{{Short description|Former district of Dyfed, Wales}} {{About|the local government district which existed from 1974 to 1996|other uses|Preseli Pembrokeshire (disambiguation)}} {{Redirect|Preseli|the racehorse|Preseli (horse)}} {{Infobox historic subdivision| |Name= Preseli Pembrokeshire<br>{{langx|cy|Preseli Sir Benfro}} |Map= Preseli Pembrokeshire au pays de Galles (1974-1996).svg |HQ= Haverfordwest |Status= District |Start= 1 April 1974 |End= 31 March 1996 |Replace= Pembrokeshire |Civic= 200px|arms of Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council }} '''Preseli Pembrokeshire''' ({{IPAc-en|lang|p|r|ə|'|s|ɛ|l|i}}, {{respell|prə|SEL|ee}}; {{langx|cy|Preseli Sir Benfro}}) was one of six local government districts of Dyfed in West Wales from 1974 to 1996. Until 1987 the name of the district was '''Preseli'''. The district took its name from the Preseli Hills.
==Creation== The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, from the following parts of the administrative county of Pembrokeshire:<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|year=1972|chapter=70|act=Local Government Act 1972|accessdate=31 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Districts in Wales (Names) Order 1973|year=1973|num=34|accessdate=31 July 2022}}</ref>
*Cemaes Rural District *Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District *Haverfordwest Municipal Borough *Haverfordwest Rural District *Milford Haven Urban District * Neyland 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.<ref name=Cambria>{{cite book |last1=Swales Barker |first1=Patricia |title=Haverfordwest through time |date=2013 |publisher=Amberley Publishing |location=Stroud |isbn=978-1-4456-1614-8 |page=54}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Preseli District Council |journal=London Gazette |date=9 May 1974 |issue=46285 |page=5687 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46285/page/5687 |access-date=31 July 2022 |quote=Preseli District Council, Cambria House, Haverfordwest, SA61 1TP}}</ref>
==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 of Pembrokeshire.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|year=1994|chapter=19|act=Local Government (Wales) Act 1994|accessdate=7 August 2022}}</ref> Cambria House temporarily served as the headquarters of the new Pembrokeshire County Council. A new County Hall was built adjoining Cambria House in 1999, and Cambria House was demolished the following year.<ref name=Cambria/>
==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 councillors.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Rallings |first1=Colin |last2=Thrasher |first2=Michael |title=Preseli Pembrokeshire Welsh District Council Elections Results 1973–1991 |publisher=The Elections Centre, Plymouth University |url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Preseli-Pembroke-1973-1991.pdf |access-date=31 July 2022}}</ref><ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Preseli Pembrokeshire" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>
{| class="wikitable" ! colspan=2|Party in control || Years |- | {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || 1974–1996 |}
==Elections== * 1973 Preseli District Council election * 1976 Preseli District Council election * 1979 Preseli District Council election * 1983 Preseli District Council election * 1987 Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council election * 1991 Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council election
==See also== * Preseli Hills * Preseli Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency) * Preseli Pembrokeshire (Senedd constituency)
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Wales Districts}} {{Pembrokeshire elections}} {{Dyfed elections}}
{{Coord|51.941|-4.961|display=title|region:GB_scale:100000}}
Category:Dyfed Category:Districts of Wales abolished in 1996 Category:1974 establishments in Wales