Ceredigion County Council

Ceredigion County Council (Welsh: Cyngor Sir Ceredigion) is the governing body for the county of Ceredigion, since 1996 one of the unitary authorities of Wales. The council's main offices are in Aberaeron.

For the county council that existed before 1974, see Cardiganshire County Council.

Ceredigion County Council

Cyngor Sir Ceredigion
Logo
History
Founded1 April 1996
Preceded byDyfed County Council
Ceredigion District Council
Leadership
Chair of the Council
Ifan Davies,
Independent
since 27 May 2022
Bryan Davies,
Plaid Cymru
since 13 May 2022
Chief Executive
Eifion Evans
Structure
Seats38 councillors
Political groups
Administration
  Plaid Cymru (20)
Other Parties (18)
  Independent (10)
  Liberal Democrats (7)
  Gwlad (1)
CommitteesAudit Committee
Cabinet
Charity Trustee Committee
Council
Democratic Services Committee
Development Control Committee
Ethics and Standards Committee
Language Committee
Licensing Committee
CommitteesOverview and Scrutiny Committee
Scrutiny - Corporate Resources
Scrutiny - Healthier Communities
Scrutiny - Learning Communities
Scrutiny - Thriving Communities
Joint committees
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service
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
Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion, Penmorfa, Aberaeron, SA46 0PA
Website
http://www.ceredigion.gov.uk

History

The current council was created on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, replacing Ceredigion District Council and also taking over county-level functions in the area from Dyfed County Council, which was abolished. The 1994 act specified that the new authority was to have both an English and a Welsh name: Cardiganshire / Sir Aberteifi.[1] The new authority was elected in 1995, but acted as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing district and county councils until the new arrangements took effect the following year. During that time, the shadow authority requested a change of name from Cardiganshire / Sir Aberteifi to Ceredigion for both languages. The government confirmed the change with effect from 2 April 1996, one day after the new council came into being.[2][3]

Public health

The county had the lowest rates of people infected with or dying from COVID-19 in the British mainland, up to June 2020. The area is naturally rural and holiday attractions and the university were closed down very early. The council set up its own contact tracing system in March 2020.[4]

Political control

The 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:[5]

Party in controlYears
Independent1996–1999
No overall control1999–2003
Independent2003–2004
No overall control2004–2022
Plaid Cymru2022–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:[6]

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Dai Lloyd Evans[7] Independent19962006
Keith Evans[8] Independent2006May 2012
Ellen ap Gwynn[9] Plaid CymruMay 20128 May 2022
Bryan Davies Plaid Cymru13 May 2022

Current composition

As of 30 January 2023.

Group Affiliation Members[10]
Plaid Cymru 20
  Independent
10
Liberal Democrats 7
Labour 0
Gwlad 1
 Total
 38

Party with majority control in bold

Council elections
For elections to the district council which covered the same area from 1974 to 1996, see Ceredigion District Council.

Elections take place every five years. The last full county election took place on 5 May 2022. The next election is due in May 2027.[11][12]

Year Seats Plaid Cymru Independent Liberal Democrats Labour Gwlad Notes
1995 43 6 26 10 1 N/A Independent majority controlled
1999 44 14 22 7 1 N/A Independent led with Lib Dem support
2004 42 16 16 9 1 N/A Independent led with Lib Dem support
2008 42 19 12 10 1 N/A Independent led with Lib Dem support
2012 42 19 15 7 1 N/A Plaid Cymru led with Independent support
2017 42 20 13 8 1 N/A Plaid Cymru led with Independent support
2022 38 20 9 7 1 1 Plaid Cymru majority controlled

Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.

Premises

Since the local government reorganisation in 1996, the council has had its meeting place and main offices at Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion (English: Ceredigion Council Hall) at Penmorfa in Aberaeron.[13] The building was erected in the early 1990s for the council's predecessor, Ceredigion District Council.[14][15]

When the council was created in 1996 it inherited various offices from its predecessor authorities, including Swyddfa'r Sir in Aberystwyth, which had been built as the Queen's Hotel in 1866 and had served as the headquarters of the former Cardiganshire County Council from 1950 until 1974, then served as an area office for Dyfed County Council from 1974 until 1996. The council also inherited Aberystwyth Town Hall, which had been the headquarters of Ceredigion District Council. Both these Aberystwyth offices closed in 2009 when the council opened a new Aberystwyth area office at Canolfan Rheidol in Llanbadarn Fawr on the outskirts of Aberystwyth.[16][17] The council also has area offices in Lampeter and Cardigan.[18]

Electoral divisions
Electoral divisions in Ceredigion

The county is divided into 40 electoral wards returning 42 councillors. There are 50 communities in the area, some of which have their own elected council. Many communities are coterminous with council wards. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with an asterisk.

Ward Communities Councillor(s) elected 2012
Aberaeron Aberaeron* Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Evans
Aberporth Aberporth* UKIP Gethin James[19]
Aberystwyth Bronglais Aberystwyth* (Bronglais ward) Plaid Cymru Alun Williams
Aberystwyth Central Aberystwyth* (Central ward) Liberal Democrats Ceredig Davies
Aberystwyth North Aberystwyth* (North ward) Plaid Cymru Mark Anthony Strong
Aberystwyth Penparcau Aberystwyth* (Penparcau ward ) Plaid Cymru Steve Davies
Plaid Cymru Lorrae Jones-Southgate
Aberystwyth Rheidol Aberystwyth* (Rheidol ward) Independent John Aled Roberts
Beulah Beulah* Plaid Cymru William David Lyndon Lloyd
Borth Independent Ray Quant
Capel Dewi Llandysul* (Capel Dewi, Pontshaen and Tregroes wards) Independent Peter Davies
Cardigan, Mwldan Cardigan* (Mwldan ward) Plaid Cymru John Adams-Lewis
Cardigan, Rhyd-y-Fuwch Cardigan* (Rhyd-y-Fuwch ward) Liberal Democrats Mark Cole
Cardigan, Teifi Cardigan* (Teifi ward) Plaid Cymru Catrin Miles
Ceulanamaesmawr Plaid Cymru Ellen ap Gwynn
Ciliau Aeron Plaid Cymru John Lumley
Faenor Faenor* Liberal Democrats John Roberts
Lampeter Lampeter Labour Robert George Harris
Independent John Ivor Williams
Llanarth Llanarth* Plaid Cymru Bryan Gareth Davies
Llanbadarn Fawr - Padarn Llanbadarn Fawr* (Padarn ward) Plaid Cymru Gareth Davies
Llanbadarn Fawr - Sulien Llanbadarn Fawr* (Sulien ward) Plaid Cymru Paul James
Llandyfriog Llandyfriog* Plaid Cymru Benjamin Towyn Evans
Llandysilio-gogo Independent Gareth Lloyd
Llandysul Town Llandysul (Trefol ward) Plaid Cymru Peter Evans
Llanfarian Llanfarian* Plaid Cymru Alun Lloyd Jones
Llanfihangel Ystrad
  • Llanfihangel Ystrad*
  • Nantcwnlle* (Nantcwnlle and Trefilan wards)
 Plaid Cymru William Lynford Thomas
Llangeitho Independent Rhodri Evans
Llangybi Plaid Cymru Odwyn Davies
Llanrhystyd Liberal Democrats Rowland Rees-Evans
Llansantffraed Independent Dafydd Edwards
Llanwenog Independent Euros Davies
Lledrod Independent Ifan Davies
Melindwr Plaid Cymru Rhodri Davies
New Quay New Quay* Independent Gill Hopley
Penbryn Independent Gwyn James
Pen-parc Independent Haydn Lewis
Tirymynach Tirymynach Liberal Democrats Paul Hinge
Trefeurig Trefeurig* Independent Dai Mason
Tregaron Tregaron* Plaid Cymru Catherine Jane Hughes
Troedyraur Troedyraur* Independent Maldwyn Lewis
Ystwyth Liberal Democrats Rowland Jones

Arms
Coat of arms of Ceredigion County Council
Notes
Originally granted to Cardiganshire County Council on 21 October 1937
Coronet
A mural crown Or.
Escutcheon
Quarterly per pale indented first Sable a lion rampant reguardant Or second barry wavy of six Argent and Azure a herring haurient proper third Azure a garb Or banded Gules and fourth Sable a chevron between three roses Argent barbed and seeded Proper.
Motto
Golud Gwlad Rhyddid (A Nation's Wealth Is Freedom)[20]

References
  1. "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 28 September 2022
  2. "Hansard: Written Answers". UK Parliament. 2 April 1996. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  3. "The County of Ceredigion (Electoral Changes) Order 2002", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2002/3278, retrieved 2 October 2022
  4. "The area of Wales that missed coronavirus - and the simple system it set up". Wales Online. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
  5. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  6. "Council minutes". Ceredigion County Council. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  7. "Ceredigion Council leader to quit". BBC News. 24 April 2006. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  8. "Vote 2012: Ceredigion council leader Keith Evans loses seat". BBC News. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  9. "Ceredigion's Plaid leader Ellen ap Gwynn to step down". BBC News. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  10. "Local Elections - 5th May 2022". Ceredigion County Council. Ceredigion County Council. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  11. "Ceredigion County Council Election Results 1995-2012". Elections Centre Plymouth University. 2 June 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  12. "Wales at the polls: Local elections 2017". ITV News. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
  13. "No. 54475". The London Gazette. 24 July 1996. p. 9921.
  14. Planning application 890453, New council offices at Penmorfa, Aberaeron, granted 18 June 1990
  15. "No. 53783". The London Gazette. 7 September 1994. p. 12630.
  16. "Work starts on £950,000 town library in Aberystwyth". BBC. 23 September 2010. Retrieved 26 July 2021.
  17. "Welsh Assembly Government and County Council Offices, Canolfan Rheidol, Aberystwyth". Coflein. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  18. "Customer service centres". Ceredigion County Council. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  19. "Plaid issues ultimatum over UKIP councillor". BBC News. 11 March 2014.
  20. "Wales". Civic Heraldry of Wales. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
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