Rhondda Cynon Taf: History
The county borough was formed on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, by the merger of the former Mid Glamorgan districts of Rhondda, Cynon Valley and Taff-Ely (with the exceptions of Creigiau and Pentyrch, which were added to Cardiff). Its name reflects all these, and thus also the rivers Rhondda, Cynon and Taff. Pontypridd, a university and market town, is the principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf; situated 12 miles (19 km) north of the capital city of Cardiff. Pontypridd is often abbreviated Ponty by local residents.
The new county borough was described in the 1994 Act with different spellings in English and Welsh: Rhondda Cynon Taff (English) / Rhondda Cynon Taf (Welsh). In 1999, the council officially changed the borough's English language name to Rhondda Cynon Taf, allowing the same spelling to be used in both languages.
Some of Wales' most notorious unsolved murders occurred in Rhondda Cynon Taf in 1993, the murders of Harry and Megan Tooze in Llanharry.