Bridgend County Borough Council

Bridgend County Borough Council Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr
Type
Type	Unitary authority
History
Founded	1 April 1996
Leadership
Mayor	Heather Griffiths, Labour since 15 May 2024[1]
Leader	John Spanswick, Labour since 15 May 2024
Chief Executive	Mark Shephard since 2 January 2019
Structure
Seats	51 councillors
Political groups	Administration (27)   Labour (27) Other parties (24)   Independent (22)   Plaid Cymru (1)   Conservative (1)
Length of term	5 years
Elections
Voting system	First-past-the-post
Last election	5 May 2022
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Civic Offices, Angel Street, Bridgend, CF31 4WB
Website
www.bridgend.gov.uk

Bridgend County Borough Council (Welsh: Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) is the governing body for Bridgend County Borough, one of the principal areas of Wales.

Bridgend County Borough and its council came into effect from 1 April 1996, following the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994. Bridgend County Borough Council largely replaced Ogwr Borough Council, though St Brides Major, Ewenny and Wick were transferred from Ogwr to the Vale of Glamorgan.

In November 2014 the council voted to propose a merger with the neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan Council, though this was rejected by the Welsh Government's Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews, as not meeting the criteria to be able to proceed.^[2]

The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2022 election.

The first election to the council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been held by the following parties:^[3]

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Bridgend, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2004 have been:^[4]

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections up to March 2024, the composition of the council was:^[7][8]

Thirteen of the independent councillors form the "Bridgend County Independents" group. Plaid Cymru and six of the independent councillors sit together as the "Democratic Alliance". The other three independent councillors do not belong to a group.^[9] The next election is due in 2027.

Since 2012, elections take place every five years.

Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.

Prior to the May 2008 elections Bridgend Council was run by a coalition of Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Plaid Cymru and Independent councillors. After the election the leadership returned to the Labour Party, led by councillor Mel Nott.^[10]

The council elections on 5 May 2017 saw Labour lose its majority control of the council with, for example, three of the four Brackla seats being taken by the Conservatives from Labour. Keith Edwards and Ross Thomas, who'd been deselected by Labour for voting against the proposed local authority merger, won as Independents in Maesteg.^[11]

In May 2022, Labour regained a majority and control of the council,^[12] though their majority was reduced following the Bridgend Central by-election on 11 August.^[13]

The council is based at the Civic Offices on Angel Street in Bridgend, on the banks of the River Ogmore (Welsh: Afon Ogwr). The building was built in 1986 for the council's predecessor, Ogwr Borough Council.^[14]

Prior to May 2022, the county borough was divided into 39 electoral wards.

Since the 2022 local elections the county borough has been divided into 28 electoral wards electing 51 councillors.^[15] Some communities also have their own elected council and community wards. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated community wards. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':

* = Communities which elect a community council

• Ogwr Borough Council

• Bridgend County Borough Council