Bridgend County Borough Council

Bridgend County Borough Council (Welsh: Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) is the governing body for Bridgend County Borough, one of the Principal Areas of Wales.

Bridgend County Borough Council

Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr
Type
Type
History
Founded1 April 1996
Preceded byMid Glamorgan County Council
Leadership
Mayor of Bridgend
Cllr Stuart Baldwin, Labour
since 15 May 2019
Leader of the Council
Cllr Huw David, Labour
since 5 October 2016
Deputy Leader
Cllr Hywel Williams, Labour
Leader of the Opposition
Cllr Norah Clarke, Independent
Chief executive
Mark Shephard (Interim)
since 2 January 2019
Structure
Seats54 councillors
Political groups
Administration (26)
  Labour (26)
Other parties (28)
  Independent (14)
  Conservative (8)
  Plaid Cymru (4)
  Liberal Democrat (1)
  Vacant (1)
Length of term
5 years
Elections
First-past-the-post
First election
4 May 1995
Last election
4 May 2017
Next election
5 May 2022
Meeting place
Civic Offices, Bridgend
Website
www.bridgend.gov.uk

Background

Bridgend County Borough and Bridgend County Borough Council came into effect from 1 April 1996, following the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994. Bridgend County Borough Council largely replaced Ogwr Borough Council, though St Brides Major, Ewenny and Wick were transferred from Ogwr to the Vale of Glamorgan.

Current composition
Group affiliation Councillors[1]
2017 Current
Labour 26 26
  Independent 13 16
Conservative 11 7
Liberal Democrats 1 1
Plaid Cymru 3 3
WNP 0 1
 Total
 54 54

Historic results
Year Labour Liberal Democrats Conservative Plaid Cymru Others
2017 26 1 11 3 13
2012 39 3 1 1 10
2008 27 11 6 1 9
2004 22 13 7 1 11
1999 41 5 1 2 5
1995 39 2 2 1 4

Prior to the May 2008 elections Bridgend Council was run by a coalition of Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Plaid Cymru and Independent councillors. After the election the leadership returned to the Labour Party, led by councillor Mel Nott.[2]

In November 2014 the council voted to propose a merger with the neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan Council, though this was rejected by the Welsh Government's Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews, as not meeting the criteria to be able to proceed.[3]

The council elections on 5 May 2017 saw Labour lose its majority control of the council with, for example, three of the four Brackla seats being taken by the Conservatives from Labour. Keith Edwards and Ross Thomas, who'd been deselected by Labour for voting against the proposed local authority merger, won as Independents in Maesteg.[4]

Leadership
Council leader From To
Huw David 5 October 2016
Mel Nott May 2008 5 October 2016[5]
Cheryl Green June 2004 [6] May 2008
Jeff Jones 2004

Electoral divisions
Electoral divisions in Bridgend County Borough
Main article: List of electoral wards in Bridgend County Borough

The county borough is divided into 39 electoral wards. Some of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Some communities have their own elected council. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':

Ward Communities (Parishes)
Aberkenfig
Bettws Garw Valley* (Bettws ward)
Blackmill Ogmore Valley* (Blackmill and Evanstown wards)
Blaengarw Garw Valley* (Blaengarw ward)
Brackla c Brackla*
Bryncethin St Bride's Minor* (Bryncethin ward)
Bryncoch St Bride's Minor* (Bryncoch ward)
Bryntirion, Laleston and Merthyr Mawr
Caerau Maesteg* (Caerau and Nantyffyllon wards)
Cefn Cribwr c Cefn Cribwr*
Cefn Glas Laleston* (Cefn Glas 1 ward)
Coity Coity Higher* (Coity ward)
Cornelly c Cornelly*
Coychurch Lower c Coychurch Lower*
Felindre Pencoed* (Felindre ward)
Hendre Pencoed* (Hendre ward)
Litchard Coity Higher (Litchard ward)
Llangeinor Garw Valley* (Llangeinor ward)
Llangewydd & Brynhyfryd Laleston* (Cefn Glas 2 ward)
Llangynwyd Llangynwyd Middle*
Maesteg East Maesteg* (East ward)
Maesteg West Maesteg* (West ward)
Morfa Bridgend Town* (Morfa ward)
Nant-y-Moel Ogmore Valley* (Nant-y-Moel ward)
Newcastle Bridgend Town* (Newcastle ward)
Newton Porthcawl Town* (Newton ward)
Nottage Porthcawl Town* (Nottage ward)
Ogmore Vale Ogmore Valley* (Ogmore Vale ward)
Oldcastle Bridgend Town* (Oldcastle ward)
Pendre Coity Higher* (Pendre ward)
Penprysg
Pen-y-fai Newcastle Higher* (Pen-y-fai ward)
Pontycymer Garw Valley* (Pontycymer ward)
Porthcawl East Central Porthcawl Town* (East Central ward)
Porthcawl West Central Porthcawl Town* (West Central ward)
Pyle c Pyle*
Rest Bay Porthcawl Town* (Rest Bay ward)
Sarn St Bride's Minor* (Sarn ward)
Ynysawdre c Ynysawdre*

* = Communities which elect a community council
c = Ward coterminous with community of the same name

In January 2019 a consultation period began, to review the wards and representation in the county. It was proposed to reduce the number of electoral wards for 39 to 32, with a reduction in councillors from 54 to 52.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 23 April 2013.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "At the end of the rainbow, Labour take back control". The Glamorgan Gem. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  3. Abby Boulter (19 February 2015). "Labour suspends six Bridgend councillors for not supporting failed merger bid with Vale of Glamorgan". Wales Online. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  4. Abby Boulter (5 May 2017). "Labour Party suffers 'bloody nose' in Bridgend as it loses overall control". Wales Online. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
  5. "The leader of Bridgend council Mel Nott announces he will stand down". Wales Online. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  6. "Lib-Dem to head Bridgend coalition". Wales Online. 24 June 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
  7. "Consultation on changes to BCBC electoral wards". Glamorgan Gem. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
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