Elgan Hearn Local Democracy Reporter

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Elgan Hearn Local Democracy Reporter I am the Local Democracy Reporter covering Powys and Blaenau Gwent.

07/06/2022

Sorry for lack of posts - been on hols - a few from a couple of weeks ago will be published imminently!

11/05/2022

9TH MAY 2022 BY ELGAN HEARN
POWYS: Progressive coalition expected
BY the time the Powys County Council annual general meeting (AGM) comes round later this month, residents will know the make-up of the ruling administration.

By then it seems likely that the new coalition made up of Liberal Democrats, Labour and a few others will have been finalised.

Probable council leader and Liberal Democrat group leader the biggest group at Powys, Cllr James Gibson-Watt confirmed that discussion with potential coalition partners are taking place but did not want to give too much away at the moment.

Cllr Gibson-Watt said: “Negotiations are underway and I’m confident that we’ll be able to form an administration in good time for the AGM.

“I’d rather keep it confidential for the moment, but I do think we’ll be able to put together a very good administration.”

Cllr Gibson-Watt did confirm that the Conservative group would not be part of the administration as they are “too far apart on too many things”.

“It wouldn’t work on either side, ” said Cllr Gibson-Watt.

Cllr Gibson-Watt added that there would be a Lib Dem group meeting on Monday night to further discuss the situation.

Labour group leader Cllr Matthew Dorrance said: “I have spoken to James; discussions are ongoing and there’s more work to do – we plan to talk again.

“It is hoped we will have a functioning administration by the annual meeting.”

With Labour likely to bring nine councillors to the coalition the figures go up to 33 of 68 councillors, tantalisingly short of an outright majority.

To get to the magic number of 35, it is expected that the Lib Dems will ask the Green Party’s new councillor, Jeremy Thorp to come on board.

But getting any more councillors to join them will depend on what happens to the bloc of 17 independent councillors that were voted on to the council.

It is expected that the 17 will fragment into smaller groups – one of which would join the coalition.

Powys Conservative group leader, Cllr Aled Davies, said: “I’m not expecting to be part of the cabinet in the near future.

“I have congratulated James (Gibson-Watt) and I am a bit worried with what the Liberal Democrats promised on the campaign trail and that it will be impossible to realise, and I want to make sure schools will get the investment they need.

“We did reasonably well in Montgomeryshire we returned the same numbers that we had in 2017 and were one vote away from gaining another ward.

“The performance in Brecon and Radnorshire was disappointing with only one member being elected, but the Independent group received the biggest hit.”

“We want to be a constructive opposition and will be working to make sure the people of Powys receive improving and the best services possible.”

The annual meeting is pencilled into the council calendar for Thursday, May 26.

11/05/2022

9TH MAY 2022 BY ELGAN HEARN
POWYS: 2022 election roundup
POWYS residents voted for change at the 2022 local government elections as the Liberal Democrats emerged as the strongest political group and party in the county.

But, Friday’s election county held at the Royal Welsh Showground in Llanelwedd saw results which paint different pictures in the old shires of Brecon and Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire.

The early announcements saw the Liberal Democrats take an early lead in the results table as they totted up win after win.

Scalps including that Rosemarie Harris, Powys council leader for the previous five years.

As counting continued into the afternoon, the results in Montgomeryshire saw the Conservatives recover and make their own gains.

The pattern of results, saw a distinct move away from independent candidates as their numbers fell from the 30 elected in 2017 to 17 in 2022.

Former council leader, Rosemarie Harris believed that this was down to changes to the boundary, which now see eight multi-member wards electing two councillors in many of the Powys towns, and also wards being merged to create much larger ones.

Mrs Harris said: “There are a number of strong characters in there, they will elect a good leader, I’m more concerned that there won’t be a group strong enough to take the lead, so there will have to be some sort of coalition, I just hope they choose wisely.”

When asked if the boundary changes had affected the independent candidates, Mrs Harris agreed and said: “That’s true, it’s not just the boundaries, the political parties have such a party machine behind them.

“I had many people in my ward most days, and it’s difficult for one individual to compete with that.

“That’s the challenge of being independent, and I still believe being independent is best at this level of politics.”

Several of the previous cabinet members, lost their wards.

High profile Myfanwy Alexander who held the Adult Social Care, Welsh language and previously Education portfolios during the last administration whose previous Banwy wards had become part of a larger area came in last in her election.

Conservative Phyl Davies -the former education portfolio holder who has spearhead the Schools Transformation Strategy that has seen decision made to close a number of wards.

His ward of Llangurig disappeared in the boundary shake up – and he failed to grab one of the two seats on offer in newly-created Llanidloes multi-member ward.

The same fate befell Rachel Powell – the former Children’s Services portfolio holder who had represented Beguildy and stood as a candidate in the newly created Ithon Valley ward.

Environment portfolio holder Heulwen Hulme held on to her seat in Rhiwcynon by just eight votes, with only former corporate services portfolio holder, Beverley Baynham enjoying a substantial win in Presteigne.

With the loss of Mrs Harris, the 17 independent councillors, which include elements from both the previous big Independent group and the smaller Action for Powys, will need to decide whether to form one group, or several as well as choose a new leader.

While the Liberal Democrats added another 11 wards to the 13 they won in 2017, and the number of Conservatives on the council fell from 20 to 14, both Labour and Plaid Cymru can claim moderate successes.

Labour gained two extra councillors from 2017 – to take them up to a total of nine councillors, while Plaid Cymru won an extra seat to go up to three.

The Green Party who had one councillor elected in 2017, also returned one this year.

Now that the results are known, no group or party reached the magic 35 of 68 councillors needed to form an administration.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service, understands that discussions to form a coalition to run Powys County Council started on Sunday, May 8.

The results are:

Liberal Democrat – 24
Independent – 17
Conservative – 14
Labour – 9
Plaid Cymru – 3
Green Party – 1

11/05/2022

10TH MAY 2022 BY ELGAN HEARN
BLAENAU GWENT: Full election results
FOLLOWING last Thursday’s election here is a full list of all those that were elected.

Abertillery and Six Bells – elected three councillors:

Keith Chaplin – Welsh Labour – 867- elected

Martin John Cook – Independent – 532

Nigel Daniels – Independent – 712

Julie Holt – Independent – 737 – elected

Ross Leadbeater – Welsh Labour – 835 – elected

Josh Rawcliffe – Independent – 303

Beaufort – elected three councillors:

Stewart Healy – Independent – 645

Greg Paulsen – 543

Chris Smith – Welsh Labour – 842 – elected

Godfrey Thomas – Independent – 845 – elected

Dean Woods – Welsh Labour – 906 – elected

Blaina – elected two councillors:

Des Hillman – Independent – 317

John Patrick Morgan – Independent – 722 – elected

Lisa Winnett – Welsh Labour – 770 – elected

Brynmawr – elect three councillors from:

David Cook – Independent – 397 –

Lyn Elias – 463

Jules Gardner – Welsh Labour – 600 – elected

John Hill – Independent – 504 – elected

Wayne Hodgins – Independent – 1207 – elected

Cwm – elected two councillor:

Derrick Bevan – Welsh Labour – 521 – elected

Gareth Davies – Independent – 295

Lucinda Mary Field – Welsh Conservative – 89

George Humphreys – Independent – 544 – elected

Ann Price – Green Party – 122

Nicola Jane Williams – Welsh Labour – 442

Cwmtillery – elected two councillors:

Liam Owen Anstey – Welsh Labour – 416

Andrew Boulton – Independent – 120

Malcolm Day – Independent – 537 – elected

Joanna Wilkins – Independent – 525 – elected

Sonia Wright – Welsh Labour – 400

Ebbw Vale North – elected two councillors:

Gemma Diane Badham – Welsh Labour – 427

Dai Davies – left blank – 441 – elected

Suzanne Jones – Independent – 286

Jen Morgan – Welsh Labour – 488 – elected

Bob Summers – 183

Ebbw Vale South – elected two councillors:

Carl Bainton – Independent – 385 – elected *Now joined Labour* 11/5/22

Sue Edmunds – Welsh Labour – 354 – elected

Adam King – Welsh Labour – 296

Jonathan David Millard – Independent – 320

Georgia Palfrey – Welsh Conservative – 97

Keith Clark Pritchard – Independent – 269

Georgetown – elected two councillors:

Andrew Benjamin Davies – Plaid Cymru – 404

John Morgan – Welsh Labour – 765 – elected

Jacqueline Thomas – Welsh Labour – 645 – elected

Llanhilleth – elected two councillors:

Gill Clark – Independent – 313

Helen Cunningham – Welsh Labour – 472 – elected

Cheryl Hucker – Welsh Labour – 407

Ben Owen-Jones – Plaid Cymru – 207

Barrie Page – Plaid Cymru – 119

Lee Parsons – Independent – 425 – elected

Nantyglo – elected two councillors:

Peter Baldwin – Welsh Labour- 639 – elected

Sonia Behr – Welsh Labour – 547 – elected

Keri Rowson – Independent – 405

Rassau & Garnlydan – elect two councillors from:

Gareth Alban Davies – Independent – 578 – elected

Phil Edwards – Independent – 394

David Wilkshire – Welsh Labour – 597 – elected

Sirhowy – elect three councillors from:

Malcolm Cross – Welsh Labour- 904- elected

Steve Gough – Independent – 491

Diane Rowberry – Welsh Labour – 879 – elected

Tommy Smith – Welsh Labour – 1,001 – elected

Brian Thomas – Independent – 436

Tredegar – elect three councillors from:

Gail Davies – Plaid Cymru – 282

Ellen Louise Jones – Welsh Labour – 608 – elected

Mandy Moore – Independent – 267

Matt Rees – Plaid Cymru – 220

Richard Sheehy – Plaid Cymru – 248

Steve Thomas – Welsh Labour – 691 – elected

Phillip Tolley – Welsh Conservative – 114

Haydn Leslie Trollope – Welsh Labour – 661 – elected.

Labour have regained the council and had 21 councillors elected.

There were also 12 Independent councillors elected.

11/05/2022

9TH MAY 2022 BY ELGAN HEARN
POW: B&R election results
These are the full results for the May 2022 local election for Powys County Council broken down to the Brecon and Radnorshire Parliamentary constituency area.

Aber-craf and Ystradgynlais – electing two councillors

Yvonne Abberley – Welsh Conservative – 130

Graham Anderson – Welsh Conservative – 117

Tristan Stuart Davies – 370

Justin David Horrell – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 314

Hugo Williams – Welsh Labour – 924

Sarah Louise Williams – Welsh Labour – 682

Brecon East – electing two councillors

Robert Craig Charlton – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 140

Nigel Enda Kilgallon – Independent – 181

Marianne Lewis – Welsh Conservative – 314

Dawn McIntosh – Welsh Conservative – 371

Andrew Powell – 258

Liz Rijnenberg – Welsh Labour – 909

Chris Walsh – Welsh Labour – 707

Brecon West – electing two councillors

Mathew James Dorrance – Welsh Labour and Cooperative Party – 1173

David Meredith – Welsh Labour and Cooperative Party – 999

Steve Morgans – Independent – 349

Martin Weale – Independent – 330

Bronllys and Felin-Fach

Thomas Joseph Colbert – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 278

Steve Thomas – Independent – 74

Paul Eric Charles Evans – Welsh Conservative – 153

Karen Laurie-Parry – Independent – 250

Tony Thomas – Independent – 88

Builth

Liam Hopkins – Welsh Conservative – 152

Ammi Kaur-Dhaliwal – Green Party – 88

Jeremy Pugh – Independent – 450

Susie Stockton Link – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 136

Crickhowell with Cwmdu and Tretower electing two councillors

Matt Beecham – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 725

Sarah-Jane Beecham – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 736

Sam Games – Welsh Conservative – 512

David Thomas – Welsh Conservative – 459

Cwm-twrch

Nigel Craddock – Welsh Conservative – 104

Sandra Christine Davies – Welsh Labour – 463

Disserth and Trecoed with Newbridge

Little Brighouse – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 290

Ray Johnson-Wood – Independent – 50

Dilys Price – Welsh Conservative – 215

Dorienne Robinson – Green Party – 108

Glasbury

Rhodri Boosey – Welsh Conservative – 300

James Gibson-Watt – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 561

Gwernyfed

Robert Golesworthy – Welsh Conservative – 188

William Lloyd – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 423

Hay

Gareth Ratcliffe – Welsh Liberal Democrat

Ithon Valley

Gareth Hughes – Welsh Conservative – 217

Geoff Morgan – Independent – 296

Rachel Powell – Independent – 176

Charlotte Elizabeth Spencer – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 92

Martin Weale – Independent – 253

Knighton with Beguildy – electing two councillors

Bob Andrews – Independent – 237

Chris Branford – Independent- Independent – 484

Corinna Esther Lucy Kenyon-Wade – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 566

Anthony Watts – Welsh Conservative – 426

Ange Williams – Independent – 490

Llanafanfawr with Garth

Bryan Davies – Independent – 371

Tim Wilson – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 269

Llandrindod North

Jake Berriman – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 408

Antony Swinbourne – Green Party – 25

Jon Williams – Independent – 159

Llandrindod South

Josie Ewing – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 634

Andrew Price – Independent – 463

Stuart Rawson – Welsh Conservative – 276

Pete Roberts – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 694

Llanelwedd

Jeremy Robert Andrews – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 199

Gareth Emlyn Jones – Independent – 505

Llangattock and Llangynidr

Jackie Charlton – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 541

Rosemarie Harris – Independent – 455

Llangors with Bwlch

Sian Bridget Nansi Cox – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 319

Melanie Jade Brookes Davies – Independent – 260

Matt Mackinnon – Welsh Conservative – 192

Mike Tunnicliffe – Independent – 54

Llangunllo with Norton

Nigel Bufton – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 303

Deb Edwards – Independent – 359

Paddy O’Kennedy – Welsh Conservative – 135

Llanwrtyd Wells

Peter Ronald James – Independent – 405

Martin Charles Piggott – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 296

Llanyre with Nantmel

Claire Mills – Independent – 386

Chris Newton – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 332

Maescar and Llywel

Roger Maidment – Welsh Labour – 73

Edwin Roderick – Independent – 490

Linda Christine Wickham – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 128

Old Radnor

Ben Asson – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 272

Edward Stuart Jones – Independent – 310

Michael McInnes – Welsh Conservative – 131

Presteigne

Leon Abecasis – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 106

Beverley Jayne Baynham – Independent – 527

Richard Crispin Shipp – Green Party – 100

Rhayader

Angela Davies – Welsh Liberal Democrats – 600

Jeremy Snook – Propel – Not Politics as usual – 74

Talgarth

William Denston Powell – Welsh Liberal Democrats – 588

Peter Graham Weavers – Welsh Conservative – 203

Talybont-on-Usk

Anita Louise Cartwright – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 236

Charles De Winton – Independent – 195

Judith Evans – Welsh Conservative – 206

Glasnant Morgan – 217

Tawe Uchaf

Arianwen Harris – Welsh Conservative – 156

David Arnold Thomas – Welsh Labour – 572

Ynyscedwyn

Susan McNicholas – Welsh Labour – 677

Peter Walsh – Welsh Conservative – 125

Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew

Raiff Devlin – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 354

Iain McIntosh – Welsh Conservative – 515

11/05/2022

9TH MAY 2022 BY ELGAN HEARN
POWYS: Monty election results
These are all the results for the Powys County Council election held on May 5 2022, and announced on Friday, May 6, broken down to the Montgomeryshire Parliamentary consitutency.

Banwy, Llanfihangel and Llanwddyn

Myfanwy Catherine Alexander – Independent – 214

Bryn Davies – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 437

Emyr Jones – Independent – 320

Berriew and Castle Caereinion

Dai Davies – Independent – 215

Richard John Derricutt – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 164

Adrian Jones – Welsh Conservative – 278

Caersws

Leslie Albert George – Welsh Conservative – 473

Mik Norman – Green Party – 237

Churchstoke

Danny Bebb – Welsh Liberal Democrats – 348

Michael John Jones – Independent – 105

Rachel Louise Jones – Welsh Conservative – 256

Dolforwyn

Alan Meredith-Jones – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 291

Gareth Michael Pugh – Welsh Conservative – 486

Forden and Montgomery

Rob Harper – Independent -313

Maurice Jones – Welsh Conservative – 243

Oliver Lewis – Independent – 107

Jeremy David Thorp – Green Party -333

Glantwymyn

Elwyn Vaughan – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales –

Guilsfield

Ian Harrison – Welsh Conservative – 370

Ewan Robert Smout – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 144

Llanbrynmair

Robert Jenkins – Welsh Conservative – 278

Gary Mitchel – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 307

Sarah Helen Reast – Independent – 253

Philip Smith – Independent – 27

Llandinam with Dolfor

Karl Lewis – Welsh Conservative

Llandrinio

David Markinson – Independent – 171

Lucy Margaret Roberts – Welsh Conservative – 434

Llandysilio

Evan Arwel Jones – Independent – 272

Bill Lee – Independent – 254

Llanfair Caereinion and Llanerfyl

Gareth Jones – Independent – 555

Paul Wixey – Welsh Labour – 152

Llanfyllin

Alison Alexander – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 241

Peter Edward Lewis – Welsh Conservative – 261

David Weston – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 81

Llangyniew and Meifod

Jane Louise Carrington – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 147

Ben Gwalchmai – Welsh Labour – 124

Sally Markinson – Independent – 33

Jonathan Wilkinson – Welsh Conservative – 366

Llanidloes

Zoe Allan – Welsh Labour – 279

Victoria Chapman – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 205

Graham Davies – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 290

Phyl Davies – Welsh Conservative – 355

John Raymond Dore – 42

Graham Maurice Jones – Independent – 589

Gareth Morgan – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 706

Glyn Preston – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 605

David Williams – Green Party – 114

Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and Llansilin

Aled Davies – Welsh Conservative

Llansantffraid

Gwynfor Thomas – Welsh Conservative

Kerry

Benjamin Breeze – Welsh Conservative – 340

Kath Roberts-Jones – Independent – 306

Newtown Central and South

Darryl Gwilt – Welsh Conservative – 240

Kelly Healy – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 500

Paul George Sawtell – Welsh Conservative – 155

David Mark Selby – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 554

Les Skilton – Independent – 212

Newtown East

Joy Jones – Independent

Newtown North

Adam Dale Kennerley – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 301

Jackie Molloy-Davies – Independent – 143

Dan Rowlands – Welsh Conservative – 300

Newtown West

Gill Bridgwater – Independent – 166

Peter Arthur Lewington – Welsh Conservative – 230

Harry Robson – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 166

Gillian Thurston – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 118

Machynlleth

Alwyn Evans – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 319

Mike Williams – Independent – 404

Robert George Williams – Independent – 35

Rhiwcynon

Linda Christine Bennett – Independent – 84

Heulwen Doreen Hulme – Independent – 436

Ann Jones – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 428

Julie Eve Moore – Freedom Alliance Supporting Medical Freedom – 18

Trelystan and Trewern

Amanda Jenner – Welsh Conservative – 367

Tim Saul – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 188

Welshpool Castle

Richard Wilfrid Church – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 246

Olly Edwards – Welsh Conservative – 66

Ian Parry – Welsh Labour – 78

Phil Pritchard – Independent – 124

Welshpool Gungrog

Ruth Canning – Welsh Conservative – 159

Luke Harper – Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales – 108

Carol Elaine Robinson – Welsh Liberal Democrat – 224

Welshpool Llanerchyddol

Graham Breeze – Independent

11/05/2022

Sorry - been a bit lazy with this during the past month - we'll start some posts with the council election results from both Powys and Blaenau Gwent.

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