The second election preview looks at wards in Porthcawl and the Pyle/Cornelly/Kenfig Hill area.
Once again, if you’re not sure which ward you are in, enter your postcode into the widget below and it’ll tell you.
Which county councillors are standing down this year?
- Mike Clarke (Ind, Rest Bay)
- Steven Smith (Lab, Pyle)
- Ken Watts (Ind, Newton) – former Mayor of Bridgend County Borough Council.
Note: Town and community councils are usually run on a non-partisan basis, but have become increasingly politicised over the last term or two, making the results and number of seats won by each party/group more important than it used to be.
Contested Elections
Porthcawl Town Council (18 councillors) – The Porthcawl Independents won a controlling majority in 2017, but due to concerns over financial mismanagement and some fallings-out within the group, it looks increasingly unlikely that they’ll repeat that.
Two wards – Rest Bay and Porthcawl West Central – won’t be holding an election to the town council and have returned 2 Conservatives and 2 Independents with two vacancies.
The other three wards – Porthcawl East Central, Nottage and Newton – will be holding contested elections.
As things stand, the Conservatives are guaranteed at least another two seats, with Independents guaranteed another four and Labour guaranteed at least one seat in East Central (and probably looking for at least one more).
Independents are still likely to be the group with the most representatives but it looks like no single group will get over the line for a majority.
Cornelly Community Council (9 councillors) – In total, twelve candidates are standing. The community council (and the county council ward) have a long-standing tradition of voting Independent, but Labour is certain to have a majority due to only four Independent candidates being put forward.
Jeff Tildesley is standing down from the community council but is still running for the county council. Labour are currently guaranteed a minimum of 5 seats and the Independents 1.
Uncontested Elections
Cefn Cribwr Community Council (10 councillors) – As a result of an uncontested election, eight councillors have been elected unopposed (7 Labour, 1 Plaid Cymru) with two vacancies.
Pyle Community Council (9 councillors) – Seven councillors have been elected unopposed (5 Labour, 1 Conservative, 1 Independent) with two vacancies.
