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Vote 2012: Wales council candidates and who was in charge
On 3 May 2012, voters across Wales will go to the polls for the local elections.
Elections will be held in 21 of the 22 authorities. Anglesey will be the only local authority not taking part.
Here is a list of direct links to council websites which will carry the nominations and possible outcomes explained by BBC Wales Welsh Affairs Editor Vaughan Roderick.
Information is subject to change: please check on the council websites.
| Local authority | Website/Twitter | Who has been in charge | Possible outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Blaenau Gwent 
|
|
Independent/Labour Ind - 24 Lab - 16 Other - 2 |
* Labour lost control for the first time in the borough's history in 2008 * It has since seen a kaleidoscope of administrations comprising various Independent and political factions * In 2010/11 Labour regained the coterminous parliamentary and assembly seats from Independents * Labour hoping to re-establish its traditional hegemony |
|
Bridgend 
|
|
Labour Lab - 27 Ind - 11 Con - 6 Lib Dem - 6 Democratic Independent - 3 Plaid - 1 |
* Labour lost overall control in 2004 to Lib Dem/Ind/Con coalition * Labour won half the seats in 2008 * Will expect to tighten its grip at the expense of the Lib Dems |
|
Caerphilly 
|
|
Plaid/Ind Plaid - 32 Lab - 29 Ind - 5 Islwyn First - 3 Minority Independent - 3 |
* A traditionally hard-fought battle between Plaid and Labour * Handful of gains would see Labour re-gain control * However, Plaid believes election of left-winger Leanne Wood as national party leader may enable them to hold their ground |
|
Cardiff 
|
|
Lib Dem/Plaid Lib Dem - 34 Lab - 14 Con - 16 Plaid - 6 Ind - 5 |
* One of Wales' few genuinely four party councils * Labour will be seeking to recover from a very low-base to become the largest group * Possible, but unlikely that Labour will recover overall control |
|
Carmarthenshire 
|
|
Ind/Lab Plaid - 32 Ind - 29 Lab - 11 People First - 2 Other - 2 |
* A county of two halves - in western rural areas Plaid Cymru will be seeking to gain seats from Independents to off-set possible losses to Labour in the industrial eastern areas * Possible that Plaid or Independents could gain an overall majority but a continuation of the council's current 'hung' status seems most likely outcome |
|
Ceredigion 
|
|
Ind/Lib Dem/Lab Plaid - 20 Ind - 11 Lib Dem - 9 Lab - 1 Non-party Independent - 1 |
* Plaid will once more be seeking overall control * An outcome they have fallen short of previously * Plaid's principal opponents will be Independents and Lib Dems in a county where Labour and the Conservatives have no substantial political presence |
|
Conwy 
|
|
Ind/Plaid/Lab/Lib Dem Con - 18 Ind - 15 Plaid - 14 Lab - 7 Lib Dem - 5 |
* Almost certain to remain hung * Conservatives hope to make some gains in coastal districts following recent successes in assembly and parliamentary elections |
|
Denbighshire 
|
|
Multi-party Con - 18 Ind - 10 Ind First - 3 Ind (Welsh Liberal Democrat) - 1 Lab - 7 Plaid - 8 |
* Certain to remain a hung council * Changes more likely to be due to personalities and local issues rather than any broader political trends |
|
Flintshire 
|
|
Con/Ind/Lib Dem Ind - 24 Lab - 21 Lib Dem - 13 Con - 9 Plaid - 1 Unaffiliated - 2 |
* One of Labour's two target councils in the north * Labour will want major gains * Labour stands an outside chance of securing overall control |
|
Gwynedd 
|
|
Plaid Plaid - 39 Ind - 14 Llais Gwynedd - 10 Lib Dem - 4 Individual member - 2 Lab - 4 |
* In a shock result in 2008 Plaid lost overall control * Following by-elections and defections, the party holds a majority of seats and will expect to tighten its grip |
|
Merthyr Tydfil 
|
|
Independent Ind -13 Lab - 10 Lib Dem - 4 Merthyr Independents - 3 |
* Labour lost overall control in 2008 to a combination of Independents and Lib Dems * The party may regain largest group status but would need massive gains to re-gain overall control * Lib Dems' only real foothold in the south Wales valleys could be under real threat |
|
Monmouthshire 
|
|
Conservative Con - 26 Lab - 7 PC/Ind - 6 Lib Dem - 4 |
* Likely to stay Conservative led * Other parties and Independents may do sufficiently well to deprive the Conservatives of overall, if not political, control |
|
Neath Port Talbot 
|
|
Labour Lab - 39 Plaid - 11 Ind - 6 Lib Dem - 3 Social Democrat - 3 NPT Independent Party - 2 |
* One of only two councils where Labour won an overall majority in 2008 * Major shock if they were to fail to do so this time * The main challenge to be from Plaid in the Neath half of the borough |
|
Newport 
|
|
Conservative/Lib Dem Lab - 20 Con - 17 Lib Dem - 9 Ind - 2 |
* Labour will be seeking to re-take overall control and have a reasonable chance of doing so |
|
Pembrokeshire 
|
|
Independent Ind - 39 Con - 5 Lab - 4 Plaid - 5 Lib Dem - 1 |
* The four main political parties have been eroding the Independents' grip on Pembrokeshire * But their dominant position is unlikely to be seriously challenged this year |
|
Powys 
|
|
Independent Powys Independent Alliance - 31 The Shires Independent Group -13 Lib Dem - 13 Con - 10 Lab - 5 Plaid - 1 |
* Until recently Powys was a 'non grouped' council * Two groups of Independents have vied for power in the council chamber * Independents will continue to dominate the council after the election |
|
Rhondda Cynon Taf 
|
|
Labour Lab - 48 Plaid - 18 Ind - 5 Lib Dem - 3 Con - 1 |
* RCT is a Labour stronghold * But Plaid hopes to make gains in the home territory of its new leader * It would be a major shock if Labour were to lose overall control |
|
Swansea 
|
|
Swansea Administration Swansea Administration - 35 Lab - 25 Non Alligned - 1 Communities of Swansea - 3 |
* Labour already the largest party albeit in opposition * Labour should do well enough here to be close to taking overall control |
|
Torfaen 
|
|
Labour minority controlled Lab - 21 Ind - 15 Con - 5 Plaid - 2 Lib Dem - 1 |
* A council that fell to 'anyone but Labour' in 2008 * Labour could well bounce back into overall control against a divided opposition field |
|
Vale of Glamorgan 
|
|
Conservative Con - 25 Lab - 12 Plaid - 6 Ind - 4 |
* A bellwether council which tends to follow UK trends * Conservative controlled but Labour will hope to emerge as the largest group if not take control itself |
|
Wrexham 
|
|
All-party coalition Lib Dem - 11 Lab -12 Demorcrat Independents - 7 Wrexham Independents - 8 Con - 5 Ind - 4 Plaid - 3 Non Alligned - 1 |
* The second of Labour's targets in the north * Looks like a very steep mountain for Labour to climb * They will hope to emerge as the largest party and seriously dent the Lib Dem foothold |
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