The 2017 Rhondda Cynon Taf Council election took place on Thursday 4 May 2017 to elect members of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council in Wales. This was the same day as other 2017 United Kingdom local elections. The previous full council election took place on 3 May 2012.
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is the governing body for Rhondda Cynon Taf, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council headquarters are located in the town of Clydach Vale.
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 2011 of 3,063,456 and has a total area of 20,779 km2 (8,023 sq mi). Wales has over 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline and is largely mountainous, with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon, its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate.
Seventy four council seats across fifty two electoral wards were up for election. [1] Labour remained in control of the council, though lost thirteen seats overall, while Plaid Cymru doubled their numbers to eighteen. [2] Labour council leader Andrew Morgan described the result as "a reasonably good outcome considering the circumstances we have been facing", while Plaid Cymru group leader Pauline Jarman said she was "slightly disappointed". [3] A "shock" result was the election of a councillor from new party, The Cynon Valley Party, to the Penrhiwceiber ward. [3]
Plaid Cymru is a social-democratic political party in Wales advocating Welsh independence from the United Kingdom within the European Union.
The Cynon Valley Party is a political party formed in 2016 to campaign for people living in the Cynon Valley, including the towns of Aberdare and Mountain Ash, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The party won a council seat on Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council in May 2017.
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | 46[a] | -13 | 62.2 | 46.0 | 46,266[a] | -8.6 | |||
Plaid Cymru | 18 | +9 | 24.3 | 28.6 | 28,788 | +0.7 | |||
Independent | 4 | 0 | 5.4 | 8.3 | 8,335 | -1.0 | |||
Conservative | 4 | +3 | 5.4 | 9.3 | 9,364 | +6.7 | |||
Cynon Valley | 1 | +1 | 1.4 | 4.8 | 4,855 | +4.8 | |||
Liberal Democrat | 1 | 0 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1,344 | -2.3 | |||
UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0.6 | 647 | +0.3 | ||||
Green | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 134 | -0.6 | ||||
TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 63 | -0.4 | ||||
Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.5 |
[a]- includes one councillor and 888 votes for the Labour and Co-operative parties
Labour and Co-operative Party is a description used by candidates in United Kingdom elections who stand on behalf of both the Labour Party and the Co-operative Party.
Llwynypia is a village and community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. Before 1850 a lightly populated rural farming area, Llwynypia experienced a population boom between 1860 and 1920 with the sinking of several coal mines after the discovery of large coal deposits throughout the Rhondda Valleys.
Ystrad is a village and community in the Rhondda Fawr valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
Tylorstown is a village and community located in the Rhondda valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is neighboured by the villages of Blaenllechau, Ferndale, Penrhys, Pontygwaith and Stanleytown.
Penygraig is a village and community in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. As a community Penygraig contains the neighbouring districts of Dinas, Edmondstown, Penrhiwfer and Williamstown. Penygraig is within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan,.
Pentre is a village, community and electoral ward near Treorchy in the Rhondda valley, falling within the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The village's name is taken from the Welsh word Pentref, which translates as homestead, though Pentre is named after a large farm that dominated the area before the coming of industrialisation. The community takes in the neighbouring village of Ton Pentre.
The 2012 Rhondda Cynon Taf Council election took place on Thursday 3 May 2012 to elect members of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council in Wales. This was the same day as other United Kingdom local elections. The next full council election took place on 4 May 2017.
Syd Morgan is a Welsh nationalist politician.
The community of Aberaman, Rhondda Cynon Taf was an electoral ward for much of the twentieth century, for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. It currently comprises two electoral wards, Aberaman North and Aberaman South, for the purposes of electing members to the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Aberaman North is composed mainly of Aberaman itself while Aberaman South includes Abercwmboi, Cwmaman, Godreaman and Glynhafod.
The community of Llwydcoed, Rhondda Cynon Taf was, for much of the twentieth century, and electoral ward for the purposes of electing members to Glamorgan County Council and the Aberdare Urban District Council. Llwydcoed is no longer an electoral ward but forms part of Aberdare West and Llwydcoed electoral ward for the purposes of Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority elections
The second election to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council was held on 4 May 1995. It was preceded by the 1995 election and followed by the 2004 election. On the same day there were elections to the other 21 local authorities in Wales and community councils in Wales and the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales were held.
The third election to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council was held in June 2004. It was preceded by the 1999 election and followed by the 2008 election. On the same day there were elections to the other 21 local authorities in Wales and community councils in Wales and the first elections to the National Assembly for Wales were held.
Elections to City of Cardiff Council were held on 4 May 2017 as part of wider local elections across Wales. The elections were preceded by the 2012 elections. Labour maintained control of the authority following these elections.
Rhigos is the northernmost electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It covers the community of Rhigos and most of the neighbouring community of Hirwaun, excluding the village of Hirwaun itself but including the village of Penderyn. The ward elects a county councillor to the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.
Aberdare East is a local government community and electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The community was formed in 2016 when the former community of Aberdare was split into two. Aberdare East includes the main town of Aberdare.
Aberaman North is a community and coterminous electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It primarily includes the village of Aberaman. The community was formed in 2016 when the larger community of Aberaman was split into North and South.
Mountain Ash East is a community and coterminous electoral ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It primarily includes the part of the village of Mountain Ash east of the River Cynon. The community was formed in 2016 when the larger community of Mountain Ash was divided into East and West to match the ward boundaries.
Cwm Clydach is a community and electoral ward to the northwest of Tonypandy in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The community and ward covers the valley of the Nant Clydach, which includes the cojoined villages of Clydach Vale and Blaenclydach.