2017 Denbighshire County Council election

The 2017 Denbighshire County Council election took place in Denbighshire, Wales, on 4 May 2017 to elect members of Denbighshire Council.[1] This was the same day as other 2017 United Kingdom local elections. The previous elections took place in 2012 and the next all-council elections took place in 2022.

2017 election results map, showing numbers of councillors per ward and their party affiliations

Background edit

Though the Labour Party had ended up as the largest group, following the previous elections in 2012, they had chosen not to lead the council.[2] The leading coalition of Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and Independents were faced with making big cost savings and there were battles over potential closure of rural schools, as well as a proposed merger between Denbighshire and Conwy county councils.[2]

Contests took place in all except three of the 30 electoral wards.[3]

Results edit

Overview edit

The Conservatives became the largest group on the council again, after taking seats largely from the Labour Party.

Denbighshire County Council election 2017 [4]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 16 9 1 +8 34.0 31.6 9,797 +4.4
  Labour 13 1 7 -6 27.6 21.9 6,786 -7.3
  Independent 8 1 5 -4 17.0 26.4 8,181 +1.0
  Plaid Cymru 9 3 1 +2 19.1 12.8 3,959 +1.3
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 0 0 2.1 6.3 1,964 +1.3
  Green 0 0 0.0 0.8 263 -0.2
  Socialist Labour 0 0 0.0 0.3 92 -0.1
  UKIP 0 0 0.0 N/A 0 -0.3

Ward results edit

* = denotes councillor elected to this ward at the 2012 elections[5]

(a) Election Centre/Andrew Teale source also compares the percentage vote of the lead candidate for each party in the ward

(b) Denbighshire Council results per ward also give the % turnout and numbers of registered electors

Bodelwyddan (one seat) edit

Bodelwyddan 2017 [4](a)[6](b)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Richard Mainon 244 40.9 +26.9
Labour Jo Hall 150 25.1 -12.0
Independent Raymond Beech 146 24.5 -24.4
Plaid Cymru David Wyatt 57 9.5 +9.5
Majority 94
Turnout 38.0
Registered electors 1,592
Conservative gain from Independent Swing

Corwen (one seat) edit

Corwen 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Huw Jones * unopposed
Registered electors 1,852
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

Denbigh Central (one seat) edit

Denbigh Central 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Gwyneth Kensler * 378 70.3
Independent Paul Smith 160 29.7
Majority 218
Turnout 35.0
Registered electors 1,560
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

Denbigh Lower (two seats) edit

Denbigh Lower 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mark Young 936 47.4
Plaid Cymru Rhys Thomas 730 37.0
Independent Roy Tickle 554
Conservative Mari Jackson-Jones 309 15.6
Conservative Lara Pritchard 308
Majority 176
Turnout 45.0
Registered electors 3,555
Independent hold Swing
Plaid Cymru gain from Independent Swing

Denbigh Upper/Henllan (two seats) edit

Denbigh Upper/Henllan 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Geraint Lloyd-Williams * 317 33.2
Plaid Cymru Glenn Swingler 261 27.4
Conservative John Bellis 244 25.6
Labour Gillian Audley 198
Conservative Paul Smith 176
Independent Keith Stevens 132 13.8
Independent Richard Crowther 87
Independent Colin Hughes * 87
Majority 17
Turnout 38.0
Registered electors 2,349
Labour hold Swing
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour Swing

Colin Hughes had been elected for Labour in 2012.

Dyserth (one seat) edit

Dyserth 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent David Williams 412 62.0
Conservative Peter Owen * 156 23.5
Liberal Democrats Stephen Thomas 97 14.6
Majority 256
Turnout 35.0
Registered electors 1,909
Independent gain from Conservative Swing

Efenechtyd (one seat) edit

Efenechtyd 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Eryl Williams * 407 53.2
Independent Sharon Newell 358 46.8
Majority 49
Turnout 57.0
Registered electors 1,339
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

Llanarmon-Yn-Lal/Llandelga (one seat) edit

Llanarmon-Yn-Lal/Llandelga 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martyn Holland * 884 85.5 +35.3
Socialist Labour Robert English 92 8.9 -1.8
Independent Robert Barton 58 5.6 -5.4
Majority 792 +550
Turnout 52.0
Registered electors 2,016
Conservative hold Swing

Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd/Llangynhafal (one seat) edit

Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd/Llangynhafal 2017 [6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Huw Williams * unopposed
Registered electors 1188
Conservative hold Swing

Llandrillo (one seat) edit

Llandrillo 2017 [6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Rhodri ap Gwynfor unopposed
Registered electors 956
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

Llandyrnog (one seat) edit

Llandyrnog 2017 [6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Thomas Parry * 655 74.3
Liberal Democrats William Williams 226 25.7
Majority 429
Turnout 51.0
Registered electors 1,718
Independent hold Swing

Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd Gwyddelwern (one seat) edit

Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd Gwyddelwern 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Hugh Evans * 725 79.5
Conservative Barbara Hughes 187 20.5
Turnout 51.0
Registered electors 1,807
Independent hold Swing

Llangollen (two seats) edit

Llangollen 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Graham Timms 659 41.7
Independent Thomas Mile 658 41.6
Independent Stuart Davies * 657
Green Robert Spalding 263 16.6
Majority 1
Turnout 43.0
Registered electors 3,317
Labour gain from Independent Swing
Independent gain from Independent Swing

Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch (one seat) edit

Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Joseph Welch * 403 51.1
Plaid Cymru Cheow-Lay Wee 197 25.0
Conservative David Murfitt 188 23.9
Majority 206
Turnout 53.0
Registered electors 1,490
Independent hold Swing

Prestatyn Central (two seats) edit

Prestatyn Central 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Hugh Irving * 544 37.2
Conservative Elizabeth Jones 484
Independent Peter Duffy * 469 32.1
Independent Michael German 395
Labour Sonia Penlington 376 25.7
Labour David Lloyd 374
Liberal Democrats Keith Kirwan 74 5.1
Majority 15
Turnout 49.0
Registered electors 2,878
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Peter Duffy was elected for the Labour Party in 2012.[5]

Prestatyn East (two seats) edit

Prestatyn East 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthon Sampson 676 45.6 +4.0
Conservative Julian Thompson-Hill * 621
Labour Caroline Holliday 486 32.8 +3.9
Liberal Democrats Gavin Scott 320 21.6 +21.6
Majority 135
Turnout 40.0
Registered electors 3,205
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Prestatyn Meliden (one seat) edit

Prestatyn Meliden 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Peter Evans * 308 53.6 +9.4
Conservative Gerald Frobisher 221 38.4 +9.3
Liberal Democrats Kenneth Prydderch 46 8.0 +8.0
Majority 90
Turnout 38.0
Registered electors 1,528
Independent hold Swing

Prestatyn North (three seats) edit

Prestatyn North 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Flynn 940 53.6
Conservative Rachel Flynn 892
Labour Paul Penlington * 814 46.4
Labour Jason McLellan * 812
Conservative Angelina Muraca 746
Labour Janet Szabo 733
Majority 2
Turnout 41.0
Registered electors 4,751
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Labour hold Swing

Prestatyn South West (two seats) edit

Prestatyn South West 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gareth Davies 505 41.1
Labour Robert Murray * 498 40.6
Labour Gareth Sandilands * 482
Conservative William Davies 427
Independent David Cooper 225 18.3
Independent Allan Pennington 156
Majority 16
Turnout 43.0
Registered electors 2,834
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Labour hold Swing

Rhuddlan (two seats) edit

Rhuddlan 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Janet Davies * 808 48.5 +5.2
Plaid Cymru Arwel Roberts * 577 34.6 +7.3
Conservative Heather Ellis 385
Labour Jacqueline McAlpine 281 16.9 +16.9
Majority 192
Turnout 44.0
Registered electors 2,896
Conservative hold Swing
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

Rhyl East (two seats) edit

Rhyl East 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Barry Mellor * 658 47.7 0
Conservative Tony Thomas 579 42.0 +8.8
Labour David Simmons * 542
Conservative Stewart Harris 524
Independent Diana Hannam 143 10.4 -8.7
Majority 57
Turnout 38.0
Registered electors 3,716
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Rhyl South (two seats) edit

Rhyl South 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jeanette Chamberlain-Jones * 684 54.1
Labour Ellie Chard 601
Conservative Justine Evans 580 45.9
Conservative Daniel Murray 570
Majority 21
Turnout 47.0
Registered electors 2,941
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Rhyl South East (three seats) edit

Rhyl South East 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Brian Blakeley * 1,160 47.8
Labour Cheryl Williams 743
Conservative Brian Jones 722 29.8
Labour Stephen Ellison 715
Conservative Ellie Jones 650
Conservative Curtis Shea 578
Independent Winifred Mullen-James * 438 18.1
Independent William Tasker * 264
Independent Hugh Jones 250
Liberal Democrats David Dear 105 4.3
Majority 7
Turnout 36.0
Registered electors 6,092
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Win Mullen-James and Bill Tasker had been sitting Labour councillors, but Mullen-James was deselected by her party prior to the election.[3]

Rhyl South West (two seats) edit

Rhyl South West 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Patricia Jones * 703 65.7
Labour Peter Prendergast 559
Conservative Dawn Butters 367 34.3
Majority 192
Turnout 28.0
Registered electors 3,763
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Rhyl West (two seats) edit

Rhyl West 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joan Butterfield * unopposed
Labour Alan James unopposed
Registered electors 3,473
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

Ruthin (three seats) edit

Ruthin 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Huw Hilditch-Roberts * 1,237 33.7
Plaid Cymru Emrys Wynne 1,089 29.6
Liberal Democrats Robina Feeley * 832 22.6
Plaid Cymru Hywel Richards 783
Independent Patricia Astbury 655
Conservative John Hughes 516 14.0
Independent Geraint Woolford 397
Independent Ian Lewney 247
Conservative Aileen Wynn 190
Majority 49
Turnout 54.0
Registered electors 4,327
Independent hold Swing
Plaid Cymru gain from Independent Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

St Asaph East (one seat) edit

St Asaph East 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative David Thomas 391 60.3
Liberal Democrats Heather Prydderch 173 30.7
Majority 92
Turnout 39.0
Registered electors 1,445
Conservative hold Swing

St Asaph West (one seat) edit

St Asaph West 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Scott 201 47.6
Independent John Wynne-Jones 171 40.5
Independent Peter Morton 50 11.8
Majority 30
Turnout 33.0
Registered electors 1,288
Independent hold Swing

Trefnant (one seat) edit

Trefnant 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Meirick Davies * 263 36.3
Conservative Terence Mendies 242 33.4
Independent Dennis Williams 219 30.2
Majority 21
Turnout 47.0
Registered electors 1,545
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

Tremeirchion (one seat) edit

Tremeirchion 2017 [4][6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Christine Marston 293 44.3 -1.5
Independent Barbara Smith * 184 27.8 -26.6
Independent Peter Scott 94 14.2
Liberal Democrats Penelope Mawdsley 91 13.7 +13.7
Majority 109
Turnout 50.0
Registered electors 1,338
Conservative gain from Independent Swing

By-elections 2017 to 2021 edit

Corwen edit

Corwen by-election: 18 March 2021[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Alan Hughes 480 65.6 N/A
Labour Gordon Hughes 148 20.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Lisa Davies 104 14.2 N/A
Majority 332
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

The by-election was called after the death of Plaid Cymru councillor, Huw "Chick" Jones. He had died in early 2020 but the by-election was delayed considerably because of the Covid-19 pandemic.[8]

Llandrillo edit

Llandrillo: 11 November 2021
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Gwyneth Ellis 179 44.0 N/A
Independent David Robinson 140 34.4 N/A
Conservative Julian Sampson 88 21.6 N/A
Majority 39 9.6
Turnout 407
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

References edit

  1. ^ "Latest news from the 2008 council elections". Wales Online. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b Shane Brennan (4 May 2017). "North Wales local elections 2017: Denbighshire constituency profile". Daily Post. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  3. ^ a b Suzanne Jordan (25 April 2017). "Countdown begins for Denbighshire County Council elections". Denbighshire Free Press. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Teale, Andrew. "Local Election Results 2017: Denbighshire". Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Denbighshire County Council Election Results 1995-2012" (PDF). The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x "Election results by Wards". Denbighshire County Council. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  7. ^ "Local Elections Archive Project - Corwen Ward — Denbighshire". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Corwen By-election: Search for successor to Cllr Huw 'Chick' Jones who died last year". Denbighshire Free Press. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.