| Aberystwyth Town Council | |
| House Type: | Town council |
| Leader1 Type: | Mayor |
| Leader1: | Maldwyn Pryse |
| Leader2 Type: | Deputy Mayor |
| Leader2: | Emlyn Jones |
| Members: | 19 |
| Political Groups1: | Plaid Cymru (12) Liberal Democrats (2) Labour Party (1) Independent (2) |
| Last Election1: | 5 May 2022 |
| Next Election1: | 5 May 2027 |
| Meeting Place: | Siambr-y-Cyngor, 11 Baker Street, Aberystwyth, SY23 2BJ. |
| Website: | www.aberystwyth.gov.uk |
Aberystwyth Town Council (cy|Cyngor Tref Aberystwyth) is the community council that governs the ancient borough, town and community of Aberystwyth. For electoral purposes, it is divided into five electoral divisions (often known as wards).
The council appoints a chairman as its presiding officer who is then known as the Mayor of Aberystwyth. The Town Council is now a statutory body, but it also holds the town's Borough Charter in trust, granted by King Edward I on 28 December 1277 and confirmed by successive monarchs,[1] resulting in the members also being charter trustees. Since the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 came into force, Aberystwyth's status as a borough has been wholly ceremonial. The Local Government Act 1972 (in force from 1 April 1974) prevents the town council being known in name as a borough council as previously, although the town councillors as charter trustees can still, for example, take part in all of the ceremonial activities (wearing civic outfits), elect mayors (who can wear the chain of office) and organise markets (according to the original royal charter). The current mayor of Aberystwyth is Maldwyn Pryse; the Deputy Mayor for 2024-25 is Emlyn Jones.[2]
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.
| 2023 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Group affiliation | Members | ||
| Plaid Cymru | 13 | ||
| 2 | |||
| Labour | 2 | ||
| Independent | 2 | ||
| vacant seat | 0 | ||
| Total | 19 | ||
Aberystwyth Town Council is made up of 19 councillors elected from the five wards. The most recent elections were held in 2022. Plaid Cymru have an overall majority. There are currently 2 vacancies for the Council, in Central and Rheidol Ward (22/5/24).
The 2022 Aberystwyth Town Council elections were held alongside the elections for elections for Ceredigion County council on 5 May 2022. All 14 seats from the Bronglais, Central, North and Rheidol wards were up for election. There was no election in the Penparcau ward as there were only 2 candidates for the 5 seats representing the ward. The election resulted in 12 seats for Plaid Cymru, 2 for Labour, 1 for Liberal Democrats and 3 vacant seats.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2022[3] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronglais | Talat Chaudhri | ||
| Lucy Huws | |||
| Mari Turner | |||
| Alun Williams | |||
| Central | Owain Hughes | ||
| Emlyn Wyn Jones | |||
| Sienna Quinn Lewis | |||
| North | Maldwyn Pryse | ||
| Jeff Smith | |||
| Mark Antony Strong | |||
| Penparcau | Steve Davies | ||
| Dylan Lewis-Rowlands | |||
| Carl Worrall (co-opted) | |||
| Bryony Davies (co-opted) | |||
| Connor Edwards (co-opted) | |||
| Rheidol | Mair Benjamin | ||
| Brian Davies | |||
| Kerry Elizabeth Ferguson | |||
| Matthew Norman | |||
The 2017 Aberystwyth town council elections were held alongside the elections for Ceredigion County council on 4 May 2017. All 19 seats were up for election, which resulted in the election of 11 councillors for Plaid Cymru, 6 for the Welsh Liberal Democrats and 2 Welsh Labour councillors.[4] One seat became vacant in May 2017, reducing the number held by the Welsh Liberal Democrats to 5.[5] This position was filled by Brendan Somers in September 2017, bringing the total number of Plaid councillors up to 12.[6] However, Councillor Brendan Somers resigned from Plaid Cymru on 30 April 2019 and now sits as an independent.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2017[7] | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronglais | Alun Williams | ||
| Susan Jane Jones-Davies | |||
| Endaf Edwards | |||
| Lucy Huws | |||
| Central | David Lees | ||
| Emily Price (deceased 12 May 2017) | |||
| Michael Chappell | |||
| North | Mark Strong | ||
| Talat Chaudhri | |||
| Sara Hammel | |||
| Penparcau | Steve Davies | ||
| Dylan Lewis | |||
| Charlie Kingsbury | |||
| Alex Mangold | |||
| Brenda Haines | |||
| Rheidol | Mair Benjamin | ||
| Claudine Young | |||
| Rhodri Francis | |||
| Mari Turner | |||
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.[8] The 2012 elections had previously resulted in 11 councillors for Plaid Cymru, 5 for the Welsh Lib Democrats and 3 independents. Lucy Teresa Huws (Plaid Cymru) was elected for Bronglais Ward in November 2013,[9] replacing Christopher Griffiths. Brendan Somers (Plaid Cymru) joined for Central Ward in January 2014,[10] replacing Carys Morgan (resigned 2013), and Dr Talat Zafar Chaudhri (Plaid Cymru) joined for Penparcau in September 2015,[11] replacing Dylan Lewis (resigned 2015). There were subsequently 12 councillors for Plaid Cymru, 4 for the Welsh Liberal Democrats and 3 independents for the remainder of the term.
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2012 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronglais | Alun Williams | ||
| Susan Jane Jones-Davies | |||
| Endaf Edwards | |||
| Christopher Griffiths | |||
| Central | Ceredig Davies | ||
| Sarah Bowen | |||
| Carys Morgan | |||
| North | Mark Strong | ||
| Aled Davies | |||
| Jeff Smith | |||
| Penparcau | Steve Davies | ||
| Dylan Lewis | |||
| Mererid Jones | |||
| Kevin Price | |||
| Brenda Haines | |||
| Rheidol | Wendy Morris-Twiddy | ||
| Brian Davies | |||
| Mair Benjamin (resigned from the Liberal Democrats on 15 May 2012[12]) | |||
| Martin Shewring | |||
| By-election | Date | Incumbent party | Result | Candidate | Reason[13] | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rheidol | 18 September 2008 | Martin Shewring | Resignation of Elian Lorrae Jones-Southgate | ||||
| Penparcau | 18 September 2008 | Owain Jones | Death of Owen Jones | ||||
| Central | 25 November 2010 | Ceredig Davies | Resignation of Trevor Shaftoe | ||||
| Rheidol | 4 August 2011 | Wendy Morris-Twiddy | Resignation of Martin Shewring | ||||
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.[14]
| Ward | Party | Town councillors elected 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronglais | Alun Williams | ||
| Susan Jane Jones-Davies | |||
| Aled Davies | |||
| Ann-Marie Hinde | |||
| Central | Alec Dauncey | ||
| Lyn Lewis Dafis | |||
| Trevor Graham Shaftoe | |||
| North | Christopher Guy Borrill Simpson | ||
| Mark Strong | |||
| Dafydd Wyn Thomas | |||
| Penparcau | Rob Gorman | ||
| Goronwy Edwards | |||
| Steve Davies | |||
| Owen Jones | |||
| Richard Boudier | |||
| Rheidol | Elian Lorrae Jones-Southgate | ||
| Sam Hearne | |||
| Mair Benjamin | |||
| Ceri Meehan | |||
| Year | Name[15] | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Talat Chaudhri | |||
| - | ||||
| 2021-22 | Alun Williams | |||
| - | ||||
| 2020-21 | Charlie Kingsbury | |||
| - | ||||
| 2019-20 | Mari Rhian Turner | |||
| - | 2018-19 | Talat Zafar Chaudhri | First Pakistani Punjabi and ethnic minority mayor of Aberystwyth. | |
| 2017-18 | Steve Davies | Elected as Plaid Cymru mayoral candidate and mayor-elect. | ||
| 2016-17 | Brendan Somers | Lost seat at election held on 4 May 2017 | ||
| 2015-16 | Endaf Edwards | |||
| 2014-15 | Brenda Haines | |||
| 2013-14 | Wendy Morris-Twiddy | |||
| 2012-13 | Dylan Wilson-Lewis | |||
| 2011-12 | Richard Boudier | General election candidate for Ceredigion UK parliamentary constituency | ||
| 2010-11 | Samantha Hearne | |||
| 2009-10 | Trevor Shaftoe | |||
| 2008-09 | Susan Jones-Davies | |||
| 2007-08 | Lorrae Jones-Southgate | Resigned June 2008.[16] | ||
| 2006-07 | Michael Jones | |||
| 2005-06 | Aled Davies | |||
| 2004-05 | John T. James | Independent from March 2005. | ||
| 2003-04 | John T. James | |||
| 2002-03 | Carol Kolczak | |||
| 2000-01 | Jaci Taylor | |||
| 1999-00 | Siôn Jobbins | |||
| 1998-99 | Graham T. Parry | |||
| 1997-98 | Elin Jones | |||
| 1996-97 | Carol Kolczak | |||
| 1995-96 | Hywel Jones | Removed from office February 1996. | ||
| 1994-95 | Bob Griffin | Husband of Rose Simpson. | ||