Numbers
No final tally - a few recounts still going on, some wards where the election has been delayed until next month - but this is where they four main parties stand:
Labour down from 471 to 343 (- 128)
Plaid Cymru up from 177 - 204 (+ 27) and within one of their tally in '99, their best year ever - proof perhaps that statistics rarely tell the whole story?)
Conservatives: 110 - 171 (+ 61)
Liberal Democrats: 143 - 161 (+18) - despite every effort to oust them.
Independent candidates: 348 (+26) - 5 more than Labour
Others, including small parties: 26 (-2) - 8 People's Voice, 12 Llais Gwynedd among them
I'm Betsan Powys, BBC Wales' political editor. I'll be blogging the inside track on 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~17~RS~)
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Betsan,
Plaid did badly in Gwynedd and Swansea but both were for local reasons. Apart from that, we have won more seats than in our history. Please explain to me how 'statistics rarely tell the whole story'?
Afterall, the UK results are mere statistics and the story there was quite clear.
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Yeah Betsan - I agree with what's his name above - fabulous day for Plaid Cymru.
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I would love to hear the local reasons why Plaid Cymru did badly in Swansea. As far as I know there were none.
My interpretation of why they lost Cockett was that they ran an ineffectual campaign, failed to establish themselves as the main alternative to Labour in that ward and people opted for the Welsh Liberal Democrats instead, who they know run the Council and were therefore a credible option.
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Welsh Liberal Democrats a credible option....love it - it's so funny - Peter - what's your blasted purpose?
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Whats the odds that Labour MP's may find themselves more supportive of a referendum on a Welsh Parliament now there is a very real chance of a Tory Westminster in ~ 24 months
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"Independents also remained the largest grouping in Carmarthenshire, although Plaid had 14 gains, and Labour 14 losses."
From your news article. That just isn't true - Plaid Cymru are the biggest group - biggest story of the election IMHO.
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Dunno if Mr D Balsom reads this but his wonderful three Wales paradigm needs a bit of revising. Fairwater and Riverside nationalist strongholds !!!
The more I study the results the more impressive to Plaid they become.
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West Cardiff success for Plaid is down to good organisation and energetic dedicated people. Plaid's support in Cardiff tends to be ignored by a lot of commentators, but the party gets good results in West Cardiff, Grangetown and Llanrumney. These areas have people who work through out the year promoting local issues and campaigning hard - something I think other parties could emulate.
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I'm really glad I came on to Betsans blog!
I check in every now and then to find out what wee Wales is doing.
We in Scotland ,on a newspaper site were informed of how well PC had done, otherwise we would never had known had we relied on the BBC.
So thanks again Owain for the information!
C'mon wee Wales!
Unless and until , ordinary folk start spreading the news, we will never learn the truth from the media, who are intent on some agenda of control.
Thank goodness for the internet , which makes it more difficult for information to be "misspoken" as Hillary would say!
It is the SNP governments 1 st birthday , no better present than to see the demise of Labour at the polls!
Come and join us on the Scottish newspapers more often, you will get an idea of what we are up against with a pro unionist press.
Even better, watch FMQs if you can stomach the behaviour of the Labour rabble!
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If the results of this weeks elections are anything to go by for the next London elections, then we will see Wales being forced to have a government that they did not vote for.
The last time this occurred was when the Tories were in power, Wales then voted a Labour government and got the tories.
We the people of Wales should have a government by the party that the majority of the people of Wales voted for, not what the people of England or Scotland voted for.
Now, Mr Touhig, if you think that Labour can win the next London election, as you are now, I'm afraid your party is living in cuckooland. If you and your colleagues seriously want to keep your seat in any form of parliment next time, then the Labour party in Wales should campaign to allow us the people of Wales to have proper democracy to ensure that we have a full legislative governemnt chosen by the majority us the people of Wales.
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DisgustedDorothy is not wrong. I endorse what she says.
Congratulations to Plaid for doing so well in your local elections.
I perceive that there is in Wales a desire for a legislature of the type that we have in Scotland. That is, of course, none of my business, but I hope you get it if you want it even though we are not satisfied with ours.
I can see that it may turn out to be the case in a few years that just as Wales is acquiring a devolved legislature comparable to the present Scottish Parliament we shall be replacing that with something more powerful.
Do try to keep up, Wales.
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Is there any chance of publishing turnout figures for the 22 Unitary Authorities and also what % of the votes cast did the parties get overall in Wales...I appreciate the presence of independent councillors makes these figures to be somewhat meaningless but still interesting to compare with the last council elections.
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In response to Peter Black, there was a very perosnal attack on one of the Cockett Plaid candidates, via leaflets from Labour and via canvassing from the Lib Dems (please stop insulting our intelligence by claiming to be the clean party). I accept that their campaign was not up to the job and lessons will be learnt. It's just a shame that 3 very hard working Plaid Councillors have been voted out in Swansea; a city bereft of much talent in the Council chamber.
However, plans are already in hand to sort things out for 2012. The riony is that the only remaining Plaid Councillor in Swansea is without doubt the most talented of all the parties-and still in his twenties!
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Negrin - it's the multi member ward system that makes such arithmeyic so difficult and fairly meaningless. I'd count the councillors if I were you.
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The last thing Wales wants is any kind of guidance from the Scottish Nationalists so I suggest they stop sticky beaking and get on with it miles away up there in Kingdom Salmond. The £123 million approx shortfall in higher education funding that they've brought on themselves trying to offer free or reduced fee degree courses, indicate they haven't got things right in their constant bid to apparently get one over on England. We in Wales will do our own thing thank you, we're nothing like you, so butt out.
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There is subtle bias in the BBC for issues of Wales interest, as prior posters have made note. An example is displayed on the BBC Wales homepage... when you view the news and sports. Prior to the homepage revision you could chose a link to BBC Wales News, or BBC Wales Sport. Now, they droped the 'Wales' out of the name. It took me more then a few moments to notice that the BBC News was for Wales... but it is not clear.
In contrast, If you visit the BBC Scotland Homepage you are able to chose BBC Scottish News, and BBC Scottish Sport. But the choice is not clear on the BBC Wales homepage. I sent a message about that when I first noticed a month ago, but they have done nothing about it.
From my prespective this is a subtle way for the BBC to report on Wales as part of England, rather then reporting on Wales news and sport.
This may find its way into the reporting as well of political issues, as Disgusted Dorthey and others have pointed out. It is also demonstrated by how the success of Plaid in all elections have been, Gwynedd notwithstanding (that based on a very specific local issue).
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IluvBritain, no intentions of interfering !
But I do want balanced ,fair reporting and you will not get that from the BBC.
Obviously you don't think this is a problem!
I wish you and Wales the very best and I'm sure Wales will do that in a very Welsh way!
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So, why did the BBC website get the Sir Gar numbers wrong?
BBC - Plaid - 31 Labour 12
Actual: Plaid 30 Labour 11
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Bethan, Perhaps you could get someone to correct a mistake in the BBC coverage of Newport election. Plaid Cymru won only one seat and that was in Tredegar Park. Newport City Council website has wrongly put a Plaid Cymru label against Stephen Jones, one of the Conservative councillors in Rogerstone.
The numbers in Newport are Lab 19 Con 17 LD 6 Ind 1 and PC 1 with six still to be contested in deferred elections.
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Apologies for being critical of the Beebs statement on Carmarthen councillors - there has been some confusion in the results. Thanks ed_townsend - was racking my brain to think who second Plaid councillor was.
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Betsan:
Good Day for Plaid Cymru.....
Thanks
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So...
Independents gained 348 seats, 5 more in total than Labour in Wales. Add on small parties, an extra 26, and say 50% of the other parties, for those that vote for other parties as a way of getting or keeping labour out. That makes an extra 53, total 427, as opposed to labours 343 votes. That is a majority of at least 24% of the seats in this election were chosen by people who don't want either a Labour administration or the long term one party system to continue.
Ousted labour councillors may well blame Gordon Browne and the demise of the 10p tax band but that can only partly compensate for the "vote for anything Labour" mentality of many Welsh people. No, and as long as the electorate remember the arrogance of any long term labour administration I sincerely hope that, until they put up as independents, representing the people, not the party, those councillors are out and they will stay out. Let's hope they see sense, because some of them would make good councillors.
Should the title of your blog have been
Wales Says "No place for Party Politics in Local Government"
See Torfaen Democratic Forum http://torfaen4us.blogspot.com/
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Betsan...Off topic..BUT...
What are the implications of La Wendy Alexander''s sudden "conversion"/support for a Scottish Independepence referendum for Wales?
Where Scotland leads etc.? Duifficult for Lab to deny a vote on greater Welsh powers now?
Tactics, tactics, tactics!
(ER...Be careful what you wish for...)
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"Plaid Cymru up from 177 - 204 (+ 27) and within one of their tally in '99, their best year ever - proof perhaps that statistics rarely tell the whole story?)"
Betsan this is not just a statistic. It is the election result.
Useually it is politicians who have done badly who try and take attention away from bad overall results by concentrating on one or two good results.
The BBC seems to be trying to take attention away from Plaid's good results (18% increase in council seats and comfortably ahead of Tories as second party in local government) by concentrating on one bad result.
Shame.
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Twm-Bach, shouldn't the Plaid result be 207 seats, I agree the BBC have concentrated on one bad result in Gwynedd and failed to report outstanding results in the rest of Wales, particularly Wrecsam where we gained 4 seats from Labour and the Tories gained one in once solid Brymbo...so what's the analysis? It's more than just anti Labour.
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Unfortunately Labour won in our borough..Rhondda Cynon Taff.
I forsee dark days ahead for the Taff part of that equation as we appear to be paying for the Rhondda and Cynon's benefit while getting little or nothing in return.
Oh that WE could have turned Labour over!
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On what after all was a very good night for Plaid Cymru. I wonder what would the result in Gwynedd would have been if the School?s issue hadn?t occurred? By my calculation it would have been a net gain of 4 seats. I can?t see the leaders of any of the council?s in Wales jumping for joy about Gwynedd because it means any attempt to reform our antiquated Schools and therefore put more money into real education is doomed throughout Wales. Thanks Llais Gwynedd you have set as back for years
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glynbeddau - I'm a supreme Plaid loyalist but really wish in Gwynedd we would speak to Llais. Got a lot of time for Seimon Glyn.
In the last six months we have delayed building a railway station at Crosskeys because of having to move slow-worms. The capacity increase of the Cardiff to Maesteg line is delayed because of 2 great crested newts at Sarn (I'm not kidding !!).
The National Park people make a huge fuss about an airport at Llanbedr destroying the tourist experience.
All that stuff is fine but we let in-migration to Llyn threaten the linguistic character of one of the few Welsh speaking places left on earth and have no great inquiry, inspection, review or whatever - very strange.
Like I'm all for bio-diversity but also for linguistic diversity. Let's apply the same sort of standards. And anyway - need new Dafydd Iwan songs....
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