Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council (or simply Neath Port Talbot Council) is the local authority for the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, one of the 22 principal areas of Wales. The council was controlled by the Labour Party from its creation in 1996 until 2022, when Plaid Cymru and a group of independent councillors agreed to share power.[5]
Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Bwrdeistref Sirol Castell-nedd Port Talbot | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 1996 |
| Preceded by | West Glamorgan County Council Port Talbot Neath Lliw Valley (part) |
| Leadership | |
Karen Jones since November 2020[3] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 60 councillors[4] |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 5 years |
| Elections | |
| First past the post | |
First election | 4 May 1995 |
Last election | 5 May 2022 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Civic Centre, Port Talbot, SA13 1PJ | |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
editThe county borough and its council were created on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994. The borough covered the combined area of the two former districts of Port Talbot and Neath, as well as a smaller area from Lliw Valley (the majority of which went to Swansea). The new council also took over county-level responsibilities in the area from the abolished West Glamorgan County Council. The 1994 Act originally specified that the borough should be called "Neath and Port Talbot".[6] The new authority was elected in 1995, but acted as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing county and district councils until the new arrangements took effect the following year. During that time, the shadow authority requested a change of name from "Neath and Port Talbot" to "Neath Port Talbot". The government confirmed the change with effect from 2 April 1996, one day after the new council came into being.[7]
Political control
editThe first election to the new council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been held by the following parties:[8]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1996–2022 | |
| No overall control | 2022–present | |
Leadership
editThe leaders of the council since 1996 have been:[9]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noel Crowley | Labour | 1 Apr 1996 | 13 Jun 2004 | |
| Derek Vaughan | Labour | 25 Jun 2004 | 15 May 2009 | |
| Ali Thomas | Labour | 15 May 2009 | 7 May 2017 | |
| Rob Jones[10][11] | Labour | 26 May 2017 | 6 Mar 2021 | |
| Ted Latham | Labour | 17 Mar 2021 | 7 Jun 2022 | |
| Steve Hunt | Independent | 7 Jun 2022 | ||
Since the 2022 election, the council has been under no overall control. On 23 May 2022, it was announced that a coalition between the Plaid Cymru and Independent groups would lead the council.[12] The Liberal Democrats and Green Party members would support the coalition via a confidence and supply agreement. Independent councillor, Steve Hunt, became the new leader of council, with Plaid Cymru councillor, Alun Llewelyn, as the new Deputy Leader.[12] The new leadership was formally confirmed at the annual council meeting on 7 June 2022. The next election is due in 2027.
Composition
editThe current composition of the council is:
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 27 | |
| Independent | 19 | |
| Plaid Cymru | 11 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | |
| Green | 1 | |
| Total | 60 | |
As of July 2023, sixteen of the independent councillors sit together as the "Independent Group", two form the "Dyffryn Independent" group and the other sits as an “Unaffiliated Independent”. The Liberal Democrats and the Green councillor sit together as the "Coedffranc Liberal & Green" group.[13] The next election is due in 2027.
Elections
editElections take place every five years, electing sixty councillors. The last election was 5 May 2022.[14]
| Year | Seats | Labour | Plaid Cymru | Independent | Liberal Democrats | Green | Others | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995[15] | 65 | 52 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled |
| 1999 | 64 | 40 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2004 | 64 | 36 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 9 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2008 | 64 | 37 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 3 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2012 | 64 | 52 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2017 | 64 | 43 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2022 | 60 | 27 | 12 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Plaid Cymru / independent coalition[12] |
Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.
Neath Port Talbot had been a Labour stronghold, having been in power from 1996 until 2022.[16]
Premises
editThe council's main offices are at the Civic Centre in Port Talbot, which had been built in 1987 for the former Port Talbot Borough Council.[17][18] Other offices are located at the New Neath Civic Centre, and The Quays in Baglan Bay.
When created in 1996, the council also inherited the former Neath Civic Centre, which was subsequently demolished in 2008 to make way for a retail development.[19]
Electoral wards
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Following a 2021 local government boundary review, the number of electoral wards dropped from 42 to 34, with the number of elected councillors reducing from 64 to 60, effective from the 2022 local elections.[20]
Prior to this, the county borough was divided into 42 wards, listed below, returning a total of 64 councillors. Some of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. There are 19 community councils in the county borough area. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':
| Ward | Communities (Parishes) | Places covered |
|---|---|---|
| Aberavon | Aberavon | |
| Aberdulais | Blaenhonddan* (Aberdulais and Cilfrew wards) | Cilfrew |
| Allt-Wen | Cilybebyll* (Allt-Wen ward) | Cilhendre, Trebanos |
| Baglan | Baglan and Baglan Bay | Baglan Moor |
| Blaengwrach | Blaengwrach* and Glynneath Town* (West Central ward) | Cwmgwrach |
| Briton Ferry East | Briton Ferry Town* (Craig-y-darren and Cwrt Sart wards) | Goytre |
| Briton Ferry West | Briton Ferry Town* (Brynhyfryd and Shelone Wood wards) | Giant's Grave |
| Bryn and Cwmavon | Bryn and Cwmafan | Brynbryddan, Pontrhydyfen |
| Bryncoch North | Blaenhonddan* (Bryn-côch North ward) | |
| Bryncoch South | Blaenhonddan* (Bryn-côch South ward) | |
| Cadoxton | Blaenhonddan* (Cadoxton ward) | Cilfrew |
| Cimla | Neath* Town (Cefn Saeson and Crynallt wards) | Cefn Saeson, Cimla |
| Coedffranc Central | Coedffranc* (East Central and Central wards) | Skewen, Caewathen |
| Coedffranc North | Coedffranc* (North ward) | Birchgrove, Moore Town, Longford, Skewen |
| Coedffranc West | Coedffranc* (West and West Central wards) | Coed Darcy, Crymlyn Bog, Crymlyn Burrows, Pant y Sais, Jersey Marine, Llandarcy, Skewen |
| Crynant | Crynant* | Tre-Forgan |
| Cwmllynfell | Cwmllynfell* | Bryn-Melyn, Pen Rhiw-fawr, |
| Cymmer | Glyncorrwg (Cymmer ward) | |
| Dyffryn | Dyffryn Clydach* | Bryncoch, Dyffryn, Longford, Neath Abbey, White Gates |
| Glyncorrwg | Glyncorrwg (Glyncorrwg ward) | |
| Glynneath | Glynneath Town* (East, Central and West wards) | Blaengwrach, Cwmgwrach, Morfa Glas, Rheola |
| Godre'r Graig | Ystalyfera* (Godre’r graig ward) | Cilmaengwyn |
| Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen | Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen* (Cwmgors and Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen wards) | Cwmgors, Gwaun Laision. |
| Gwynfi | Glyncorrwg (Gwynfi ward) | Abergwynfi, Blaengwynfi |
| Lower Brynamman | Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen* (Lower Brynamman and Tai’r Gwaith wards) | Tairgwaith |
| Margam | Margam and Margam Moors | |
| Neath East | Neath Town* (Melyncrythan and Penrhiwtyn wards) | Melincryddan, Pencaerau, Penrhiwtyn |
| Neath North | Neath Town* (Castle and Llantwit wards) | Llantwit |
| Neath South | Neath Town* (Gnoll and Mount Pleasant wards) | Cimla, Mount Pleasant |
| Onllwyn | Onllwyn* | Banwen, Dynffyn Cellwen |
| Pelenna | Pelenna* | Pontrhydyfen, Tonmawr |
| Pontardawe | Pontardawe Town* (Pontardawe and Rhyd-y-fro wards) | Rhyd-y-fro, Ynysmeudwy |
| Port Talbot | Port Talbot | Cirrinau, Cwm Dyffryn, Mynydd Emroch, Pen y Cae, Velindre |
| Resolven | Clyne and Resolven* | |
| Rhos | Cilybebyll* (Gellinudd and Rhos wards) | Cilmaengwyn, Gellinudd |
| Sandfields East | Sandfields East | |
| Sandfields West | Sandfields West | |
| Seven Sisters | Seven Sisters* | Bryndulais, Tynewydd |
| Taibach | Taibach | Goytre |
| Tonna | Tonna* | |
| Trebanos | Pontardawe Town* (Trebanos ward) | Craig Trebanos, Pontardawe |
| Ystalyfera | Ystalyfera* (Ystalyfera ward) | Gurnos |
Council Interests
editThe Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council administrates or jointly controls a number of business interests, which include:
References
edit- ^ Smith, Lewis (27 May 2023). "Neath Port Talbot Council appoint leader and mayor at annual meeting". Wales Online. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "Council minutes, 7 June 2022". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ Neary, Hannah (25 November 2020). "Neath Port Talbot Council announces former Estyn manager Karen Jones as its new chief executive". Wales Online. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ >"Your Councillors by Political Grouping". Neath Port Talbot Council. 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Plaid Cymru and independents agree to share power on Neath Port Talbot Council". Nation.cymru. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ^ "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 27 October 2022
- ^ "Hansard: Written Answers". UK Parliament. 2 April 1996. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ "Council minutes". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ Gemma Parry (12 May 2017). "The new leader of Neath Port Talbot Council wants to make it the best authority in Wales". Wales Online. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
- ^ "Neath Port Talbot Council Leader steps down in 'cow' row". Herald Wales. 6 March 2021. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
- ^ a b c "Independent and Plaid coalition takes control of Neath Port Talbot Council". Swansea Bay News. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ^ "Your councillors by political grouping". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ "Trailer - Local Elections May 2017". www.gwydir.demon.co.uk.
- ^ "Welsh unitary councils". 2 June 2015.
- ^ Elections 2008 - Neath Port Talbot, BBC News.
- ^ "Borough of Port Talbot: Transfer to new Civic Offices". Neath Guardian. 6 March 1987. p. 28. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Contact us". Neath Port Talbot Council. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Demolition starts for town revamp". BBC News. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
- ^ Hannah Neary (16 July 2021). "Number of electoral wards in Neath Port Talbot to fall resulting in four fewer councillors". Wales Online. Retrieved 27 June 2022.