Pembrokeshire County Council

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Pembrokeshire County Council

Cyngor Sir Penfro
Arms of Pembrokeshire County Council.svg
Pembrokeshire County Council Logo.svg
Type
Type
Leadership
Maureen Bowen,
Labour
since 9 May 2025 [1]
Jon Harvey,
Independent
since 10 May 2024
Will Bramble
since 31 March 2021 [2]
Structure
Seats60 councillors
Political groups
  Independent (35)
  Conservative (11)
  Labour (10)
  Liberal Democrats (2)
  Plaid Cymru (2)
Length of term
5 years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Pembrokeshire county hall.jpg
County Hall, Freemens Way, Haverfordwest, SA61 1TP
Website
www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Pembrokeshire County Council (Welsh : Cyngor Sir Penfro) is the local authority for the county of Pembrokeshire, one of the principal areas of Wales.

Contents

History

There have been two bodies called Pembrokeshire County Council. The first existed from 1889 until 1974, and the current one was created in 1996.

Shire Hall, Haverfordwest: First county council's meeting place 1889-1974 Shire Hall, Haverfordwest (6064).jpg
Shire Hall, Haverfordwest: First county council's meeting place 1889–1974

Elected county councils were established in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888, taking over administrative functions previously performed by unelected magistrates at each county's quarter sessions. [3] The town of Haverfordwest was a county corporate with its own quarter sessions, but was deemed too small to run its own county council functions; it was therefore included in administrative county of Pembrokeshire and administered by Pembrokeshire County Council. [4]

The first elections were held in January 1889, and the council came into its powers on 1 April 1889. [5] On that day the council held its formal meeting at the Shire Hall in Haverfordwest, the courthouse (built 1837) which had served as the meeting place of the quarter sessions which preceded the county council. [6] Henry George Allen, a Liberal, was appointed the first chairman of the council. [7]

The first incarnation of the county council was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. From 1 April 1974 the area was split between the two new districts of Preseli and South Pembrokeshire, both of which were subordinate to the new county of Dyfed, with county-level functions passing to the new Dyfed County Council. [8]

In 1996 the councils established in 1974 were all abolished under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, and Pembrokeshire County Council was re-established as a unitary authority for the area. [9]

Political control

Since the 2017 election the council has been led by a coalition of some of the independent councillors, Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats, with the same coalition continuing following the 2022 election. [10]

The first election to the modern council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Independent councillors have held over half the council's seats ever since 1996: [11]

Party in controlYears
Independent 1996–present

Different groupings have formed among the independent councillors at different times, sometimes forming administrations with councillors from political parties. Between 1996 and 2017 the leader of the council came from the "Independent Political Group" (later called the "Independent Plus Political Group"). That group's numbers were reduced from 33 to 13 at the May 2017 election. Its leader Jamie Adams blamed the poor performance at that election on the IPPG's close connections to the council's discredited former chief executive. [12] [13]

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:

CouncillorPartyFromToNotes
Eric Harries [14] [15] [16] Independent 1 Apr 1996May 1999Leading "Independent Political Group"
Maurice Hughes [17] [15] Independent 20 May 1999Jun 2004Leading "Independent Political Group"
John Davies [18] [19] Independent 29 Jun 2004May 2012Leading "Independent Plus Political Group" (IPPG)
Jamie Adams [20] [21] Independent 24 May 201225 May 2017Leading IPPG
David Simpson [22] [23] Independent 25 May 201710 May 2024
Jon Harvey [24] [25] Independent 10 May 2024

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to February 2025, the composition of the council was: [26] [27]

PartyCouncillors
Independent 35
Conservative 11
Labour 10
Liberal Democrats 2
Plaid Cymru 2
Total60

Of the independent councillors, 19 sit together as the "Independent Group" and the other 16 are not affiliated to any group. The leader of the council, Jon Harvey, is one of the non-affiliated independent councillors, and positions of responsibility in the council's cabinet are held by other non-affiliated independents and members of the Labour, Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrat groups. [28] The next election is due in 2027. [27]

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 60 councillors, representing 59 wards. The ward of Pembroke: Monkton and St Mary South elects two councillors; all the other wards elect one councillor each. [29]

YearSeats Independent Labour Plaid Cymru Conservative Liberal Democrats Notes
1995 [30] 604113303
1999 603815205
2004 604012503
2008 60425553
2012 60429531
2017 603476121
2022 6035102112

Party with the most elected councillors in bold.

Premises

The council is based at County Hall on Freemens Way in Haverfordwest.

The original county council generally held its meetings at the Shire Hall at 47 High Street, Haverfordwest. [31] In 1923 the council acquired the former Pembrokeshire and Haverfordwest Infirmary at the corner of St Thomas Green and Winch Lane, which had been built in 1872, converting it to become their main offices. The old infirmary became known as the County Offices, and remained the council's headquarters until its abolition in 1974. The building was subsequently used as an area office by Dyfed County Council. Following the re-establishment of Pembrokeshire County Council in 1996 and the opening of a new County Hall in 1999 the County Offices became surplus to requirements and so were demolished and a leisure centre built on the site, opening in 2009. [32]

When re-created in 1996 the council inherited offices from the two predecessor authorities: Cambria House in Haverfordwest from Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council and Llanion Park in Pembroke Dock from South Pembrokeshire District Council, along with the former County Offices of Dyfed County Council on St Thomas's Green in Haverfordwest. The first meeting of the new authority was held at Shire Hall, Haverfordwest, which had been the meeting place of the pre-1974 Pembrokeshire County Council. [33] Subsequent meetings were held at Cambria House. It was decided shortly after the new council's creation to build a new headquarters adjoining Cambria House. The new building was named County Hall, with the first full council meeting in the new building being held in October 1999. [34] Cambria House was demolished shortly afterwards. The new County Hall was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 22 November 2001. [35]

Districts 1894–1974

District councils subordinate to the county council were established under the Local Government Act 1894, replacing the earlier sanitary districts (except those which were municipal boroughs). The districts of Pembrokeshire from 1894 to 1974 were: [36]

NameFromToNotesSuccessor in 1974
Cemaes Rural District 1 Apr 193431 Mar 1974Created from merger of St Dogmells Rural District and Llanfyrnach Rural District. Preseli
Fishguard Urban District 1 Apr 190731 Mar 1934Created from part of Haverfordwest Rural District. Abolished to become part of Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District.n/a
Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District 1 Apr 193431 Mar 1974Created from merger of separate Goodwick and Fishguard urban districts. Preseli
Goodwick Urban District 1 Apr 192331 Mar 1934Created from part of Haverfordwest Rural District. Abolished to become part of Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District.n/a
Haverfordwest Municipal Borough 1 Apr 188931 Mar 1974Predated creation of county council. Preseli
Haverfordwest Rural District 28 Dec 189431 Mar 1974Created from Haverfordwest Rural Sanitary District. Preseli
Llanfyrnach Rural District 28 Dec 189431 Mar 1934Created from the part of the Newcastle Emlyn Rural Sanitary District within Pembrokeshire. Abolished to become part of Cemaes Rural District.n/a
Milford Haven Urban District 31 Dec 189431 Mar 1974Created from Milford Improvement Commissioners District. Preseli
Narberth Rural District 28 Dec 189431 Mar 1974Created from Narberth Rural Sanitary District. South Pembrokeshire
Narberth Urban District 1 Apr 190231 Mar 1974Created from part of Narberth Rural District. South Pembrokeshire
Neyland Urban District 1 Oct 190031 Mar 1974Created from part of Pembroke Rural District. Preseli
Pembroke Municipal Borough 1 Apr 188931 Mar 1974Predated creation of county council. South Pembrokeshire
Pembroke Rural District 28 Dec 189431 Mar 1974Created from Pembroke Rural Sanitary District. South Pembrokeshire
St Dogmells Rural District 28 Dec 189431 Mar 1934Created from the part of the Cardigan Rural Sanitary District within Pembrokeshire. Abolished to become part of Cemaes Rural District.n/a
Tenby Municipal Borough 1 Apr 188931 Mar 1974Predated creation of county council. South Pembrokeshire

References

  1. "Council minutes, 9 May 2025" (PDF). Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  2. Coles, Jon (31 March 2021). "Pembrokeshire County Council appoints Major General as new Chief Executive". Pembrokeshire Herald. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  3. "Pembrokeshire County Council Records - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  4. "Local Government Act 1888". www.legislation.gov.uk.
  5. "PEMBROKESHIRE.|1889-01-25|The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser - Welsh Newspapers Online - The National Library of Wales". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  6. "Pembrokeshire County Council". Tenby Observer. The National Library of Wales. 4 April 1889. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  7. "Pembrokeshire County Council: Election of chairman &c". Tenby Observer. The National Library of Wales. 21 February 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  8. "Local Government Act 1972". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  9. "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 4 October 2022
  10. "David Simpson elected new Leader of council". The Pembrokeshire Herald. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  11. "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Pembrokeshire" in search box to see specific results.)
  12. "Porsche for council boss appalling, Leighton Andrews says". BBC News. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  13. "Jamie Adams: I wouldn't change how we handled Bryn Parry-Jones situation". Western Telegraph. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  14. "Council minutes, 17 July 1995" (PDF). Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  15. 1 2 "Pembrokeshire leader loses seat". BBC News. 11 June 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  16. Riley, Jack (13 April 2022). "Milford Haven councillor stands down after nearly 60 years". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  17. "Council minutes, 20 May 1999". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  18. "Council minutes, 29 June 2004". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  19. "Former leader goes for police role". Western Telegraph. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  20. "Council minutes, 24 May 2012". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  21. Sinclair, Bruce (18 May 2017). "Former Pembrokeshire Council leader and IPPG member Jamie Adams withdraws from leadership fight". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  22. "Council minutes, 25 May 2017". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  23. Sinclair, Bruce (13 May 2024). "David Simpson steps down as leader of Pembrokeshire Council". Carmarthenshire News Online. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  24. "Council minutes, 10 May 2024". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  25. "Jon Harvey narrowly wins Pembrokeshire County Council leadership challenge". Tenby Observer. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  26. "Conservative councillor alleged to have made slave comments withdraws from Tory party". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  27. 1 2 "Pembrokeshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  28. "Your councillors by party". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  29. Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament. The County of Pembrokeshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 as made, from legislation.gov.uk .
  30. "Welsh unitary councils". 2 June 2015.
  31. Cadw. "Shire Hall (12110)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  32. Swales Barker, Patricia (2013). Haverfordwest through time. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. p. 82. ISBN   978-1-4456-1614-8 . Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  33. "Council minutes, 1 April 1996" (PDF). Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  34. "Council minutes, 28 October 1999" (PDF). Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  35. "Royals open £10m county hall". BBC News. 22 November 2001. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  36. "Pembrokeshire Administrative County". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 2 August 2022.