Aberystwyth Town Council

Local council in Ceredigion, Wales

Aberystwyth Town Council

Type
Type|

Town council

Leadership

Mayor

Maldwyn Pryse

Deputy Mayor

Emlyn Jones

Structure
Seats| 19

Political groups

|  Plaid Cymru (12)
Liberal Democrats (2)
Labour Party (1)
Independent (2)
Elections

Last election

| 5 May 2022

Next election

| 5 May 2027
Meeting place
Siambr-y-Cyngor, 11 Baker Street, Aberystwyth, SY23 2BJ.
Website
www.aberystwyth.gov.uk

Aberystwyth Town Council (Welsh: Cyngor Tref Aberystwyth) is the community council that governs the ancient borough, town and community of Aberystwyth. For electoral purposes, it is divided into five electoral divisions (often known as wards).

## Background

[edit]

The council appoints a chairman as its presiding officer who is then known as the Mayor of Aberystwyth. The Town Council is now a statutory body, but it also holds the town's Borough Charter in trust, granted by King Edward I on 28 December 1277 and confirmed by successive monarchs,[1] resulting in the members also being charter trustees. Since the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 came into force, Aberystwyth's status as a borough has been wholly ceremonial. The Local Government Act 1972 (in force from 1 April 1974) prevents the town council being known in name as a borough council as previously, although the town councillors as charter trustees can still, for example, take part in all of the ceremonial activities (wearing civic outfits), elect mayors (who can wear the chain of office) and organise markets (according to the original royal charter). The current mayor of Aberystwyth is Maldwyn Pryse; the Deputy Mayor for 2024-25 is Emlyn Jones.[2]

Aberystwyth council wards.

Aberystwyth Town Council comprises five wards - Bronglais, Central, North, Penparcau and Rheidol \- electing between three and five town councillors each.

Clockwise, from the north, it borders the communities of Tirymynach, Faenor, Llanbadarn Fawr and Llanfarian.

## Current composition

[edit]

2023

Group affiliation  | Members

| Plaid Cymru
| 13
| Liberal Democrats | 2
| Labour
| 2
| Independent
| 2
| vacant seat
| 0
Total
| 19

## Election history

[edit]

Aberystwyth Town Council is made up of 19 councillors elected from the five wards. The most recent elections were held in 2022. Plaid Cymru have an overall majority. There are currently 2 vacancies for the Council, in Central and Rheidol Ward (22/5/24).

### 2022 election

[edit]

The 2022 Aberystwyth Town Council elections were held alongside the elections for elections for Ceredigion County council on 5 May 2022. All 14 seats from the Bronglais, Central, North and Rheidol wards were up for election. There was no election in the Penparcau ward as there were only 2 candidates for the 5 seats representing the ward. The election resulted in 12 seats for Plaid Cymru, 2 for Labour, 1 for Liberal Democrats and 3 vacant seats.

Ward  | Party  | Town councillors elected 2022[3]

|
|

Bronglais  |  | Plaid Cymru | Talat Chaudhri
| Plaid Cymru | Lucy Huws
| Plaid Cymru | Mari Turner
| Plaid Cymru | Alun Williams
Central  |  | Plaid Cymru | Owain Hughes
| Plaid Cymru | Emlyn Wyn Jones
| Plaid Cymru | Sienna Quinn Lewis
North  |  | Plaid Cymru | Maldwyn Pryse
| Plaid Cymru | Jeff Smith
| Plaid Cymru | Mark Antony Strong
Penparcau |  | Independent | Steve Davies
| Labour | Dylan Lewis-Rowlands
| Plaid Cymru | Carl Worrall (co-opted)
| Liberal Democrats | Bryony Davies (co-opted)
| Independent | Connor Edwards (co-opted)
Rheidol |  | Liberal Democrats | Mair Benjamin
| Plaid Cymru | Brian Davies
| Plaid Cymru | Kerry Elizabeth Ferguson
| Labour Co-op | Matthew Norman

### 2017 election

[edit]

The 2017 Aberystwyth town council elections were held alongside the elections for Ceredigion County council on 4 May 2017. All 19 seats were up for election, which resulted in the election of 11 councillors for Plaid Cymru, 6 for the Welsh Liberal Democrats and 2 Welsh Labour councillors.[4] One seat became vacant in May 2017, reducing the number held by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to 5.[5] This position was filled by Brendan Somers in September 2017, bringing the total number of Plaid councillors up to 12.[6] However, Councillor Brendan Somers resigned from Plaid Cymru on 30 April 2019 and now sits as an independent.

Ward  | Party  | Town councillors elected 2017[7]

|
|

Bronglais  |  | Plaid Cymru | Alun Williams
| Plaid Cymru | Susan Jane Jones-Davies
| Plaid Cymru | Endaf Edwards
| Plaid Cymru | Lucy Huws
Central  |  | Liberal Democrats | David Lees
| Liberal Democrats | Emily Price (deceased 12 May 2017)
| Liberal Democrats | Michael Chappell
North  |  | Plaid Cymru | Mark Strong
| Plaid Cymru | Talat Chaudhri
| Plaid Cymru | Sara Hammel
Penparcau |  | Plaid Cymru | Steve Davies
| Plaid Cymru | Dylan Lewis
| Liberal Democrats | Charlie Kingsbury
| Labour | Alex Mangold
| Liberal Democrats | Brenda Haines
Rheidol |  | Liberal Democrats | Mair Benjamin
| Labour | Claudine Young
| Plaid Cymru | Rhodri Francis
| Plaid Cymru | Mari Turner

### 2012 election

[edit]

The 2012 Aberystwyth town council elections were held alongside the elections for Ceredigion County council on 3 May 2012. All 19 seats were up for election.[8] The 2012 elections had previously resulted in 11 councillors for Plaid Cymru, 5 for the Welsh Lib Democrats and 3 independents. Lucy Teresa Huws (Plaid Cymru) was elected for Bronglais Ward in November 2013,[9] replacing Christopher Griffiths. Brendan Somers (Plaid Cymru) joined for Central Ward in January 2014,[10] replacing Carys Morgan (resigned 2013), and Dr Talat Zafar Chaudhri (Plaid Cymru) joined for Penparcau in September 2015,[11] replacing Dylan Lewis (resigned 2015). There were subsequently 12 councillors for Plaid Cymru, 4 for the Welsh Liberal Democrats and 3 independents for the remainder of the term.

Ward  | Party  | Town councillors elected 2012

|
|

Bronglais  |  | Plaid Cymru | Alun Williams
| Plaid Cymru | Susan Jane Jones-Davies
| Plaid Cymru | Endaf Edwards
| Plaid Cymru | Christopher Griffiths
Central  |  | Liberal Democrats | Ceredig Davies
| Liberal Democrats | Sarah Bowen
| Plaid Cymru | Carys Morgan
North  |  | Plaid Cymru | Mark Strong
| Independent | Aled Davies
| Plaid Cymru | Jeff Smith
Penparcau |  | Plaid Cymru | Steve Davies
| Independent | Dylan Lewis
| Plaid Cymru | Mererid Jones
| Plaid Cymru | Kevin Price
| Liberal Democrats | Brenda Haines
Rheidol  |  | Liberal Democrats | Wendy Morris-Twiddy
| Plaid Cymru | Brian Davies
| Liberal Democrats | Mair Benjamin (resigned from the Liberal Democrats on 15 May 2012[12])
| Independent | Martin Shewring

### 2008-2012 by-elections

[edit]

By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Result | Candidate | Reason[13]

|
|
|
|
|

Rheidol  | 18 September 2008  |  | Liberal Democrats |  | Liberal Democrats | Martin Shewring  | Resignation of Elian Lorrae Jones-Southgate
Penparcau  | 18 September 2008  |  | Independent |  | Plaid Cymru | Owain Jones  | Death of Owen Jones
Central  | 25 November 2010  |  | Liberal Democrats |  | Liberal Democrats | Ceredig Davies  | Resignation of Trevor Shaftoe
Rheidol  | 4 August 2011  |  | Liberal Democrats |  | Liberal Democrats | Wendy Morris-Twiddy  | Resignation of Martin Shewring

### 2008 election

[edit]

In the 2008 elections, 9 seats were won by Plaid Cymru, 6 by the Welsh Liberal Democrats, 2 by independents, 1 by Welsh Labour and 1 by the Green Party.[14]

Ward  | Party  | Town councillors elected 2008

|
|

Bronglais  |  | Plaid Cymru | Alun Williams
| Plaid Cymru | Susan Jane Jones-Davies
| Plaid Cymru | Aled Davies
| Plaid Cymru | Ann-Marie Hinde
Central  |  | Liberal Democrats | Alec Dauncey
| Plaid Cymru | Lyn Lewis Dafis
| Liberal Democrats | Trevor Graham Shaftoe
North  |  | Green | Christopher Guy Borrill Simpson
| Plaid Cymru | Mark Strong
| Plaid Cymru | Dafydd Wyn Thomas
Penparcau |  | Plaid Cymru | Rob Gorman
| Independent | Goronwy Edwards
| Plaid Cymru | Steve Davies
| Independent | Owen Jones
| Labour | Richard Boudier
Rheidol  |  | Liberal Democrats | Elian Lorrae Jones-Southgate
| Liberal Democrats | Sam Hearne
| Liberal Democrats | Mair Benjamin
| Liberal Democrats | Ceri Meehan

## Mayoral history

[edit]

Year | Name[15] | Party | Notes

|
|
|

2022-23  | Talat Chaudhri  |  | Plaid Cymru |
2021-22  | Alun Williams  |  | Plaid Cymru |
2020-21  | Charlie Kingsbury  |  | Liberal Democrats |
2019-20  | Mari Rhian Turner  |  | Plaid Cymru |
2018-19  | Talat Zafar Chaudhri  |  | Plaid Cymru | First Pakistani Punjabi and ethnic minority mayor of Aberystwyth.
2017-18  | Steve Davies  |  | Plaid Cymru | Elected as Plaid Cymru mayoral candidate and mayor-elect.
2016-17  | Brendan Somers  |  | Plaid Cymru | Lost seat at election held on 4 May 2017
2015-16  | Endaf Edwards  |  | Plaid Cymru |
2014-15  | Brenda Haines  |  | Liberal Democrats |
2013-14  | Wendy Morris-Twiddy  |  | Liberal Democrats |
2012-13  | Dylan Wilson-Lewis  |  | Labour |
2011-12  | Richard Boudier  |  | Labour | General election candidate for Ceredigion UK parliamentary constituency
2010-11  | Samantha Hearne  |  | Liberal Democrats |
2009-10  | Trevor Shaftoe  |  | Liberal Democrats |
2008-09  | Susan Jones-Davies |  | Plaid Cymru |
2007-08  | Lorrae Jones-Southgate  |  | Liberal Democrats | Resigned June 2008.[16]
2006-07  | Michael Jones  |  | Plaid Cymru |
2005-06  | Aled Davies  |  | Plaid Cymru |
2004-05  | John T. James  |  | Plaid Cymru | Independent from March 2005. |
2003-04  | John T. James  |  | Plaid Cymru |
2002-03  | Carol Kolczak  |  | Liberal Democrats |
2000-01  | Jaci Taylor  |  | Plaid Cymru |
1999-00  | Siôn Jobbins  |  | Plaid Cymru |
1998-99  | Graham T. Parry  |  | Liberal Democrats |
1997-98  | Elin Jones |  | Plaid Cymru |
1996-97  | Carol Kolczak  |  | Liberal Democrats |
1995-96  | Hywel Jones  |  | Independent | Removed from office February 1996.
1994-95  | Bob Griffin  |  | Liberal Democrats | Husband of Rose Simpson.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Jones, Howard C. "History of the Borough". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
2. ^ "Mayor of Aberystwyth". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
3. ^ "Town and Community Council Elections 2022". Ceredigion County Council. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
4. ^ Betteley, Chris. "Outgoing mayor of Aberystwyth loses council seat". Cambrian News. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
5. ^ Betteley, Chris. "Shock death of new Aberystwyth town councillor, 22". Cambrian News. Retrieved 23 June 2017.
6. ^ "Aberystwyth Council Minutes". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
7. ^ "Town and Community Council Elections 2017". Ceredigion County Council. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
8. ^ "Town & Community Councils Elections 2012 - RESULTS". Ceredigion County Council. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
9. ^ Williams, Alun. "By-election to Aberystwyth Town Council". Alun Williams' Blog. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
10. ^ "Aberystwyth Council Minutes". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
11. ^ "Aberystwyth Council Minutes". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
12. ^ Cambrian News (Aberystwyth) published Wednesday 16/05/2012
13. ^ Williams, Alun. "Plaid Win Another-By-election". Alun Williams' Blog. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
14. ^ Ceredigion County Council Archived June 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Community Council Election Results 2008.
15. ^ "Town Council". Press Cuttings. Ceredigion County Council. Archived from the original on 4 September 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
16. ^ "Aber mayor quits over by-election". BBC News. Retrieved 2 April 2012.

## External links

[edit]

* Aberystwyth Town Council