Pre 1974 (the Maud reorganisation) it was Flintshire, Denbighshire and Caernarfonshire. Each having their own Social Services Department. I worked for Flintshire in the Rhyl Office and the North Wales Hospital, Denbigh. When they smelted Flintshire and Denbighshire into Clwyd they moved me to the Colwyn Bay office where, latterly, I had to deputise in the Juvenile Courts. Goodworking relationship with Llandudno Probation which was an effective organisation then. Clwyd's standards of Social Service were absolute crap and they had an unheathily close relationship with the police (I was hauled up in front of the Deputy Director for disrespect for the police). See the findings of the Inquiry into Child Abuse in North Wales for more information. I sent in written evidence to the Inquiry and shortly afterwards, from the police, got a false allegation of indecent assault of a boy (which was eventually dismissed by the Chief Inspector of Police). I can't prove any connection with these but I'm personally convinced there was.
If the counties had remained as smaller administrative units, Denbighshire would have only played a minor part (unless the Freemasonry variable had been fully exposed).