Next, a look at the four very large councils covering central Wales and the west.
- Current Administration: Plaid Cymru-Independent coalition.
- Current Leader: Cllr. Ellen ap Gwynn (Plaid).
- Number of Seats (2022): 38 (-4).
- Current Seat Distribution: Plaid Cymru (20), Independents & Non-Affiliated (14), Liberal Democrats (7), Labour (1).
Previous Results:
- 1995 – Independent control.
- 1999 – Independent control.
- 2004 – No Overall Control.
- 2008 – No Overall Control.
- 2012 – No Overall Control.
- 2017 – No Overall Control.
Another “nearly” council for Plaid Cymru in 2017. Based on the number of candidates standing, realistically only they or the Independents can win a majority. The odds are perhaps against them there, but given the weak position of the Lib Dems, they ought to be confident that they’ll remain the largest single group and prevent an alternative administration.
The Lib Dems could find it hard going to unseat some of the Plaid incumbents in the Aberystwyth area, where Plaid have replaced them as the dominant force.
The only real threat to Plaid’s position is the Independents – who’ve already won two seats uncontested.
The wildcard here might be the Greens. One contest to watch is Borth, where the current Deputy Leader of the Council, Ray Quant, is facing a challenge from another Independent as well as a Green candidate. Borth is one of the settlements on the Welsh coast said to be most at risk from climate change.
Another thing to note is that while this has never been a Conservative heartland, Ceredigion is confounding the national trend with only two candidates being put forward – both of them standing in the middle of Aberystwyth. Bit random, like.
