Carmarthenshire County Council

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Carmarthenshire County Council (Welsh: Cyngor Sir Caerfyrddin) is the administrative authority for the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales, providing a range of services under the control of elected county councillors that include education, planning, transport and streetscene, social services and public safety.

The Leader of the Council is Cllr. Meryl Gravelle, and the Chief Executive is Mark James. The council is based in County Hall in Carmarthen, the former Carmarthen Prison.

Contents

[edit] Electoral divisions

The county is divided into 68 electoral wards. 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 Other geographic areas Former district council Population (2001 census)
Abergwili Abergwili*, Llanllawddog* Carmarthen 2,271
Ammanford Ammanford Town* (Iscennen and Pantyffynnon wards) Dinefwr 2,664
Betws Betws* Dinefwr 1,834
Bigyn Llanelli Town* (Bigyn ward) Llanelli District 6,347
Burry Port Cefn Sidan (community) (Burry Port ward) Llanelli District 4,209
Bynea Llanelli Rural* (Bynea ward) Llanelli District 3,091
Carmarthen Town North Carmarthen Town* (Carmarthen Town North ward) Carmarthen 5,291
Carmarthen Town South Carmarthen Town* (Carmarthen Town South ward) Carmarthen 3,526
Carmarthen Town West Carmarthen Town* (Carmarthen Town West ward) Carmarthen 4,313
Cenarth Cenarth*, Newcastle Emlyn* Carmarthen 1,995
Cilycwm Cil-y-cwm*, Llansadwrn* and Llanwrda* Dinefwr, Carmarthen 1,446
Cynwyl Elfed Cynwyl Elfed*, Bronwydd*, Llanpumsaint*, and Newchurch and Merthyr* Carmarthen 2,743
Cynwyl Gaeo Cynwyl Gaeo*, Llansawel* and Llanycrwys* Dinefwr 1,554
Dafen Llanelli Rural* (Dafen ward) Llanelli District 3,433
Elli Llanelli Town* (Elli ward) Llanelli District 3,156
Felinfoel Llanelli Rural* (Felinfoel ward) Llanelli District 1,948
Garnant Cwmamman* (Pistillwyd and Twyn wards) Dinefwr 1,965
Glanamman Cwmamman* (Grenig and Tircoed wards) Dinefwr 2,261
Glanymor Llanelli Town* (Glanymor ward) Llanelli District 4,888
Glyn Llanelli Rural* (Glyn ward) Llanelli District 2,032
Gorslas Gorslas* Dinefwr 3,742
Hendy Llanelli* (Hendy ward) Llanelli District 3,039
Hengoed Llanelli Rural* (Hengoed ward) Llanelli District 3,829
Kidwelly Kidwelly Town* Mynydd-y-garreg Llanelli District 3,829
Laugharne Township Laugharne Town*, Eglwyscummin, Llanddowror* and Pendine* Carmarthen 2,924
Llanboidy Llanboidy*, Cilymaenllwyd* and Llangynin* Carmarthen 1,982
Llanddarog Llanddarog* and Llanarthney Carmarthen 1,833
Llandeilo Llandeilo Town* and Dyffryn Cennen* Dinefwr 1,937
Llandovery Llandovery Town* and Llanfair-ar-y-bryn* Dinefwr 2,870
Llandybie Llandybie* (Llandybie and Heolddu wards) Dinefwr 3,738
Llanegwad Llanegwad*, Llanfihangel Rhos-y-Corn* and Llanfynydd* Dinefwr, Carmarthen 2,424
Llanfihangel Aberbythych Llanfihangel Aberbythych* and Llangathen* Dinefwr 1,716
Llanfihangel-ar-Arth Llanfihangel-ar-Arth* and Llanllwni* Carmarthen 2,727
Llangadog Llangadog*, Llanddeusant* and Myddfai* Dinefwr 1,951
Llangeler Llangeler* Carmarthen 3,222
Llangennech Llangennech* Llanelli District 4,510
Llangunnor Llangunnor* Carmarthen 2,282
Llangyndeyrn Llangyndeyrn* Carmarthen 2,953
Llannon Llannon* Llanelli District 4,999
Llansteffan Llansteffan*, Llangain* and Llangynog* Carmarthen 2,209
Llanybydder Llanybydder* and Pencarreg* Carmarthen 2,543
Lliedi Llanelli Town* (Lliedi ward) Llanelli District 5,036
Llwynhendy Llanelli Rural* (Pemberton ward) Llanelli District 4,276
Manordeilo and Salem Manordeilo and Salem*, and Talley* Dinefwr 2,121
Pembrey Cefn Sidan (community)* (Pembrey ward) Llanelli District 3,374
Penygroes Llandybie (Penygroes ward) Dinefwr 2,429
Pontamman Ammanford* (Myddynfych and Wernddu wards) Dinefwr 2,629
Pontyberem Pontyberem* Llanelli District 2,829
Quarter Bach Quarter Bach* Dinefwr 2,933
Saron Llandybie* (Saron Ward) Dinefwr 2,467
St Clears St Clears Town* Carmarthen 2,820
St. Ishmael Llandyfaelog* and St. Ishmael* Carmarthen 2,529
Swiss Valley Llanelli Rural* (Swiss Valley ward) Llanelli District 2,434
Trelech Abernant*, Llanwinio*, Meidrim* and Trelech* Carmarthen 2,092
Trimsaran Trimsaran* Llanelli District 2,533
Tycroes Llanedi* (Tycroes ward) Llanelli District 2,156
Tyisha Llanelli* (Tyisha ward) Llanelli District 3,995
Whitland Whitland Town* and Henllanfallteg Carmarthen 2,066

[edit] Recent Issues

[edit] Bribery trial

In November 2006, local property developer Kevin Green of Burry Port was brought to trial regarding allegations that he tried to bribe Chief Executive Mark James with £5,000 cash.

In summer 2005, Mr Green wrote to Mr James requesting a meeting to discuss ideas for affordable housing at land near a former cattle breeding centre at Travellers Rest. On 2 September, five days before the proposed meeting, Mr Green came to Mr James' office to talk through the arrangements for the meeting with the chief executive's personal assistant Liz Thomas. Geraint Walters QC, prosecuting then alleges: "Just as the defendant came to leave he handed Mrs Thomas a padded envelope which was addressed to Mark James. He said it was important Mark James received the envelope before the meeting - he said the envelope contained papers for Mr James' eyes only." [1]

On opening the envelope, Mrs James found £5,000 in £20 notes, and nothing else. On Mr James's return to the office, the Police were called. Mr Green was arrested that same day.

[edit] Secession of Llanelli

There have recently been many decisions made by the Carmarthenshire authorities, including the Council that have been very unpopular and arguably damaging to the communities of Llanelli. In reaction, there have been calls to reinstate the local government district of Llanelli either as a county borough or as an area with city status, making the entire area independent of Carmarthenshire. These calls have so far been avoided or denied by politicians as it would essentially half the population governed by the unitary authority, causing an imbalance in the local government structure of Wales[2].

[edit] External links