In many places the two communities are only separated by a few hundred yards and a couple of fields, although no direct road connections have been added entailing a roundabout car route of several miles via Llandough. The only existing direct road is the medieval and winding single track 'Cross Common Road'. Another traditional lane crossing that existed between the current site of "Tesco Express" and the current Erw Delyn school at Redlands Heights, Penarth was closed to through traffic following extensions to the Murch estate in the 1970s. According to the Environment Agency, in the October floods of 1998 only six properties at Dinas Powys were affected. Flooding was caused by the floodwater overtopping the banks of the Cadoxton River among others and ordinary watercourses, restrictions to flow in channels and surcharging of drains. The community (which includes St Andrews Major and Westra) elects a community council. Uniquely for this part of Wales, the community council was dominated by the Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru for over two decades. In the most recent (May 2008) elections, this dominance was reduced slightly, as the Conservative Party won four additional seats on the Community Council, all at the expense of Plaid Cymru, including the defeat of Chris Franks. An electoral ward in the same name exists, for elections to the County Council. This ward mainly covers Dinas Powys but also stretches north to Michaelston. The total population of this ward taken at the 2011 census was 7,799. Dinas Powys falls within the Vale of Glamorgan parliamentary constituency and is currently represented in the UK Parliament by Alun Cairns MP, a member of the Conservative Party. Jane Hutt, a resident of Barry, represents the Vale of Glamorgan in the National Assembly for Wales (Labour Party). Until May 2017 ward representatives to the Vale of Glamorgan Council were: Val Hartrey, Keith Hatton, Chris Franks (all members of Plaid Cymru) and Chris Williams (formerly a Plaid Cymru member, but now sitting as an Independent). In the May 2017 elections all four seats were won by the Conservatives, Vince Driscoll, Andy Robertson, Rob Crowley and Steve Griffiths. Losses were also seen in the community council for Plaid, as the Conservatives even more seats in those elections. The United Kingdom Census 2001 records the population as being 8,512. Electoral roll information since that date indicates the village now has a population of 8,790.