Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Local government of Neath Port Talbot, Wales

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Bwrdeistref Sirol Castell-nedd Port Talbot

History
Founded| 1 April 1996
Preceded by| West Glamorgan County Council
Port Talbot
Neath
Lliw Valley (part)
Leadership

Leader

Steve Hunt,
Independent
since 7 June 2022[1]

Mayor (honorary)

Wayne Carpenter,
Independent
since 12 May 2025[2]

Chief Executive

Frances O’Brien
since November 2024[3]

Structure
Seats| 60 councillors[4]

Political groups

Administration (28)
Independent (17)
Plaid Cymru (11)
Other parties (32)
Labour (26)
Liberal Democrats (3)
Green (1)
Independent (2)

Length of term

| 5 years
Elections

Voting system

| First past the post

First election

| 4 May 1995

Last election

| 5 May 2022

Next election

| 6 May 2027
Meeting place
Civic Centre, Port Talbot, SA13 1PJ
Website
www.npt.gov.uk

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (or simply Neath Port Talbot Council) is the local authority for the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, one of the 22 principal areas of Wales. The council was controlled by the Labour Party from its creation in 1996 until 2022, when Plaid Cymru and a group of independent councillors agreed to share power.[5]

## History

[edit]

The county borough and its council were created on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994. The borough covered the combined area of the two former districts of Port Talbot and Neath, as well as a smaller area from Lliw Valley (the majority of which went to Swansea). The new council also took over county-level responsibilities in the area from the abolished West Glamorgan County Council. The 1994 Act originally specified that the borough should be called "Neath and Port Talbot".[6] The new authority was elected in 1995, but acted as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing county and district councils until the new arrangements took effect the following year. During that time, the shadow authority requested a change of name from "Neath and Port Talbot" to "Neath Port Talbot". The government confirmed the change with effect from 2 April 1996, one day after the new council came into being.[7]

## Political control

[edit]

The first election to the new 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:[8]

Party in control | Years

|

| Labour | 1996–2022
| No overall control | 2022–present

### Leadership

[edit]

The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:[9]

Councillor | Party | From | To

|
|
|

Noel Crowley |  | Labour | 1 Apr 1996 | 13 Jun 2004
Derek Vaughan |  | Labour | 25 Jun 2004 | 15 May 2009
Ali Thomas |  | Labour | 15 May 2009 | 7 May 2017
Rob Jones[10][11] |  | Labour | 26 May 2017 | 6 Mar 2021
Ted Latham |  | Labour | 17 Mar 2021 | 7 Jun 2022
Steve Hunt |  | Independent | 7 Jun 2022 |

Since the 2022 election, the council has been under no overall control. On 23 May 2022, it was announced that a coalition between the Plaid Cymru and Independent groups would lead the council.[12] The Liberal Democrats and Green Party members would support the coalition via a confidence and supply agreement. Independent councillor Steve Hunt became the new leader of council, with Plaid Cymru councillor Alun Llewelyn as the new deputy leader.[12] The new leadership was formally confirmed at the annual council meeting on 7 June 2022. The next election is due in 2027.

### Composition

[edit]

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to July 2025, the composition of the council was:[13]

Party  | Councillors

|

| Labour | 26
| Independent | 19
| Plaid Cymru | 11
| Liberal Democrats | 3
| Green | 1
Total  | 60

As of July 2025, seventeen of the independent councillors sit together as the "Independent Group", which forms the council's administration with Plaid Cymru. One independent sits with the Liberal Democrats as the "Coedffranc Liberal & Independent" group.[14] The next election is due in 2027.

### Elections

[edit]

Elections take place every five years, electing sixty councillors. The last election was 5 May 2022.[15]

Year  | Seats  | Labour | Plaid Cymru | Independent | Liberal Democrats | Green | Others  | Notes

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

|  |  |  |  |
1995[16] | 65  | 52 | 3  | 8  | 2  | 0  | 0  | Labour majority control
1999 | 64  | 40 | 10  | 7  | 2  | 0  | 5  | Labour majority control
2004 | 64  | 36 | 10  | 7  | 2  | 0  | 9  | Labour majority control
2008 | 64  | 37 | 11  | 9  | 4  | 0  | 3  | Labour majority control
2012 | 64  | 52 | 8  | 4  | 0  | 0  | 0  | Labour majority control
2017 | 64  | 43 | 15  | 5  | 1  | 0  | 0  | Labour majority control
2022 | 60  | 27 | 12  | 18  | 2  | 1  | 0  | No overall control; Independent / Plaid Cymru coalition[12]
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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

## Premises

[edit]

The council's main offices are at the Civic Centre in Port Talbot, which had been built in 1987 for the former Port Talbot Borough Council.[17][18] Other offices are located at the New Neath Civic Centre, and The Quays in Baglan Bay.

When created in 1996, the council also inherited the former Neath Civic Centre, which was subsequently demolished in 2008 to make way for a retail development.[19]

## Electoral wards

[edit]

Pre-2022 electoral wards in Neath Port Talbot

Following a 2021 local government boundary review, the number of electoral wards dropped from 42 to 34, with the number of elected councillors reducing from 64 to 60, effective from the 2022 local elections.[20]

Prior to this, the county borough was divided into 42 wards, listed below, returning a total of 64 councillors. Some of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. There are 19 community councils in the county borough area. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':

Ward  | Communities (Parishes)  | Places covered

|
|

Aberavon | Aberavon |
Aberdulais | Blaenhonddan* (Aberdulais and Cilfrew wards)  | Cilfrew
Allt-Wen | Cilybebyll* (Allt-Wen ward)  | Cilhendre, Trebanos
Baglan | Baglan and Baglan Bay | Baglan Moor
Blaengwrach | Blaengwrach* and Glynneath Town* (West Central ward)  | Cwmgwrach
Briton Ferry East | Briton Ferry Town* (Craig-y-darren and Cwrt Sart wards)  | Goytre
Briton Ferry West | Briton Ferry Town* (Brynhyfryd and Shelone Wood wards)  | Giant's Grave
Bryn and Cwmavon | Bryn and Cwmafan | Brynbryddan, Pontrhydyfen
Bryncoch North | Blaenhonddan* (Bryn-côch North ward)  |
Bryncoch South | Blaenhonddan* (Bryn-côch South ward)  |
Cadoxton | Blaenhonddan* (Cadoxton ward)  | Cilfrew
Cimla | Neath* Town (Cefn Saeson and Crynallt wards)  | Cefn Saeson, Cimla
Coedffranc Central | Coedffranc* (East Central and Central wards)  | Skewen, Caewathen
Coedffranc North | Coedffranc* (North ward)  | Birchgrove, Moore Town, Longford, Skewen
Coedffranc West | Coedffranc* (West and West Central wards)  | Coed Darcy, Crymlyn Bog, Crymlyn Burrows, Pant y Sais, Jersey Marine, Llandarcy, Skewen
Crynant | Crynant*  | Tre-Forgan
Cwmllynfell | Cwmllynfell*  | Bryn-Melyn, Pen Rhiw-fawr,
Cymmer | Glyncorrwg (Cymmer ward)  |
Dyffryn | Dyffryn Clydach*  | Bryncoch, Dyffryn, Longford, Neath Abbey, White Gates
Glyncorrwg | Glyncorrwg (Glyncorrwg ward)  |
Glynneath | Glynneath Town* (East, Central and West wards)  | Blaengwrach, Cwmgwrach, Morfa Glas, Rheola
Godre'r Graig | Ystalyfera* (Godre’r graig ward)  | Cilmaengwyn
Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen | Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen* (Cwmgors and Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen wards)  | Cwmgors, Gwaun Laision.
Gwynfi | Glyncorrwg (Gwynfi ward)  | Abergwynfi, Blaengwynfi
Lower Brynamman | Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen* (Lower Brynamman and Tai’r Gwaith wards)  | Tairgwaith
Margam | Margam and Margam Moors |
Neath East | Neath Town* (Melyncrythan and Penrhiwtyn wards)  | Melincryddan, Pencaerau, Penrhiwtyn
Neath North | Neath Town* (Castle and Llantwit wards)  | Llantwit
Neath South | Neath Town* (Gnoll and Mount Pleasant wards)  | Cimla, Mount Pleasant
Onllwyn | Onllwyn*  | Banwen, Dynffyn Cellwen
Pelenna | Pelenna*  | Pontrhydyfen, Tonmawr
Pontardawe | Pontardawe Town* (Pontardawe and Rhyd-y-fro wards)  | Rhyd-y-fro, Ynysmeudwy
Port Talbot | Port Talbot | Cirrinau, Cwm Dyffryn, Mynydd Emroch, Pen y Cae, Velindre
Resolven | Clyne and Resolven*  |
Rhos | Cilybebyll* (Gellinudd and Rhos wards)  | Cilmaengwyn, Gellinudd
Sandfields East | Sandfields East |
Sandfields West | Sandfields West |
Seven Sisters | Seven Sisters*  | Bryndulais, Tynewydd
Taibach | Taibach | Goytre
Tonna | Tonna*  |
Trebanos | Pontardawe Town* (Trebanos ward)  | Craig Trebanos, Pontardawe
Ystalyfera | Ystalyfera* (Ystalyfera ward)  | Gurnos

## Council Interests

[edit]

The Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council administrates or jointly controls a number of business interests, which include:

* Afan Forest Park
* Margam Country Park

## Arms

[edit]

Coat of arms of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Notes
Granted 10 May 1997 by the College of Arms.
Crest
Issuant from a mural crown Sable a demi Cistercian monk habited Proper holding aloft in the dexter hand a clarion Vert.
Escutcheon
Per chevron Vert and Argent per chevron removed to the dexter and per chevron removed to the sinister all counterchanged in dexter chief a plate charged with an annulet embattled on the outer edge Sable.
Supporters
On either side a dragon Gules mutually gorged Argent and holding in the exterior claws by a cord with twists alternately Argent and Vert a pine cone also Vert dimidiating a goutte Sable.
Motto
Llwyddo Drwy Ymdrech[21]
Badge
Within a mascle gobonny Argent and Gules suspended from a cord with a loop passing over and behind the apex twisted alternately Argent and Vert a pine cone also Vert dimidiating a goutte Sable.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Council minutes, 7 June 2022". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
2. ^ "New Neath Port Talbot Mayor sworn in at Margam Orangery has long association with public service". West Wales Newsdesk. 13 May 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
3. ^ "Council's new Chief Executive begins role calling it 'the greatest opportunity of my working life'". NPT Council. 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
4. ^ >"Your Councillors by Political Grouping". Neath Port Talbot Council. 23 May 2022.
5. ^ "Plaid Cymru and independents agree to share power on Neath Port Talbot Council". Nation.cymru. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
6. ^ "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 27 October 2022
7. ^ "Hansard: Written Answers". UK Parliament. 2 April 1996. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
8. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
9. ^ "Council minutes". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
10. ^ Gemma Parry (12 May 2017). "The new leader of Neath Port Talbot Council wants to make it the best authority in Wales". Wales Online. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
11. ^ "Neath Port Talbot Council Leader steps down in 'cow' row". Herald Wales. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
12. ^ a b c "Independent and Plaid coalition takes control of Neath Port Talbot Council". Swansea Bay News. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
13. ^ "Neath Port Talbot". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
14. ^ "Your councillors by political grouping". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
15. ^ "Trailer - Local Elections May 2017". www.gwydir.demon.co.uk.
16. ^ "Welsh unitary councils". 2 June 2015.
17. ^ "Borough of Port Talbot: Transfer to new Civic Offices". Neath Guardian. 6 March 1987. p. 28. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
18. ^ "Contact us". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
19. ^ "Demolition starts for town revamp". BBC News. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
20. ^ Hannah Neary (16 July 2021). "Number of electoral wards in Neath Port Talbot to fall resulting in four fewer councillors". Wales Online. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
21. ^ "Armorial Bearings". WhatDoTheyKnow. Retrieved 6 October 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

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Neath Port Talbot

Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council

Communities|

* Aberavon
* Baglan
* Baglan Bay
* Baglan Moors
* Blaengwrach
* Blaenhonddan
* Briton Ferry
* Bryn
* Cilybebyll
* Clyne and Melincourt
* Coedffranc
* Crynant
* Cwmavon
* Cwmllynfell
* Cymer and Glyncorrwg
* Dyffryn Clydach
* Glynneath
* Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
* Gwynfi and Croeserw
* Margam
* Margam Moors
* Neath
* Onllwyn
* Pelenna
* Pontardawe
* Port Talbot
* Resolven
* Sandfields East
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* Seven Sisters
* Taibach
* Tonna
* Ystalyfera

Towns and villages|

* Aberdulais
* Abergarwed
* Alltwen
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* Blaenhoddan
* Cadoxton
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* Cilybebyll
* Clyne
* Cwmgors
* Cwmllynfell
* Crynant
* Cwrt Herbert
* Glynneath
* Godre'r Graig
* Goytre
* Groes
* Llangiwg
* Lonlas
* Lower Brynamman
* Margam
* Melincourt
* Morfa Glas
* Neath
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* Port Talbot
* Resolven
* Rhiwfawr
* Rhydyfro
* Seven Sisters
* Skewen
* Tairgwaith
* Tonna
* Ystalyfera

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* Neath Castle
* Margam Castle

Rivers|

* River Afan
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Neath Borough Council|

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Swansea City Council|

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