities, organise and sponsor community events and promote community spirit and inclusiveness.

The authority of community councils comes from their electoral mandate. Unlike the officers of non-statutory community associations, community and town councillors are accountable to the local electorate and may be removed at election time. Furthermore, they are accountable to the whole community, not to a paid-up membership, and therefore have an incentive to engage with and represent all sectors of the community, not just those most predisposed to join local societies.

Community councils are responsible to their local electorates for delivering a wide range of services and for the provision and upkeep of local amenities. Each council is made up of elected members, or in some cases co-opted members.  Colwinston has 7 elected members. In Wales there are approximately 8000 community and town councillors, who represent the interests of the community they serve as a whole.  They are recognised as having a role in providing the voice of the citizen in the development and delivery of public services in Wales.

Colwinston Community Council was set up in 1974 by legislation and replaced the Colwinston Parish Council. Historically, parishes in their modern sense were established by the Local Government Act 1894. In the twenty first century the role of the local council is still very relevant to meet the needs of local people.

Un allan o 735 o gynghorau cymuned a thref yng Nghymru ydy ein Cyngor Cymuned ni, a dyma’r haen llywodraeth sydd agosaf at y bobl. Maen nhw i'w gael ar 94% o ardal Cymru, ac maen nhw’n cynrychioli 70% o'r boblogaeth Cymru.

Mae’r cymunedau a wasanaethir ganddynt yn amrywio o aneddiadau bach gwledig i drefi mawr, ac mae eu cyllidebau'n amrywio yn yr un modd.  Fodd bynnag, yr hyn sydd yn gyffredin iddynt i gyd yw gwasanaethau eu cymunedau a gweithredu i wella ansawdd bywyd yn eu hardaloedd.  Cyflawnir hyn trwy weithredu ystod o hawliau a dyletswyddau statudol. Mae astudiaeth ymchwil annibynnol gan Brifysgol Aberystwyth wedi canfod 8 mantais allweddol cynghorau cymuned. Maen nhw’n gallu ymateb yn fwy cyflym  i faterion. Mae cynghorau cymuned a thref yn bodoli ar raddfa sy’n adlewyrchu patrymau rhyngweithio cymdeithasol pobl a’r ffordd y maen nhw’n uniaethu â lle. Felly gallant hwyluso gweithgareddau cymunedol, trefnu a noddi digwyddiadau cymunedol a hyrwyddo ysbryd a chynwysoldeb cymunedol.

Mae awdurdod cynghorau cymuned a thref yn dod o’u mandad etholiadol. Yn wahanol i swyddogion cymdeithasau cymunedol anstatudol, mae cynghorwyr cymuned a thref yn atebol i’r etholwyr lleol a

gellir cael gwared â hwy adeg etholiad. Ar ben hynny, maen nhw’n atebol i’r gymuned gyfan, nid i aelodau llawn daledig, ac felly mae ganddynt gymhelliant dros gysylltu â holl sectorau’r gymuned a’u cynrychioli, nid dim ond y rhai sydd mwyaf tueddol o ymuno â chymdeithasau lleol.

Mae cynghorau cymuned a thref yn atebol i’w hetholwyr lleol am ddarparu ystod eang o wasanaethau, ac am ddarparu a chynnal mwynderau lleol. Cyfansoddir pob cyngor o aelodau etholedig, neu weithiau aelodau wedi’u cyfethol. Mae gan Dregolwyn 7 o aelodau etholedig. Yng Nghymru, mae oddeutu 8000 o gynghorwyr cymuned a thref, sy’n cynrychioli buddiannau’r gymuned y maen nhw’n ei gwasanaethu yn ei gyfanrwydd.  Cydnabyddir fod ganddynt swyddogaeth wrth roi llais i’r dinesydd wrth ddatblygu a darparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru.

Sefydlwyd Cyngor Cymuned Tregolwyn gan ddeddf ym 1974 gan ddisodli Cyngor Plwyf Tregolwyn.  Yn hanesyddol, sefydlwyd plwyfi yn eu hystyr modern gan Ddeddf Llywodraeth Leol 1894. Yn yr unfed ganrif ac ugain mae rôl y cyngor lleol yn parhau i fod yn berthnasol iawn i ddiwallu anghenion pobl leol.