Carmarthen Town North was an electoral ward, representing part of the community of Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Profile edit

In 2014, the Carmarthen Town North electoral ward had an electorate of 3,984.[1] The total population was 5,151, of whom 77.1% were born in Wales. The 2011 census indicated that 37.4% of the population were able to speak Welsh.[1]

History edit

Carmarthen Town North was an electoral ward since the 1937. It was previously known as Carmarthen Town No.1 Ward. It became a two-member electoral ward for the purposes of elections to Carmarthenshire County Council. The corresponding North ward elects seven members to Carmarthen Town Council.

From 1973 until 1996 it was a single-member ward for the purposes of elections to Dyfed County Council and a four-member ward for elections to Carmarthen District Council.

From 1937 until 1973 it was a single-member ward for the purposes of elections to the previous Carmarthenshire County Council.

Following a boundary review by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, Carmarthen Town North was merged with Carmarthen Town South to be called Carmarthen Town North and South, effective from the May 2022 local elections. The new ward saw an overall reduction in councillors from four to three.[2]

Carmarthenshire County Council elections edit

1995 edit

In 1995, Ken Maynard, a Labour member of Dyfed County Council since 1985 and David Merriman, an Independent member of Carmarthen District Council since 1976 were elected as the ward's first representatives on the new Carmarthenshire County Council.[3]

Carmarthen Town North 1995
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kenneth Bryan Maynard+ 1,431
Independent David Howell Merriman* 1,117
Labour Douglas Edmund Ynyr Richards Rose 849
Conservative Jane Ann Jones 279
Labour win (new seat)
Independent win (new seat)

1999 edit

In 1999, both sitting members were re-elected but were closely challenged by Plaid Cymru candidate Llyr Huws Griffiths.

Carmarthen Town North 1999
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kenneth Bryan Maynard* 1,014
Independent David Howell Merriman* 979
Plaid Cymru Llyr Hughes Griffiths 965
Labour Richard Evans 658
Labour hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

2004 edit

At the 2004 election, Ken Maynard, a county councillor since 1985 stood down and David Merriman, a district and county councillor since 1976 sought (unsuccessfully) to be elected for the neighbouring Carmarthen Town West ward. Both seats were captured for the first time by Plaid Cymru.

Carmarthen Town North 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Peter Hughes Griffiths 767
Plaid Cymru Jeffrey Thomas 584
Labour Michael Stewart Elias 562
Labour Richard Evans 491
Independent Jeremy John 360
Independent Kevin Davies 214
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour Swing
Plaid Cymru gain from Independent Swing

2008 edit

Plaid Cymru held both seats in 2008 Carmarthenshire County Council election, with Gareth O. Jones replacing Jeff Thomas who stood down.

Carmarthen Town North 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Peter Hughes Griffiths* 1,058
Plaid Cymru Gareth Owen Jones 740
Labour Douglas Edmund Ynyr Richards Rose 462
Independent David Neil Lewis 461
Plaid Cymru hold Swing
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

2012 edit

Plaid Cymru held both seats in 2012 with the sitting members again returned.

Carmarthen Town North 2012
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Peter Hughes Griffiths* 824
Plaid Cymru Gareth Owen Jones* 657
Independent Michael Stewart Elias 501
Labour Douglas Edmund Ynyr Richards Rose 480
Independent Paschal Haughey 201
Turnout 38.8
Plaid Cymru hold Swing
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

2017 edit

At the May 2017 elections Labour's Ken Lloyd, a Carmarthen Town councillor, captured one of the Plaid Cymru seats.[4]

Carmarthen Town North 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Kenneth Lloyd 805
Plaid Cymru Peter Hughes Griffiths* 765
Plaid Cymru Gareth Owen Jones* 581
Independent Les Clark 489
Turnout
Labour gain from Plaid Cymru Swing
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Carmarthen Town North Ward: Electoral Division Profile" (PDF). Carmarthenshire County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  2. ^ Clare Snowdon (21 July 2021). "Carmarthenshire to have one more councillor following electoral boundaries review". South Wales Guardian. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Election Special". South Wales Evening Post. 5 May 1995.
  4. ^ "Carmarthenshire County Council election results". Carmarthenshire Herald. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2022.