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Powys County Council

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Powys County Council

Cyngor Sir Powys
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1974
Preceded byBrecknockshire
Montgomeryshire
Radnorshire
Leadership
Jonathan Wilkinson,
Conservative
since 16 May 2024[2]
James Gibson-Watt[1],
Liberal Democrat
since 26 May 2022
Emma Palmer
since 23 October 2023[3]
Structure
Seats68 councillors
Political groups
Administration (32)
  Liberal Democrat (22)
  Labour (9)
  Green (1)
Other parties (36)
  Independent (18)
  Conservative (15)
  Plaid Cymru (3)
Length of term
5 years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
County Hall, Spa Road East, Llandrindod Wells, LD1 5LG
Website
www.powys.gov.uk

Powys County Council (Welsh: Cyngor Sir Powys) is the local authority for Powys, one of the 22 principal areas of Wales. The council is based at County Hall in Llandrindod Wells.

History

[edit]

The county of Powys was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of the three administrative counties of Brecknockshire,[a] Montgomeryshire, and Radnorshire, which were abolished at the same time. From 1974 until 1996 there were two principal tiers of local government, with Powys County Council as the upper tier authority and three district councils below it, each of which corresponded to one of the pre-1974 counties: Brecknock Borough Council, Montgomeryshire District Council, and Radnorshire District Council.[4]

The three districts were abolished under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, with Powys County Council becoming a unitary authority with effect from 1 April 1996, taking on the functions formerly performed by the district councils.[5]

Political control

[edit]

The council has been under no overall control since 2017. Following the 2022 election a Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition formed to take control of the council.[6] The Green councillor later joined the coalition.[7]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been held by the following parties:[8]

Upper-tier county council

Party in control Years
Independent 1974–1996

Unitary authority

Party in control Years
Independent 1996–2017
No overall control 2017–present

Leadership

[edit]

The leaders of the council since 2002 (formally called the chairman of the board prior to 2011) have been:[9]

Councillor Party From To
Michael Jones[10][11] Independent 2002 17 May 2012
David Jones[12] Independent 17 May 2012 10 Jan 2014
Barry Thomas[13] Independent 10 Jan 2014 7 May 2017
Rosemarie Harris[14] Independent 18 May 2017 8 May 2022
James Gibson-Watt Liberal Democrats 26 May 2022

Composition

[edit]

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to July 2024, the composition of the council was:[15][7][16][17][18]

Party Councillors
Liberal Democrats 22
Independent 18
Conservative 15
Labour 9
Plaid Cymru 3
Green 1
Total 68

Of the independent councillors, sixteen form the 'Powys Independents' group and the other two are not affiliated to any group.[19] The next election is due in 2027.[20]

Elections

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Elections are held every five years. Since the last ward boundary changes in 2022, 68 councillors have been elected from 60 wards.[21] Prior to 2012, elections were generally held every four years.

Year Seats Independent Labour Liberal Democrats Conservative Plaid Cymru Green Party Notes
1995 84 62 10 8 3 1 0 Independent majority controlled
1999 73 57 6 10 0 0 0 New ward boundaries.[22] Independent majority controlled
2004 73 54 4 15 0 0 0 Independent majority controlled
2008 73 45 4 15 9 0 0 Independent majority controlled
2012 73 48 6 9 10 0 0 Independent majority controlled
2017 73 30 7 13 19 2 1 Independent–Conservative coalition
2022 68 17 9 24 14 3 1 New ward boundaries.[21] Lib Dem–Lab Coalition[23]

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

Cabinet

[edit]

2022-

[edit]
Position[24] Holder Political group Ward
Leader of the Council James Gibson-Watt Liberal Democrats Glasbury
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer Powys Matthew Dorrance Labour Brecon West
Cabinet Member for a More Prosperous Powys David Selby Liberal Democrats Newtown Central and South
Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Transformation David Thomas Labour Tawe Uchaf
Cabinet Member for a Caring Powys Sian Cox Liberal Democrats Llangors with Bwlch
Cabinet Member for a Safer Powys Richard Church Liberal Democrats Welshpool Castle
Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys Pete Roberts Liberal Democrats Llandrindod South
Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys Jackie Charlton Liberal Democrats Llangattock and Llangynidr
Cabinet Members for Future Generations Sandra Davies Labour Cwm-twrch
Ynyscedwyn
Cabinet Member for a Connected Powys Jake Berriman Liberal Democrats Llandrindod North

Premises

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The council has its headquarters at County Hall on Spa Road East in Llandrindod Wells, which opened in 1990.[25] The site was formerly occupied by the Pump House Hotel, which had been the meeting place of the former Radnorshire County Council from 1889 and then served as both the offices and meeting place of Powys Council Council following the local government reorganisation in 1974. The old building was found to be structurally unstable in the late 1980s and it was decided to build a new county hall on the same site.[26]

The council also has three area offices, being one inherited from each of the three former districts abolished in 1996:[27]

The former headquarters of Montgomeryshire District Council at Neuadd Maldwyn in Welshpool also served as an area office for Powys County Council until 2019 when it was sold.[28]

Electoral wards

[edit]
Electoral wards in Powys
Main article: List of electoral wards in Powys

Powys is administered by Powys County Council and has 68 elected councillors representing 60 council wards. Although it is a unitary authority, the highway functions of the council, along with the allocation of small grants, are delegated to the three Shire Committees. Brecknockshire has 24 councillors, Radnorshire has 15 and Montgomeryshire has 34.[29]

Local elections take place every five years. Some of the electoral wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. There are 112 communities in the principal area. Nearly all communities have a local community council.

The following table lists the council wards, the political group representing them, and the communities they cover. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':

Ward Political group Councillor Communities
Aber-craf and Ystradgynlais Labour Huw Williams
Labour Sarah Williams
Banwy, Llanfihangel and Llanwddyn Plaid Cymru Bryn Davies
Berriew and Castle Caereinion Conservative Adrian Jones
Brecon East Labour Liz Rijnenberg
Labour Chris Walsh
Brecon West Labour Matthew Dorrance
Labour David Meredith
Bronllys and Felin-fach Liberal Democrats Thomas Colbert
Builth Independent Jeremy Pugh
Caersws Conservative Les George
Churchstoke Liberal Democrats Danny Bebb
Crickhowell with Cwmdu and Tretower Liberal Democrats Claire Hall (since November 23 by-election)
Liberal Democrats Chloe Masefield (since November 23 by-election)
Cwm-twrch Labour Sandra Davies
Disserth and Trecoed with Newbridge Independent Little Brighouse
Dolforwyn Conservative Gareth Pugh
Forden and Montgomery Green Jeremy Thorp
Glantwymyn Plaid Cymru Elwyn Vaughan
Glasbury Liberal Democrats James Gibson-Watt
Guilsfield Conservative Ian Harrison
Gwernyfed Liberal Democrats William Lloyd
Hay Liberal Democrats Gareth Ratcliffe
Ithon Valley Independent Geoff Morgan
Kerry Conservative Benjamin Breeze
Knighton with Beguildy Liberal Democrats Corinna Kenyon-Wade
Independent Ange Williams
Llanafanfawr with Garth Independent Bryan Davies
Llanbrynmair Plaid Cymru Gary Mitchell
Llandinam with Dolfor Conservative Karl Lewis
Llandrindod North Liberal Democrats Jake Berriman
Llandrindod South Liberal Democrats Josie Ewing
Liberal Democrats Pete Roberts
Llandrinio Conservative Lucy Roberts
Llandysilio Independent Arwel Jones
Llanelwedd Independent Gareth Emlyn Jones
Llanfair Caereinion and Llanerfyl Independent Gareth Jones
Llanfyllin Conservative Peter Lewis
Llangattock and Llangynidr Liberal Democrats Jackie Charlton
Llangors with Bwlch Liberal Democrats Sian Cox
Llangunllo with Norton Independent Deb Edwards
Llangyniew and Meifod Conservative Jonathan Wilkinson
Llanidloes Liberal Democrats Gareth Morgan
Liberal Democrats Glyn Preston
Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and Llansilin Conservative Aled Davies
Llansantffraid Conservative Gwynfor Thomas
Llanwrtyd Wells Independent Peter James
Llanyre with Nantmel Independent Claire Mills
Machynlleth Independent Mike Williams
Maescar and Llywel Independent Edwin Roderick
Newtown Central and South Liberal Democrats Kelly Healy
Liberal Democrats David Selby
Newtown East Independent Joy Jones
  • Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn* (part)
Newtown North Liberal Democrats Adam Kennerley
  • Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn* (part)
Newtown West Conservative Peter Lewington
  • Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn* (part)
Old Radnor Independent Edward Jones
Presteigne Independent Beverley Baynham
Rhayader Liberal Democrats Angela Davies
Rhiwcynon Independent Heulwen Hulme
Talgarth Liberal Democrats William Powell
Talybont-on-Usk Liberal Democrats Raiff Devlin (since November 23 by-election)
Tawe Uchaf Labour David Thomas
Trelystan and Trewern Conservative Amanda Jenner
Welshpool Castle Liberal Democrats Richard Church
Welshpool Gungrog Liberal Democrats Carol Robinson
Welshpool Llanerchyddol Independent Graham Breeze
Ynyscedwyn Labour Susan McNicholas
Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew Conservative Iain McIntosh
[edit]

References

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  1. ^ "Cabinet revealed by new Powys council leader". Brecon and Radnor Express. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  2. ^ Hearn, Elgan (17 May 2024). "Cllr Jonathan WIlkinson confirmed as Powys council chairman". Brecon and Radnor Express. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  3. ^ "New Chief Executive". Powys County Council. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 27 September 2022
  5. ^ "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 27 September 2022
  6. ^ "Lib Dems and Labour to take control of Powys Council". Brecon and Radnor Express. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b Hearn, Elgan (11 July 2023). "Two councillors quit Powys Lib Dems over school closure vote". Powys County Times. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  8. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Council minutes". Powys Council. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  10. ^ Brumwell, Ariane (9 May 2022). "Former Powys leader retired after nearly 40 years as a Radnorshire councillor". Brecon & Radnor Express. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  11. ^ Masters, Adrian (17 May 2012). "Powys Council Leader Chosen". ITV News. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Powys council: David Jones elected as new leader". BBC News. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Powys council leader Barry Thomas to stand down in May". BBC News. 8 March 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  14. ^ "Rosemarie Harris first woman leader for Powys council". BBC News. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  15. ^ "TikTok: Little Brighouse suspended over anti-Semitic clip". BBC News. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  16. ^ Hearn, Elgan (31 January 2023). "Third Powys councillor leaves the Liberal Democrats". Brecon and Radnor Express. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  17. ^ https://nation.cymru/news/lib-dems-toast-double-by-election-success-in-powys/ [bare URL]
  18. ^ https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/23943016.liberal-democrats-win-by-election-powys-county-council/ [bare URL]
  19. ^ "Your councillors by party". Powys County Council. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  20. ^ "Powys". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  21. ^ a b "The County of Powys (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2021/1081, retrieved 28 September 2022
  22. ^ "The County of Powys (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1998/3143, retrieved 28 September 2022
  23. ^ "Powys result - Local Elections 2022". BBC News.
  24. ^ "Powys Council AGM". Brecon and Radnor Express. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  25. ^ "Chief Executive's Department" (PDF). Powys County Council. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  26. ^ "The Pump House Hotel". Powys Built Heritage. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  27. ^ "Contact us". Powys County Council. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  28. ^ Hearn, Elgan (4 April 2019). "Powys: Neuadd Maldwyn could become care facility". Powys County Times. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  29. ^ "Articles of the Constitution, Part 2 Article 10" (PDF). Powys Council. Retrieved 22 December 2006.[permanent dead link]
  1. ^ Except Brynmawr and Llanelly, which were transferred to Gwent, and Penderyn and Vaynor, which were transferred to Mid Glamorgan.
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