It is bounded by Gabalfa and Birchgrove to the north; Plasnewydd and Adamsdown to the east; Butetown to the south; and Riverside to the west.

[5] Between 1974 and 1996 the Cathays ward was represented on Cardiff City Council by three councillors.

[6] These included Mike German, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council; and Derek Allinson, Lord Mayor in 1992.

The ward was represented mainly by the Labour Party, until 1983 when the Liberal Democrats, Mike German and Fred Hornblow, won two of the seats.

Each of the three councillors took turns to stand for re-election, on a three-yearly (later a nine-yearly) cycle.