Ceredigion County Council election, 2008

The elections to Ceredigion County Council were held on May 1, 2008 along with elections to other Welsh councils, plus the London Mayor and Assembly Elections, Metropolitan English councils and Non Metropolitan English councils elections. All 42 council seats are up for election. The previous council was controlled by Independents in coalition with the Liberal Democrat group and the single Labour member. Since 2004, there have been no by-elections to the council (the only council in Wales not to have any during the last four years). Nominations for the council elections closed on April 4, 2008. The last council meeting before the elections (when the council was formally dissolved) was held on April 17, 2008. The composition of the council prior to the elections was:

2 Independents had defected to Plaid Cymru and a further 2 Independents had retired. All existing councillors bar the 2 retirees are up for re-election.

Election results: overview[1]

Ceredigion Local Election Result 2008
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Plaid Cymru 19 6 3 +3 45.23 43.80 12,141 +4.88%
  Independent 11 6 7 -1 26.19 21.03 5,830 +0.34%
  Liberal Democrat 10 2 1 +1 23.8 23.86 6,613 +3.67%
  Non-party independents 1 1 3 -2 2.38 4.71 1,305 -4.71%
  Labour 1 0 0 0 2.38 3.19 885 +0.19%
  Conservative 0 0 0 0 0.00 2.93 805 +2.80%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.51 139 +0.32%
  Others 0 0 1 -1 0 0 0 -7.01%
Total 42 27,718

All parties received a higher share of the vote than in 2004. This was in part due to a fall in the number of non-party independents standing and previous non-party independents joining the independent grouping, but also due to a number of parties (namely UKIP and Llais Ceredigion) not standing candidates this time around.

Plaid Cymru made six gains. They gained a seat in the ward of Aberystwyth, Penparcau, as well as the wards of Cardigan, Mwldan, Cardigan, Teifi, Ciliau Aeron, Llanfarian, Llangeitho and Melindwr. The party also made four losses: Llandysilio-gogo, Llansantffraed, Tirymynach and Troedyraur.

The Liberal Democrats made two gains, Tirymynach and Aberaeron, but lost Melindwr.

The three non-party independents from 2004 were re-elected as Independents (Haydn Lewis in Pen-parc, Gethin James in Aberporth and Ray Quant in Borth), as well as John Ivor Williams, who had held his seat in 2004 under the label Cymraeg/Welsh. A single candidate was elected as a non-party independent (Gareth Lloyd Cletwr in Llandysilio-gogo).

Candidates duly nominated for the 2008 elections

Nominations closed at 1200 BST on April 4, 2008 and when the nominations were published the following wards were being contested by the following duly nominated candidates. Elected candidates are in bold. All seats elect one member unless otherwise stated.

Ward Independent Plaid Cymru Liberal Democrats Labour Conservative Green Non-party independent
Aberaeron Richard Emlyn Thomas Elizabeth Evans
Aberporth Gethin James Mark William Mainwaring
Aberystwyth, Bronglais Alun Williams Trevor Graham Shaftoe Robert Mark Schofield
Aberystwyth, Central Mark Strong Ceredig Davies Emily Dale
Aberystwyth, North Aled Davies Carl Williams Anthony Alexander Pickles
Aberystwyth, Penparcau
(2 seats)
Goronwy Edwards, Owen Jones Steve Davies, Rob Gorman Mick Jones Richard Boudier David John Cogdell, Graeme Matthew David Smith
Aberystwyth, Rheidol Susan Jane Jones-Davies Eric John Griffiths Jason Luke Edwards
Beulah William David Lyndon Lloyd Neil Flower
Borth Ray Quant James Whitlock Davies
Capel Dewi Peter Davies
Cardigan, Mwldan Mair Morris John Adams-Lewis Bradley George Stephen Vaughan
Cardigan, Rhydyfwuch Ann Rees-Seabrook Mark Cole
Cardigan, Teifi Alan Wilson Catrin Miles
Ceulanamaesmawr Ellen ap Gwynn Richard Oliver Morgan-Ash
Ciliau Aeron Iain James Sheldon Moelfryn Maskell Harry Hayfield
Faenor Alan Lloyd Evans John Roberts Robert James MacKinnon
Lampeter
(2 seats)
John Ivor Williams Robert Phillips Derek Wilson Robert George Harris Michael Neville James Chamberlain Elly Foster Dorothy Williams
Llanarth Eurfyl Evans
Llanbadarn Fawr, Padarn Gareth Davies Terry Raymond Lynch Bob Morris
Llanbadarn Fawr, Sulien Paul James Peter Jeffry Hampson
Llandyfriog Benjamin Towyn Evans Alex Bashford
Llandysiliogogo Cen Llwyd Gareth Lloyd Cletwr
Llandysul Town Keith Evans Iwan William Richards
Llanfarian Alun Lloyd Jones Elian-Lorrae Jones-Southgate Llinos Mai Thomas
Llanfihangel Ystrad Owen Llywelyn Matthew Gee
Llangeitho David Evans
Llangybi Odwyn Davies Sonia Rose Williams
Llanrhystud Rowland Rees-Evans Emyr Morgan Jones
Llansantffraid Dafydd Edwards Meurig James
Llanwenog Hadyn Richards Kathy Bracy
Lledrod Ifan Davies Catrin Myfanwy Huws
Melindwr Rhodri Davies Fred Williams
New Quay Gill Hopley Luke William Ashley Evetts
Penbryn Ian ap Dewi June Perry
Penparc Haydn Lewis David Richard James
Tirmynach Penri James Paul Hinge
Trefeurig Dai Suter Martin John Squires Kari Walker
Tregaron Catherine Jane Hughes
Troedyraur Roy Griffiths Lloyd Wynford Jones
Ystwyth Sian Mereid Archer Rowland Jones Leila Kiersch
TOTAL ELECTED 11 19 10 1 0 0 1

Councillors Elected 2008

Results 2008 (in order of declaration)

Capel Dewi 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Cllr. Peter Davies 0 0.00% -69.88%
Majority 0 0.00% -39.77%
Turnout 0 0.00% -56.96%
Independent hold Swing
Llanarth 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Cllr. Eurfyl Evans 0 0.00% -65.56%
Majority 0 0.00% -31.13%
Turnout 0 0.00% -51.75%
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Llangeitho 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Cllr. David Evans 0 0.00% -26.72%
Majority 0 0.00% -46.54%
Turnout 0 0.00% -64.03%
Plaid Cymru gain from Independent Swing
Tregaron 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Cllr. Catherine Jane Hughes 0 0.00% -52.63%
Majority 0 0.00% -5.28%
Turnout 0 0.00% -67.86%
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

References

External links