Aberystwyth Town Council

Aberystwyth Town Council
Type
Type	Town council
Leadership
Mayor	Councillor Dr M. Endaf Edwards
Deputy Mayor	Councillor Brendan Somers
Structure
Seats	19
Political groups	Plaid Cymru (12)      Liberal Democrats (4)      Independents (3)
Elections
Last election	3 May 2012
Next election	4 May 2017
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 five wards of Aberystwyth town. The council appoints a presiding officer who is then known as the Mayor of Aberystwyth. It holds the town's Borough Charter in trust, granted by King Edward I on 28th December 1277.^[1] The current Mayor of Aberystwyth is Councillor Dr M. Endaf Edwards. The Mayor-Elect for 2016-17 is Councillor Brendan Somers.

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

Group affiliation		Members
	Plaid Cymru	12
	Liberal Democrat	4
	Independent	3
Total		19

Election history

Aberystwyth town council is made up of 19 councillors elected from the five wards. The last elections were in 2012, and resulted in the election of 10 councillors for Plaid Cymru, 5 for the Welsh Liberal Democrats and 3 independent councillors.^[2]

Lucy Teresa Huws (Plaid Cymru) was elected for Bronglais Ward in November 2013.^[3] Brendan Somers (Plaid Cymru) joined for Central Ward in January 2014^[4] and Dr Talat Zafar Chaudhri (Plaid Cymru) joined for Penparcau in September 2015.^[5]

2012 election

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.^[6]

Ward	Party		Town councillors elected 2008
Bronglais		Plaid Cymru	Alun Williams
		Plaid Cymru	Susan Jane Jones-Davies
		Plaid Cymru	M. Endaf Edwards
		Plaid Cymru	Christopher Griffiths
Central		Liberal Democrat	Ceredig Davies
		Liberal Democrat	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 Democrat	Brenda Haines
Rheidol		Liberal Democrat	Wendy Morris-Twiddy
		Plaid Cymru	Brian Davies
		Independent	Mair Benjamin (Liberal Democrat until 15/05/2012[7])
		Independent	Martin Shewring

2008-2012 by-elections

By-election	Date	Incumbent party		Result		Candidate	Reason[8]
Rheidol	18 September 2008		Liberal Democrat		Liberal Democrat	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 Democrat		Liberal Democrat	Ceredig Davies	Resignation of Trevor Shaftoe
Rheidol	4 August 2011		Liberal Democrat		Liberal Democrat	Wendy Morris-Twiddy	Resignation of Martin Shewring

2008 election

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.^[9]

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 Democrat	Alec Dauncey
		Plaid Cymru	Lyn Lewis Dafis
		Liberal Democrat	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 Democrat	Elian Lorrae Jones-Southgate
		Liberal Democrat	Sam Hearne
		Liberal Democrat	Mair Benjamin
		Liberal Democrat	Ceri Meehan

Mayoral history

Year	Name[10]	Party		Notes
2015-16	Endaf Edwards		Plaid Cymru
2014-15	Brenda Haines		Liberal Democrat
2013-14	Wendy Morris-Twiddy		Liberal Democrat
2012-13	Dylan Lewis		Independent
2011-12	Richard Boudier		Labour	General election candidate for Ceredigion.
2010-11	Samantha Hearne		Liberal Democrat
2009-10	Trevor Shaftoe		Liberal Democrat
2008-09	Susan Jones-Davies		Plaid Cymru
2007-08	Lorrae Jones-Southgate		Liberal Democrat	Resigned June 2008.[11]
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 Democrat
2000-01	Jaci Taylor		Plaid Cymru
1999-00	Siôn Jobbins		Plaid Cymru
1998-99	Graham T. Parry		Liberal Democrat
1997-98	Elin Jones		Plaid Cymru
1996-97	Carol Kolczak		Liberal Democrat
1995-96	Hywel Jones		Independent	Removed February 1996.
1994-95	Bob Griffin		Liberal Democrat	Husband of Rose Simpson.

References

1. Jones, Howard C. "History of the Borough". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
2. Whitehouse, Cei. "Aberystwyth Town Council held by Plaid". The Courier. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
3. Williams, Alun. "By-election to Aberystwyth Town Council". Alun Williams' Blog. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
4. "Aberystwyth Council Minutes". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
5. "Aberystwyth Council Minutes". Aberystwyth Town Council. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
6. "Town & Community Councils Elections 2012 - RESULTS". Ceredigion County Council. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
7. Cambrian News (Aberystwyth) published Wednesday 16/05/2012
8. Williams, Alun. "Plaid Win Another-By-election". Alun Williams' Blog. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
9. Ceredigion County Council Archived June 9, 2011, at the Wayback Machine., Community Council Election Results 2008.
10. "Town Council". Press Cuttings. Ceredigion County Council. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
11. "Aber mayor quits over by-election". BBC News. Retrieved 2 April 2012.

• Aberystwyth Town Council