2012 Ceredigion County Council election

The 2012 election to Ceredigion County Council was held on 3 May 2012^[1] along with elections to 20 of the other 21 local authorities in Wales (all except Anglesey), community council elections in Wales and other elections elsewhere in the United Kingdom. It was followed by the 2017 election.

2012 Ceredigion County Council election

← 2008 3 May 2012 2017 →
All 42 seats to Ceredigion County Council 22 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Leader Ellen ap Gwynn Keith Evans Party Plaid Cymru Independent Leader's seat Ceulanamaesmawr Llandysul Town (defeated) Last election 19 seats, 43.8% 12 seats, 25.7% Seats before 20 12 Seats won 19 15 Seat change 1 3 Popular vote 10,461 7,647 Percentage 39.2% 28.6% Swing 4.6% 2.9%   Third party Fourth party   Leader Ceredig Davies Hag Harris Party Liberal Democrats Labour Leader's seat Aberystwyth, Central Lampeter Last election 10 seats, 23.9% 1 seat, 3.2% Seats before 9 1 Seats won 7 1 Seat change 2 0 Popular vote 6,787 844 Percentage 25.4% 3.2% Swing 1.5% 0.0%
Ceredigion local election results 2012
Council control before election Keith Evans Independent, Liberal Democrat & Labour coalition Council control after election Ellen ap Gwynn Plaid Cymru, Independent & Labour coalition

All 42 council seats were up for election. The previous council was controlled by Independents in coalition with the Liberal Democrat group and the single Labour member.^[2] Since 2008, there had been two by-elections in Aberystwyth, Rheidol and Ciliau Aeron which were both won by Plaid Cymru. The composition of the council prior to the elections was:

• Plaid Cymru 20^[3]
• Independents 12
• Liberal Democrats 9
• Labour 1

Councillors elected in this election were to serve an extended five-year term, after local government minister Carl Sargeant announced the next elections would be moved from 2016 to 2017 to avoid clashing with the next Welsh Assembly election in 2016 (which in turn had been delayed a year to avoid clashing with the next general election).^[4]

Election results: overview

Ceredigion local election result 2012

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Plaid Cymru	19			0	45.2	39.15	10,461	-4.65
	Independent	15			+3	35.7	28.62	7,647	+7.59
	Liberal Democrats	7			-3	16.7	25.40	6,787	+1.54
	Conservative	0			0	0.0	3.66	979	+0.73
	Labour	1			0	2.4	3.16	884	+0.23
	Green	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-0.51
Total		42						26,718

• The Independent statistics are for all Independents, whether they are members of the Independent group on the council or not.

Following the election, no party was left with a majority (22 seats) on the council. Plaid Cymru won a total of 19 seats, the Liberal Democrats won 7, Labour retained their single member, and the remaining seats were won by Independent candidates.

The leader of the Independent group on the council - Keith Evans - lost his seat to Plaid Cymru. As a result, Ray Quant (Councillor for Borth) was elected as the leader of a group of 12 of the independent councillors. Negotiations were held between the various groups, and eventually a coalition between Plaid Cymru, the one Labour councillor and a number of independent councillors was agreed upon. The Liberal Democrat group now form the opposition.

Candidates

For a total of 42 seats, Plaid Cymru were fielding 34 candidates, the Liberal Democrats were fielding 28 candidates, 22 candidates were standing as Independents, the Conservatives were fielding 21 candidates, while Labour were fielding just one. The Green Party were not fielding any candidates in this election, compared to two candidates in 2008.

Ward results

Asterisks denote incumbent Councillors seeking re-election. Vote share changes compared with corresponding 2008 election.

Aberaeron ward

Aberaeron ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Elizabeth Evans*	651	91.30	+24.58
	Plaid Cymru	Gwenllian Mair	62	8.70	+8.70
Majority			589	82.60	+49.37
Turnout			713
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Aberporth ward

Aberporth ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gethin James*	500	61.27	−9.57
	Plaid Cymru	Des Davies	218	26.72	+26.72
	Conservative	Graham Howard Dean	98	12.01	−17.14
Majority			282	34.55
Turnout			816
	Independent hold		Swing

Aberystwyth, Bronglais ward

Aberystwyth, Bronglais ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Alun John Wiliams*	405	89.40	+11.88
	Conservative	Christopher Richard Owens Newcombe	48	10.60	+3.79
Majority			357	78.80
Turnout			453
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Aberystwyth, Central ward

Aberystwyth, Central ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Ceredig Wyn Davies*	231	62.43	−1.64
	Plaid Cymru	Christopher MacKenzie Grieve	117	31.62	+0.89
	Conservative	James Forrest	22	5.95	+0.75
Majority			114	30.81
Turnout			370
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Aberystwyth, North ward

Aberystwyth, North ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Mark Antony Strong	215	41.43	−3.02
	Liberal Democrats	Edgar Carl Williams*	168	32.37	−16.13
	Independent	Lisa Francis	107	20.62	+20.62
	Conservative	Sophie Fuller	29	5.59	−1.47
Majority			47	9.06
Turnout			519
	Plaid Cymru gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing

Aberystwyth, Penparcau ward

Aberystwyth, Penparcau ward (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Steve Davies	370	28.03
	Plaid Cymru	Lol Jones-Southgate	323	24.47
	Independent	Dylan Paul Lewis	247	18.71
	Liberal Democrats	Mair Benjamin	177	13.41
	Liberal Democrats	Brenda Haines	134	10.15
	Conservative	Mark William Mainwaring	53	4.02
	Conservative	Sophie Davies	16	1.21
Majority
Turnout			1,320
	Plaid Cymru gain from Independent		Swing
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Aberystwyth, Rheidol ward

Aberystwyth, Rheidol ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	John Aled Davies*	207	32.91	+32.91
	Plaid Cymru	Mark Endaf Edwards	143	22.73	−4.44
	Liberal Democrats	Wendy Morris-Twiddy	137	21.78	−45.81
	Independent	Martin Wyn Shewring	120	19.08	+19.08
	Conservative	Harry Saville	22	3.50	−1.74
Majority			64	10.18
Turnout			629
	Independent gain from Plaid Cymru		Swing

• In 2008, Rheidol ward was won by the Liberal Democrats. It was then won by Aled Davies for Plaid Cymru in a by-election. Davies then left Plaid Cymru in 2012 to stand as an Independent candidate. The vote changes here compare this election to the 2008 election.

Beulah ward

Beulah ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	William David Lyndon Lloyd*	586	82.54	−2.54
	Liberal Democrats	Steph Flower	85	11.97	−2.95
	Conservative	Robert Hatfield	39	5.49	+5.49
Majority			501	70.57
Turnout			710
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Borth ward

Borth ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ray Quant*	358	49.58	−7.11
	Independent	James Whitlock Davies	292	40.44	−2.86
	Conservative	Shaun Bailey	72	9.97	+9.97
Majority			66	9.14
Turnout			722
	Independent hold		Swing

Capel Dewi ward

Capel Dewi ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Peter Lloyd Davies*	363	57.35	+57.35
	Plaid Cymru	John Gethin Jones	270	42.65	+42.65
Majority			93	14.70
Turnout			633
	Independent hold		Swing

• In 2008, the election in Capel Dewi ward was won unopposed by Peter Davies.

Cardigan, Mwldan ward

Cardigan, Mwldan ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Thomas John Adams-Lewis*	476	65.93	−1.23
	Liberal Democrats	Neal Jones	200	27.70	+27.55
	Conservative	Nigel Moore	50	6.93	+0.51
Majority			276	38.23
Turnout			722
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Cardigan, Rhydyfwuch ward

Cardigan, Rhydyfuwch ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Cole*	320	75.83	−10.22
	Plaid Cymru	Graham Evans	102	24.17	+10.22
Majority			218	51.66
Turnout			422
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Cardigan, Teifi ward

Cardigan, Teifi ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Catrin Miles*	163	63.42	+36.58
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Greenhalgh	94	36.58	+6.04
Majority			69	26.84
Turnout			257
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Ceulanamaesmawr ward

Ceulanamaesmawr ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Ellen ap Gwynn*	469	61.71	−13.68
	Liberal Democrats	Mark Allan Joseph	291	38.29	+13.68
Majority			178	23.42
Turnout			760
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Ciliau Aeron ward

Ciliau Aeron ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	John Edward Charles Lumley*	405	50.63	−16.37
	Liberal Democrats	Sonia Rose Williams	324	40.50	+21.9
	Conservative	Lauren Evetts	71	8.88	+8.88
Majority			81	10.13
Turnout			800
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Faenor ward

Faenor ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	John Roberts*	515	65.36	−1.09
	Plaid Cymru	Terry Lambden	245	31.09	+2.58
	Conservative	David Goddard	28	3.55	−1.49
Majority			270	34.27
Turnout			788
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Lampeter ward

Lampeter ward (2 seats)

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Robert George (Hag) Harris*	884	45.03	+7.76
	Independent	John Ivor Williams*	637	32.48	+5.36
	Plaid Cymru	Robert Phillips	262	13.36	+0.95
	Liberal Democrats	Alex George Bashford	130	6.63	+0.83
	Conservative	Reece Fox	49	2.5	−0.10
Majority
Turnout			1962
	Labour hold		Swing
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanarth ward

Llanarth ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Bryan Gareth Davies	284	48.38	+48.38
	Liberal Democrats	Thomas Eurfyl Evans*	251	42.76	+42.76
	Conservative	Joan Joyce Thomas	52	8.86	+8.86
Majority			33	5.62
Turnout			587
	Plaid Cymru gain from Liberal Democrats		Swing

• In 2008, the election in Llanarth ward was won by the unopposed Liberal Democrat candidate.

Llanbadarn Fawr, Padarn ward

Llanbadarn Fawr, Padarn ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Gareth Davies*	229	79.79	+17.79
	Liberal Democrats	Linden Parker	39	13.59	+1.59
	Conservative	Jessica Carr	19	6.62	+6.62
Majority			190	66.20	+30.2
Turnout			287	34.58	−20.52
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Llanbadarn Fawr, Sulien ward

Llanbadarn Fawr, Sulien ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Paul James*	338	83.87	+1.49
	Liberal Democrats	John Thornton	46	11.41	−6.20
	Conservative	Nathaniel Hayward	19	4.71	+4.71
Majority			292	72.46
Turnout			403
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Llandyfriog ward

Llandyfriog ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Benjamin Towyn Evans*	485	82.06	+6.05
	Conservative	Jane Kelsey	106	17.94	+17.94
Majority			379	64.12
Turnout			591
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Llandysiliogogo ward

Llandysiliogogo ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gareth Lloyd*	735	91.65	+25.38
	Conservative	William Evetts	67	8.35	+8.35
Majority			668	83.30
Turnout			802
	Independent hold		Swing

Llandysul Town ward

Llandysul Town ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Peter Godfrey Evans	373	57.92	+21.04
	Independent	Evan John Keith Evans*	271	42.08	−21.04
Majority			102	15.84
Turnout			644
	Plaid Cymru gain from Independent		Swing

Llanfarian ward

Llanfarian ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Alun Lloyd Jones*	391	67.18	+11.64
	Liberal Democrats	Sian Kingscott-Smith	164	28.18	−9.98
	Conservative	Martin Fletcher	27	4.64	−1.67
Majority			227	39.00
Turnout			582
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Llanfihangel Ystrad ward

Llanfihangel Ystrad ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	William Lynford Thomas	550	64.48	−1.12
	Liberal Democrats	Angela Lewes-Gee	303	35.52	+1.12
Majority			247	28.96
Turnout			853
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Llangeitho ward

Llangeitho ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David Rhodri Wyn Evans'	361	53.72	+53.72
	Liberal Democrats	Mary Pearce	248	36.90	+36.90
	Independent	Paul Adrian Davison	63	9.38	+9.38
Majority			113	16.82
Turnout			672
	Independent gain from Plaid Cymru		Swing

• In 2008, the election in Llangeitho ward was won by an unopposed Plaid Cymru candidate.

Llangybi ward

Llangybi ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	John Timothy Odwyn Davies*	419	74.42	+7.43
	Liberal Democrats	Derek Wilson	144	25.58	−7.43
Majority			275	48.84
Turnout			563
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

Llanrhystud ward

Llanrhystud ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David Rowland Rees-Evans*	504	75.34	+10.06
	Independent	Alan Durrant	165	24.66	+24.66
Majority			339	50.68
Turnout			669
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

• The independent candidate in 2008 received 34.73% of the vote, giving an Independent vote change of -10.06%.

Llansantffraed ward

Llansantffraed ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Dafydd Edwards*	842	85.66	+33.97
	Liberal Democrats	Harry Hayfield	141	14.34	+14.34
Majority			701	71.32
Turnout			983
	Independent hold		Swing

Llanwenog ward

Llanwenog ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Euros Davies	395	47.42	+47.42
	Plaid Cymru	Geraint Davies	366	43.94	−41.49
	Liberal Democrats	Kathy Bracy	72	8.64	−5.92
Majority			29	3.48
Turnout			833
	Independent gain from Plaid Cymru		Swing

Lledrod ward

Lledrod ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ifan Davies*	0	0.00	−54.85
Majority			0	0.00	−9.69
Turnout			0	0.00	−56.03
	Independent hold		Swing	-4.85

Melindwr ward

Melindwr ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Rhodri Davies*	601	70.21	+17.12
	Liberal Democrats	Fred Williams	255	29.79	−17.12
Majority			346	40.42
Turnout			856
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing

New Quay ward

New Quay ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Sarah Gillian Hopley*	249	61.03	−7.54
	Conservative	Luke Evetts	159	38.97	+7.54
Majority			90	22.06
Turnout			408
	Independent hold		Swing

Penbryn ward

Penbryn ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Gwyn James	431	51.93	+51.93
	Plaid Cymru	Ian ap Dewi*	318	38.31	−34.45
	Liberal Democrats	Neil Flower	81	9.76	−17.47
Majority			113	13.62
Turnout			830
	Independent gain from Plaid Cymru		Swing

Penparc ward

Penparc ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Haydn Lewis*	584	68.87	−3.40
	Plaid Cymru	Shân Williams	264	31.13	+3.40
Majority			320	37.74
Turnout			848
	Independent hold		Swing

Tirymynach ward

Tirmynach ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Hinge*	544	68.51	+17.69
	Plaid Cymru	Jaci Taylor	250	31.49	−17.69
Majority			294	37.02
Turnout			794
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Trefeurig ward

Trefeurig ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	David James Mason	422	58.45	+58.45
	Plaid Cymru	Dai Suter*	300	41.55	−27.46
Majority			122	16.90
Turnout			722
	Independent gain from Plaid Cymru		Swing

• The independent candidate in 2008 received 14.82% of the vote, giving an Independent vote change of +43.63%.

Tregaron ward

Tregaron ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Plaid Cymru	Catherine Jane Hughes	0	0.00	+/−0.00
Majority			0	0.00	+/−0.00
Turnout			0	0.00	+/−0.00
	Plaid Cymru hold		Swing	+/-0.00

• Catherine Hughes also won the election unopposed for Plaid Cymru in 2008.

Troedyraur ward

Troedyraur ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Thomas Maldwyn Benjamin Lewis	361	67.73	+67.73
	Plaid Cymru	Gerwyn James	172	32.27	+3.89
Majority			189	35.46
Turnout			533
	Independent hold		Swing

• The independent candidate in 2008 received 71.62% of the vote, giving an Independent vote change of -3.89%.

Ystwyth ward

Ystwyth ward

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	John David Rowland Jones*	432	62.79	−3.37
	Plaid Cymru	Mererid Jones	222	32.27	+7.71
	Conservative		34	4.94	+4.94
Majority			210	30.52
Turnout			688
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing