2017 Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council election
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All 33 seats to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
17 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Chris Barry Kevin O'Neill Paul Brown
Party Labour Independent Merthyr Independents
Leader's seat Park Town Cyfarthfa
Seats before 25[1] 7[1] 1[1]
Seats won 15 17 1
Council control before election

Labour

 Council control after election

Independent

The 2017 Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council election took place on Thursday 4 May 2017 to elect the 33 members of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council in Wales. This was on the same day as other 2017 United Kingdom local elections. The Council shifted back from Labour to Independent control.

Results

2017 Merthyr Tydfil Council Election[2]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Independent 17 +10
  Labour 15 -10
  Merthyr Independents 1 0
  Liberal Democrats 0
  Plaid Cymru 0 0
  UKIP 0
  Communist 0 0
  Conservative 0 0

The outcome of the election wasn't decided until 8 June 2017, because the vote in the Cyfarthfa ward was delayed due to the death of a candidate.[3][4] At the 4 May election the Independents overtook Labour as the largest group on the council, but were 1 seat short of a majority. They gained two of the three Cyfarthfa seats on June 8 to win control of the council.[5] The former Labour leader of the council also lost his seat at the elections.[5]

Ward results

[2]

Bedlinog

Bedlinog ward (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Michael Colbran 727 65.8
Independent Sherelle Jago 718
Labour Helen Thomas 288 26.1
Labour Jeffrey Beard 284
Liberal Democrats Jasmine Sakura-Rose 90 8.1
Majority
Turnout
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Cyfarthfa

Cyfarthfa ward (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Geraint Thomas 1,369 30.0
Merthyr Ind. Paul Brown* 1,300 28.5
Labour David Chaplin* 1,202 26.4
Labour Margaret Davies* 1,137
Labour Carol Estebanez 1,072
Merthyr Ind. Terry Thomas 1,068 28.5
Independent Bleddyn Hancock 812
Plaid Cymru Mark Evans 685 15.0
Majority
Turnout 64.0
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Merthyr Independent hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

The vote in the Cyfarthfa ward was delayed until June 8 because of the death of independent candidate, Ieuan Harris, during the campaign. The results gave the Independent group enough seats to have an overall majority on the council.[6] Th current mayor, Margaret Davies, who'd won her seat at a November 2012 by-election, lost her seat.[6][7]

Dowlais

Dowlais ward (4 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Declan Salmon 1,122 64.0
Independent Tony Rogers 863
Independent David Hughes 762
Independent Julian Amos 777
Labour Phil Williams* 631 36.0
Labour Ray Thomas* 570
Labour Tom Lewis* 537
Labour Simon Williams 531
Majority
Turnout
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Independent gain from Labour Swing

Gurnos

Gurnos ward (4 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Lee Davies 569 51.3
Labour Rhonda Braithwaite* 541 48.7
Independent Clive Tovey* 486
Labour Bill Smith* 479
Labour Deborah Isaac 423
Labour Mike O'Neill 421
Independent Mikey Mochan 402
Independent Gerwyn Butler 368
Turnout
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Labour hold Swing
Independent hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Merthyr Vale

Merthyr Vale ward (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Darren Roberts* 698 61.1
Labour Scott Thomas 509
Independent Jeff Edwards 445 38.9
Independent Lynne Colston 266
Majority
Turnout
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Park

Park ward (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Tanya Skinner 802 51.0
Labour Clive Jones* 772 49.0
Labour Chris Barry* 689
Labour B. Toomey* 667
Majority
Turnout
Independent gain from Labour Swing
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Penydarren

Penydarren ward (3 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Kevin Gibbs 656 50.3
Independent Chris Davies 649
Labour David Issac* 647 49.7
Independent Dougy Evans 515
Labour John McCarthy 467
Labour Dan Beard 463
Turnout
Independent hold Swing
Independent gain from UKIP Swing
Labour hold Swing

Plymouth

Town

Treharris

Vaynor

Vaynor ward (2 seats)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Howard Barrett* 948 66.7
Independent Lisa Mytton* 923
Labour Anthony Owen 474 33.3
Labour Emma Karan 371
Turnout 44.2
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

* = sitting councillor in this ward prior to election

References

  1. ^ a b c Sands, Katie (30 April 2017). "The two leaders vying for control of Merthyr council". Wales Online. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Local Election Results 2017: Merthyr Tydfil". Andrew Teale. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Election postponed after candidate dies". South Wales Echo. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Merthyr Tydfil: 30 seats declared - no final results". ITV News. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Independents win Merthyr Tydfil council control". BBC News. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  6. ^ a b Sands, Katie (9 June 2017). "Independents win control of Merthyr Tydfil council and oust Labour after delayed ward vote". Wales Online. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
  7. ^ "Her Worship the Mayor, Councillor Margaret Davies 2016 - 2017" (press release). Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. 16 June 2016. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
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