City and County of Swansea

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City and County of Swansea council
City and County of Swansea council logo
The Logo of the City and County of Swansea council
Arms of City and County of Swansea council
The Arms of the City and County of Swansea
Control Liberal Democrats
MPs
Official Website swansea.gov.uk

The City and County of Swansea council (Welsh: Cyngor Dinas a Sir Abertawe) is the governing body for Swansea, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council consists of 72 councillors, representing 36 electoral wards.

The council is currently controlled by the Liberal Democrats and is led by Councillor Christopher Holley.

Contents

[edit] Political makeup

Elections take place every four years. The last election was 10 June 2004.

Year Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Others
2004 32 4 19 17

The council has been under Liberal Democrats Control since 2004 with an alliance with the Conservatives and the Independents. However these figures have now changed with the defection of Cllr. Keith Morgan from Plaid Cymru to the Welsh Liberal Democrats in 2005 and Cllr. Rene Kinzett from the Welsh Liberal Democrats to the Conservatives in 2006.

[edit] History

In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Swansea (which had previously been a county borough) was merged with Gower Rural District, to become a district of West Glamorgan called the District and City of Swansea. In 1996, another local government reform saw the district of Swansea merged with parts of the Lliw Valley district to form a unitary authority under the name of the 'City and County of Swansea' (Welsh: Dinas a Sir Abertawe.)

[edit] Mayoralty

The mayor of Swansea:

Municipal Year Mayor
2006-2007 The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Swansea Councillor Chris Holley
2005-2006 The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Swansea Councillor Mair Gibbs

[edit] Electoral divisions

The city is divided into 36 electoral wards. Most of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Each community can have an 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) Other geographic areas
Bishopston Bishopston* Barland Common, Caswell, Clyne Common, Bishopston, Manselfield, Murton, Oldway
Bon-y-maen Bon-y-maen Pentrechwyth, Pentre Dwr, Winch Wen
Castle Castle Swansea city centre, Brynmelin, Dyfatty, Maritime Quarter, parts of Mount Pleasant and Sandfields
Clydach Clydach* Faerdre, Glais (East) and Penydre
Cockett Cockett Cadle, Cwmdu, Coedweig, Gendros, Gors, Fforestfach, Waunarlwydd
Cwmbwrla Cwmbwrla Brondeg, Brynhyfryd, Cwmdu, Gendros, Manselton
Dunvant Dunvant* Killay
Fairwood Upper Killay*, Three Crosses ward of the community of Llanrhidian Higher* Dunvant, Upper Killay, Three Crosses
Gorseinon Gorseinon Central and Gorseinon East wards of the community of Gorseinon*
Gower The Communities of: Cheriton, Fairyhill, Horton, Knelston, Landimore, Llanddewi, Llangennith, Llanmadoc, Llanrhidian, Middleton, Nicholaston, Oldwalls, Overton, Oxwich Green, Oxwich, Parkmill, Penmaen, Penrice, Port Eynon, Reynoldston, Rhossili, Grovesend, Llanmorlais, Pentrebach, Pontlliw, Poundffald, Slade
Gowerton Gowerton* Penclawdd, Waunarlwydd
Killay North Killay* (North ward) Carnglas, Olchfa and Caunarlwydd
Killay South Killay* (South ward) Dunvant, Ilston, Sketty
Kingsbridge Llwchwr* (Garden Village and Kingsbridge wards) Garden Village, Stafford Common
Landore Landore Hafod, Morfa, Plasmarl
Llangyfelach Pantlasau, Tircoed
Llansamlet Llansamlet, Birchgrove Birchgrove, Glais, Heol Las, Morriston, Pentre-Dwr, Talycoppa and Trallwn and Winsh-wen
Lower Loughor Llwchwr* (Lower Loughor ward)
Mawr Mawr* Felindre, Craigcefnparc, Garnswllt, Ryhdypandy
Mayals Mumbles* (Mayals ward) Blackpill, West Cross
Morriston Morriston* Caemawr, Cwmrhydyceirw, Parc Gwernfadog, Pant-lasau, Ynysforgan and Ynystawe
Mynydd-Bach Mynydd-Bach Clase, Clasemont, Park View Estate, Penfillia Estate, Treboeth, Tirdeunaw, Pinewood, Mynydd Garnlywd and Bryn Rock
Newton Mumbles* (Newton ward) Caswell, Langland Bay
Oystermouth Mumbles* (Oystermouth ward) Norton, Mumbles, Thistleboon
Penclawdd Llanrhidian Higher* (Llanmorlais and Penclawdd wards) Blue Anchor, Llanmorlais, Crofty and Wernffrwd
Penderry Penderry Penlan, Portmead, Blaen-y-Maes, Fforesthall and Caereithin
Penllergaer Penllergaer* part of Gorseinon
Pennard Pennard* Bishopston, Fairwood Common, Kittle, Parkmill, Southgate
Penyrheol
  • Grovesend*
  • Gorseinon* (Gorseinon West and Penyrheol wards)
Grovesend and Waun Gron
Pontarddulais Pontarddulais*
St. Thomas St. Thomas Bon-y-maen, Dan-y-graig, Landore, Port Tennant, SA1 Waterfront, Swansea Docks, Kilvey and the Grenfell Park Area
Sketty Sketty Carnglas, Clyne Valley (Gwerneinon), Derwen Fawr, Hendrefoilan, Killay, Singleton Park, Tycoch, Cwmgwyn
Townhill Townhill Cwm-Gwyn, Mayhill, Mount Pleasant
Uplands Uplands Brynmill, St. Helens, Cwmgwyn, Ffynone and The Lons
Upper Loughor Llwchwr* (Upper Loughor ward)
West Cross Mumbles* (West Cross ward) Manselfield, Norton, Mumbles and Newton

[edit] Corporate Identity

[edit] Logo

The logo of the City and County of Swansea depicts a stylised Osprey. It is sometimes shown with the name the council written beneath it or written in a ring around the Osprey pictogram.

[edit] Coat of arms

The official coat of arms used by the council today were granted by the College of Arms in 1922. The motto is 'Floreat Swansea'.


The Arms are blazoned as follows:

Per Fess wavy Azure and barry wavy of six Argent, of the first a double-towered Castle or, in Chief on an Inescutcheon of the third a Lion passant guardant Gules; And for the Crest, On a Wreath of the Colours an Osprey rising holding in the Beak a Fish proper; Supporters: on the dexter side a Lion Gules gorged with a Mural Crown or, and on the sinister side a Dragon Gules gorged with a Mural Crown or'.

The Arms are symbolic to an extent: the blue and white wavy bars represent the sea, since Swansea is a port town; the Castle represents the Medieval fortifications of the Town; the lion as dexter supporter and on the Inescutcheon commemorates the link with the de Breos family; and the dragon as sinister supporter is the National Emblem of Wales and is a supporter in the Achievement of Arms of the present Lord Swansea.

In April 1974, the City of Swansea was merged with the Gower Rural District to form the new District and City of Swansea. The Arms granted to the Corporation of the County Borough of Swansea in 1922 were transferred unchanged to the present City Council in May 1975. The Certificate of Transfer of the College of Arms dated 11 March 1976 confirmed the re-granting of the Arms.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links