Local government of Carmarthenshire, Wales
Carmarthenshire County Council (Welsh: Cyngor Sir Gaerfyrddin) is the local council for the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales, providing a range of services under the control of elected county councillors that include education, planning, transport, social services and public safety. The council is one of twenty-two unitary authorities that came into existence on 1 April 1996 under the provisions of the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994. It took over local government functions previously provided by Carmarthen District, Dinefwr Borough, Llanelli Borough councils and the Carmarthenshire area of what was Dyfed County Council.
The council is based in County Hall in Carmarthen.
Antecedents
It is the second body of this name; the previous Carmarthenshire County Council was formed on 1 April 1889 by the Local Government Act 1888 and was abolished on 31 March 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972.
The first election to the original council were held in January 1889 and the majority of the seats were won by the Liberals.[1] This pattern continued until the 1920s from which time most rural seats were held by Independents while the Labour Party dominated the industrial part of the county.
Organisation
The authority has adopted the Cabinet system of running the county, and between 2004 and 2015 it was run by Independent and Labour groups. Currently there are 38 Plaid Cymru councillors, 23 Labour and 14 Independents. The Chief executive, Mark Vincent James, was awarded the CBE for services to Local Government in Wales in the 2012 New Year Honours. James was forced to step aside temporarily in 2014 after a criminal investigation was launched into his affairs.[2][3]
Mark James
In 2013 Chief executive Mark James was sued for libel by Jacqui Thompson, a local blogger and trenchant critic of the council. He brought a counterclaim against Mrs Thompson; his legal action was funded by the council.[4] Although he won his action,[5] this indemnity was ruled unlawful by the Auditor General for Wales, on the grounds that councils cannot sue for libel nor indemnify others in private defamation actions. It also found that the payment of his pension contributions to him in cash was unlawful.[6][7] In July 2013 Thompson initiated the process of appealing the ruling on a point of law.[8] Local AM Peter Black commented that 'The way that the Council has handled this whole affair has been a public relations disaster from start to finish. These latest claims do not help.'[9]
In February 2014, a criminal investigation was launched into these payments by Gloucestershire Constabulary: Mark James stepped aside for the duration of the investigation. The episode led to criticism of senior councillors, including the council leader, Kevin Madge, who had agreed these financial arrangements and supported James in his actions.[2][10] Local politicians Rhodri Glyn Thomas and Jonathan Edwards both called for Mark James' full and final resignation, along with that of Kevin Madge.[11] Madge survived a vote of no confidence by 41 votes to 28. However, the council accepted the findings of the Wales Audit Office on the illegality of the payments, and Madge admitted that the council's reputation had been damaged by the episode.[3]
In 2019, Mark James announced his intention to retire as the Council's Chief Executive after 17 years in the post.[12] Wendy Walters took over as Chief Executive in June 2019.[13]
Change of leadership
Kevin Madge resigned as leader of the Council in May 2015 having lost the leadership of the Labour group. Two days later it was announced that Plaid Cymru would form a new coalition with the Independents.[14] After the 2022 Council elections Emlyn Dole, the leader of the council, lost his seat in Llannon. His joint Plaid Cymru candidate, Llinos Mai Davies, won more votes and was announced the new councillor in Llannon in addition to the Labour incumbent Dot Jones being returned.[15] On 7 May 2022 Plaid Cymru Carmarthenshire announced it had voted in favour of Darren Price (Gorslas) to be the next leader of Plaid Cymru on the Council.
Political makeup
Elections take place every four years. The last election was held on 5 May 2022.
Current composition
As of 5 May 2022.
Party with majority control in bold
Historic results
Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in Notes column
Electoral divisions
The county is divided into 51 electoral wards returning 75 councillors. In July 2021 Welsh Government accepted a number of ward change proposals by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, the changes gave a better parity of representation. Thirty-four wards remained unchanged.
Most of these wards are coterminous with communities. Most communities in Carmarthenshire have a community council. For each ward, councillors are elected to sit on Carmarthenshire County Council. The following table lists council wards, community councils and associated geographical areas. Communities with their own community council are marked with a *.
|
|
Ward
|
Community Council
|
Councillors Returned
|
Former district council
|
Electorate 2022[18]
|
| 1
|
Abergwili
|
Abergwili*, Llanllawddog*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
1,960
|
| 2
|
Ammanford
|
Ammanford Town* (Iscennen, Pontamman and Pantyffynnon wards)
|
2
|
Dinefwr
|
4194
|
| 3
|
Betws
|
Betws*
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
1,896
|
| 4
|
Bigyn
|
Llanelli Town* (Bigyn ward)
|
3
|
Llanelli
|
4,986
|
| 5
|
Burry Port
|
Pembrey and Burry Port Town (Burry Port ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
3,440
|
| 6
|
Bynea
|
Llanelli Rural* (Bynea ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
3,229
|
| 7
|
Carmarthen Town North and South
|
Carmarthen Town* (Carmarthen Town North and South ward)
|
3
|
Carmarthen
|
6,822
|
| 8
|
Carmarthen Town West
|
Carmarthen Town* (Carmarthen Town West ward)
|
2
|
Carmarthen
|
3,767
|
| 9
|
Cenarth and Llangeler
|
Cenarth*, Llangeler* and Newcastle Emlyn*
|
2
|
Carmarthen
|
4,539
|
| 10
|
Cilycwm
|
Cil-y-cwm*, Llansadwrn*,Llanwrda*, Cynwyl Gaeo* and Llanycrwys*
|
1
|
Dinefwr,
Carmarthen
|
2,244
|
| 11
|
Cwarter Bach
|
Cwarter Bach*
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
2,232
|
| 12
|
Cynwyl Elfed
|
Cynwyl Elfed*, Bronwydd* andLlanpumsaint*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
2,028
|
| 13
|
Dafen and Felinfoel
|
Llanelli Rural* (Dafen and Felinfoel ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
4,064
|
| 14
|
Elli
|
Llanelli Town* (Elli ward)
|
1
|
Llanelli
|
|
| 15
|
Garnant
|
Cwmamman* (Pistillwyd and Twyn wards)
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
1,627
|
| 16
|
Glanamman
|
Cwmamman* (Grenig and Tircoed wards)
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
1,879
|
| 17
|
Glanymor
|
Llanelli Town* (Glanymor ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
4,649
|
| 18
|
Glyn
|
Llanelli Rural* (Glyn ward)
|
1
|
Llanelli
|
1,758
|
| 19
|
Gorslas
|
Gorslas*
|
2
|
Dinefwr
|
3,788
|
| 20
|
Hendy
|
Llanedi* (Hendy ward)
|
1
|
Llanelli
|
2,364
|
| 21
|
Hengoed
|
Llanelli Rural* (Hengoed ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
3,270
|
| 22
|
Kidwelly and St. Ishmael
|
Kidwelly Town* and St. Ishmael*
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
4,080
|
| 23
|
Laugharne Township
|
Laugharne Town*, Eglwyscummin, Llanddowror* and Pendine*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
2,231
|
| 24
|
Llanboidy
|
Llanboidy*, Cilymaenllwyd* and Llangynin*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
1,744
|
| 25
|
Llanddarog
|
Llanddarog* and Llanarthney
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
1,710
|
| 26
|
Llandeilo
|
Llandeilo Town* and Dyffryn Cennen*
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
2,148
|
| 27
|
Llandovery
|
Llandovery Town* and Llanfair-ar-y-bryn*
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
2,121
|
| 28
|
Llandybie
|
Llandybie* (Llandybie and Heolddu wards)
|
2
|
Dinefwr
|
3,334
|
| 29
|
Llanegwad
|
Llanegwad*, Llanfihangel Rhos-y-Corn* and Llanfynydd*
|
1
|
Dinefwr,
Carmarthen
|
2,079
|
| 30
|
Llanfihangel Aberbythych
|
Llanfihangel Aberbythych* and Llangathen*
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
1,549
|
| 31
|
Llanfihangel-ar-Arth
|
Llanfihangel-ar-Arth* and Llanllwni*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
2,282
|
| 32
|
Llangadog
|
Llangadog*, Llanddeusant* and Myddfai*
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
1,646
|
| 33
|
Llangennech
|
Llangennech*
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
4,122
|
| 34
|
Llangunnor
|
Llangunnor*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
2,194
|
| 35
|
Llangyndeyrn
|
Llangyndeyrn* and Llandyfaelog*
|
2
|
Carmarthen
|
4,073
|
| 36
|
Llannon
|
Llannon*
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
4,263
|
| 37
|
Llanybydder
|
Llanybydder* and Pencarreg*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
2,137
|
| 38
|
Lliedi
|
Llanelli Town* (Lliedi ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
4,009
|
| 39
|
Llwynhendy
|
Llanelli Rural* (Pemberton ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
3,297
|
| 40
|
Manordeilo and Salem
|
Manordeilo and Salem*, Llansawel* and Talley*
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
2,216
|
| 41
|
Pembrey
|
Pembrey and Burry Port Town* (Pembrey ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
3,544
|
| 42
|
Pen-y-groes
|
Llandybie (Penygroes ward)
|
1
|
Dinefwr
|
2,363
|
| 43
|
Pontyberem
|
Pontyberem*
|
1
|
Llanelli
|
2,229
|
| 44
|
Saron
|
Llandybie* (Saron Ward)
|
2
|
Dinefwr
|
3,405
|
| 45
|
St. Clears and Llansteffan
|
St Clears Town* Llansteffan*, Llangain* and Llangynog*
|
2
|
Carmarthen
|
4,321
|
| 46
|
Swiss Valley
|
Llanelli Rural* (Swiss Valley ward)
|
1
|
Llanelli
|
2,199
|
| 47
|
Trelech
|
Abernant*, Llanwinio*, Meidrim*, Newchurch and Merthyr* and Trelech*
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
2,374
|
| 48
|
Trimsaran
|
Trimsaran*
|
1
|
Llanelli
|
1,968
|
| 49
|
Tycroes
|
Llanedi* (Tycroes and Llanedi wards)
|
1
|
Llanelli
|
2,182
|
| 50
|
Tyisha
|
Llanelli* (Tyisha ward)
|
2
|
Llanelli
|
|
| 51
|
Whitland
|
Whitland Town* and Henllanfallteg
|
1
|
Carmarthen
|
1,841
|
